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Very ill dog

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  • jackomdj
    jackomdj Posts: 3,073 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts
    Chester is still hanging in there... he still seems OK in himself, although slowing down. The lump on his face is bigger & the lump in his neck is a lot bigger.

    My Dad, who "loves in Cornwall" called in again on Friday on his way home (we are in Swindon) to see him... they have always been so close.

    We have booked him in to kennels for both our holidays, April & end of July but we have asked a lot of questions about what they would do if he took a turn for the worse. I don't think he will still be with us come July but I need to know that he has somewhere to stay if necessary. Our DD must have taken in some of what we have told us as she said she hopes he won't die in kennels, I was so near to tears when she said it.

    His arthritus is getting worse & he can no longer get into bed on his own. He sleeps in our bed.... A week after we got him OH went away for a month, he climbed into bed with me (he would climb in on OH side & be cuddled up with me when I woke up), when OH came back I said it was not fair to kick him out & he has slept with us for the last 13 years! Anyway now he comes up by my face & cries as he can't get in...so I am getting up about 5 or 6 times a night to help him get back into bed! I am up more than when the children were little!

    I will update here every so often - hopefully for a while longer, but I do think the speed the lumps are growing it won't be ever so long :(
  • My heart aches for you, it really does....enjoy every last minute you have together x
  • tobyjug
    tobyjug Posts: 291 Forumite
    Ah....so sorry to hear your news, we lost our lovely rescue dog to lymphoma in November, I don't think anything prepares you for bad news like that. We kept our dog comfortable for a couple of months before he was quietly put to sleep at home. Our 2 children came home to say goodbye to him in his bed before we took him back to the vets. It was a horrible time.

    We all miss him, it did help having him home and not rushing any decision, I wrote a similar thread and the support was really helpful.

    I was overwhelmed by the grief that we all felt.

    Thinking of you at this grotty time.
  • So sorry to hear your lovely Chester is so unwell, it's heartbreaking to see them go through such torment.
    jackomdj wrote: »
    Our DD must have taken in some of what we have told us as she said she hopes he won't die in kennels, I was so near to tears when she said it.

    :( Bless her. Out of the mouth of babes......

    Don't make the mistake that I did with my elderly Cat. The Vet offered to euthanise her right after her last operation and I refused because I wanted to take her home and give her some quality time before the end came. It's my one regret about Her. She suffered more than she needed to. I hope you're not offended by my saying that, it can be hard to make the best logical decision when one's mind is clouded by emotions.
    Love the animals: God has given them the rudiments of thought and joy untroubled. Do not trouble their joy, don't harrass them, don't deprive them of their happiness.
  • jackomdj
    jackomdj Posts: 3,073 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts

    Don't make the mistake that I did with my elderly Cat. The Vet offered to euthanise her right after her last operation and I refused because I wanted to take her home and give her some quality time before the end came. It's my one regret about Her. She suffered more than she needed to. I hope you're not offended by my saying that, it can be hard to make the best logical decision when one's mind is clouded by emotions.

    No offence taken Thistledome, it is so hard to get the timing just right, but I think we will know when to do it....I would not want him to suffer or for the children to remember him suffering. I want their memories to be of him as a happy dog.

    It was lovely today, he was barking at our eldest trying to get her to play. They ran around for about 4 mins before he stopped. But I could not help but think he was doing it for her (she was a bit sad as she had put her tooth through her lip!)

    His lumps do not seem to be getting bigger this week & he let us look in his mouth yesterday & the inside of the big one seems quite healthy at the moment (vet told us to check it often & go back for antibiotics if it was looking nasty).

    Thanks for all your other lovely thoughts. We do love them like they are our children don't we.
  • Sorry to hear your dog is unwell but it sounds as if he's still enjoying life the best he can.

    Just make the most of the time you have with him, we only had our little pup in our lives for 6 weeks and we miss him terribly. Fortunately we took lots of pics of him in the short time he was here. We do love them like children!!

