Vets!! Lord give me strength not to kill mine

N

nokia

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 May 2007
Messages
627
Visit site
Hiya...

Please can somebody help me..my poor little dog who is 15 has a cough...she has heart problems and is given steroids and broncials to help with her breathing. She now wakes up struggling to swallow and coughing and is also very chesty..my vet has had her in 4 times 2 with camera and Cultures taken..and now has said she needs to go to Leahurst as they dont know whats wrong with her.

Mean while the current bill is close to 800...going to Leahurst a further 600 + had an estimate from them..appointment is not till 16th ( can not bring it forward as they are very busy )

My dog is deppressed..and unwell...can any body suggest any herbal remidies or has anybody got any experience with dogs coughing and not being able to swallow.

A friend suggested trying a global herbs product a cough syrup that is supposed to be good..any help would be greatley appriciated.

Thanks
 
I dont like to be the one to say it but.....are you sure that at 15 she really wants to be put through much more?
She already has heart probs (which in certain cases will cause fluid build up in the lungs) and her age is certainly against her.
As we (and indeed any animal) age, things start to not work as well as they once did.
You say she is depressed? I would be inclinded personally to call it a day, for her sake, because if you are being totally honest with yourself, are you keeping her going for her sake or yours?
Sorry i know that not what what you wanted to hear.
 
i am inclined to agree with Joeanne. Maybe it is time to let her go as sad as that may be. There is only so much you can do for your dog and at that age she has had a good innings so to speak. If she is waking up struggling to breathe then it is not fair to her to keep her going.

I am sorry too that this isn't what you were hoping for but I think you know that this would be a possible option sooner or later. It is better to lose them a day early than an hour too late. God bless, thinking of you x
 
I m really sorry but i have to agree with joeanneand applecart14, the chances are her caugh is due to her heart condition and that really says to me that it is time to call it a day. Something very similar happened to my old dog and to be honest we kept her going longer than we should we have done, i really regret that decision now as i know she suffered to a cirtain extent. We have the ability to let them go with there dignaty intact, so please do her this one last favour and dont make the same decision we did. You will only regret it later!!!
Sorry but Hugs for you both!!!
 
I am really sorry but I am afraid I agree with other posters. If she is depressed and struggling to breathe I honestly think the kindest thing would be to let her go peacefully. More tests etc at Leahurst are not going to be pleasant for her, and I think you may regret putting her through them . Sending you ((hugs)), I have been in your position several times and it is so heartbreaking.
 
I know that the next time my dog has a crisis, which won't be too far off, I will have to make the decision to pts. I have no doubt that my vet would have me try this and that but had a frank discussion with him recently and said I did not want her to suffer on to the bitter end, she has been ill for 3 years and had bad episodes for the last 6 months and I am adamant that I will not let her suffer or keep her going for selfish reasons, even so I know that when I have to make that decision it will be really difficult. I have had her for 12 years and she is such a part of my life but I take comfort in knowing that it will be the final act of love.
Whatever, you do I am sure you will make the right decision, but don't let vet push you into expensive treatment which is not really in the dogs best interest.
 
^^^

Sorry, but I agree with what everyone else has said. 15 is a great age for any dog.

The first time we saw our beloved GSD struggling to get up onto her feet, we called our vet - she had been with us for 14 years and she had led a great life.
My mother had already kept our other girl (who had CDRM) for far too long and we didn't want to do that again, it wouldn't have been fair.

It was a hard decision to make, but once they stop enjoing life, once things start to become a struggle for them, it really is kinder to let them go.

xxx
 
thanks for all the support...it would be easier if the vets just said their is nothing more they can do...but as they want her to see a speciallist i feel their is hope.

Its so horrible when your dog gets old and unwell..she has had a few fits as well which are very up setting.

Thanks Everybody..have decided not to take her to Leahurst x
 
i dont think its time to have her PTS she still trots about..eats well..and has normall toilet functions..and can still jump on the couch but not the bed lol.

Ill just try her on these herbs and see if they help her..the steroids have turned her into a diffrent dog so im keen to reduce them.

