Worn out and don't want to let go - Page 3 - YorkieTalk.com Forums

bjh · 02-16-2011, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sandysbabies

Today has been a hard day. She is asleep and is breathing very deeply. Kayla, Lexi, and Dudley keep going in the bedroom to check on her. Its so sad because they realize something is wrong. I have cried and cried and it hurts so bad to see her just laying there. Just talked to my husband at work and he said when he checked on her and took her to tee tee last night she seemed real anxious in her kennel. Just standing and staring. He said he thought it might be better not to confine her at night and if she needed to walk, let her walk. He said he felt like it might help to work some of the fluid off her little body. I had not thought of that but it might help her to be able to move around. I think I am going to put her little bell back on her collar, like she had when she was little. She was a tiny little thing and the bell helped us keep up with her. lol!!!! Keep her in your prayers and me too, I am a basket case. Appreciate y'all so much.

I will be praying for you little girl. My Dixie will be 15 in July. So far Dixie has been doing quite well. Her vision is getting worse and her hearing. She won't get off the bed at night by herself but if she needs down to get a drink or pee she will make a cute little woofing sound and I will put her on the floor then pick her up when she is done.

Is your girl on a special diet? From my understanding when ammonia build up in the liver it makes them disoriented and they walk and walk. Perhaps she needs a low protein diet if she is not on one already.

Gatord · 02-16-2011, 02:52 PM

So sorry to hear you are going through this. My thoughts and prayers I am sending your way.

Patti · 02-16-2011, 02:55 PM

I am sorry so is having a bad day. Wen my pom had dementia and CHF she did really well on the enipryl and anipryl and lasix Then one day my daughter called me and said Maya was breathing funny and she would keep her head up in the air. I rushed he to the vet and she said the reason she was holding her head up was that it made it a little easier to breath. You will let you know when she has had enough. I hope she has better days ahead.

concretegurl · 02-16-2011, 03:04 PM

I use a water bottle for my schnauzer I know that's the least of your worries right now but you may really want to consider one as ingesting water in their nose can be a real issue, as well reflux and the bacteria infections they get from moisture on their beard...this might aid beard grooming at least also.
A pup cut or all over shave might help schnauzer grooming (do you ear pluck and hand strip the coat too-?) can be very intense especially if you have a mega coat or a true cottony American coat on your "schnauzie" My princess is a mega coat and her little feet are like sponges in the winter rains here just absorbing water-we shave her feet even though she wears shoes-it's not pretty but saves her a lot of fuss over grooming.
Elvis my epileptic Yorkie seems to have lost depth perception and bumps into things a lot...I rearranged the house and now have a gate from the kitchen dining living room (it's a big open area) blocking access to hall leading to the rest of our house as he always hits the walls and doorways if not walked...its a lot of work.

Ringo1 · 02-16-2011, 03:34 PM

Ok I know this sounds terrible; but,sometimes I would pray for God to take Casper so that I didn't have to make that terrible decision.

He didn't though and it was up to me.

I've always heard to think of your pet's three favorite things; if they no longer enjoy even one; then quality of life must be considered.

I, too, hope you have better days ahead.

Blue Sake · 02-16-2011, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ringo1

Ok I know this sounds terrible; but,sometimes I would pray for God to take Casper so that I didn't have to make that terrible decision.

He didn't though and it was up to me.

I've always heard to think of your pet's three favorite things; if they no longer enjoy even one; then quality of life must be considered.

I, too, hope you have better days ahead.

Same with me. Milly's mom died horrible way at the clinic.The dr really tried to save her but she had a massive stroke and died with blood coming out of her nose and mouth. I never forgive myself for allowing her to die like she did. I wish I had ended her life instead of saving her life. She was 13. It would be helpful if I could see the future.

