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Originally Posted by MissSunni  I currently have a dog, a Shih Tzu Harry who is 10 yrs old with an aggressive cancer that has spread. This is extremely hard to talk about with anyone..because I'm sick inside. The vet said the treatment is unlikely at this stage to cure him, or put him in remission as its spread quickly. I've opted to give him palliative care at home. I feed him table food now, I basically just let him enjoy whatever brief time he has. He's not in pain at the moment..he's on medication but not pain meds yet. When I had to let his brother George go in Nov for a different thing, I was heartbroken, probably even more so because during that time I was told about Harry's cancer….I read something that stuck out in my head, and made me cry….someone wrote that they had to let their dog go and let her/him have a bowl of ice cream before it happened. More then anything I wish I gave George a bowl of ice cream, but I didn't. When I feel like the time is close with little Harry, I will give him a big old steak dinner with chocolate ice cream for dessert and if he's up for it one last walk to his favorite spot. It really is a horrible thing to live with. I know thats why I've gotten so insanely attached to Sunni….If Harry doesn't survive the year, that means I have lost 3 Shih Tzus in 3 yrs. Maggie at 15, George at 13..I thought he was 14, but my kids corrected me, and now Harry. A lot of people in my life questioned how I could get Sunni so soon after George. I've always had 3 pets…having 2 felt weird…then one who was sick. I needed Sunni more then she needed me I think…It only goes to show that my dogs have shared so much love with me, complete pure love, that of course I would want to bring more into my life..its because of the dogs I have had in my life, that I know my life is better with them then without. I know I'm babbling and I'm sorry, but I just got sad thinking of all of the ones I've lost. I do predict there will be another Yorkie in my future…I would like to find another rescue when the time comes..hopefully not too soon. |
I'm so sorry you have a baby with cancer after losing another just so short a while ago. And don't feel bad about the ice cream - sometimes as one is dying organs are failing or shutting down and cannot handle even normal foods or even liquids and perhaps his favorite dish of fat-filled ice cream would have given him terrible nausea or bloated him with gas and his last hours been miserable. I don't know but I think I might ask before I gave a very sick dog anything in case it might make the last worse than it already is.
I'll share my own experience and see if it might help you feel better about George. Most of the family was horrified when my unconscious, dying MIL was withdrawn from all nutrition and fluids in her last hours except for a few ice chips, a wet cloth and lip balm they'd let us put inside mouth every so often but when asked, the doctor said her kidneys and other organs were shut or shutting down and couldn't handle fluids at all by then and she would have swollen up all over at that point, including her stomach and brain. It sounded plausible so nothing more was said about it and later when I asked one of the surgeons I worked for if that was still proper protocol, he agreed that hunger is usually non-existent toward the end and any thirst can be abated with ice chips and a wet cloth in the mouth. Maybe dogs are different from humans but you might check with the vet to see what he thinks if you think they might be alike in that way.
It seems unfair you have lost so many to this awful disease. It's bound to leave you bruised, hurting and changed forever and why not reach out to another dog who needs love if you have the time, ability and means to do it? Death of a beloved pet doesn't mean you have to grieve X amounts of months or years before giving another dog a great home. Getting to know and love a new baby who needs a home sounds like an excellent way to help honor your lost babies and heal over the awful series of deaths. I'm glad you have little Sunni and it sure sounds like you are.