A 'Pets & Vets' forum?

[cassie2006]

Thanks Elsa

 

Sorry, should have said - she is on Furosemide for the fluid retention 20mg twice a day - also Tramadol for her arthritis 50mg up to 3 times a day as required.

 

I would love to know why she has deteriorated..................were they not being honest with me regarding her health..................?

[Undercover-Elsa]

On the general issue, I agree that, bless her, she shouldn't have been offered for rehoming without making her health issues absolutely clear to you.

However I also understand that you've now fallen in love and want to do right by her.

Obviously she needs to go back to the vet for a reassessment. Would the rescue centre be prepared to fund her treatment, in the circumstances?

You can buy specifically low sodium food, which will help. Royal Canin do one specifically for Congestive Cardiac Failure, called Cardiac Wet.

Also try raising her food/water dish onto a stand so that she doesn't have to bend right down to eat or drink. Any further weight loss will also help, by strict control of her diet.

At the end of the day, it's down to you at what point to say you've done your best, but if you can improve her quality of life for a while and give her some happy days of being loved then you'll at least have tried.

[cassie2006]

Thanks Elsa. I have got her a risen feeder. Her bowls fit into this so she doesn't have to reach down.

 

Ergo Grey Raised Dog Feeder by Savic-Stainless steel-Pets at Home: Buy Pet Supplies from our Online UK Pet Shop

[Undercover-Elsa]

Tramadol is very powerful too.

Tramadol for animals is one of the most reliable and useful active principles available to veterinarians for treating animals in pain. It has a dual mode of action: mu agonism and monoamine reuptake inhibition, which produces mild anti-anxiety results. Tramadol may be utilized for relieving pain in cats and dogs. This is an advantage because the use of some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory substances in these animals may be dangerous.

When animals are administered tramadol, adverse reactions can occur. The most common are constipation, upset stomach, decreased heart rate. In case of overdose, mental alteration, pinpoint pupils and seizures may appear. In such case, veterinarians should evaluate the correct treatment for these events. Some contraindications have been noted in treated animals taking certain other drugs. Tramadol should not be co-administered with Deprenyl or any other psychoactive ingredient such as serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, or monoamine oxidase inhibitors. In animals, tramadol is removed from the body via liver and kidney excretion. Animals suffering from diseases in these systems should be monitored by a veterinarian, as it may be necessary to adjust the dose.

Dosage and administration of tramadol for animals: in dogs a starting dosage of 1–2 mg/kg twice a day will be useful for pain management

I'd definitely get a vets review of her meds after weighing her. I would have thought increasing the diuretic, decreasing the Fortekor would be a good way to go, plus maybe doing a controlled reduction of Tramadol.

Elsa x

Edited October 7, 2009 by Undercover-Elsa

[Undercover-Elsa]

Another thought..has she been vaccinated against kennel cough?

[cassie2006]

I've got an appointment with my vet tomorrow morning. She weighs 33 Kg. At 1-2mg/kg she shouldn't have more than 132mg a day at the most........?? Am I right?

[cassie2006]

Another thought..has she been vaccinated against kennel cough?

 

They said she was.

[Undercover-Elsa]

Hi,

Yes at 2mg x 2 = 4mg/kg/day x 33 = 132mg Spot on!

 

Lots of rescue centres are rife with kennel cough. It's easy to treat with antibiotics. Since her cough's got worse, whether kennel cough or a possible chest infection, a course of antibiotics might help too.

Obviously its up to the vet but sometimes if you don't ask they don't consider it

[Undercover-Elsa]

Good luck for tomorrow..let us know how you get on xx

[battyman]

Good Luck Cassie. I know just how you feel. I have 12 rescue dogs at the minute. One we rescued a couple of years ago had terrible health problems. He had laryngeal paralysis. I think thats what it was cant quite remember now but bottom line he couldnt breath and on his last day with us was gasping for air. Very, very upsetting for him and us but when I held him as the vet put him too sleep I knew I had given him six months of love and a decent home. He was kept in a dark cupboard at the rescue because he had kennel cough. They told us he was 8 but he was nearer 14. We loved him though. Good luck Cassie you will do your best by her.

