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Old Dog Really Struggling - Options

RolandFlagg
Posts: 179 Forumite

My Lab is nearly 12.
At the start of this year he had a op to remove a tumour. He nearly died during the op. He was found to have peritonitis but no cancer.
He was fine for a while after the op then he started bringing up bile, normally in the early hours after he had gone a few hours without food.
None of the meds the vet give him worked. Out of desperation I tried the human travel sickness drug Stugeron and for a while it worked wonders.
But now the sickness has come back once or twice a week, and when he struggles to bring up the bile he collapses to the ground and twitches for a while before getting back up.
Even worse he's started to struggle to poo and often collapses with the strain afterwards.
The warm weather isn't helping either, he's always panting. He's drinking huge amounts of water, but being very fussy with food.
There is no blood in his poo or sick (which is just mainly bile) and I don't want to keep taking him back the vet due to the virus and the stress it puts him under.
So what can I try or at least how can I keep him comfortable in his final days/weeks?
Thanks.
At the start of this year he had a op to remove a tumour. He nearly died during the op. He was found to have peritonitis but no cancer.
He was fine for a while after the op then he started bringing up bile, normally in the early hours after he had gone a few hours without food.
None of the meds the vet give him worked. Out of desperation I tried the human travel sickness drug Stugeron and for a while it worked wonders.
But now the sickness has come back once or twice a week, and when he struggles to bring up the bile he collapses to the ground and twitches for a while before getting back up.
Even worse he's started to struggle to poo and often collapses with the strain afterwards.
The warm weather isn't helping either, he's always panting. He's drinking huge amounts of water, but being very fussy with food.
There is no blood in his poo or sick (which is just mainly bile) and I don't want to keep taking him back the vet due to the virus and the stress it puts him under.
So what can I try or at least how can I keep him comfortable in his final days/weeks?
Thanks.
0
Comments
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If you feel you've exhausted all options for helping him and his quality of life is suffering then it may be time to consider having your old boy put to sleep. Many vets will come to your home to spare a stressful vet visit. Better a day too early than an hour too late. Quality of life is very important and hard as it is to make that final decision (who wouldn't want their beloved pet to remain with them as long as possible?) it is a final kindness and an act of love and compassion to be able to put an end to their suffering.Perhaps have a phone consultation with the vet and see what they recommend? Are there treatment options they haven't tried? What would ongoing quality of life be? The panting may be the heat but may also be a sign of pain/distress so again, worth mentioning to your vet.0
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Drinking a lot could indicate diabetes or kidney disease/failure.
Bringing up bile could indicate stomach acid due to an empty stomach. A bedtime snack could help that.
We cannot diagnose or suggest treatment.
You do need to get him checked by the vet. He may be feeling very unwell2 -
With my cat (small cell lymphoma) it was always vomiting, until her bowels started to be affected in her final days and she went off her food. That was a sign the disease was progressing.
Unfortunately even very sick pets can often struggle on for some time.
I think we'd all prefer to wake up one morning and discover our pet died naturally during sleep, but in some cases it's not best to let them suffer on and that decision to PTS has to be made.2 -
Has a vet been involved throughout? What is their current advice/prognosis?0
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Sorry to read your post, I have a lot of sympathy but the way I read it is that your dog is struggling and doesn't have a great quality of life. I think 12 is a good age for a ladrador.
His final, weeks, months? if you think that is the case why keep him 'hanging on'? When I had a dog who was not going to survive long (cancer) a friend bravely asked why I was keeping him alive- for my own benefit? and of course, she was right.
I realised then that a day or two too early is far better that too late: it's the gift we can give our beloved pet, to let them slip away peacefully, without pain and without stress.
My suggestion would be to make that very hard decision, then stay with your dog , holding him right to the end. Don't let him suffer.
(and even as I type this I am crying! been there, done that too many times to remember..)
Take care
Being polite and pleasant doesn't cost anything!
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I always said that when I needed to make 'that' decision I would without hesitation & when I needed to make it I did, as I considered it my last act of love I could show my furbaby.I knew in my head & my heart it was the right thing to do, regardless of how painful it was.
Be with him & tell him how much you love him
x2 -
If it were just the vomiting bile early hours then giving a small bite to eat just before bed time would be a valid course of action to try. We do this with our dog Sydney as he was prone to vomiting bile in the early hours although this has now stopped with giving him some supper.
But it does sound as though your lab is suffering in other ways as well now. Struggling to go to the toilet as well you really do have to question his remaining quality of life. Spoil him rotten for what time you have left but don't let him suffer unduly.0 -
We gave our lab zantac or omperazole (with the advice of our vet) for the last 18 months. He suffered with stomach acid and it did help him greatly.0
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If your vet has no further ideas a second opinion might be worth considering but at the end of the day you should consider the quality of life that your dog has. It is the hardest decision but do you really want to see him suffer.
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We gave our Lab with kidney failure omeprazole and it really helped with his sickens and vomiting but in the end, he started vomiting blood and at that point, we knew it was over. I know how hard it is to feel so helpless to help your pooch. Enjoy your days together and be grateful for all the good times you had.0
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