Its weired how quickly they go down hill isnt it

Thanks x
 
It's one of the hardest things to decide, and some times it's easier to take the advice from a vet to have one last shot. But can i just say you obviously love your dog and you have had her for a long time, but i'm sure you will understand as will probably everyone on these boards that quality of life for an animal is everything, no half measures.

She sounds as though she is suffering and perhaps it is the kindest thing for her to let her go (it is the worst thing for you) but i promise you the kindest thing for her.

What ever happens i'm sure you will do the right thing.
 
Vets will not, for some reason, come out and say that they think you should have your animal pts. Instead they will give you all the other options.

However, I am sure that if you asked your vet the straight question, should I have her pts, they would say yes, that might be the best thing to do.

I recently had my 14 yo dog pts. She had several chronic problems which we had managed for the past couple of years, but was clearly deteriorating. The vet suggested several courses of action, but when I said I thought we had reached the end of the road and it would be kinder to have her pts, she agreed with me straight away.

I know it's hard, but it sounds like it would be the kindest and best thing to do for your dog.

xx
 
[ QUOTE ]
...but as they want her to see a speciallist i feel their is hope.



[/ QUOTE ]

I don't want to sound horrible but hope for what? At that age she may have 1 or 2 years left at best with all the problems she has and by the sound of it they're not going to be very happy years unless you hit upon a herbal remedy. Good luck x
 
I agree with the others I'm afraid. And it may be that your vets feel that they have to give you the option of referral. I was at Leahurst today, and the woman I work with said that they had had a horse in yesterday at 10pm that had been colicking severly since 8am. No-one at leahurst could understand why the horse had been allowed to suffer that long, and they were all of the opinion that the original vet should have pts rather than cart the horse to leahurst for a 2nd opinion which was useless as the horse was in so much pain it was shot on arrival. Sorry its a bit of a morbid story, but its worth bearing in mind that some vets do feel the need to push referral as that last 'hope', when really it is kinder to accept that maybe the time has come to PTS.

Hugs to you, it must be an awful time for you. x
 
I can see that from reading the above you are not ready to say goodbye just yet, but I have to agree with all the other posters, please take a step back, look at our little girl and ask yourself what her quality of life really is. I know that when I have a cough I feel poorly and wretched but at least I know it'll get better at some point. If I had a poorly heart and other physical problems, and was 105 years old (about the age your little girl comparably is) maybe I'd just want some peace and not be pulled around and prodded any more.

Please, just take that step back and reassess how she is coping. Hugs and cuddles to you both at this time xxxx
 
From the way you described it it sounds like her heart problems are affecting her lungs..At this stage if the drugs prescribed are not working its unlikely that a herbal remedy will be able to do her any good im afriad...plus be careful before you give you dog any human products some drugs that work for us can cause liver and kidney problems/failure in dogs
id advise going in to your vet and having a chat about your options...they mite be able to give her a different treatment to make her more comfortable...but in the long run im afraid im going to have to agree with the other posters maybe you should consider pts as if she is uncomfortable and depressed her quality of life has to be considerd and at 15 she is an elderly dog
 
Hi, dear Nokia,

Our vets do their best to keep our much-loved friends with us for as long as they can, is what i believe (i've had my 16-yr old incontinent collie bitch to my dear vet only tonight!)

Yes, my friend, it's not cheap keeping our old friends alive, but our vets need to earn a living, also. My biggest question, however, would be - what profit has the drug company gained from both you and me recently? Food for thought.

And where does the research come from for drugs? Researchers employed by the company. So, are they going to publish negative findings? I wouldn't!

On the other hand, dear Nokia, i would be very careful about treating your dear old dog with anything herbal. I speak as a complementary therapist.

I would rather go with the vet approach for her, and hopefully a vet with a wide experience of all therapies. I'm sure there is one which Leahurst could recommend.

I totally understand your feelings, and share your worries, please believe me. I just don't want you to give up just yet. Your little friend isn't well, but it could be something that another vet could sort?

Whatever, your little dog will tell you when her time is up. And you will know. With my love, and very best wishes, BS x
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top