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Cathy you are in my thoughts and prayers tonight.I have been exactly where you are right now.I just wanted to let you know that i was thinking about you and Ginger.Please take care.Boomer's Mom.also I hope the best for all of you on here.I haven't been reading this thread in a while as I have been going through the grieving process and it has been too hard to read these similar stories.Take care all.
Meggin sorry to hear that Milo is having a hard time. If it is indeed coming through the palate his mouth might hurt and and that would make eating pretty hard. Have you tried babyfood as they don't really have to chew that or even something like canned Evo watered down so it is total mush? If he gets perixocam he needs it with food so when they don't eat that makes giving it a risk to their stomach.
I myself was all prepared for the cancer to spread to the brain and the seizures it would cause or even to his lung and the breathing difficulties that would cause.I was a bit shocked in Feb. when the facial swelling started and the oncologist said he thought it was the cancer taking the path of least resistance as that was not something I had even considered. The oncologist thought it would break open in a matter of weeks and here it is Sept and while large it has not broken open yet.
Dash also gets really horrible breath with infections...and I do mean bad breath!!!
Cathy, What can I say about Ginger not being able to sleep?. I went through that with Dash as he had to pant to breathe and could not sleep and pant at the same time so would sleep maybe two minutes and wake up to pant for a few. This went on for days and he would almost fall over from lack of sleep so I talked to my vet about it and he gave me some tranquilizers to use I used just a very tiny amount to take the edge off so Dash would not panick and wake himself and sure enough he slept and was so relaxed he left his tongue hanging out so had an open airway.After a few days of that he seemed to figure out how to sleep and breath so I did not need the pills anymore. It is very hard when they can't sleep as we can't either! You feel so bad for them. The oncologist had said you can use a roll of tape as an oral airway maybe that is true in a sedated dog but a non sedated dog is not going to keep a roll of tape in its mouth so I am not sure why he suggested that to me . My vets idea worked much better! I am so thankful for my regular vet as he has been such great support and is always willing to help and offer suggestions. I know he really cares about my dogs as he has known them since I got them years ago. I think he is looking at the adventure with Dash as a learning experience for himself as he is so surprized Dash is still here and living a pretty normal life at that despite his huge monster bump. That is how it should be patients learn from the doctors and the doctors learn from the patients!
I will be sending Milo and Ginger extra prayers tonight. May tomorrow be a better day for both of them as well as for you both. Jan
Hi Everyone. Kisses had 3 fractions of the SRS radiation and arrived back in Los Angeles via Pet Airways 8 days ago. That morning he had an altercation with something (maybe a cat) and got a tear in his 3rd eyelid that turned into a raging infection. He also ended up with fleas, which he never gets. In the past 6 days we have made 3 separate vet trips with full blood run on 2 of them. His BUN went very high (stress? post radiation effects?) and his calcium dropped dangerously low. His appetite has declined daily; today we had to force feed him baby food chicken from a syringe. He's lethargic and we can't tell if he's in pain. He's on so many meds now it's crazy. Cerenia for anti nausea, Omeprazole for his gastric upset, 2 eye meds, Tramadol for possible pain, Calcitriol for his hypoparathyroid and Tums for calcium. I'm beginning to feel that perhaps I've put him through too much considering he's only 3 mo. away from his 16th. birthday. Hopefully he just needs time to readjust and recover from the radiation.
We've made the decision to have the vet come today (on our anniversary of all days) because Ginger spent the entire night choking and gagging on either tumor or blood, but most probably tumor as the bleeding has slowed a lot. She can't breathe out of her nose anymore in any position and gags and retches while breathing from her mouth. After his shift on the floor, at 6am my husband (who has not been ready) told me that he thought it was time. We both know in our hearts that she's not going to get any better and to ask more of this for her would not be right so today she is going to get a nice breakfast, a drive, a long walk, an ice cream cone and a last romp in the yard with her sister, then relief from this terrible disease. We are both devastated. Everyone hopes to be the exception rather than the rule, but it's not in the cards for our beautiful girl.
God bless all of you people here trying to help others through this nightmare and those that are fighting the good fight. I'm convinced we got a month or more from Ginger just getting the good advice here. I'm sure I'll post later. Thanks for being here.
Jan -
As always...Thank you so much for all of your advice!!! This forum has turned my emotional well being in a great and positive direction!
Since finding the swelling in his mouth 8 weeks ago, I have not given Milo anything hard to eat at all. I tried Evo & baby food and he wouldn's have it. I may try both of them again just to make sure. He is very picky, so the only soft dog food I can get him to eat is Ceasar. He eats lots of lunch meat, cheese and most of all hot dogs. He takes his meds well in hot dogs and they don't get in the way of what's going on in his mouth.
