Tales from the vet's office

[sevendaysky]

My service dog had to be put to sleep on May 31 of this year. We'd been partners for 12 years, just about. He'd been aging gracefully over the years, you know -- slowing down, not chasing things, gray hairs on the muzzle, sleeping more, that kind of thing. But in the spring I noticed he was having more trouble than usual getting up or down from the bed or the stairs to go out into the yard. It got to the point where I had to lift him up and down. Then in late May I noticed he'd begun to bloat up pretty impressively, and took him to the vet.

It was about $500 and several x-rays later to confirm that he had a LOT of fluid on the belly and what might be a tumor somewhere. The vet couldn't say for sure without surgery and I didn't have the money for it. So we had to do just pallitative care while I tried to scramble for the money. We had a lot of the fluid drained off - a lot of it, nearly ten pounds worth of it, and took him home. He was having trouble with the drainage site, kept licking at it - we even jury rigged a gauze pad and a sports wrap to try and keep him from licking it. But we noticed he was bloating up again in just a few days, and was just declining rapidly.

Finally my ex husband and I went in to the vet with him and stayed with him while we let him go. It was a very hard day, and difficult to leave my friend behind when he had tried so hard to stay with me. The vet was very kind to us, if expensive. They mailed us a condolence card and hand-delivered the ashes afterward.

[depechemodefan]

They only want to spend $200.

I'm hoping that they wern't thinking of dumping the poor dog on the side of the road...but if they were, realize $200 would be wasted. I hope they treat the dog well.

[ralerin]

The vet was very kind to us, if expensive. They mailed us a condolence card and hand-delivered the ashes afterward.

Oh my goodness, yes. Your vet did that, too? My vet did after we lost our Charlemagne. We didn't have him cremated, though. The new owner of the pet cemetery hand delivered the coffin, though and refused any offers of money.

Is it bad that I regret the blanket we buried him in? It was just a blanket we had in the linen closet, one of the softest we had, but in the days after he died it became the most important blanket in the world.

[angelicafire]

*sniff* All these stories make me sad, but it makes me think of something I told my mom once.

I really feel, as a responsible pet owner, that you have to expect paying lots of money to take care of your dog or cat. (Or critter, as the case may be.) My cats can't talk to me and tell me they are really sick and need to go to the doctor, or it's just a hairball - no biggie. So it's my job to take them there and make sure they are ok, and pay for whatever they need.

My cat Poo Poo had surgery once for eating a string off of our mattress. Now she has feline asthma. My other cat Momma has megacolon, and she's been to the emergency vet a few times in the last year for pretty much throwing up poop. But it's my job to take care of them, and figure out how to pay for it.

[zombiequeen]

I hate to seem like this for parents of human children, but for those of us that cannot have kids, the pets are our kids. So I am more than willing to be up at 2AM taking my pet to the emergency clinic if something is wrong. Price does not matter in an emergency situation. That's why I am constantly upset that my mum would rather I let my lizard go (really? desert bearded dragon in Michigan? What?) or kill her (umm...no, she is my pet and I would rather not KILL MY PET) than take her into a specialist to get her checked up. Sure, I bought her from a store, but I also cuddle with her and play with her like I would a cat or dog. Scales are just armored fur.

[Kristev]

My Maggie is wonderful. I just love her so much. True, I don't have the money for her shots, but she's a totally indoor cat who has no contact with any other animals any longer.

I won't even allow my mother to bring her dog over, though my mother resents that ruling. Maggie and I have the same opinion on dogs.

Now, I did take care of my brother's dog, Max. Max had been with the family for nearly a decade, and he was dying and sick. So I cared for Max the best I could, preventing my mother (who'd always prefer to kill an animal than cure it when it's not healthy any longer) from getting her hands on him. Anyway, I had Max until the day he died.

Come to think of it, Max was the only dog Maggie ever liked.

The night he died, I'd come home from work to find him dead and Maggie rubbing all over him, and grooming him. When I opened the door, she cried and cried for me, so I went and found Max. She withdrew, and I saw Max.

I just know he waited for a time when no people were there to finally go. And, Maggie, I suspect, was the perfect choice for a death companion. The way she behaved around Max in his final couple of days was almost Egyptian, ritualistic. As if she knew what was coming and was helping him prepare for the transition.

