UPDATE: 4/29/08
May also be seen at the original post: Pet needs surgery, desperate for advice from pet lover's
First, I want to thank all of the wonderful and kind individuals on this RV pet stop forum. Of course, you have all offered your kind words, suggestions and prayers.
Well, the biopsy report is in and it is not good as Persalina’s veterinary surgeon predicted. The biopsy report shows that she has "rectal carcinoma".
I found this out yesterday, but I did not feel like writing and have been spending most of my time caring for Persalina, trying to find more information on her condition, prognosis and pondering this terrible situation very carefully.
She has also developed a cough which is most likely related to a shadow found on her X-ray done last year. At that time, it was determined to be a “fatty mass” located under her right front leg, near her lung. It could be felt on her side and she has several of these (benign according to her regular vet) growths on her little sole. Well now it is thought, via a current X-ray, to be an “atypical mass” that is located on her lung. It is not known if it is malignant.
Her surgeon has stated that she is still willing to do the rectal pull through surgery to remove the carcinoma, but does not suggest that we do so. She has stated that it will not lengthen Persalina’s life, but could give her a better quality of life in her remaining time with us. If it were not for the so very troublesome cough and the possible severe complications of this surgery, I might still consider proceeding. Since the surgeon wants to do this surgery very soon, I do not have much time for pondering.
I know what you are going to say and for the most part I do agree. It is just that her attitude is still so spunky and, aside from the cough, she appears to be a “happy camper”.
In any event, I am still going to do what I can to help her the best way I know how. She is not going anywhere at present. She still has her great moments where she appears to be so normal. One would not know that she is ill at all. I totally agree with those of you that have stated that we have to do what is best for her and not what is best for us.
Thanks again to all and give your “furry family members” a big hug. I sure have been giving lots them to Persalina and Moonbeam too.
She just looked at me and growled, that means she want’s lunch!
Sincerely,
Dawn & Kevin
PS: I have been seeking second opinions and will continue to do so. Along with contacting UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.
* This post was
edited 04/29/08 08:17pm by HIDEOUT *
Kevin & Dawn
Doggies:
Persalina, We love you & miss you so very much!
Moonbeam
Chloie Pearl
'07 Itasca Suncruiser 35L
Workhorse 24-8.1 Vortec w/6 sp. Allison
93 Jeep Wrangler Toad
Roadmaster Even Brake
Don't do the surgery. Give her the best you can and enjoy her last days or months. Your vet has said it will not prolong her life, so why subject her to all the horrors of the surgery and ecovering from it. Just enjoy her, love her, comfort her, and during that time, learn to let go. I know it is hard, I have been there. I will be thinking of you, and your furry friend will thank you at the rainbow bridge.
I'm sorry that you have to go through this. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Annie, Bonnie, Charlie, Dawg and Echo (3 dogs & 2 cats) send their best wishes to Persalina too.
Julie
_____________________________________________________________________
A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving. ~ Lao Tzu
I wish I knew what to say.....hearing the kind of diagnosis you did is horrible. I've been there. I know you have options, but I think if you listen to your heart, it will really tell you. For one of mine who has now passed, we had the option of doing a surgery. Even did the MRI and everything. But when I realized that it would entail keeping her in a kennel for 6 weeks, which she HATED, I realized that it would have been for me, not her. We allowed her to live out her life until we had to make the choice to put her to sleep. Having her be in pain is not something I think you really want to do. I know that without the surgery, she will end up in pain. It also sounds as if the suspicious shadow and the cough might be more serious than originally thought. We love you for your willingness to take care of Persalina.....
Jana
Chemisd's Joe,Jana,Jarod,Jansen
GS Allie and Sammi
See you at the bridge Maddey&Maicey 2005 Rockwood 8318SS
You have received some very heartfelt thoughts, most of us have been through this very same thing. We went through it in Sept. and again in January.
