My greyhound is sick * Another Update*

[FrogSalad]

I'm very sad and concerned today because my elderly dog is sick and may not live.

I took her to the vet last night and found out this morning that that visit alone is going to cost $150, and another $150 for the 24-treatment she is now receiving which may or may not turn the corner on her illness (as yet undiagnosed).

I'm torn between doing whatever I can to save her and letting her go.  The problem as I see it right now is that if I do nothing, she will definitely die.  But what happens after tomorrow?  More meds?  More vet visits?  More bills?  Or if she gets worse, euthanasia?  We have had some other unexpected bills come up this month so this is just one more bit of bad news to add to the pile.

How much money is your pet's life worth?  I hate that it comes down to that question.

*Update*

Jamaica is now on the mend.  We had a little scare Wed. afternoon because one of her back legs swelled up she was having trouble walking and the vet had gone home for the holiday.  I took her back in yesterday and found out it was . . . oh, I can't recall now, but they gave her more meds and sent her home.  The swelling has gone down and she's regaining her appetite.  She's almost back to normal! 

Dec. 31, 2008

Jamaica had to be put to sleep today.  She never did get her appetite back to where it needed to be and after my last update, she quit eating entirely.  Tuesday night we noticed that her heartbeat was irregular and I when I took her to the vet this morning the vet confirmed our suspicions.  Although there were treatment options available she wouldn't have had a very good quality of life and we decided that she'd been through enough and deserved to have a peaceful passing.  We will miss her.

[sneakymom]

Dec. 23, 2008 at 1:19 PM

{{{hugs}}}

We're going through this as well with an elderly cat.  He "dissapeared" for 3 days last week.  He's back now, but had diarreah last night.  SIGH.  I think there's something wrong with him- possibly hyperthyroidism (I did a google search on it).  No vet visit, I'm scared to take him there to have bloodwork done to see what's wrong.

There is treatment for it- but it's not cheap. And like you, it comes down to how much money is the pet's life worth?  On the one hand, he's 16.5.  He's lived a long time for a cat.  But on the other hand, the kids were SO SAD when he was gone and we thought he was in "kitty heaven" And I for one, don't really want to take that trip to the vet's to "put him down".

Ugh. 

[FrogSalad]

Dec. 23, 2008 at 3:32 PM

I'm sorry to hear that about your cat.  I had a cat go through that and eventually had to put him to sleep (he was 11).  You can give them pills to control it instead of going the radioactive iodine route but sometimes the pills quit working, which is happened to my cat.  It's hard no matter what you do. 

(Original Poster)