[zombiequeen]

I just know he waited for a time when no people were there to finally go. And, Maggie, I suspect, was the perfect choice for a death companion. The way she behaved around Max in his final couple of days was almost Egyptian, ritualistic. As if she knew what was coming and was helping him prepare for the transition.

Aren't animals amazing like that?

[Seshat]

You all have no idea how nice it is to be on a site where people can actually sympathize (well, maybe you do ).

We do, and you're welcome.

If you want more stories of both people loving their pets, and anger at mistreatment, just do a site search on 'vet' or its synonyms. We have several vets, vet techs and groomers on this site, all of whom have needed to vent.

[Rapscallion]

There is nothing that I can say about this situation that would not get me banned from this site.

You and me both.

Rapscallion

[Talon]

Reading this thread... I'm so glad we never got another pet after our dog passed away.

I just know he waited for a time when no people were there to finally go.

Didn't want to upset people by dying in front of them. Faithful companion till the end.

And, Maggie, I suspect, was the perfect choice for a death companion. The way she behaved around Max in his final couple of days was almost Egyptian, ritualistic. As if she knew what was coming and was helping him prepare for the transition.

Your story reminded me of one I read, about a pet tiger named Keetah who "talked" a paraplegic out of suicide. Heartwarming tale here:

http://www.exoticcatz.com/sptigerkeetah.html

I thought this thread could use a lift. And please, leave the opinion-hashing on owning exotic cats to fratching.

[EricKei]

Well, put me in for another positive take...A bit of a to all you techs

My three cats (well, two, now) came to me by way of a vet tech who had, herself, rescued them from an abusive owner when they were kittens. Said tech had to move in order to take care of her parents, and they had a big ol' dog who *really* didn't like cats...so she had to give them up. One day at work -- we were both moonlighting at GameStore -- she asked me if I knew anyone who might want to adopt some 3~ ish year old cats...and the rest, as they say, was history.

One of them still distrusts strangers (she had taken the worst of the abuse), but the VT friend took good care of them while she had them (2 years or so), and they all grew up to be cuddly balls of fur and claws who have brought great joy into my life at times when I really needed it.

So, to you guys: Thanks!

[Chainsmith]

*sighs* I knew I shouldn't have read this thread. heh. I am sorry about your finger and all that you have to go through with patients like those. While I am not a vet tech, I probably have more experience with dogs and cats and the care of sick ones than most. I have spent my whole life pretty much helping out in my Father's veterinary clinic. Everything from filing, mopping, and in one emergency (it was 2am I believe) in the surgery.

This thread more than all the other SC thread are the ones that make me sick. Especially the one with the old dog and puppy. I lost my dog earlier this year to a very very sudden onset cancer. As in first signs of it came up on a sunday (he had clean bloodwork the month before) and we had to put him to sleep that friday. He was a noisy pest, barked a lot, caused trouble, could eat 3lbs of high quality chocolate and not be phased (he stole 3 1lb bags of cadbury mini eggs. ate them bag and all). And the house is way to quiet without him.

so we now are down to 3 Jack Russells (horrible pets, never get one. if you do you will want another) instead of 4. And one cat. I really miss all of the pet's I have lost through out the years. But I can't imagine my life without them or a pet of some sort.

[Whiskey]

The whole "I'm going to hide my death from you" that pets do is why I freak out when I cant find my cats. :|


Speaking of.. i'm super broke. the 45$ to take ONE of my animals to the vet to see if anything is actually wrong is close to breaking me, financially. Are there legitimate "pet meds" sites I can go to? Of course, I mean go to AFTER the vet tells me what medicines and what strength. I wouldn't self diagnose my pets, or self medicate them.

OH GOD PLEASE STOP TALKING ABOUT ANIMALS DYING IM ALREADY FRAGILE WHERE ARE MY CATS


edit: I couldnt find sully so I opened a can of wetfood and he came running. If he ever doesnt come running when I open wet food i'm going to have a breakdown.

[zombiequeen]

OH GOD PLEASE STOP TALKING ABOUT ANIMALS DYING IM ALREADY FRAGILE WHERE ARE MY CATS

You are so sweet and caring for your pets, just like you should be. I worry if my fish doesn't greet me when I go up to his tank.

[Whiskey]

this thread brings me to tears everytime i open it. I love my animals more than anything.

they may be assholes 99% of the time

but when mama is hurt they know. I dont even have to cry, they come over and lay on me.

my babies.