Codie Call For Posithoughts and Prayers Please....
same planet...different world
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Butte, America
Posts: 10,946
Codie Call For Posithoughts and Prayers Please....
Oh dear, oh dear.
I think what' I've been dreading is about to happen.
My elderly friend
called me this morning
her elderly dog
(Belgian Malanois)
can't get up today.
She made an appointment for the vet
and asked me to help get the dog in the car
and get her back out when we get to the vet.
Oh dear.
I don't have a good feeling about this.
please, if you get time
send positive thoughts
for my friend ...
she's absolutely silly about her dog.
I fear she's going to have a rough time this week.
Thanks everyone!
I think what' I've been dreading is about to happen.
My elderly friend
called me this morning
her elderly dog
(Belgian Malanois)
can't get up today.
She made an appointment for the vet
and asked me to help get the dog in the car
and get her back out when we get to the vet.
Oh dear.
I don't have a good feeling about this.
please, if you get time
send positive thoughts
for my friend ...
she's absolutely silly about her dog.
I fear she's going to have a rough time this week.
Thanks everyone!
Belgian Sheepdog Adictee
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: In Today
Posts: 6,101
Definite positive thoughts.
Please don't give up hope. It seems the Belgian Sheepdogs, yes my flavor, the Malinois and the Terv, as they get older get a 'vestibular' affliction, that does go away after a few days and there is a treatment of sorts for it to make the fur kid comfortable getting through it.
How old is the Mali?
Love and hugs,
Please don't give up hope. It seems the Belgian Sheepdogs, yes my flavor, the Malinois and the Terv, as they get older get a 'vestibular' affliction, that does go away after a few days and there is a treatment of sorts for it to make the fur kid comfortable getting through it.
How old is the Mali?
Love and hugs,
same planet...different world
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Butte, America
Posts: 10,946
Well.
She's torn the 'bla bla bla' ligaments out of both 'knees'.
that's why she can't walk.
She can get up
but she's kind of 'crawling' in the hind.
the vet put her on pain meds
and I've spent the afternoon arranging my friend's yard
so the dog can't come up the steps to the porch
or get onto ANY steps, in fact.
The old 'building a barriacde out of household items'
routine.
moved her doghouse out into the yard
(all snuggy cozy up against the house)
but it's pretty much nothing they can do for a fifteen year old dog.
there's a 2500.00 (per knee, mind you) surgery
but my friend won't opt for that.
The vet said it (recovery of pain free movement of the joint)
doesn't bode well for such an elderly dog anyhow.
He gave it a less than forty percent chance
of healing without permanent pain.
She's down, who wouldn't be -
but this gives her another week - ten days
to spent as much time with the dog
to see if it gets bearable for the dog with pain meds.
The vet was very straight up with her
and that's good
but when my friend gets scared or nervous
she 'locks up' and either becomes
the most stubborn person on earth
or
she can't put a sentence together.
She had a brain anneurysm (-sp)
like fifteen years ago maybe twenty
so it's a brain thing
not a negative personality thing.
She and I are two very
fragile antique teacups
in that area ...LOL
So the vet was talking to *me* about it
and she was trying to make excuses for the dog
but the vet was very kind to her about
the progression to this point
that I saw coming starting around the end of last summer.
She kept insisting that the dog fell down the stairs
and injured her leg
which I'd told her over a month ago isn't how it works -
the vet was very patient with her
and explained
(codie comment - what *I* have said all along)
that the dog was starting down the stairs
and the ligament gave out -
THEN she fell -
she didn't fall and then hurt the ligament.
Just like when an elderly person
'falls and breaks their hip' -
that's not really how it is -
the hip breaks -
THEN ... the person falls.
I do have to hand it to him
he got through her "wall" well enough
that she understood
and it let *me* off the hook
at the same time.
I'm certain I don't speak out of turn
in thanking everyone and their pets
for the positive thoughts and prayers
for the next week or so.
It's kinda like a Lassie movie
but without the happy ending.
Thanks for reading, I love this forum!
I'm going to have a cup of tea
and watch the incoming thunderstorm.
She's torn the 'bla bla bla' ligaments out of both 'knees'.
that's why she can't walk.
She can get up
but she's kind of 'crawling' in the hind.
the vet put her on pain meds
and I've spent the afternoon arranging my friend's yard
so the dog can't come up the steps to the porch
or get onto ANY steps, in fact.