When we take a pet in, it is a long commitment with decisions for them. It is really a personal decision of each owner when it is time to let go or buy more time. It is never easy.
OP, you all are still in my prayers. Hope she'll have better days soon so you could enjoy her more. She is lucky to have such caring owners like your husband and you.

yorkieusa · 02-16-2011, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sandysbabies

Today has been a hard day. She is asleep and is breathing very deeply. Kayla, Lexi, and Dudley keep going in the bedroom to check on her. Its so sad because they realize something is wrong. I have cried and cried and it hurts so bad to see her just laying there. Just talked to my husband at work and he said when he checked on her and took her to tee tee last night she seemed real anxious in her kennel. Just standing and staring. He said he thought it might be better not to confine her at night and if she needed to walk, let her walk. He said he felt like it might help to work some of the fluid off her little body. I had not thought of that but it might help her to be able to move around. I think I am going to put her little bell back on her collar, like she had when she was little. She was a tiny little thing and the bell helped us keep up with her. lol!!!! Keep her in your prayers and me too, I am a basket case. Appreciate y'all so much.

I know it's hard. Please know that you are both in my prayers.

concretegurl · 02-16-2011, 07:52 PM

I really don't want to sound rude in anyway or to seem like I'm chalking up your dog's health issues to breed traits in anyway, but I think you should really talk to some Schnauzer experts also, because the standing and just staring sound like the schnauzer stare or schnauzer glare a breed trait especially prevalent when schnauzers are "thinking" or trying to comprehend something, going through a change.
Although it seems strange to other breed people schnauzers commonly stare of about a minute especially when there is a routine or physical change for them (like being sick). Lethargy and depression are also common when there is a physical change, like not being able to do as they normally, as I'm sure you know they are such a hardy and endurance minded breed not being able to do can cause serious depression for them. My Princess is allergic to fleas, we got fleas from a stray we brought in for a couple days, she got a hot spot and we treated it but she literally spent three days in her "box" absolutely miserable I was freaking out until some breed experts explained schnauzer specific behaviors.

You should really talk to some schnauzer experts, if you need a few recommendation I can hook you up with some schnauzer experts that have advised me before. I really hope it's just a combination of a change in health a breed behavioral traits rather than a really seriously turn of events for both of you.

Yorkieville200 · 02-18-2011, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sandysbabies

Today has been a hard day. She is asleep and is breathing very deeply. Kayla, Lexi, and Dudley keep going in the bedroom to check on her. Its so sad because they realize something is wrong. I have cried and cried and it hurts so bad to see her just laying there. Just talked to my husband at work and he said when he checked on her and took her to tee tee last night she seemed real anxious in her kennel. Just standing and staring. He said he thought it might be better not to confine her at night and if she needed to walk, let her walk. He said he felt like it might help to work some of the fluid off her little body. I had not thought of that but it might help her to be able to move around. I think I am going to put her little bell back on her collar, like she had when she was little. She was a tiny little thing and the bell helped us keep up with her. lol!!!! Keep her in your prayers and me too, I am a basket case. Appreciate y'all so much.

Sandy,

I empathize with you regarding when they have a really bad day.

Sydney has them,and then, she will have a day when she acts like she is just fine.

I agree with your husband, maybe confining her to the crate isn't a good thing.

Let her walk......

I am sending you a big (((HUG))).

I wish I had the right words to say to ease your pain. But nothing really eases our pain, when our kids are suffering.

Sheila

susan lynn · 02-18-2011, 06:01 PM

Praying for you and your baby. I have been through this several times and did not want to let go either. I finally had to make the decision for my 2 Cairn Terriers so they wouldn't suffer any longer. They each lived to be 14. My vet was a blessing to me and was there to comfort me.