[Bookworm]

I wanna puppy!!!

 

Ok, we think Shadow (4 and a bit, cross staff/springer spaniel) would benefit from having another dog in the house. It's quite obvious that he's been around too many humans and not enough dogs, bless him, he probably thinks he's human himself.

 

What we would really like is a Sheltie or a border Collie, someone intelligent, good with people and dogs, and still young (under 1 yr old if possible). What we don't have is a lot of money for, well, a dog.

 

So if anyone knows of a doggy needing rehoming who fulfills those conditions, we can travel reasonable distances to pick him up if need be (we're on the Kent/Surrey border) and he will be well cared for, well loved and likely well spoiled too. I'm at home most of the time as it is.

 

Long shot, I know but thought it would be worth asking here just in case.

[cassie2006]

OMG. I think I've been overdosing her with Tramadol. They told me she could have 1 capsule up 3 times a day for pain or when required. I didn't want her to be in pain and as I didn't know this little girl I thought I'd give her what it said on the box -"1 tablet 3 times a day". I now don't think she has been given this dose so after reading Elsa's post regarding overdose symptoms - "siezures" - this now makes sense!!

If only the the foster carer told someone instead of saying "Oh yeah that's happened a few times" when she had these "faints", then the common denominator could have been recognised to when she was given more than one (or 2) of these tablets a day!!!!!

I'm not giving her anymore for the time being (I'll ask vet in the morning). I may be just clutching at straws, but it's at least a start to understanding why she has deteriorated in the week. OMG

[cassie2006]

She started to try to "vomit" (or so I thought) at 6.20 this evening. I triied to placate her but she started gasping. I got a bit hysterical and started calling her to "wake up" and I started massaging her chest. I thought it wwas just a worse "seizure". I tried and tried and tried to keep her alive..................... she died in my arms at 6.30.

Her name was Missy:cry::cry::cry:

Edited October 7, 2009 by cassie2006

[mazbck]

OMG Cassie, Im so, so sorry, Im blubbing my eyes out as I read this..........:(

[cassie2006]

Thank you. It's comforting to know that someone else is crying for her. I feel sad, guilty and angry. At the moment the strongest is sheer sadness.......................:(:(

 

I knew as soon as I got her home that I had been a bit mislead........maybe innocently.................but I thought with a lot of TLC I could fix her........................

 

 

xxx

[kiptower]

Cassie I am I am so so sorry to hear this , got lump in my throat ,

 

we have had 8 Cuihauahua's over 25 years , 6 have passed on , 4 had heart problems in older age, 5 @ home and 1 @ the vets

 

the 2 now on the left the dark one has heart problems , 1 years old and we dont let him jump up and down so we have lift him anto his fav armchair, but now he shouts when he wants to get up and down

[Bookworm]

So sorry Cassie.

[Jan4a]

Poor Cassie - that's a terrible experience.

But these postings more than prove the need for a pet forum.

[cassie2006]

Poor Cassie - that's a terrible experience.

But these postings more than prove the need for a pet forum.

 

 

Please Mods take notice

[Jan4a]

I know more about cats than dogs.

 

If its any help I get Frontline online at Hyperdrug, you don't need prescription.

 

Also Royal Canin Urinary (equivalent to Hills CD which is available from vet only) is available online. I know its the equivalent because my vet supplied me with that when my cat wouldn't eat Hills dry food. Royal Canin also do a cat meat version in pouches (my cat's got no teeth so was swallowing the biscuits whole anyway). I think that was from pet-supermarket but might have been zooplus - use both, Zooplus got brilliant range of cat litters.

 

Would also like to ask other cat owners what their opinion is of Leukemia booster? I got my Norwegians done as kittens on vet advice but my breeder didn't like it and said it wasn't necessary for house cats as its a contact disease. Normal booster is about £25, leukemia booster is extra £20. I've got 5 cats!