The old 'building a barriacde out of household items'
routine.
moved her doghouse out into the yard
(all snuggy cozy up against the house)
but it's pretty much nothing they can do for a fifteen year old dog.
there's a 2500.00 (per knee, mind you) surgery
but my friend won't opt for that.
The vet said it (recovery of pain free movement of the joint)
doesn't bode well for such an elderly dog anyhow.
He gave it a less than forty percent chance
of healing without permanent pain.
She's down, who wouldn't be -
but this gives her another week - ten days
to spent as much time with the dog
to see if it gets bearable for the dog with pain meds.
The vet was very straight up with her
and that's good
but when my friend gets scared or nervous
she 'locks up' and either becomes
the most stubborn person on earth
or
she can't put a sentence together.
She had a brain anneurysm (-sp)
like fifteen years ago maybe twenty
so it's a brain thing
not a negative personality thing.
She and I are two very
fragile antique teacups
in that area ...LOL
So the vet was talking to *me* about it
and she was trying to make excuses for the dog
but the vet was very kind to her about
the progression to this point
that I saw coming starting around the end of last summer.
She kept insisting that the dog fell down the stairs
and injured her leg
which I'd told her over a month ago isn't how it works -
the vet was very patient with her
and explained
(codie comment - what *I* have said all along)
that the dog was starting down the stairs
and the ligament gave out -
THEN she fell -
she didn't fall and then hurt the ligament.
Just like when an elderly person
'falls and breaks their hip' -
that's not really how it is -
the hip breaks -
THEN ... the person falls.
I do have to hand it to him
he got through her "wall" well enough
that she understood
and it let *me* off the hook
at the same time.
I'm certain I don't speak out of turn
in thanking everyone and their pets
for the positive thoughts and prayers
for the next week or so.
It's kinda like a Lassie movie
but without the happy ending.
Thanks for reading, I love this forum!
I'm going to have a cup of tea
and watch the incoming thunderstorm.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: carolina girl
Posts: 578
I hope she makes the right decision. It is the hardest one I ever made, but when Junior told me it was time, it became the easiest. I hope he doesn't suffer long, and I hope she gets through it all right.
Ah, the price we pay for loving animals.
Ah, the price we pay for loving animals.
same planet...different world
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Butte, America
Posts: 10,946
SOrry to be so verbose
(who, me?>how unusual)
I just think I needed to talk to someone about it
who wasn't going to argue with me.
She doesn't mean to do that
it's the fear
and denial
and the brain thing...
she's a wonderful friend
she just doesn't like being told
stuff she doesn't like being told.
That's human.
(who, me?>how unusual)
I just think I needed to talk to someone about it
who wasn't going to argue with me.
She doesn't mean to do that
it's the fear
and denial
and the brain thing...
she's a wonderful friend
she just doesn't like being told
stuff she doesn't like being told.
That's human.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Arizona
Posts: 153
Oh no, torn ligaments in both knees, how awful. My one dog has this problem, but just in one leg. It takes at least three months of very restricted activity for it to heal, but it never really heals right to be honest. She was doing good last month and well, I dunno, must have stepped on the leg wrong, and now she's limping again. oy!
I do hope the pain meds bring the dog some relief at least.
I do hope the pain meds bring the dog some relief at least.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Kansas
Posts: 10,182
It's never an easy call to make for sure, and God knows I've had plenty of experience with that. 
My oldest just passed 14 1/2 years, and so far she's happy to toddle around the house, even gets happy enough she does a stiff-legged run/bounce thing.
She's also started wiping her face with glee on the sofa corner after eating, but hey at that age she can wipe her face wherever she wants!
I just cherish each day that God grants to me with her, you know?
My oldest just passed 14 1/2 years, and so far she's happy to toddle around the house, even gets happy enough she does a stiff-legged run/bounce thing.
She's also started wiping her face with glee on the sofa corner after eating, but hey at that age she can wipe her face wherever she wants!
I just cherish each day that God grants to me with her, you know?
Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,888
I will keep her in my thoughts and my pups and I will add her to our prayers at night.
So tough at this age and the risk of treatment just goes up with each year.
I hope that 40% is more than enough for your friend and her dog gains her quality of life, cause that's really what it's all about. Make it as good as you can for as long as you can and love them every day you get with them.