lisaly · 02-19-2011, 05:10 AM

Before the Anipryl, Ashley would pace, and it helped her a great deal. We started to notice some strange behaviors with Ashley, but we thought they were normal signs of aging that could not be stopped. We didn't know about Canine Cognitive Dysfunction, and the symptoms were subtle at first. Ashley had been to the doctor probably twelve times that year prior to diagnosing her with it. It was not my vet's fault because I wasn't mentioning these behaviors to him. My focus was making sure her heart and lungs were strong and helping her with gas pockets in her stomach from taking in too much air into her belly. She also had an infection in her tooth that we she needed to be pulled. We were treating her enlarged heart so that she would be strong enough to make it through surgery. She was 16.5 years old and she lived several more months after the surgery. My husband and I honestly thought that she was anxious because of the pain from the tooth and the gas pockets, and walking helped her a great deal. When she cried in the middle of the night, I walked her and then she came home and slept peacefully and soundly. The miles we walked each day eased her anxiety a great deal and she was more animated when she was walking. We discovered it was CCD in October of that year after my husband had been in the hospital. Ashley seemed so disoriented when I came home, and I figured it was because she normally was never left alone. She would collapse as soon as I got there because of all of the pacing, and I had to wake her up in the middle of the night just to get her to eat. When I told her doctor about the disorientation, he immediately told me that it wasn't just normal senility, and he put her on Anipryl. Ashley adored her dad, and he sat at her side each day to make sure she was safe and that she felt secure. There were still some days he didn't know what to do to help her, probably from the discomfort from the gas pockets that we were treating. Once I came home from work on most days, she did really well because both of us were at her side. It was obvious by her body language that she felt very safe and loved. As much as we adored our little girl, I believe we would have given her up if we felt we were keeping her alive for our sake. I asked two of her doctors to tell me what would be the kindest thing to do for Ashley. Fortunately, at separate times both of them said that she was so responsive to me and very happy, and told me not to worry about it. My husband and I feel secure knowing in our hearts that we did the right thing for Ashley, especially because we saw how Anipryl helped her. It wasn't a dramatic change, but for us, it was still like a miracle because we believe our baby wasn't suffering. If you want to talk or if you have any questions, call me anytime. I don't know if I can help you but I care and understand. I didn't think it was possible because Ashley had always been our heart and the center of our lives, but we grew to love her even more than we already had. I will continue to pray for more good days than bad and for peace, contentment, and good health for your baby and the rest of your family. Try to get rest yourself. It will help you to physically and emotionally cope with the demands of caring for Tina. I hope her heart gets better, too, and that she is able to breathe more freely. You are both definitely in my heart and thoughts.

Teegy · 02-19-2011, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Sake

I can relate with you. My Milly (mini poodle mix), started to decline even her body was in a great shape. It was her mind that was not right. She was starting to develop the Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (CCD). She hated to be apart from me but for few months before her death, she just wandered away, ignoring everything but she came to me when called and stayed with me for a very short time before she walked away again. It was really difficult decision I had to make to let her go. It'd be easier if she stopped eating but she ate so darn well. I struggled to make the decision for about a month or so. The last two days before she died, she started going potty in the room. I had to put her in the little room with the gate up at night. No matter how many times I took her outside to potty, she got up and went potty then went back to sleep on it. Milly was always very fussy staying clean. I am not exaggerating. I knew it was time to let her go. I had a hard time making the call to the clinic to make an appointment. On January 21th, I finally released her from her worn out body and have no regret. I knew she is very happy to be free from her imprisoned body. I miss her so very much. She was an extraordinary dog that I ever had.
Believe me, it was very hard and I was not even ready to let her go but I knew she was miserable. She had given me so much happiness and it was at least I could for her to give her the happiness all way to the end.
Here is the last picture I took with Milly. I was bawling and bawling that night but I wanted to have one last picture of my sweet moxie and I.

I am choking up here that really hit home. My last dog Robbie got colitis and deteriorated quite rapidly and it wasn't pretty.

143julz · 02-19-2011, 07:22 AM

....I'm afraid to ask how things are.

Just wanted to let you know I am thinking about you and praying god watches over you and your family during this difficult time

Blue Sake · 02-19-2011, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teegy

I am choking up here that really hit home. My last dog Robbie got colitis and deteriorated quite rapidly and it wasn't pretty.

Aw,I am so sorry to hear about Robbie. I wish our babies could live more than 20 years!

