Costly medical procedures vs. humane euthanization - Page 4

Felloffher, you did what you could / should.  Entirely up to you as the owner, no-one else can walk in your shoes, nor should make you feel bad.  Sorry for your loss.  Remember the good times with this dog ?  [Sorry to sound a bit trite, it is sincerely meant.]   Linda.

@momosgarage

I did try adequan injections no relief.  Also did acupuncture nothing so the vet did not recommend gold beads.  The xrays from 2 years ago and the new xrays show significant re modeling and arthritic changes huge amount of change in the past couple of years.  Not good for her.  I did Vet Stem stem cell.  She is on Tramadol and Rimadyl as needed for pain.

Lyn

LynOD , I know the theme in this thread is "costly medical procedures", but maybe you should ask your vet to try Cartrophen:

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/german_shepherd_dog/bulletins.read?mnr=533387&pagen=1 

You also still have the Biphosphate by IV option (Tildren for horses), which is similar to the oral medications Boniva, Fosamax and Actonel.   ...   

http://www.equine-vets.com/fact-sheets/legs-and-lameness/navicular-syndrome

When money is on the line with race horses they use they above, not Adequan or Acupuncture .  Your vet will have to fill out some forms to import Cartrophen to the USA.



Bo
niva Fosamax Actonel  . which is basica

I'm there with you Fellofher and joanro.

IMHO, its pure human selfishness to prolong a terminal illness..regardless of if its 6 months or 3 years.

One of my friends recently had a dog diagnosed with cancer, and was given the choice to pump him with meds and do chemo for a few months, or let nature take its course. When she told me she opted to med pump him, I was dissapointed when her reason was "I can't take him away from our family yet." Selfish? Absolutely.

In the wild when dogs/animals are sick...they leave their "loved ones" and go die peacefully away from everyone. What makes us humans think that if given the choice, these dogs would want to be pumped full of meds and spend those med pumped days engulfed by us? Its completely selfish.

Don't get me wrong, I love my dogs, and I treat them in the same mind set as I live my life and whole heartedly believe...

If I was ever diagnosed with a life long condition that would require medication to live my life, I would opt not. If i was diagnosed with a terminal illness that would require medication and poison pumped into my body to go another 6 months, i would opt to go when it was my time, poison free.
I dont take birth control, i dont even take a multi vitamin. And the only thing my dogs are ever supplemented with is salmon oil, and I worm them with Panacur, I dont use flea/tick preventatives either. The most i ever take is tylenol, and when I'm really sick I'll take Nyquil IF i absolutely have to.

So if my dog was ever diagnosed with anything that would not allow them to survive "in the wild as nature called" without medication for the rest of it's life, then I would not selfishly pump them. Period.

And SHAME ON YOUR VET for making you feel horrible about choosing not to put your dog through prolonged suffering. Time for a new vet? Yup.

We just lost our dearly loved dog suddenly to heart disease.  He had no energy or apitite and lost weight.  After a series of tests, we were told his valves were shot, he had a lot of fluid about the heart and while the condition could potentially be managed at considerable expensive, he would die sooner rather then later.  Without significant intervention (and significant expense) he would die in days.  So we chose to euthanize.  At least he died in my arms, and not alone.  A grief counselor at the ASPCA once told me that dogs are not afraid of death, but they are afraid of pain.  Our dog was looking for me to comfort him the night before he died, he stayed very close.  I almost slept on the floor with him.  I feel that giving a gentle death is the last gift of love we can give to our dogs.

I would do what I could to help my dog be as comfortable as she could at the end, but if diagnosed with something terminal, I do not see the point in prolonging the inevitable. I love my dogs but I will not put them through heroics if the end result is the same.

Im in this situation right now. Have a coming 7 yo golden retriever with a sinus tumor. Vet suggested an MRI for $1200.00 then surgery for about 1-1.5k. I told her I couldnt afford either. Single mom. She made some comment about if I "REALLY" wanted it, I'd come up with the money.

This dogs tumor has gotten pretty big so because I dont have the money for the surgery I opted for my least favorite drug on the planet, prednisone. It's shrinking the tumor. Not sure why the vet hadn't suggested it. I read about the surgery. His face will basically be cut open and the tumor cut out. He will most likely need reconstruction done because of where it is. Ive thought a lot about it but haven't found a good enough reason to put the dog through that pain and for what, so I can spend more time with him? How selfish is that? My ex had something like that done but his was just scraping the sinus's. He said it was the worst surgery he has ever had and would never do it again.

When the pred stops working, then I will cry and let this dog go. What ever happened to dignity even if it is just a dog?

I feel for you, Bhaugh.  Dont be afraid of steroids, they are very effective in treating many malignancies and are considered a form of chemotherapy. Use them as long as your pal needs them. I think what that vet said to  you is inexcusable. He or she would never see any of my dogs again.

Good luck, sometimes dogs fool us and live a lot longer than expected. I've seen it many times.

Bhaugh, you made the same choice I would have made. I will not apoligize, and neither should you, in feeling that a dog is a dog and not a child and not a human being in any way.

Rik

Bhaugh, even if you had let the vet pressure you into this surgery on your dog,  you might not have had much time left anyway.  My dog's Granddam had such a tumour; we were told the prognosis for post-operative recovery was less than wonderful.  So they want to operate, and do maxiliary reconstruction (at further cost) and then you get about 5 minutes left with a dog you are nursing, rather than enjoying the company of, and who has to be pilled up all the time for post surgical pain ??
Forget it, who is that good for, except the vet's pocket ?  Certainly not you or your dog.  You are doing the right thing.
I really feel for you.