Difficult decision to make again:(

[MissSunni]

I hope this is ok to talk about on here. I'm in a really difficult situation again, and heartbroken. This is not about my Yorkie, so I hope you all dont get mad at this post, but it will affect Sunni just as much as it will me. My lovable, smoochable Harry, 11 yrs old has cancer. I've known that which is why when I lost his brother in January so unexpectedly I fell apart so so so badly. The tears just wouldnt stop. Then Sunni came to us, and restored me to sanity (at least my version of it) I dont talk too much about Harry on here because he's not a Yorkie, hes a Shih Tzu. So the history here is...I had a 3 pack of Shih Tzu's Maggie Mae, George and Harry. I lost Maggie 2 summers ago this year She was 15 and it was not unexpected really. She had congestive HF....My husband died 4 yrs ago, and Maggie was his baby..the guy who thought he hated little dogs became a slave to his Maggie Mae..Then George died after a couple of surgeries in Nov/Dec, I lost him on Jan 3, after spending New Years Eve and day on the couch holding him..ugh..I can still feel that pain. Well, Harry is now showing all the symptoms of CF. ( I do know too much about this subject because its what my husband died of as well)...So, I know what's coming...yet I keep putting off the call to the vet. He's still eating, and walking, bathroom properly etc. In fact I made him a hamburger last night, much to Sunni's dismay. I gave him a bath myself, instead of groomer, and trimmed him, brushed him.. I'm crying right now. I just cant do it yet. I'm really feeling selfish but also confused, because its so hard to know when it is the right time. I know the vet will say "if her were my dog, I would let him sleep". My family knows I''ve gone through a lot of losses in the past 5 yrs...I also lost my dad and several dear freinds (humans).. and my little puppies. Sunni is in love with him, I hate to think of how sad she will get, and worried that it will take away her happy little spirit. My mom actually said, "you shouldn't have anymore pets, because it hurts you too much", thats true, but she doesnt understand the years of love that I always have with my furry little family. This is a ramble, but I'm a wreck and have to go to an appt this afternoon and I've been a mess all morning. His cough is getting more persistent each day. I dont know what I expect anyone to say really, but I cant see this very clearly right now I'm sorry for the long ramble.

[mybellababy]

I'm sorry for the hard time your going through right now. Perhaps getting it over with would be the best ask your vet for advice. I think maybe a professional to talk to would be very helpful , with so much lost in your life right now it would help you navigate through it all . Prayers and huge to you

[Jkpal]

"If you have a dog, you will most likely outlive it; to get a dog is to open yourself to profound joy and, prospectively, to equally profound sadness."
"You can't replace one dog with another any more than you can replace one person with another, but that's not to say you shouldn't get more dogs and people in your life."

May God Bless you and be there with you through this painful time...Please know that whatever decision you will be the right one~~truly.

[Silver Lace]

Miss Sunni,
I can feel your pain in this. Not as much as you since there have been more than one with congestive heart failure in your life. I had a toy poodle I lost with congestive heart failure about 3 years ago,she was 16 years old. She was eating,drinking, sleeping well,sometimes too well and it scared me. She went out in the yard to pottie and look around as always and when she would first go out she still let out a bark that I can only say,to me, sounded like she wanted all to know she was in the yard now. She still ran up the porch steps and still cleared the top step before the porch. But she was breathing like you talked about and she even started to go pottie in the house a lot. If that was because of her heart problem or if it was another problem I never knew. Now I am rambling because I still hurt so much even after 3 years. I ended up taking her to emergency because of her breathing and they put her in oxygen as soon as I brought her in.They took x-rays and her heart had gotten much larger. They felt after she had some oxygen and was put on more meds for her heart I could pick her up the next day. But the next day they told me things had gotten worse for her. They said she had collapsed when they took her out to pottie and was having a hard time not being in oxygen. The brought her in to me and I can still see her little face light up and her tail started just a wagging a mile a minute when she saw me and I lit up too to see her. We visited and she seemed okay to me and even wanted some water and I just did not want to sign the release papers to let them put her to sleep. I cried and cried and I was selfish and I did not stay with her because I did not want to remember her that way. I regret that decision so much now.
I came on here to give you comfort Miss Sunni but I got lost in my own grief and I am so sorry for that. I am so deeply sorry that you are faced with a decision like this and for the loss of your husband with chf and your other dog you lost to chf. I know this must be a terrific decision to be placed with and I pray you will know in your heart the right and best thing to do for your little Charlie. May God Bless you and give you his comfort and peace. Sherri

[Silver Lace]

I am sorry that I put the wrong name down. It is Harry I was speaking of not a Charlie. My memory is not so good any more.

[oneofakind864]

I say ask your vet if there are meds she can take. My husbands children from his previous marriage have a dog that has CF and the meds have given him a new lease on life. he was coughing and having trouble breathing like you described- but it is much better now and he has a few more good months..maybe even years because of the meds. But you do need to get to a vet ASAP to get the meds to slow down the process.

Also.. your little one will tell you when it's time for that final farewell. You'll know. They will stop being interested in food, being with the family..etc. As long as your baby is not in pain and is still interested in "life" and YOU ...I think you should treasure every minute. But please DO seek a vets opinion to make sure there is no pain..and to inquire about meds to help with the condition. You might be surprised.

I have my fingers crossed for you both.

Big Hugs!

[dinkster]

Miss Sunni,
I am so sorry you are going through so much in short period of time. You are doing the best you can for him. I hope he feels better so that you can have more time with him.