REDStacey123 · 02-20-2011, 12:13 AM

8/18/2009- my 'Mamaw' (who practically raised me) died at age 99. I was by her side when she passed away. Three weeks later, my dad passed away on 9/11/09. The day of his funeral, I had to take my Mamaw's Chihuahua to the vet.....3 days later, I had to have him put down. On Nov 3, 2009, I had to take my 15 yr old Rat Terrier/Beagle to be put down- cancer....she had a tumor the size of a marble grow to the size of 2 large grapefruits in her abdominal area. My 'Baby' got to the point where she would stare at walls, wouldn't eat, and I had to make a pallet/pen in the middle of the livingroom for her to sleep. I had to give her pepto....WHEN I could get her to lick my finger. I had to keep 'puppy papers' close & had to keep her confined to her pin when we worked. I would come straight home to make sure she was ok. I did everything I could as long as she didn't seem to be in pain because I was her mommy & she was my baby....and I could not deal with more death in my life and my husband.....well, he just would not face reality because he knew what needed to be done...but he couldn't bring himself to do it either. Baby's not eating came later but that was MY final straw. I knew that I had to love her enough to let her go. So by myself, I got her favorite blanket, pillow & toy and I took her to the vet. It was very peaceful and I cried like a baby as we wrapped her in her blankie. I took her to my family home (where all of our passed beloved pets were buried). I dug her grave, placed her in a box, with her favorite things, said my good-bye and buried her.....alone. I felt that it was almost a poetic 'ending' doing this alone because I was the one that chose her as a puppy & brought her home.....but oh, it was by far the hardest day of my life (except for 8/18/09 & 9/11/09). Through all of that, I did have a feeling of.....relief, I guess. Even though I loved her dearly, she was at peace & I wasn't consumed with dread, sadness, or consumed with feeling guilty for all those 'if I had only....' or 'what if I did this...'

Now....all that said....I went through the worst, hardest time of my life in 2009.... but I came through it....and you will too! It is so hard to let our 'babies' go.....but we have to love THEM enough to do it. When you & your husband are ready, you'll find the strength & courage.

I will add that 8 months later, I had to put down our 15 yr old 'Gabby'....my husband went with me because of regrets from not going with Baby. It made a world of difference having him with me & he felt better about himself.

I will say a prayer for you, your hubby, & your baby, Tina. Keep loving her every moment you can.
(Sorry this was so long.) God Bless!

02-16-2011, 02:55 PM	#33
Patti Donating YT 30K Club Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Illinois Posts: 35,509 Blog Entries: 6	I am sorry so is having a bad day. Wen my pom had dementia and CHF she did really well on the enipryl and anipryl and lasix Then one day my daughter called me and said Maya was breathing funny and she would keep her head up in the air. I rushed he to the vet and she said the reason she was holding her head up was that it made it a little easier to breath. You will let you know when she has had enough. I hope she has better days ahead. __________________ Cali Pixie Roxie : RIP Nikki; RIP Maya;RIP my sweet Dixie girl 1/17/08 http://callipuppyscastle.bravehost.com/index.html

02-16-2011, 03:34 PM	#35
Ringo1 Ringo (1) and Lucy too! Donating Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: On the Edge of Glory Posts: 3,447	Ok I know this sounds terrible; but,sometimes I would pray for God to take Casper so that I didn't have to make that terrible decision. He didn't though and it was up to me. I've always heard to think of your pet's three favorite things; if they no longer enjoy even one; then quality of life must be considered. I, too, hope you have better days ahead. __________________ Mommy to Lucy, Ringo, and Matthew

02-18-2011, 06:01 PM	#40
susan lynn Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Georgia Posts: 3,262	Praying for you and your baby. I have been through this several times and did not want to let go either. I finally had to make the decision for my 2 Cairn Terriers so they wouldn't suffer any longer. They each lived to be 14. My vet was a blessing to me and was there to comfort me. __________________ SUSAN : TESSIE : HOBBES :CALVIN :SASSY There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face! ~ Ben Williams

02-19-2011, 07:22 AM	#43
143julz Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Largo, FL Posts: 1,294	....I'm afraid to ask how things are. Just wanted to let you know I am thinking about you and praying god watches over you and your family during this difficult time __________________ Dudley Doo and Dexter too!!! RIP (12/93-10/08) MY LIL JULZ!!!

