[Dailydrool] Wyatt

[Pam Chandler]

On 7/21/08 9:29 AM, "dailydrool-request at dailydrool.org"
<dailydrool-request at dailydrool.org> wrote:

> 
> OK..  Wyatt has taken a turn for the worse. He's losing(but lot lost) interest
> in many foods... and he's hobbling pretty bad as he's hurt his good leg. He
> still gets excited about the word "walk", my 4 year old son got him all exited
> last night, but the poor guy can barely make it out of the yard and back.  He
> goes go out side to releave himself, but pooping is painful, and he'll
> sometimes stop and lay for a break before he makes his way back in the house.
> He for his foot stuck in the ramp again this morning.. I'm fixing that.
> 
> Here is where it is hard... when do you make that decision...  this is where
> we play God. I love Wyatt as much as I've loved any living thing.. and it
> breaks my heart to see him this way.  Up until a few days ago, he was doing
> AWESOME.  Maybe he'll turn around.>>

This is a very personal decision.  Have you had Wyatt back to the vet since
he hurt his good leg?  He might need to be restricted to a small area until
the good leg recovers in order to allow it to heal. You many have to go
through your home and yard with a very critical eye looking from Wyatt's
prospective for any hazardous situation.  He may just need more recovery
time.  Why is it difficult for him to poop?  Is it because his leg is sore
and it hurts to brace himself right now?  If so, this is likely to be
temporary and he needs time to retrain himself to do this with one leg and
until the good leg needs to heal first.
> 
> My delima.. I'm supposed to go on vacation on Friday. I have a petsitter
> coming to help take care of him, but I'd hate to leave him alone.>

Is your pet sitter experienced in dealing with a healing dog?

> I don't want to put him down because it's convenient... I want him to be
> ready.. and from what I've seen from other dogs with Cancer(oh, he has bone
> cancer BTW and doesn't have use of one read leg).. starting predisone can
> really boost him for a while. he's on Metacam/meloxicam right now.  But to
> convert him to pred will take 5 days with no metacam and that can be really
> really hard... and 5 days from today would land it until when I'm on vacation.

What is his prognosis with the cancer?  That would be the major question I
would have before making any tough decision.
> 
> So my options?
> 
> 1 - Skip the vacation... the wife will take the kids and go with her sister
> instead of me. I stay with Wyatt.>

Where are you going?  Is there anyway to take him with you.  I recently took
a dog who had gone down in the rear with me to a week long dog show.

> 2 - Switch to predisone and have this done by the petsitter, who happens to be
> a vet tech at his vet.. so she knows what she's doing...  I may have to board
> Clover somewhere and he's afraid of her and she has been known to guard main
> 'arteries' in the house, so that he can't get out to pee.. and he can no
> longer stand up for himself... that way it would be just him.
> 
> 3 - Board him somewhere.. preferable with someone with a home.. I don't see
> this happening.

If he needs to rest and allow his leg to heal, I'd board him with a vet if I
needed to board him.  They can keep his movement restricted while he heals
and can make sure everything is okay.

> 4 - He's on his last legs... literally.  Maybe I should put him down while he
> still has some happiness and excitment in his life.. and he's not all misery.
> I feel if I do this before vacation, well.. I just find that harder to do as I
> feel I may rush the decision.  I will NOT leave until I fet his ashes though..
> I'm not leaving his ashes in storage for a week.. he's my baby.. my furry ball
> of love.>  

I can see how you are struggling with this.  In my experience, there comes a
time when you know it is time to let them go.  If there is no light in his
eye, if there is no way her will get better, and for me, if I knew the
cancer was terminal, I think I would let him go.  But, you have to be able
to know in your heart that it was the right thing to do.  And when you do
decide, it will be hard to not second guess yourself which is what you are
doing right now.  Sometimes it takes a little time and space in order to
know in your heart what you already know in your head, that the best gift
you can give is to let him go in peace.
 
> I have no clue... I don't want to be 'selfish' and make him suffere, but I
> don't want to be selfish and put him down because of vacation.. I'll always
> feel I did that.   But I also don't want to leave him to sit alone(with 2-3
> visits/day from a petsitter and neighbors) and maybe a couple overnights.
> My wife will tell you that I give him an added boost of energy that isn't
> there when I'm not there. I'm his favorite person and list his spirits, I
> don't know what a week without his daddy will do to him, but I think in a
> house alone.. but I think for all the resting he does, and not having his
> sister, he may heal up a bit if he doesn't get depressed.

You have to decide what is right for you and Wyatt.  No one else can tell
you what you need to do.  I know how hard even thinking about this is.  WE
give these silly short legged dogs our hearts and when we lose them, they
truly are not gone from our hearts.  They are always there and we feel
enriched by having had them in our lives.  Good luck.  If you will kick
yourself forever if you decide to let him go before going on this trip...you
can't do it.  If that is truly the case, then maybe the only choice you can
live with right now is to stay home with him.
> 
> Thanks!
> Steve and Wyatt
> 

I don't know if any of this has helped.  I am thinking about you, Wyatt, and
your family.

Pam Chandler

Bossanova Bassets
http://bossanovabassets.com

President, Shasta Kennel Club
http://shastakennelclub.com