[Robdblynd]

She started to try to "vomit" (or so I thought) at 6.20 this evening. I triied to placate her but she started gasping. I got a bit hysterical and started calling her to "wake up" and I started massaging her chest. I thought it wwas just a worse "seizure". I tried and tried and tried to keep her alive..................... she died in my arms at 6.30.

Her name was Missy:cry::cry::cry:

 

 

 

 

Oh Cassies, what a terrible time you've had. I'm so sorry I wasn't able to answer sooner but I've just got back from the hospital where I've had to leave my Oh for tests for suspected heart attack.

 

Please take heart that in the short time she was with you she probably got more care, love and attention than she'd had in a long time. The way she passed sounds so much like the way one of mine went ... and they too were being treated for heart problems, that I know exactly how you feel at this moment.

 

No matter what we say, it won't make you feel any better just yet, just know that a lot of people understand and sympathise with what you're going through.

 

xxxxx

[Undercover-Elsa]

Cassie I am so so sorry you lost Missy, I know exactly how you're feeling right now, I've been there several times over the years.

None of this is your fault, you weren't overdosing her, you gave her what you were told. 150mg as opposed to 132mg isn't that much of an increase, and the amounts quoted were a "starter dose" so the original vet may have gradually increased it. Some dogs (and people for that matter) just don't get on with Tramadol but that's not what caused her death.

From what you've now said it seems most likely her congestive heart failure was just too advanced by now to make any difference. She'd had enough.

As all the lovely people above have said too, you gave her what she needed most, love and comfort at the end, and she died in your arms rather than in a lonely kennel. That's the most precious gift you could have given her.

Thinking about you, take care and please come back and tell us how you are.

Hugs,

Elsa xx

[battyman]

So sorry Cassie. I dont know if you have read the poem "Rainbow Bridge". Its lovely and gives a lot of comfort. Thats where Cassie will be, Rainbow Bridge, free, well and thinking of the lovely human who gave her love and was there to hold her at the end.

[cassie2006]

Thanks You all for your kind messages. I really appreciate them.

 

Thank You. I've read Rainbow Bridge so many times over the past few years, I know it by heart.

 

I took Missy to my vet yesterday morning and she is arranging her cremation. I've asked for her to be cremated seperately so I can have her ashes back - as I have done for my last two dogs. Just because I had her for such a short time doesn't make her less mine.

 

Had a bad few days, only to be expected I suppose.

 

Again, Thank You all for your kind words and thoughts, they really comforted me.

 

T - please call me

 

xxxxx Liz

 

 

xxxxxMissy

[wonkeydonkey]

I recall many years ago hearing of a dog in kennels with the RSPCA and as it was the breed I ran the rescue for I approached them and offered to help them out by taking the dog and finding a good home with one of our selected and vetted adoptees. I was stunningly told that "if we gave all the pedigree dogs to the breed rescues then we would only be left with the x breeds and we dont get as much money for them" we later found out the dog in question had been rehomed 7 times in eight weeks and "nobody could cope with him as he was badly behaved" needless to say we sent someone undercover to "buy" the dog out as he was on death row, we kept him for several weeks spent many hours rehabilitating him and then rehomed him with a couple who had many years experience with the breed, he stayed with them for a further 10 years until he passed over rainbow bridge. Animal sanctuaries are very much needed to take in these poor soles but why why why do they insist that they understand every breed when in truth they have very limited knowledge of any of them and refuse to ask the breed rescues for help? I have good knowledge of my specific breed but would not dream of pretending all dogs are the same and all have the same need. I have had phone calls on Xmas Day asking me to come and collect a 10 year old bitch immediately as it does not get on with the new puppy bought as a Xmas Present when asked how long they had had the oldiwe for the reply was "oh since she was 8 weeks old"

I leave you to draw your own opinion but yes I turned out that Xmas day picked her up and she spent her last 2 golden years by our fireside.