We tried to so hard to save our lab Sofie, but we drew the line at invasive surgery, in part because the recovery was long and painful and it would have "possibly" extended her life for a few month, we could not justify putting her through that agony and recovery time and lose her anyway within a relatively short time, the last thing we wanted to do was to cause her more pain.
We lost her after seven weeks in which she did pretty well, she even got to go to the ocean for her 11th birthday and she had a good time.
After we got home it was clear she was starting to suffer, she stopped eating, she was having trouble breathing and when I grilled her a T-Bone and she refused to eat.....we knew.
It was the hardest decision, we didn't want to let go of the sweetest dog, but for her we had to, for her.
You have a monumental decision to make, follow your heart and your love for Persalina and you will know what's right.
God Bless, you'll all be in my prayers.
None of us can actually make any decision for you, that's for sure.....and I don't think that is what you are after. I think you just want people to support you, yet I sense you want to hear other's perspectives.
All of us who love our pets dearly have been in similar situations and know how hard it is. The only thing harder is making these kind of decisions for a beloved relative who is unable to make them.......
Now I will share some thoughts purely from my prospective. At the end of my life I hope that nobody will make a decision to allow any sort of invasive procedure that will cause me pain, takes week to recover from, etc. because if it is truly the end I would rather have those weeks to be as quality as possible. If said procedure will not at the very least add years to my life expectancy then I hope my loved ones will chose to spend time with me and help me enjoy what I have left rather than choose a surgery that won't do anything for my quantity of life. I use this same guideline for our pets. I don't mean to sound harsh in my thinking.... just realistic.
Love her, pet her, talk to her... look into her eyes and ask her what she wants. I know animals can't "answer" per se but they can understand MUCH of what we say when we say it with our hearts. Watch her carefully and think of her quality of life now and then try to imagine with her various health challenges her quality after the surgery. Please think long and hard with your brain and try to leave your heart out of it. Our hearts always want more of the love we cherish.........
I am so sorry the prognosis isn't what you had hoped for, chances are the recovery from such an involved procedure will only serve to take away some of her good days in the recovery process. All of our days on earth are limited as we are all finite, but the love, the memories and ooooh the love makes these last decisions extremely difficult doesn't it?
I will be supportive of whatever decision you make of course.... but I hope you will carefully consider all options with your vet(s) and your family.
Cat
(Jim just reads the forum once in a while)
Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some sort of battle.... Live simply, love wholly, give generously, care deeply, speak kindly.
Oh Cat I usually always agree with you but....I think it was my heart and my love for Sofie that I was able to let her go, I think, if I used my brain too much I would have tried to justify more procedures to save her.
It was my love for her that set her free...I know I'll see her again at the bridge, of that I have no doubt.
But everything else you said...right on.
I understand Sher..... I guess what I should have shared is that many times I have used my brain to overcome the ache in my heart first and then with that heart I have made the most loving decision I could, given the circumstance. So yes, I think we understand one another, as usual.
Dawn and Kevin, I'm sorry for the news. As stated in the other post, I certainly understand what you are going through. Have you ask your vet if there are meds that you can give Persalina that would help with "comfort care?" With Bunny, due to so many medical issues, we elected not to put her through surgery for the tumor on the bladder (at her age and the health issues, our vet wasn't even sure she would make it through surgery.) We instead just gave her many meds daily for "comfort care." She was spunky until the day we had to put her down. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
I'm so sorry that the news is so bad, and sorry seems like such an inadequate word. I know the feeling... we all do... and it is just very very hard to go through. But on the upside, at least you now have some clarity and that is better found at this stage than, say, after putting her through surgery.
It sounds from your post as if your decision is made?
One thing you might consider at this point would be some of the alternative therapies. Things like acupuncture, homeopathics, and nutrition can improve quality of life and in some cases extend quality time.
susan
What I want to know is, when are they going to start selling Comfort Zone for HUMANS????? 'Cause some days...
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