My 11-year-old with the fast growing bone tumor gets away with just about anything these days. When she delights in being naughty or goes on a tear bugging the cats, it's so hard not to just giggle and tell her how much I lover her. Surgery is too expensive and too risky anyway. Her quality of life is intact so we go one loving each day we have together.
Blessings,
Alice
So tough at this age and the risk of treatment just goes up with each year.
I hope that 40% is more than enough for your friend and her dog gains her quality of life, cause that's really what it's all about. Make it as good as you can for as long as you can and love them every day you get with them.
My 11-year-old with the fast growing bone tumor gets away with just about anything these days. When she delights in being naughty or goes on a tear bugging the cats, it's so hard not to just giggle and tell her how much I lover her. Surgery is too expensive and too risky anyway. Her quality of life is intact so we go one loving each day we have together.
Blessings,
Alice
Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 31,179
(((Barb))) - lots of prayers to you, your friend, and her beloved furbaby. I have promised Elvis that when it was his time to go, I would let him, but Lord knows, I've prayed that it isn't for a long time.
I'm glad she has you for a friend
Love, hugs, and prayers,
Amy
I'm glad she has you for a friend
Love, hugs, and prayers,
Amy
same planet...different world
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Butte, America
Posts: 10,946
Just had a little nap.
My back is saying -
:Hey guess what YOU did today??? what - are you NUTS?!?!?
LOL
SOre.
Lifting eighty pounds into the back of a small car
(I don't know what kind it is - a neon? focus?)
twice
moving a dog house ...
yeesh.
As I was telling Laurie -
The woman's sister had the dog's mother.
so it really IS a family affair for them.
The mother developed the same problem
and the sister had the surgeries (three total) done.
The dog just ..suffered.
My friend said she will not do that to her dog.
SO that's a blessing.
I don't understand that mentality
to keep anything alive for one's own
avoidance of loss
is as much cruelty
as taking a baseball bat to them.
They aren't preserving the animal
they're insulating themselves.
SO that's the soapbox position on that one.
Laurie sent me a wonderful rescue site
that I will turn her onto
when the time comes.
thanks everyone.
I almost lost my sobriety
when I lost my kitten Beloved.
My friend has been sober for twenty years
and while I don't think she'd drink over it
I know how much deeper the pain is
when one is sober.
The dog has meant everything to her at times.
Thank you for the prayers.
My back is saying -
:Hey guess what YOU did today??? what - are you NUTS?!?!?
LOL
SOre.
Lifting eighty pounds into the back of a small car
(I don't know what kind it is - a neon? focus?)
twice
moving a dog house ...
yeesh.
As I was telling Laurie -
The woman's sister had the dog's mother.
so it really IS a family affair for them.
The mother developed the same problem
and the sister had the surgeries (three total) done.
The dog just ..suffered.
My friend said she will not do that to her dog.
SO that's a blessing.
I don't understand that mentality
to keep anything alive for one's own
avoidance of loss
is as much cruelty
as taking a baseball bat to them.
They aren't preserving the animal
they're insulating themselves.
SO that's the soapbox position on that one.
Laurie sent me a wonderful rescue site
that I will turn her onto
when the time comes.
thanks everyone.
I almost lost my sobriety
when I lost my kitten Beloved.
My friend has been sober for twenty years
and while I don't think she'd drink over it
I know how much deeper the pain is
when one is sober.
The dog has meant everything to her at times.
Thank you for the prayers.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Northern CA
Posts: 1,733
I'm glad your friend has you to help her through this difficult time. I was relieved to see she isn't going to opt for the surgery - it's too much for an elderly dog. But oh it's so hard to say goodbye to our four legged companions! Prayers for all three of you going through this.
A jug fills drop by drop
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 6,784
Awww barb I didn't know you had a kitten...
Good news, that she won't be one of Those People that want someone/something alive even if it means more pain and suffering
I also enjoy the time spent with my cats and now that I am without them I know how difficult it will be when I no longer have them with me... but they are borrowed, everything in this life is borrowed.. we can only spend time together in gratitude as Freedom says
Hugs to everyone involved!
Good news, that she won't be one of Those People that want someone/something alive even if it means more pain and suffering
I also enjoy the time spent with my cats and now that I am without them I know how difficult it will be when I no longer have them with me... but they are borrowed, everything in this life is borrowed.. we can only spend time together in gratitude as Freedom says
Hugs to everyone involved!
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