Thursday we took my 9 year old Australian Shepard down to phoenix to an animal neurologist. we ended up getting an MRI to determine for sure if he has a brain tumor. As it turns out he does. It was $2,000 for the MRI but it was worth it because it has taken the burden of deciding what to do away(the symptoms of a brain tumor are similar to many other treatable illnesses). so now he is on medication to make him comfortable and the focus is on maximizing what time we do have left (read: spoil the hell out of him). steak, vanilla ice cream, and canned dog food (eaten on the couch) are some of the luxuries he gets to enjoy. It's funny how quickly he has gotten used to his new privileges.

He is with us until he is no longer enjoying himself. Once the bad time out ways the good times I have no qualms about putting him down and i don't have to worry about becoming a complete basket case until then

thanks for listening... err reading

Rally,

I am sorry that you are going through this...It has to be tough. I have been there so I know.

Spoil him while you have the time.....

I agree...spoil the hell out of him! I've had to put pets down, but never had the chance to do the spoiling prior. Makes tons of great memories for yourself and take lots of pictures.

Remember, he's a member of your family...just a really furry one.

Hugs and I'm sorry that you have to go through this.

Lisa

I know what you're going through. My dog was diagnosed with lukemia in june. I am spoiling the hell out of her and so is my mother. I just want her to be happy until it's her time.

Take care of your doggie, Morgan

Tell him how wonderful he is. He will tell you when it's time.

2quilt is right!

Your little love will let you know when it is time. My precious Miss Lovey let me know when it was her time.

My heart and prays go out to you!

Wow-----I am in awe that you spent $2000 for an MRI just to make sure it was a brain tumour. Rallynut, few people would have done this even if they could have afforded it. It is an amazing testament to your love for your pooch and wanting to be certain of what you are dealing with so you know the right course of action. My hat is off to you

I had to make the difficult decision last winter to put down an elderly Dalmatian who I had adopted from a shelter only months before. We thought her kidneys were shutting down, but weren't sure. We'd done several blood tests and ultrasounds, but they were still inconclusive. When she started trembling all over and being unable to either lie down or stand up without what appeared to be pain even though she was on pain meds, I decided her time was here. I asked the vet to do an autopsy afterwards to see what really had been going on, and the vet found that Maggie had a really bad hip that was grinding against the bone. Unfortunately, more heavy-duty pain medication than she had been on might have helped her. I wish I had tried more tests to find out the cause, because she might have had a few more months with the right meds.

Anyway I am always grateful that we have the option of helping our friends out of this life when their illnesses become too great. It really is a privilege and a blessing that we can do this for them. But it's hard all the same.

My brother lingered in a palliative care ward for three weeks dying of AIDS-related liver cancer, and I was so grateful for that time for us to clear the decks of all the insignificant crap that fills our daily lives and just focus on our love for each other, and how precious our time together is. How wonderful that you have some time here at the end to do the same with your faithful friend.

Rivergirl
(PS----I am not going to let my dogs hear about "canned dog food eaten on the couch"!!!)

I have a 19 year old cat that has gone from 11 pounds to 5. She's on thyroid medicine, but we all know that she will not last another 2 years. I greet her as if she is royalty, she gets love and treats several times a day if she will eat at all, and I tell my husband that he should love me as much as I love my furbaby because we don't know when our last day will be. Daily i ask her, "and how can I make your life more enjoyable today?"

who said I could afford it? that is what credit is for! we've racked up over 3,000 in one week with this pooch. he is a once in a lifetime dog and an important member of our family. my hat is off to me too. it's being passed around for donations.

Joking is the only way I'll get through this. My Irish roots are really shining through. when my grandma died a couple of years ago it sounded more like a cocktail party than a wake from outside the funeral home. celebrate the life rather than mourn the death right?

Hey, 2Quilt----my 19 yr old cat had the same problem. She still will eat the dry kibble, but now I also feed her a spoonful of something called Hill's Prescription Diet A/D. The A/D part is important, since they make prescription diet formulas for all kinds of things. The K/D is for kidney problems, for instnace. I don't know what they A/D stands for, but my vet said they use it for cancer patients that need to keep the weight on. It's high in nutrition and high in calories, and can also be watered down into "soup" if they have problems eating. My baby is no longer losing weight bit by bit and wasting away. She's been able to keep the weight on with this food. It's only available through vets to my knowledge, but it might be worth asking about.

And you, Rallynut----you have me laughing. I would be the same. Uncle Mastercard has paid for my vet bills many a time!

Rivergirl