It's that time...... Once again.

Lewis_Benson

I've been here before with previous animals and this never gets any easier.

Ruby, my 16 year old Choc Lab / Staffie Cross has been getting quite thin since Christmas.
Today she became very lethargic and had no interest in food, which is very unusual.

I took her to my regular vet, and they think there is some organ failure in advanced stages, either pancreas or kidney, or possibly a cancerous tumour., and she is likely digesting her own muscle to stay alive.

You always know this is coming with every pet, but christ when it does, it's like a tonne of bricks hitting you in the face.

I agreed with the vet to take a weeks worth of steroids with me for her to see if she shows any improvement, and then back next week for another look, I'm going to have to make the hard decision at that point.
I know what's coming as I don't see her improving, and I don't want to put her through any operation that will cause her any pain.

Mrs has cried a fair but this evening, I have not yet, but of course I wil... We will take comfort in knowing we gave her a good life, and she was always cared for.

I'll post a pic of her here tomorrow.

cocker5

Lewis_Benson wrote: »

I've been here before with previous animals and this never gets any easier.

Ruby, my 16 year old Choc Lab / Staffie Cross has been getting quite thin since Christmas.
Today she became very lethargic and had no interest in food, which is very unusual.

I took her to my regular vet, and they think there is some organ failure in advanced stages, either pancreas or kidney, or possibly a cancerous tumour., and she is likely digesting her own muscle to stay alive.

You always know this is coming with every pet, but christ when it does, it's like a tonne of bricks hitting you in the face.

I agreed with the vet to take a weeks worth of steroids with me for her to see if she shows any improvement, and then back next week for another look, I'm going to have to make the hard decision at that point.
I know what's coming as I don't see her improving, and I don't want to put her through any operation that will cause her any pain.

Mrs has cried a fair but this evening, I have not yet, but of course I wil... We will take comfort in knowing we gave her a good life, and she was always cared for.

I'll post a pic of her here tomorrow.

Sorry to hear about your dog - it’s horrible seeing them age but..
Can I ask has the vet not carried out basic bloods / urine tests? It would give u a better indication of what’s going on? If you knew roughly what was going on there could be a basic plan that may help your dog

Lewis_Benson

cocker5 wrote: »

Sorry to hear about your dog - it’s horrible seeing them age but..
Can I ask has the vet not carried out basic bloods / urine tests? It would give u a better indication of what’s going on? If you knew roughly what was going on there could be a basic plan that may help your dog

Hi, yes the vet took bloods and said the count was low.
Should be around 5, but was 3.2
She's too old to go through a surgery.
Will see how she does on the steroid, but I'm not holding much hope at this point given her age.

Her sister died in 2017 from a Tumouron the spleen, so this could well be the same thing..

cocker5

Lewis_Benson wrote: »

Hi, yes the vet took bloods and said the count was low.
Should be around 5, but was 3.2
She's too old to go through a surgery.
Will see how she does on the steroid, but I'm not holding much hope at this point given her age.

Her sister died in 2017 from a Tumouron the spleen, so this could well be the same thing..

You mention above kidney and possible pancreas issues .. both tests are very quick and easy and should be checked ..

I lost my guy to liver cancer / tumours etc .. so I know it’s awful ..

Is your dog eating ok? Going to the toilet ok?

aonb

Horrible time OP - 16 is such a good age for a lab/staffie - you'll know when the time has come to let her go - how lucky were you to have her for so long, and she to have lived with humans who will take care of her when she really needs it.
I held on to some of my elderly dogs, and sometimes they deteriorated very suddenly and ended up being in pain or stressed until I got them to the vet - its
a rotten way to end things with your beloved pet, and makes you feel so bad afterwards, when its already a nightmare experience.

Lewis_Benson

cocker5 wrote: »

You mention above kidney and possible pancreas issues .. both tests are very quick and easy and should be checked ..

I lost my guy to liver cancer / tumours etc .. so I know it’s awful ..

Is your dog eating ok? Going to the toilet ok?

Hi,
Yes she is eating and drinking and toilet going is fine.
She is very weak though. The legs are going.

tk123

Ah god OP I'm sorry to hear about your dog. I lost my girl a year ago at Christmas to kidney failure

Enjoy what time you have left together and the fact that you're thinking of what's to come shows how good an owner you are. If it's kidneys you'll know because the dog will have a uremic/kind of ammonia smell in the final stages. I wouldn't put the dog through more tests personally - I don't think it's going to achieve/confirm anything that you don't already know?

Just enjoy the time you have left - take some of her fur, a paw print etc

anewme

Hi Op, 4 weeks ago this Saturday, we had our little JRT cross pts two weeks shy of her 16th Birthday,. Off her food, lethargic, wobbly legs. Our girl was such a great eater, that we know once she stopped eating. She had kidney failure, we tried with the vets to get fluids into her, but we had to make the decision a week later to let her go. Heartbroken is not the word. All I can say is, when you know, you know. Look after yourself. Very tough times.

Lewis_Benson

An update, and some positive news.

Ruby has been on steroids for a week.
Took her back to the vet today, she happened to empty her bowels while on the table, while it was unpleasent for all involved, it answered the vets question regarding her stools.

He is confident it is some sort of bowel issue that can be sorted with medication.
She is on a course of antibiotics and a steroid, as well as a worming dose to be done.

She didn't put on much weight, but is a lot more active the last few days.

So we'll see how she gets on.
There's life in the old dog yet.

cocker5

Lewis_Benson wrote: »

An update, and some positive news.

Ruby has been on steroids for a week.
Took her back to the vet today, she happened to empty her bowels while on the table, while it was unpleasent for all involved, it answered the vets question regarding her stools.

He is confident it is some sort of bowel issue that can be sorted with medication.
She is on a course of antibiotics and a steroid, as well as a worming dose to be done.

She didn't put on much weight, but is a lot more active the last few days.

So we'll see how she gets on.
There's life in the old dog yet.

Ahh that’s great news! Long May it last! I hope she continues to improve x

Lewis_Benson

Things took a turn for the worst last night.
We had to say goodbye this morning.

sunbeam

Aw, I'm so sorry Lewis Benson.

Lewis_Benson

Only last week.

https://app.photobucket.com/u/archetype2007/p/c36c6c73-1612-4370-ab0e-f4bc8902989b

Oh, beautiful dog!!
So sorry to hear your news, devastating

sdp

so so sorry for your loss, RIP Ruby.

cocker5

Lewis_Benson wrote: »

Things took a turn for the worst last night.
We had to say goodbye this morning.

Ahh no .. so sorry for your loss .. look after yourself

Lewis_Benson

Thanks folks.
It wasn't easy.
Thankfully she is no longer In pain and we know we did the right thing by her.

She now has a permanent place at the end of the garden.

Muppet Man

Sorry for your loss. I feel your pain.

Autosport

Sorry for your loss Lewis. At least you know she is no longer in pain and you did the right thing

jtkpenguin

Awww beautiful dog, very sorry for your loss, op, it's so very hard when 'that' time comes but she's had wonderful owners who've obviously loved her to the very end & please try to remember all the happy times you've had with her.

anewme

Mind yourself, it's a sad time.