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9 yr old Maltipoo and CKD prognosis
Our 9-yr old Maltipoo developed very bad breath about two weeks ago. We thought she needed a cleaning, but when the blood tests came back the diagnosis was stage 3-4 CKD.
Creatinine 4.0
BUN 126
Phosphorus 7.6
No excessive thirst or urination, but we did notice a slight increase in thirst over the last few weeks.
She tends to be more lethargic these days, but at times seems her "old" self.
This has come as an unexpected shock. We are preparing for the inevitable.
Is there any rule of thumb with numbers like this? The Vet said it could be weeks or months.
We do not want to go through extreme medical procedures and do not want her to suffer.
Any recommendations?
Creatinine 4.0
BUN 126
Phosphorus 7.6
No excessive thirst or urination, but we did notice a slight increase in thirst over the last few weeks.
She tends to be more lethargic these days, but at times seems her "old" self.
This has come as an unexpected shock. We are preparing for the inevitable.
Is there any rule of thumb with numbers like this? The Vet said it could be weeks or months.
We do not want to go through extreme medical procedures and do not want her to suffer.
Any recommendations?
I am so very sorry for your loss. Sometimes, even intensive management of this horrible disease cannot make an impact because things have progressed too far too quickly. I think you have done the right thing at the right time, although I can wholeheartedly appreciate your sense of grief and loss. Stay strong. Your baby is at rest - and will always have a safe and warm place in your heart.
Update on Lil Yep:
Yep did not sleep well last night, but when she woke up the first thing she wanted to do was play. This is a bit unusual, as she usually wants to go straight to the food and pee. She could only play for a few minutes and I had a strong feeling that it would be our last "playtime" together. After some prompting she was able to eat and drink, and when we went out to pee she spotted two dogs that she never liked and took off like a tornado, barking and growling...her old, usual self!
That got my hopes up, but when we took our walk she was not very energetic and she still had that sad look in her eyes that I had come to dread.
We took her to a specialist this morning for a full ultrasound. Both kidneys were significantly reduced in size, evidence of pancreatitis, and a thickening of the stomach and esophagus walls that may be due to cancer. We decided that it was time to go, and after hugs and kisses and tears, we held her close while the sedatives took effect. We did not want to stay for the final stage, came home, and packed away most of her toys and related stuff.
It is hard to believe that just one week ago she was running and playing. We are still numb.
This group helped to educate us and to make the right decision. Take care little Yep, long may you run.
Yep did not sleep well last night, but when she woke up the first thing she wanted to do was play. This is a bit unusual, as she usually wants to go straight to the food and pee. She could only play for a few minutes and I had a strong feeling that it would be our last "playtime" together. After some prompting she was able to eat and drink, and when we went out to pee she spotted two dogs that she never liked and took off like a tornado, barking and growling...her old, usual self!
That got my hopes up, but when we took our walk she was not very energetic and she still had that sad look in her eyes that I had come to dread.
We took her to a specialist this morning for a full ultrasound. Both kidneys were significantly reduced in size, evidence of pancreatitis, and a thickening of the stomach and esophagus walls that may be due to cancer. We decided that it was time to go, and after hugs and kisses and tears, we held her close while the sedatives took effect. We did not want to stay for the final stage, came home, and packed away most of her toys and related stuff.
It is hard to believe that just one week ago she was running and playing. We are still numb.
This group helped to educate us and to make the right decision. Take care little Yep, long may you run.
Update on Little Yep:
We have another appointment with a vet tomorrow. Urine tests were positive for proteins with a specific gravity of 1.018 and the presence of red blood cells (3-5). According to our vet, these are consistent with CKD but further analysis is required. She vomited again last night, but was able to hold her food down a few hours later.
We are feeding her KD dog food with lots of water and her appetite is good, although afterwards you can tell that she is having acid reflux and has difficulty holding the food down. She is constantly licking her paws and lips and swallowing repeatedly after every meal. The vet recommended Pepcid AC which we are crushing up in water and food.
We drove her around to her favorite walking spots today, hoping to see some bounce in her step or sparkle in her eyes, but no luck. She is walking sluggishly and is ready to turn back after a few minutes, when just last week we could go for 20 minutes no problem.
She spent most of today sleeping. We can't get over how fast her transition has been. We found a picture of her we took a few years ago and she is smiling and her eyes are bright and my wife and I cried because we realized how far down she has gone. She is a fighter, but she seems all worn out. My wife is especially heartbroken, as that dog helped her through Chemo last year. A part of me wants to hold on to see if she improves, but I wonder. When I look in her eyes they seem so sad and depressed.
I don't want her to suffer. We want to remember her as she has been for most of the last 9 years. If she can never be that dog again, then maybe it is time to go.
We have another appointment with a vet tomorrow. Urine tests were positive for proteins with a specific gravity of 1.018 and the presence of red blood cells (3-5). According to our vet, these are consistent with CKD but further analysis is required. She vomited again last night, but was able to hold her food down a few hours later.
We are feeding her KD dog food with lots of water and her appetite is good, although afterwards you can tell that she is having acid reflux and has difficulty holding the food down. She is constantly licking her paws and lips and swallowing repeatedly after every meal. The vet recommended Pepcid AC which we are crushing up in water and food.
We drove her around to her favorite walking spots today, hoping to see some bounce in her step or sparkle in her eyes, but no luck. She is walking sluggishly and is ready to turn back after a few minutes, when just last week we could go for 20 minutes no problem.
She spent most of today sleeping. We can't get over how fast her transition has been. We found a picture of her we took a few years ago and she is smiling and her eyes are bright and my wife and I cried because we realized how far down she has gone. She is a fighter, but she seems all worn out. My wife is especially heartbroken, as that dog helped her through Chemo last year. A part of me wants to hold on to see if she improves, but I wonder. When I look in her eyes they seem so sad and depressed.
I don't want her to suffer. We want to remember her as she has been for most of the last 9 years. If she can never be that dog again, then maybe it is time to go.
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