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08-25-2010, 02:31 PM | #1 |
Yorkie Talker Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: England
Posts: 13
| My little baby Candy is going to leave me - what am I going to do.!!!! Hi all, I am new to this site and pleased to meet you all. My little baby is so sick with a collapsing trachea. She is 14 years old and has had it for a number of years. She has coped with it so well and it has never stopped her living her life but the last month has been just awful for her. Her x-ray shows that she also has an enlarged heart and that is putting pressure on her trachea also. This feeling of helplessness is just overwhelming me and I just want to scream all the time. Her medication is obviously making her sleep a lot. She has not eaten a thing for a couple of days and I just don't know what to do about it. The vet has just started her on new medication She is hardly coughing at the moment but she woke up with just a little bit of coughing today and she totally keeled over. I thought I had lost her. I don't know what to expect next or what to do to help her right now. She does not appear to be in any pain but her breathing is very laboured. This helpless feeling is unbearable. Does anybody have any idea what I can get down her to keep her strength up? Am I expected to have her put to sleep at this point and am I being really selfish by putting that thought out of my mind. Please help me as i would rePly appreciate any advise that Anybody could give me. HELP!!!!! X Katie7075 |
Welcome Guest! | |
08-25-2010, 03:36 PM | #2 |
I♥PeekTinkySaph&Finny Donating Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Posts: 18,865
| I'm so sorry you're going through this.... I'm off to do some research on this and I'll be back to post in an hour or two. What medications is she on now?
__________________ Kat Chloe Lizzy PeekABooTinkerbell SapphireInfinity |
08-25-2010, 03:41 PM | #3 |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: MA
Posts: 1,252
| Can you let us know what medications she is one....
__________________ Kerrianne |
08-25-2010, 03:44 PM | #4 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Georgia
Posts: 47
| So sorry to hear about your baby. As far as putting her down, that is a personal choice only you can decide. I put mine down last Sept., he was 13. It broke my heart, but I chose to do it because of his quality of life. ( lack of ) I had him cremated and he sits on my dresser in my room. Again, so sorry you have to go thru this, it is one of the hardest things I had to cope with. |
08-25-2010, 03:55 PM | #5 |
I♥PeekTinkySaph&Finny Donating Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Posts: 18,865
| The University of Tennesse is doing research on surgery for CT dogs... maybe your vet could give them a call, or email , and check out their website for current info on procedures.... Here's one link and a phone number... Bronchoscopy Hope this helps.
__________________ Kat Chloe Lizzy PeekABooTinkerbell SapphireInfinity |
08-25-2010, 04:22 PM | #6 |
Resident Yorkie Nut Donating YT 20K Club Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas
Posts: 27,448
| I am so sorry you and your Candy are going through this. I will say that for her to live to be 14 with CT is a feat in and of itself. I lost a CT pup on Christmas eve this past year. He was very sick in his last six months and had an enlarged heart. This thread might give you some thoughts on this awful condition: http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sic...g-trachea.html
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08-25-2010, 04:37 PM | #7 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Largo, FL
Posts: 1,294
| So sorry you are going through this, you are not alone, I hope you find some information that will help you!
__________________ Dudley Doo and Dexter too!!! RIP (12/93-10/08) MY LIL JULZ!!! |
08-25-2010, 04:41 PM | #8 |
My little Shadow Donating YT Member | I am so very sorry! You will definitely find support here, even though the decision is in your hands. We can all relate for your Love of Candy. She is still your baby even after 14 years. I think in your heart you will know when the time comes & you don't want her to suffer, not that it is going to come easy. Hoping that others will help with their experiences to ease your decision in knowing. Sending thoughts & prayers for Candy that the meds are making her rest and comfortable. HUGS to you Both!