We went back to his normal vet his morning. I was a little put off by the fact that the holistic vet didn't put his hands on Milo much. I really love my regular vet and the first thing he says when he sees Milo is..."Hello sweetheart", then he pets him. I started going to the holistic vet when I got interested in the Neo and just kept going back hoping the meds he was giving Milo would cure him. I finally have my "head on straight" after reading books, anything canine cancer related and this forum! I realize that he will not be cured of the nasal cancer. I am happy with the meds we are going to give him now from his regular vet. We will keep him on the Pred. because it does keep some swelling down and most of all keeps him eating. He is on a little Tramadol for pain just in case, even though he doesn't seem to be in pain. He gave him an antibiotic for the yellow snot he has coming from his nose and the mouth issues.
He ate last night and this morning and seems very clear and happy. People comment that he is moving slow these days. Wouldn't you if you were over 100 years old? I think some of that comes with age. He will be 15 on Sept. 15th!
Things are good today and we plan to have a nice long holiday weekend with our family (and Milo's dog Ralphie) at home...Milo's favorite place, in the back yard!
Cathy -
I am so sorry. You, like everyone else here did everything you could with so much love. I'm sure Ginger knows it and is happy that you and your husband did the most unselfish and loving thing you could do and set her free. I hope you both know she will be waiting for you!
Meggin
Cathy , You have my sympaties as I know how hard you tried with Ginger. I think when you deal with most cancers deep down you know the cancer will win in the end , Yet you hold on to hope as just every now and then there is a miracle. Hope is all we really have. It is not wrong to have hope nor is it wrong to spare a pet ( or loved one) from any more pain and suffering. Quality of life is so much more important the quanity. Ginger knows you love her and that you tried and are doing what is best for her. May her transition from this life be a peaceful one. You and your family will be in my prayers tonight. Try not to second guess your decision as that does no good but to cause you pain, instead try to focus on the fact that you are doing what you feel is best for Ginger even if that means breaking your own heart. May you find relief in the decision knowing she will no longer be held captive by this awful cancer. Here are some big ((((((((Hugs))))))) for you and your family. Jan
Meggin, I am glad that Milo is having a better day and will pray that he continues to do so.
When I first logged on this AM I was saddened to hear about Ginger and Kisses too as it is also the anniversary of A friend/ coworkers 19 yr old daughters death from cystic fibrosis 2 years ago so I was already feeling a bit down.So I waited a few hours to reply .
Ice Queen how much Tramadol is Kisses getting? When I put Dash ( who is a 50lb dog) on it he got 50 mg twice aday, he started acting very down and did not want to do much so I broke the pills in half and gave him 25 mg twice a day and for a few days that seemed good then he started acting down again and was even stumbling a bit so I stopped giving it to him and will only use it again if he does indeed seem to be in pain . I was using it in case he was. He does get perixacam so that helps with pain too,He is doing much better without the tramadol and is much more active .
With older dogs some times Kidney and/or liver function have declined so they do not rid themselves of drugs as fast as a younger healthier dog would so things like narcotics may need reductions in the dose. At this point poor little Kisses body is probably so overwhelmed by the toxins produced from cancer cell die off from his radiation and then to have the toxins from an infection too. That is alot of toxins for a small old dog so hopefully in a few days he will improve. I will keep sending postive thoughts and prayers his way. I know you are in the LA area. Are you getting alot of smoke from the fires? If so do try to keep Kisses indoors, cool and out of the smoke filled air as wild fire smoke filled air has been Dash's downfall too many times!
Last night when I went to bed Dash was out on the patio. He was actually laying on his side! For the past year he is usually as flat on his belly as he can get front and back legs stretched out.I could not hear him breathing and had to really look to see his chest moving. He did not even hear me so for a moment I though he was dead or possibly was dieing.Instead of panic I thought I am OK with that as what better way to go then peacefully on your own in your home with no vet/drugs involved.
I am thinking of all of you and your precious dogs this Sad Sept Day and praying someday that cancers can be stopped and the patients become the winners! Take care, Jan
Ginger is gone. It went as peacefully as these things can go but we are both incredibly sad and feeling great loss right now.
If we had any doubt this morning, the day cleared it up. Ginger gagged and retched after barking, getting excited, drinking water, moving too fast. She had a very hard time eating her soft breakfast (which all came up later) and her ice cream cone this afternoon. We gave her a good day but it had to end for her sake. She was so very tired and her body had given out on her. She wasn't breathing just panting, she couldn't put her head down. Her failing happened so fast after being on a gradual descending slope. We stroked her and told her we loved her and that she was our good and beautiful dog as she was passing and she left us.
We will miss and will always love our beautiful girl.
Our best to all out there still fighting the good fight. Thanks for the messages, thoughts and prayers.
Dear Cathy,I truly have no wordsother than to say that you and your husband sound like wonderful pet owners and Ginger was lucky to have you and vice versa.Time does seem to help heal the heart(it has been about six weeks for our family)We still shed a tear or two and a day doesn't go by that we don't think of boo.My heart is aching right now for you and your husband.I am sorry for your loss. Boomer's Mom
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