 NIKII..She had a short soft palate defect..
Because of this she had constant infections. Most of the food she ate went to her nose and created infections. She had trouble eating and drinking and would also seem to have a problem breathing when she got excited. She would gasp for air. The vet didn't diagnose her and she was on antibiotics, aerosol etc. for five months. He thought she just had kennel cough, pneumonia, you name it. It wasn't until I took her to a veterinary specialist that she had an endoscopy that we found out about her uncurable condition. He did an experimental surgery using tissue from her mouth to lenghthen the soft palate but it didn't take. He called us after we took her for the two week follow up and told us the bad news that there was nothing else that could be done for her. That the quality of her life would not be good, she would continue to get sicker. She couldn't remain on antibiotics for life, she was down to 3 1\2 lbs. Her bones could be felt when I held her. I couldn't have her continue suffering that way. We had no choice but to put her to sleep. It was a very tough decision and sometimes we second guess it. But it would have been selfish for us to have her with us keeping her in the sickly condition she was in. She will always be in our heart. |