__________________ Bella Ganma-ma to ColeRIPNoahRIP |
08-25-2010, 04:53 PM | #9 |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ball Ground, GA
Posts: 1,262
| Katie, I am so sorry to hear your baby is so sick. I don't have any experience with CT, but I do have a dog that was diagnosed with an enlarged heart over two years ago, at age 13. She will be 15 in a month and a half. Also, Lisaly also had a yorkie with enlarged heart and she just lost Ashley at nearly 17 yrs old. There are things that can be done to help that, if it isn't too advanced. My Opal actually has mitral valve prolapse, and it's the right atrium that is enlarged and pressing on her trachea, making her cough. She isn't having the problem with coughing right now. Check out this thread http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sic...ged-heart.html
__________________ Kristan Lizzy's mom |
08-25-2010, 04:58 PM | #10 |
My Three Hearts Donating Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Wrapped around their paws :-)
Posts: 7,190
| I am so sorry for what you and your baby are going through You will have lots of support here. I have not dealt with CT, but I am sure there will be others here who can relate their experience with it and what might help your baby girl. Just want to offer hugs and let you know we are here for you and that you will know in your heart when/if it is the right time for your baby to move on. Big hugs
__________________ MaryKay AprilLove Wubs Moosie R.I.P. Bailey & BitsyRoo |
08-25-2010, 05:54 PM | #11 |
I♥PeekTinkySaph&Finny Donating Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Posts: 18,865
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__________________ Kat Chloe Lizzy PeekABooTinkerbell SapphireInfinity |
08-25-2010, 06:29 PM | #12 |
Ringo (1) and Lucy too! Donating Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: On the Edge of Glory
Posts: 3,447
| I'm so sorry that your baby is ill. But, 14 is a pretty good age for a little one with CT. They say that you should pick three of your baby's favorite things (food, toys, walks, rides,whatever) and if she no longer enjoys them . . then possibly it could be time to think about humane euthanasia. Unfortunately, it's one of those decisions that we as dog owners must face at one time or another. I wish you peace and comfort as you search for ways to make her comfortable. Spend as much time with her now as you can and doing her favorite things - IF she can still do them. Have no regrets when the time comes.
__________________ Mommy to Lucy, Ringo, and Matthew |
08-25-2010, 08:22 PM | #13 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Long Island, New York
Posts: 5,891
| This is so heartbreaking and I am so sorry. I have a lot of experience with collapsing trachea, but there are different degrees of collapsing trachea. I can only go by what I know from my own experiences. I wish I can offer you more than this. My little girl, Ashley, had a collapsing trachea for years, and it caused her heart to enlarge. We discovered her heart when she was ten years old from doing x-rays prior to her yearly dental. She had no symptoms and the results of her echocardiogram were pretty good, so her doctor felt it was her trachea that caused her heart to enlarge. She was like your little girl. She had symptoms of a collapsing trachea, but it didn't seem to interfere with her leading a happy life. It created problems with her heart and also caused her to take in too much air into her belly, which gave her gas pockets. We treated her heart with enalapril and when she was 16 with herbal remedies that her doctor developed. I'm not trying to promote herbal medicine, but I know it worked for Ashley, not only with her heart but with her trachea. Ashley was extremely difficult to give pills to, and herbs are not the easiest thing to give a dog that's willfull. When she was 14, she had a bad flare up with a lot of inflammation when she was coughing a lot, and it took a lot to break that cycle. Ashley never got to the point where she her breathing was labored. She was active until a couple of days before she died and was still walking a couple of miles a day. I think gradually increasing her walking helped her a lot. I went from carrying her most of the time to her walking most of the time if I let her. She would have walked longer if I let her. She died right before she would have been 17. She simply lapsed into a coma while in my arms. Ashley's sister, Gracie, had major issues with her trachea all her life. Surgery was not recommended for her. As with Ashley, I took a lot of precautions with her. I carried her almost all the time when walking and kept ice on me at all times. If she got too excited, her trachea would start to close and her temperature would start to rise. That's why I needed the ice. Except for the times when she would have these problems, which was often, she ran around and played all the time. In the summer, when she got too hot (we always kept her in air conditioning), she ran to