02-16-2011, 02:52 PM	#32
Gatord ♥ Jack & Josie ♥ Donating Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: FL Posts: 1,235	So sorry to hear you are going through this. My thoughts and prayers I am sending your way.

02-16-2011, 03:04 PM	#34
concretegurl Between♥Suspensions Donating Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Vaissades Posts: 7,979	I use a water bottle for my schnauzer I know that's the least of your worries right now but you may really want to consider one as ingesting water in their nose can be a real issue, as well reflux and the bacteria infections they get from moisture on their beard...this might aid beard grooming at least also. A pup cut or all over shave might help schnauzer grooming (do you ear pluck and hand strip the coat too-?) can be very intense especially if you have a mega coat or a true cottony American coat on your "schnauzie" My princess is a mega coat and her little feet are like sponges in the winter rains here just absorbing water-we shave her feet even though she wears shoes-it's not pretty but saves her a lot of fuss over grooming. Elvis my epileptic Yorkie seems to have lost depth perception and bumps into things a lot...I rearranged the house and now have a gate from the kitchen dining living room (it's a big open area) blocking access to hall leading to the rest of our house as he always hits the walls and doorways if not walked...its a lot of work.

02-16-2011, 07:52 PM	#38
concretegurl Between♥Suspensions Donating Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Vaissades Posts: 7,979	I really don't want to sound rude in anyway or to seem like I'm chalking up your dog's health issues to breed traits in anyway, but I think you should really talk to some Schnauzer experts also, because the standing and just staring sound like the schnauzer stare or schnauzer glare a breed trait especially prevalent when schnauzers are "thinking" or trying to comprehend something, going through a change. Although it seems strange to other breed people schnauzers commonly stare of about a minute especially when there is a routine or physical change for them (like being sick). Lethargy and depression are also common when there is a physical change, like not being able to do as they normally, as I'm sure you know they are such a hardy and endurance minded breed not being able to do can cause serious depression for them. My Princess is allergic to fleas, we got fleas from a stray we brought in for a couple days, she got a hot spot and we treated it but she literally spent three days in her "box" absolutely miserable I was freaking out until some breed experts explained schnauzer specific behaviors. You should really talk to some schnauzer experts, if you need a few recommendation I can hook you up with some schnauzer experts that have advised me before. I really hope it's just a combination of a change in health a breed behavioral traits rather than a really seriously turn of events for both of you.