    Hope he stays with you for as long as possible!! Wishing him and you all the best!!
  • RuthnJasper
    RuthnJasper Posts: 4,033 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Combo Breaker
    edited 18 February 2010 at 11:23PM
    Dearest Nicky,

    I am so sorry for you. I lost my second dog, Tess, to a cancer exactly like this one at age 7. She had fought the cancer so bravely for 2½ years and, one morning, I looked into her eyes and saw that the fight was gone. She had had enough. She was euthanized less than two hours later and her final, peaceful, sigh once the needle had gone in (she actually held out her arm to the vet for the final needle. The vet cried as much as I did.) convinced me that, however much she had suffered, her last, very final, seconds on this Earth were pain-free and relaxed.

    Exactly as I did with Tess - one day, you will look into Chester's eyes - and you will know. It may be tomorrow; it may be in three years' time. But no-one knows Chester like you (like your children, I'm guessing (I can't have any, that's why I have dogs instead!); you always know when they are genuinely suffering and when they are just pulling a fast one). And - hey - we all get a bit stiff in the jumping department after a while...!

    Now, my wonderful dog Jasper makes my life so complete (please visit his blog - he'd be honoured! Link in my profile - bottom-sniffing optional...). But I shall never regret helping Tess to battle the cancer while she, herself, still wanted to try.

    Your wonderful, beautiful, Beagle was blessed with a fantastic life with you. Nicky - you sound like a lovely dog-owner and an absolutely terrific mum. Your children (and pets) are lucky to have you. Although it seems awful, the loss of your canine friend - and the sensible, loving way you have dealt with and explained it with your children - has taught them an invaluable lesson in life which, believe me, will make all the difference in the far-distant future when, one day, as adults, they will have to deal with the loss of human loved ones.

    Jasper and I looked at the picture on Facebook of your lovely dog. What a fabulous life you gave him.

    Please let us know how you are doing - we are all rooting for you. Have you heard of the Rainbow Bridge? I'm sure Tess will meet Chester there and they will run and play - young and pain-free once more - together.

    Keep smiling - even if it seems difficult just now.

    R & Jasper-dog xx
  • calmspirit
    calmspirit Posts: 2,962 Forumite
    Just wanted to say how sorry I am for your news.......but what a wonderful life you have had with Chester and he is very lucky to have a family that love him so much.

    As others have said - you will know when it's time- I am sure I speak for everyone here in saying that we are all thinking of you and your family and sending you all hugs

    keep us updated if you can
    YNWA JFT96 :A
  • jackomdj
    jackomdj Posts: 3,073 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts
    Ruth - I have just had a look through your brilliant blog.....not got very far yet but loving the exploits! I will be back to it tomorrow night for a read! Chester is actually a Harrier rather than a Beagle. We thought he was a Beagle X for the first few years we had him, then on 2 consecutive days we were told differently. Talking to a farmer at the local market he asked if he was a harrier. The following day we went to an open farm with some friends & their children, got talking to the farmer who said "he is a lovely Harrier", said that we thought he was a Beagle x & he said that he has Harriers in his hunt & he is definitely a Harrier....googled it & he is a brilliant example of a Harrier! They are height wise half way between a Beagle & a Fox Hound.

    I took ome lovely photo's yesterday of our youngest taking photo's of Chester with her toy camera! She was even putting some of her toys beside him, just like we get people together in photo's.
  • I forgot to say before - do not hesitate to take your holiday and put Chester into kennels. The owners of kennels are mostly loving and sensitive (I used to work at some boarding kennels). Give them a mobile or emergency contact number so someone can reach you if you need to hurry back to be with Chester.

    With any of our loved ones, we will never know the time or the place of the moment of parting. If Chester passes whilst he is in kennels, it will be for NO other reason than that he did not want you to witness his end. If he is in kennels, and is ready to go and thinks you can cope with being with him at the end (which, as I say, I have experienced twice and always found it to be a dignified, peaceful, respectful end to a life) then - trust me - he will hang on until you return.

    Go on your holiday with your family, don't worry, and trust Chester. He knows how much you love and cherish him. And that will never - EVER - change.

    xx
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