the back door to let me know she needed to go out. She would then run to the pool and hop into the first step of our pool. Gracie jumped out as soon as she was cool. She was the funniest little girl with the biggest heart and personality. She was very tiny, which meant there were many added precautions with her. She needed her teeth done twice a year, but it got to the point that her doctor thought it was too risky to put her under anesthesia. Prior to this, it was much more difficult for him to do her teeth and I know he was not able to use a tube with her. She lived to only 9.5 years old. She didn't have to deal with illness before her death. She was running around happily the day before and it was sudden. Though I knew she might not recover from one of her attacks, I wasn't expected it at all. It wasn't an acute attack that caused her death, but I think she got herself so revved up the day before that it was probably a strain on her heart. My heart is breaking for you. I know how difficult it is when you love them as much as you do your little girl. I wish I could tell you more conventional medicine that worked for my girls. I'm not suggesting you use alternative medicine, just telling you of my experience with Ashley. I've put a couple of links. One is a 5 minute video of our vet discussing alternative therapies. It's very interesting and heartwarming. Another is a link to herbs he has developed. Ask your vet what he thinks. These can only be gotten by a veterinarian, and I'm sure there are other alternatives to these herbs. I so hope things get better with your little girl, and I will be praying for both of you. TODAYShow.com - The 'Miracle' Vet Healthcare for furry friends - Bing Videos White Crane Brand Herbal Supplements - Holistic Veterinary Medicine
__________________ Lisa and Katie Ashley 6/10, Gracie 2/04, Kiwi 10/03, and Jolie 7/93 . |
08-26-2010, 06:30 AM | #14 |
Yorkie Talker Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: England
Posts: 13
| Thanks so much!!!! Thank you all so very much for all your good wishes and advise and information. Candy had a reasonably good night. She was very alert and asked to go out a couple of times to the back yard. When she is in between medication she is much more alert and looks more like her old self. I think the medication is making her very drowsy and she seems to have a weakness and is sometimes like a floppy doll. I can only assume that this is due to her medication. Candy has never been good at taking meds and what makes it even worse is that she is still not eating. I give her her medication crushed and mixed with a little Coconut oil and Manuka Honey. Sometimes she will lick it off of her spoon and other times I physically have to try to get it into her mouth with my finger. Even though the honey is sweet, the tablets crushed in it are obviously very bitter and she shudders. She on the bed with me in the night and asked to get down to go to the toilet and when I put her down she had a little cough and keeled over again. I dont know whether it is the coughing, which is not much, that is making her keel over or the fact that the medication is making her so weak. Any advise on that would be really great. The meds that she is on right now is; Enalapril (5mg) - qtr tablet 2 times daily (I think this one is for her heart) Prednisolone (1 mg) - 1 tablet 2 times daily (I think this one is a steriod) Frusemide (20mg) - half a tablet twice daily (I think this is for fluid on her lungs) Have I got this right? How long can she last without eating anything. She has never been able to tolerate animal food so we have always fed her with fresh meats, rice chicken, turkey and she has always loved her treats and would eat them in abundance but it seems that when she smells the food or treats that the smell is making her feel sick. She was quite bright earlier but she has gone back to how she was again and she does a lot of just sitting in her bed and staring at the floor and she looks so depressed that it is breaking my heart. I know that this is awful to say but I have lost a lot of people in my life, mum and dad and also all my 4 brothers and 1 sister. I have buried 2 boyfriends and numerous cats and dogs and through all I have never felt like I feel now. I dont know if that is because Candy & I have something special or just because I am getting older now. Wil keep updates of how Candy is getting on. Once again, Many thanks to you all. x x x |
08-26-2010, 06:54 AM | #15 |
Resident Yorkie Nut Donating YT 20K Club Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas
Posts: 27,448
| Do you know if Candy has any renal involvement? Chances are she might since she is having cardiac issues. If she does, she might be having an upset tummy. You might ask your vet if mirtazapine might help with her appetite. It is an antidepressant...in dogs it works to control nausea and vomiting and also increases their appetites. It really is a wonder drug in my opinion.
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