My Dog is Sick... I think

I had Bell's Palsy. Weird. Reallly weird. Not fun.

I know a top animal neurologist, although he is now retired. I could definitely put you in touch with someone top-notch at UPenn Vet if need be.
 
We had an 18 year old cat that we'd raised from our college days when we could hold him in the palm of our hand. He had gradually been slowing down, and one day could not even lift his haunches. Unfortunately, it coincided with the trip we were taking to Oshkosh. No, not to Airventure, but to my Dad's funeral/wake. We elected to have the cat put to sleep. Emotionally, I still mourn, though logically I know it was the right thing to do.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
Thanks for the reference. I'm sure hoping to be out of here before either of my dogs need any more veterinary care!
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I'm glad they have a diagnosis and that she is feeling well. I don't know anything about the syndrome, but hopefully it is manageable. I fully agree - pets are family members. I would be one of them that says "spare no cost".
 
flyersfan31 said:
I had Bell's Palsy. Weird. Reallly weird. Not fun.

I know a top animal neurologist, although he is now retired. I could definitely put you in touch with someone top-notch at UPenn Vet if need be.
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Thanks, Andrew. Hopefully she continues to do well and that isn't necessary. She's a tough dog. Then again, most dogs I've come across are.

Henning said:
I'd be concerned about neurological viruses and being able to catch them....
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While possible, that's out there on the unlikely-o-meter.

woodstock said:
I'm glad they have a diagnosis and that she is feeling well. I don't know anything about the syndrome, but hopefully it is manageable. I fully agree - pets are family members. I would be one of them that says "spare no cost".
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I tend to err with Tim on the side of evaluating each situation, simply because there is a point where you're putting the animal through unnecessary suffering. But my perspective is the same for humans. I watched my grandmother suffer for the last 5 years of her life sitting in a nursing home because my reltatives were too selfish to let her pass on. She was miserable and I hated seeing it, even though she and I were never close.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
I tend to err with Tim on the side of evaluating each situation, simply because there is a point where you're putting the animal through unnecessary suffering. But my perspective is the same for humans. I watched my grandmother suffer for the last 5 years of her life sitting in a nursing home because my reltatives were too selfish to let her pass on. She was miserable and I hated seeing it, even though she and I were never close.
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+1. I think some people keep animals alive for selfish reasons rather than thinking of the animal itself. And yes, it happens with humans too.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
I tend to err with Tim on the side of evaluating each situation, simply because there is a point where you're putting the animal through unnecessary suffering. But my perspective is the same for humans. I watched my grandmother suffer for the last 5 years of her life sitting in a nursing home because my reltatives were too selfish to let her pass on. She was miserable and I hated seeing it, even though she and I were never close.
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I hope by the time I'm old and worrying about dying in a hospice or in an ICU, that we'll have better laws regarding euthanasia for people.

I think choosing your exit strategy is a fundamental right.
 
steingar said:
Agreed. One of the advantages you gun owners have on the rest of us.
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Owning a gun and having the balls to pull the trigger are two very different things.

The thought of the vet technician taking my cat away in her arms still makes me think maybe I should have waited a bit longer. The sight of her little kitty face going away still makes me sad. Very sad.
 
steingar said:
Agreed. One of the advantages you gun owners have on the rest of us.
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That would be messy and not peaceful. I can think of a number of much more preferable ways to go.
 
steingar said:
It is possible that the stem cell therapy itself caused the tumors. I would not be the least surprised if that were the case.
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No. Two vets independently thought the tumors were directly related to the Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, a blood-borne infection. Hemangiosarcoma is a blood-borne cancer that invades the internal organs, usually the heart, but in my dog's case, the spleen and then the liver. The stem cells were injected directly into the joints, not the blood.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
Thanks, Andrew. Hopefully she continues to do well and that isn't necessary. She's a tough dog. Then again, most dogs I've come across are.



While possible, that's out there on the unlikely-o-meter.



I tend to err with Tim on the side of evaluating each situation, simply because there is a point where you're putting the animal through unnecessary suffering. But my perspective is the same for humans. I watched my grandmother suffer for the last 5 years of her life sitting in a nursing home because my reltatives were too selfish to let her pass on. She was miserable and I hated seeing it, even though she and I were never close.
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My cat also has kidney failure, and we've managed them very well for two years. She's happy and as healthy as she can be given the circumstances. She's not in pain, she is still playful and bouncy. I'm glad I have spent a mint on her the past few years. I will continue to do so as long as she is comfortable.
 
woodstock said:
My cat also has kidney failure, and we've managed them very well for two years. She's happy and as healthy as she can be given the circumstances. She's not in pain, she is still playful and bouncy. I'm glad I have spent a mint on her the past few years. I will continue to do so as long as she is comfortable.
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That's great, both that you have the resources and that you're getting a good outcome!
 
woodstock said:
My cat also has kidney failure, and we've managed them very well for two years. She's happy and as healthy as she can be given the circumstances. She's not in pain, she is still playful and bouncy. I'm glad I have spent a mint on her the past few years. I will continue to do so as long as she is comfortable.
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As long as your cat is feeling well and happy that's a different situation.
 
bluee said:
No. Two vets independently thought the tumors were directly related to the Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, a blood-borne infection. Hemangiosarcoma is a blood-borne cancer that invades the internal organs, usually the heart, but in my dog's case, the spleen and then the liver. The stem cells were injected directly into the joints, not the blood.
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Could be, I certainly don't know all the specifics. But I really couldn't tell you the differentiation state of adipose stem cells in humans and I work on stem cells. I doubt such precise data exists for dogs. Once transformed, cells can easily move from the bone to other internal organs.

Even if the stem cells did ultimately lead to the animals demise (and I could easily be wrong, admittedly) they certainly improved its quality of life. To my way of thinking that is not a bad trade off at all. I myself would prefer a shorter more pleasant existence to a longer one full of chronic pain.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
That would be messy and not peaceful. I can think of a number of much more preferable ways to go.
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Me too, but by that point pulling a trigger may be the most peaceful thing of which I'm capable. I sure as heck don't want to go the way I've seen some of my elder relatives. Yeech.
 
steingar said:
Me too, but by that point pulling a trigger may be the most peaceful thing of which I'm capable. I sure as heck don't want to go the way I've seen some of my elder relatives. Yeech.
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Tim's got a good option. I've liked the idea of going for a flight in your friend's turbocharged non-pressurized aircraft up to FL250 for a few hours and turn off your oxygen. Falling asleep peacefully sounds nice.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
Tim's got a good option. I've liked the idea of going for a flight in your friend's turbocharged non-pressurized aircraft up to FL250 for a few hours and turn off your oxygen. Falling asleep peacefully sounds nice.
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Or climb as high as the engine will go, then kick the rudder, pull on the stick and see how big of a hole you can make. At least that way, you can choose where the hole is made and not take out a school of young nuns-to-be or something.
 
CJones said:
Or climb as high as the engine will go, then kick the rudder, pull on the stick and see how big of a hole you can make. At least that way, you can choose where the hole is made and not take out a school of young nuns-to-be or something.
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I was assuming having another person along with you to land the plane safely. I wasn't suggesting crashing the plane. That would be a waste of a plane! ;)
 
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