Be Kind to Your Vet ...

 

They are doing the best they can, flying blind based on symptoms, since pets can't tell us what is wrong.

In the end, we suspected liver cancer with Brookie, but it happened so fast it was difficult to tell.

She had lost weight in the past 3 weeks, then began vomiting a week ago and was increasingly thirsty.  We initially thought it was an ulcer flare, like she had before, so we treated her and changed her to a bland diet and she improved - the vomiting stopped, she was running around like always, eating special doggie birthday cake with Ziggy!   

There were no masses and no fever.

However, Saturday morning, she began vomiting again and was lethargic. We took her to the emergency vet. The lab tests only showed moderately elevated white blood cells and slightly elevated liver enzymes.

They were thinking stomach infection because of the elevated white blood cells and the vomiting and there were no palpable masses and she was not tender anywhere. 

After the fluids, Cerenia, sulcralfate, and antibiotics, she stopped vomiting and we took her home Sunday afternoon.  The vet was "cautiously optimistic."

However, as soon as we got her home, her tooth fell out.  We added another antibiotic in case there was a tooth/gum infection. 

(We now know that with liver cancer in dogs, there are sometimes gum/tooth issues).

Though she seemed better, she refused to eat.  We were unable to get her in with the vet that day, who said observe and take her to the ER if she worsens, and we scheduled a vet visit for Tuesday morning.  We were in constant text communication with the vet, though.

I sang her to sleep Monday night, and she was resting comfortably, seemed on the mend.

However, at about 4:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning, she crawled over to Mark in our bed (where we sleep with our dogs) and woke him up, her breathing labored.  

Mark cuddled her, and as he had Shelties and Collies all his life, he could tell we were losing her.  Mark said I started singing to her again, in my sleep. 😢(I don't remember this part, of course.) 

When he was sure she was going, he woke me up (apparently  already singing in my sleep) - and then she passed - looking up at Mark, arms around her, me singing awake now.  😢

This all happened in the course of about 15 minutes.

In hindsight, the vets working with us think it was liver cancer, which happens fast and only detected on CAT scan - IF - you know what's wrong.

Since there was no tenderness, there were no masses, only vomiting, increased thirst, lethargy, and tooth loss, she seemed to slightly improve, we all thought - or hoped - it was infection the antibiotics would get.

As I said, we had her scheduled for the vet first thing Tuesday morning for follow-up visit and scanning if worse, but she seemed better until she woke up in the night with labored breathing and passed. 

The vets now think in hindsight that it was likely liver cancer, which progresses fast and can kill, without palpable masses and symptoms that mask as other things.

They have apologized but there is no need - with pets, it is really hard to tell what's going on because they can't tell you where it hurts,  you just have to figure it ou - and Brookie was especially stoic.  

All of us - including the vets - initially blamed ourselves for not putting all of the pieces together correctly - and believe me, Mark and I are still doing that.

But it helped that our main vet said "Even if you had taken her to the ER, there wouldn't have been anything they could do - by the time they show symptoms from liver cancer, it's too far advanced."

In the end, we're grateful it happened this way - she didn't suffer long and she died in our arms with singing, rather than in some vets back room.

As corny as it sounds, I believe the right pet comes in your life at the right time.

And with a combination of good pet parenting and a little luck,  then they'll leave you exactly when - and how - they're supposed to - preferably in your arms at home, without suffering long,  looking straight up at you in your eyes as a goodbye.  🥲

Now - we all want someone to blame when a pet passes - but remember, out vets are doing the best they can with the symptoms they see and diagnostic tests.

Veterinarians have one of the highest rates of suicide of any profession because of all the heat they take, what they miss.

You know how we all feel guilty when a pet dies, and beat ourselves up with "coulda, shoulda, wouldas?"

Multiply that x10 with vets. 

They are typically very compassionate people - remember, they are doing the very best they can, with their patients being unable to tell us where it hurts or symptoms.

Also, I know that veterinary costs have skyrocketed the past 5 years, to the degree that our pet insurance, Nationwide, is pulling out of the pet insurance business, already pulling out of California completely.

But remember, it's not that they're being greedy (especially if you have a compassionate vet).

Just as costs have gone up for us, costs have gone up for vets, too - equipment and medication have skyrocketed, too, for both humans and pets, and they have to keep the lights on and pay employees, plus make a living.

(In fact, we will not be getting another pet for a while, not just because we need time after Brookie, but as a result of the costs - but again, they're not being greedy - their costs have gone up, too.)

Thus, a special thank you to the excellent veterinarians - our main vet, Dr. Ryan Sallie at  Commonwealth Animal Care, Dr. Patricia Davis of PetVet365 Lexington-Richmond Road and Dr. Clark Vice at  Gainesway Animal Clinic for a second opinion/adjunctive care (Dr. Ryan was formerly there before private practice)for all of their excellent advice and care, this past week

(In fact, I wish my personal doctors were as attentive, compassionate, and listened as well as these vets do!)