[MissSunni]

Thank you all for the kind words and support. The cancer is end stage, so I am already giving palliative care. The CF is a new issue that's just starting which is whats so upsetting. I know when I do make the phone call to the vet, what it will mean. I have to be prepared for that visit to more then likely be his last day....thus the postponing it for right now. I know I can't face it today. Its just sad as can be. My mom has my son for the weekend and I''m back from my appt, so I plan to just hang out with him today. I got him a steak on the way home with a bone in it..That will make him happy today I'm sure. I'm giving myself till Tuesday to decide when to call the vet. I don't know why but that makes sense to me today. I'm too emotional about it right now. Poor little guy. We are going to sit on the deck in the sun and watch the birds for a little while.

[JadeD]

I am so sorry you are going through this. I lost my Abigail to cancer last summer. She was doing badly and had lost interest in even spending time with us and it was to the point where if I sat on the floor outside her crate (door was open) she would just growl at me and didn't even want to be petted anymore. This was the dog that would follow me to the kitchen if I got a drink because she never let me out of her sight and suddenly she didn't even want me to be near her. It was heartbreaking. Within a couple weeks she was not even recognizing any of us and the vet believed her cancer had gone to her brain. She had seen 3 different vets by this point and was only 4 years old so it was so hard because she was supposed to be with me for many more years.

I know how hard it is to make the decision. If he is still eating and stuff and doesn't seem to be in extreme pain I would let him have a little more time. You know it is coming, but just enjoy every minute you have with him. When he no longer will eat or drink or looses sense of bathroom issues then I think it would be that time to call the vet.

I feel for you. I was heartbroken for months over losing my baby. Then someone handed me a 9 year old Yorkie and he gave me life back.

Good luck and we all know how you are feeling as I am sure almost every one of us has been through this (most more than once). It is hard but they are worth it in the end. Then we get a new furbaby with a new personality to give us a new life with them. Each different but all special. I didn't take Teek home to replace Abigail. I took him home because he needed a home and he was so cute. I had no idea he would pull me out of the dark place I had been living in, I just wanted to help me and yet he is the one that helped me.

Let us know how things turn out this week and in the possible weeks (months) to come.

Jade and Teek

[oneofakind864]

It breaks my heart that cancers are up 40% in dogs. I have been doing some reading about things dog foods are putting in kibble and trying to narrow down a list of some good companies that honestly have our fur babies best interests at heart. I will share once I have gone over the list with my vet to make sure I am giving accurate information. But for you and your seet one- I think you will treasure this weekend and be very glad you took the time to share.


Huge hugs to both of you and so so very sorry to hear about the healthy problems.

[sandy simpson]

Prayers of comfort for you at this time. Nothing like the love of a precious dog and the heartbreak of seeing them go to the rainbow bridge. It just comforts me to know when it is time for them to leave me I will hand them over to their Creator and He will hold them close like I did. Life is so fragile and little dogs leave us way too soon. I know each little dog that I was blessed to have has gone home to be with the Lord of All. My Lord knows all of the animals and will take care of them when they leave my arms. Jesus is compassionate and understanding of our pain. Seek His peace

[wigglewomyn]

I am so sorry to hear about Harry and what you are going through with him, especially with all the other losses in your life.
Enjoy and make the most of your remaining time with Harry. Those memories will last you the rest of your life.
As long as Harry isn't in any pain and is resting comfortably and acting normally, I also would hold off calling the vet (as I did with my Tuki). I always said I would know when the time came to call the vet and I did. I wanted every day with her that I could possibly have.
Please know that we are all here for you and will continue to be.

[docmartin]

Hello,

I empathize completely with your present position. I lost my wife of twenty years to cancer 18 years ago. Our little mongrel puppy Paco, whom we'd found upon a beach in Spain, passed away a week before her, aged 16.

I have now re-married, but couldn't somehow bring myself to get another dog. My wife loves Yorkies and so nearly 2 years back 'Crystal' joined our little pack. Irina is from Belarus and is currently with her new grand daughter. Sadly today her father has just been diagnosed with skin cancer.

Communications have been down in the region she's been within and whilst I knew she was safe, we hadn't spoken until I saw her on Skype tonight since the 9th. I shed a few tears after the call ended, both in joy and sadness.

I have found my little Yorkie's company so important these past few weeks, I've decided to get her a little companion. I'm nearly 70 now and want Crystal to have the fun and play in her young life, I sometimes can't give her every day. I hope a little 'sister' will endow both their lives with enjoyment. Dogs are such wonderful companions and although the parting is dreadful that despite their comparatively short lives, I would never be without one again. I was alone for four years here, until I met my present wife. Within that envelope of despair there were many lonely sad times, when misery almost opened the door to desolation.

I went on with my last dog Paco, until I knew somehow our time had come to say farewell. His pain finally overcame the endurance of even his brave little soul.

Now, faced with the same predicament again, I would take a new companion straight away. Sharing the experience and memory of affections past, to help another small creatures beginning is the way I feel I should have gone.

Your feelings, so wonderfully and openly expressed, reflect the compassion and understanding so important to our canine friends, who rely so utterly upon us. Your love is such a special gift for a new life waiting to find you.

My warmest regards and thoughts are with you at this sad time dear lady.

Martin

[lisaly]

It makes not one bit of difference that Harry is not a Yorkie. Your post deeply touched my heart. I am so very sorry for all of the loss you have gone through. Each one of our loved ones takes a piece of our hearts when we lose them, but they leave behind something very special that can never be taken from us. Your love for Harry is palpable, and I wish you peace and comfort as you spend these precious moments with him. Please continue to share with us. We care and understand the love you share with him and know that the far greater loss would be not to have had Harry in your life.

[Cindy_17]

Miss Sunni,
My heart just breaks for you and the pain of loss you have endured recently. I am so sorry you are having to face this with your sweet little one. You and your babies will be in my thoughts and prayers!