02-19-2011, 05:10 AM	#41
lisaly Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Long Island, New York Posts: 5,892	Before the Anipryl, Ashley would pace, and it helped her a great deal. We started to notice some strange behaviors with Ashley, but we thought they were normal signs of aging that could not be stopped. We didn't know about Canine Cognitive Dysfunction, and the symptoms were subtle at first. Ashley had been to the doctor probably twelve times that year prior to diagnosing her with it. It was not my vet's fault because I wasn't mentioning these behaviors to him. My focus was making sure her heart and lungs were strong and helping her with gas pockets in her stomach from taking in too much air into her belly. She also had an infection in her tooth that we she needed to be pulled. We were treating her enlarged heart so that she would be strong enough to make it through surgery. She was 16.5 years old and she lived several more months after the surgery. My husband and I honestly thought that she was anxious because of the pain from the tooth and the gas pockets, and walking helped her a great deal. When she cried in the middle of the night, I walked her and then she came home and slept peacefully and soundly. The miles we walked each day eased her anxiety a great deal and she was more animated when she was walking. We discovered it was CCD in October of that year after my husband had been in the hospital. Ashley seemed so disoriented when I came home, and I figured it was because she normally was never left alone. She would collapse as soon as I got there because of all of the pacing, and I had to wake her up in the middle of the night just to get her to eat. When I told her doctor about the disorientation, he immediately told me that it wasn't just normal senility, and he put her on Anipryl. Ashley adored her dad, and he sat at her side each day to make sure she was safe and that she felt secure. There were still some days he didn't know what to do to help her, probably from the discomfort from the gas pockets that we were treating. Once I came home from work on most days, she did really well because both of us were at her side. It was obvious by her body language that she felt very safe and loved. As much as we adored our little girl, I believe we would have given her up if we felt we were keeping her alive for our sake. I asked two of her doctors to tell me what would be the kindest thing to do for Ashley. Fortunately, at separate times both of them said that she was so responsive to me and very happy, and told me not to worry about it. My husband and I feel secure knowing in our hearts that we did the right thing for Ashley, especially because we saw how Anipryl helped her. It wasn't a dramatic change, but for us, it was still like a miracle because we believe our baby wasn't suffering. If you want to talk or if you have any questions, call me anytime. I don't know if I can help you but I care and understand. I didn't think it was possible because Ashley had always been our heart and the center of our lives, but we grew to love her even more than we already had. I will continue to pray for more good days than bad and for peace, contentment, and good health for your baby and the rest of your family. Try to get rest yourself. It will help you to physically and emotionally cope with the demands of caring for Tina. I hope her heart gets better, too, and that she is able to breathe more freely. You are both definitely in my heart and thoughts.

02-20-2011, 12:13 AM	#45
REDStacey123 Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Texas, USA Posts: 13	8/18/2009- my 'Mamaw' (who practically raised me) died at age 99. I was by her side when she passed away. Three weeks later, my dad passed away on 9/11/09. The day of his funeral, I had to take my Mamaw's Chihuahua to the vet.....3 days later, I had to have him put down. On Nov 3, 2009, I had to take my 15 yr old Rat Terrier/Beagle to be put down- cancer....she had a tumor the size of a marble grow to the size of 2 large grapefruits in her abdominal area. My 'Baby' got to the point where she would stare at walls, wouldn't eat, and I had to make a pallet/pen in the middle of the livingroom for her to sleep. I had to give her pepto....WHEN I could get her to lick my finger. I had to keep 'puppy papers' close & had to keep her confined to her pin when we worked. I would come straight home to make sure she was ok. I did everything I could as long as she didn't seem to be in pain because I was her mommy & she was my baby....and I could not deal with more death in my life and my husband.....well, he just would not face reality because he knew what needed to be done...but he couldn't bring himself to do it either. Baby's not eating came later but that was MY final straw. I knew that I had to love her enough to let her go. So by myself, I got her favorite blanket, pillow & toy and I took her to the vet. It was very peaceful and I cried like a baby as we wrapped her in her blankie. I took her to my family home (where all of our passed beloved pets were buried). I dug her grave, placed her in a box, with her favorite things, said my good-bye and buried her.....alone. I felt that it was almost a poetic 'ending' doing this alone because I was the one that chose her as a puppy & brought her home.....but oh, it was by far the hardest day of my life (except for 8/18/09 & 9/11/09). Through all of that, I did have a feeling of.....relief, I guess. Even though I loved her dearly, she was at peace & I wasn't consumed with dread, sadness, or consumed with feeling guilty for all those 'if I had only....' or 'what if I did this...' Now....all that said....I went through the worst, hardest time of my life in 2009.... but I came through it....and you will too! It is so hard to let our 'babies' go.....but we have to love THEM enough to do it. When you & your husband are ready, you'll find the strength & courage. I will add that 8 months later, I had to put down our 15 yr old 'Gabby'....my husband went with me because of regrets from not going with Baby. It made a world of difference having him with me & he felt better about himself. I will say a prayer for you, your hubby, & your baby, Tina. Keep loving her every moment you can. (Sorry this was so long.) God Bless!