Tell me this isnt...(My respect for the vet, is back)

[Kalliope]

As long as she doesn't start feeding them to your bf...

[Sesamee]

I'm glad your Grandma's dog is doing better. Diabetes is no joke and nothing to mess with. Just make sure to limit any all carbohydrates in the dogs diet. Healthy dogs don't need carbs at all let alone one with diabetes. People mistakenly believe fat causes diabetes but its carbs, esp. low quality ones like sugar and grains. I hope the little guy continues to improve!

[Jelani]

So...

2 days ago he started throwing up again. they yesterday he got very lethargic and unable to balance. At about 6 last night she got worried enough and asked for my boyfriend to find out where to take him for am emergency visit. But she wanted it to be through her vet, he was looking but nothing.

I googled emergency vets and found one 30 mins away that was only open nights weekends and holidays, which was perfect. I told her about it just to give her options, She said she would wait til morning, but about 10 mins later she came in asking my boyfriend to take them.

When they came home I went to ask her what she found out. Aparently they wanted to admit him right then and there but she wouldnt let them. she wanted hi to go to her vet. She just wanted what ever it took to help him through the night.

They said his hydration was only mild so they put a saline pack or something like that under his skin to hydrate him. but told her to give him NO food, water or Insulin until she saw her vet. I thought that a little odd so I glanced at the paperwork they gave her to give to the vet. They believe he is hypoglycemic. Wow, to go from diabetic to hypoglycemic that easily.

She is now very depressed and says she will discuss if it is worth it to keep going or if she should just put him down.

As hard as we have been trying to get her to take better care of him. I am starting to think I should just back off and let her put him down. If his sugar swings THAT easily. yes she still gives him some of her people food, but nowhere near what she used to. It may take more work than she is willing to give. *feeling defeated*

[Kalliope]

*hugs*

[Nachtwulf]

Hypoglycemia is often a result of mis-management of diabetic treatment options.

I'm just taking a stab in the dark but it could be if she's changed his diet enough, she might be overmedicating him and the insulin has driven his blood sugar too low. Try having her back off of it a little and see if that helps.

[Jelani]

Well her selective hearing strikes. She seems to think everything will be ok after talking to her vet.

Luckily my boyfriend was there so I have a slightly clearer picture. Her vet said there are signs of liver and kidney failure. He has her giving him eggs, cottage cheese and rice to eat, and pedialyte mixed with water to drink in an attempt to settle his system a bit. Unfortunately she took this as "it will cure him"

And as far as overmedicating, the only things I see with that is because he wasnt eating and she still gave him his morning insulin. SO yea, I can see that throwing things out of wack.

Who knows. He's the vet, I am not. But the dog sure looks depressed..

[Miyon]

I wish the dog all the best. <3

[Jelani]

Well, I'm about 99% positive this is it. He drank some water/pedialyte yesterday, but is still refusing all food. And now is barely lifting his head. He has laid down by his water dish and now refuses to move.

The only reason I am 99% is I dont know if the vet will try and talk her out of putting him down. She seems set on it now. She did her crying through the night and seems almost upbeat, saying she is "sending to her husband, Bob, to wait for her"

He just keeps looking at us like "Can I go now?" ...is it 8am yet?

EDIT:
She is delaying the inevitable..I was in our room, waiting for 8am to hit so she would call the vet and decide when to take him in. 8:30, nothing, so I go out there..and she is gone. She is off doing her normal morning breakfast then visit with the friends for like an hour, run a couple errands, then be back.

All the while her dog is lying next to his waterdish, unable to get up. Breathing very shallow. She says she loves this dog but she does this?? I will NEVER understand this woman..

[Kalliope]

*hugs the poor puppy*

[zedxrgal]

Oh my. You need to call the vet and let him know. I know that may cause problems but there is no need to let that poor dog suffer anymore then what he already has.

[Jelani]

I cant, I would be kicked out of here so quick. ANd we have no other place to live. All I can do is go out and sit with him from time to time..

[zedxrgal]

I know. I'm sure you feel completely helpless. I feel helpless with you. I keep forgetting that she'd throw you guys out for thinking of the dog. Prayers for the pup that he doesn't feel any pain. Stay with him. Maybe even put him on your lap and pet him.

[Jelani]

So she didnt do the errands, jsut went to her breakfast, she just got back and called the vet, the vet cant take him til 230 *rubs temples* Now I know I cant leave the bedroom room, I cant look at him..she says he doesnt seem hurt BUt she doesnt hear the quiet whines each time he breaths..And she wont listen to me about them..

[Jelani]

Sorry for the double post.

They just left to take him to the vet. And I know there's no way shes letting the vet talk her out of it. She is already making plans to bring him home and bury him here

I am sad that it ended this way. But yet relieved. He will finally be without pain.

It has been a loooooooooooong day..

[Jelani]

Sorry again, just wanted to give one final update.

They put him down at 230 yesterday. He went peacefully, and was more than ready to go. They had barely put the needle in when he started fading.

She wanted to bury him in her yard so I helped her wrap him. That was a new experience for me, to wrap a dog in plastic that was still warm...

We dug a hole in the yard with the help of a close friend of hers and laid him in it, She said a prayer over him and her friends daughter brought over a large piece or marble countertop to place over the grave (which Grandma wasnt expecting and got her crying again)

So now he is at peace.

One last note, my respect for the vet is back, I was worried he was bowing to her when he sent the dog home with the Pedialyte "fix" but it turns out, he knew. When they explained that he wasnt able to use his legs and thats why they were bringing him in to let him go. He just nodded and said "I figured that would happen"

He knew, he made the dog comfortable, and gave Grandma a chance to say good bye.

[Wain]

I'm so sorry to hear that but I'm really glad you and your bf were there for your grandmother and the dog and made the right decisions when she was having a hard time doing so. You would have made the old guy's last days much better as a result.

Vets are in a terrible position at times. I don't envy them. They're stuck in a situation where they can't advise for any pet to be put down, even though they probably desperately want to. All they can do is advise of the situation and hope the owner makes the right decision. If the owner wants to keep the animal alive then they have to humour them, even if it's probably not for the best. I'm glad your confidence in him was restored by the end

I hope your grandmother handles it ok. She's going to have a huge hole in her life where the dog used to be. It could well be too soon but maybe she's better off getting a new dog sooner rather than later. If she's resistant to the idea maybe you could get it as "your" pet, but encourage her to bond with it

*hugs*