Is £700 per night normal for Vet’s bill?

ripplyuk

The vet doesn’t think seizures are a welfare issue. They said it’s upsetting for the owners, not the dog and only dangerous if the seizure goes on longer than 20mins. The ones our dog had were only about 15 seconds each, although I know she could be having more that we are not seeing. They also said there’s no reason the dog can’t have a general anaesthetic once she’s stable enough. They just can’t remove it if it’s a pituitary tumour.

She has improved since earlier in the week. At that point, she couldn’t stand unaided, wasn’t eating or drinking and was clearly suffering. Now with a bit of encouragement, she is pottering about the house occasionally and is eating well. The new medication is making her more wobbly and she sleeps 90% of the time but she doesn’t seem in distress. I don’t think her quality of life is completely non-existent and although the financial burden will leave us in debt probably forever, it just feels wrong to let money be the deciding factor.

I accept that it’s hard for me to be objective but surely the vet is, and they said there is still things they can try before thinking of euthanasia, which made me feel like a bad owner for even mentioning it.

onwards&upwards

ripplyuk wrote: »

The vet doesn’t think seizures are a welfare issue. They said it’s upsetting for the owners, not the dog and only dangerous if the seizure goes on longer than 20mins. The ones our dog had were only about 15 seconds each, although I know she could be having more that we are not seeing. They also said there’s no reason the dog can’t have a general anaesthetic once she’s stable enough. They just can’t remove it if it’s a pituitary tumour.

She has improved since earlier in the week. At that point, she couldn’t stand unaided, wasn’t eating or drinking and was clearly suffering. Now with a bit of encouragement, she is pottering about the house occasionally and is eating well. The new medication is making her more wobbly and she sleeps 90% of the time but she doesn’t seem in distress. I don’t think her quality of life is completely non-existent and although the financial burden will leave us in debt probably forever, it just feels wrong to let money be the deciding factor.

I accept that it’s hard for me to be objective but surely the vet is, and they said there is still things they can try before thinking of euthanasia, which made me feel like a bad owner for even mentioning it.

Have you considered a second opinion?

I have a 14 year old dog, I wouldn’t be having him sedated for an MRI, I certainly wouldn’t put him through any surgery. The chances of him not waking up are too high and he deserves to spend his last waking moments with me in comfort, not on a vets table surrounded by strangers being manhandled and prodded and injected.

If it was me I would be asking for anti seizure meds to control symptoms and allow the dog to carry on for as long as they aren’t suffering, but I wouldn’t be looking to cure this, and that’s a decision I’d make without even thinking about the finances.

sheramber

Vets must give you all options but it is your decision what you do. The welfare of the pet must be priority.

What is the point in having an MRI if treatment would not be any different?

One of my dog had a suspected brain tumour at 8 years old. I declined having an MRI as no way would I have had opted for any surgery.

A second vet also offered an MRI but again I said there was no point.

It wouldn't change anything.

He lived happily until he was nearly 12 years old when secondaries on his lungs confirmed the original diagnosis

A friend also made the same decision when her dog started having epileptic fits.

Don't feel guilty to make the best decision for your dog.

If she is happy, eating and enjoying life then let her spend her time in comfort surrounded by her family,

ripplyuk

sheramber wrote: »

What is the point in having an MRI if treatment would not be any different?

The vet said it would help to know if there’s a tumour. They can’t operate to remove a pituitary tumour (which is what they suspect) but they might be able to with a different type of tumour. They said that otherwise it would continue to grow until the seizures are uncontrollable.

ripplyuk

onwards&upwards wrote: »

Have you considered a second opinion?

This vet is a second opinion. Or a third really, if I include our local vet. It’s the second vet we’ve seen at this veterinary hospital and they both said basically the same thing.

I’m not sure if we’ll go ahead with the MRI. I don’t know about risking surgery either, if they do find something they can operate on. It’s so hard to know what is best. I feel like any decision we make could be the wrong one.

For the time being, we’ll keep her on the anti-seizure drugs and see how it goes. She’s also on antibiotics for some type of skin infection along with all her usual meds. The tests this week are mainly to check for Cushing’s syndrome again. The vet says it isn’t invasive and just needs blood tests over an 8hr period.

onwards&upwards

Before you decide on the MRI make sure you fully know what it will involve. They will have to put the dog under so she stays still. Any sedation is a risk for an old dog, especially one with undiagnosed medical problems.