can anything be done for kidney failure in dogs?

i wrote on here while ago that my dog Jamie was sick ( not eating properly, throwing up, not acting herself etc. ) from tests today i found out that she has severe kidney failure im so upset i dont know what im going to without her shes my best friend the best dog anyone could have. at the vet today she has 2 blood tests and other stuff didnt growlor yelp once she is so good. just a couple of days ago she caught a red belly black snake where my baby sister usually plays. im crying atm im trying not 2 let it show just yet i dont want her 2 b sad because i am in her last days. we have to put her 2 sleep soon maybe wednesday before she goes through any more pain. she has lost 2 kg in a week and a bit and alot of weight before than. the vet said there is nothing we can do for this. i wanted to check to see if anyone knew on here if there was anything at all that we could do to help her? please help me.

[suzi-q]

I know that Jaybay has given chica meds and special diet and iv for fluids for kidney failure...however, if it is severe, I am not sure if anything can be done.  My dog had kidney failure and heart condition so it was a double edge sword.  She totally stopped eating.  All this came about after a dog attack...her wounds were healing but the stress of the attack made a toll on her little body...She also lost 2 pounds in one week.  I put her to sleep because I had to measure her quality of life....She gave a long battle with her heart disease (over 5 years) and I think she was tired and ready to go.  I miss her terribley and wonder constantly if I did the right thing...although in my heart I know I did....best to you and Jamie.

[Jaybay]

Hi there hun.  I know from recent bitter experience how awful it is to keep a dog with kidney failure comfortable until the end.  Thankfully, it isn't a painful condition - just flat out miserable with the constant nausea and vomiting.

My dog, Chica, was diagnosed almost 3 months ago and was already in severe failure.  We finally had to help her in the end last Friday.  It was a blessing that her misery was finally over.

Now, as to what you can do to keep your dog comfy for as long as possible, I want you to print out the following link and really read through the 40 pages.  

http://www.dogaware.com/kidney.html

Your dog will need to be on low phosphorus foods, if she'll eat them.  That means you will probably be doing the cooking for her.  Dark meat poultry, fatty hamburger, ground lamb, and canadian bacon are good choices.  Of course, dogs in renal failure are so nauseated, it's hard to get them to eat anything, so if she won't eat the low-phosphorus foods, just get something in her.

To counteract phosphorus, give her one or two Tums antacid tablets a day - or any indigestion tablet that is primarily calcium.  The calcium binds with phosphorus and carries out of the body so it can't do further harm to the kidneys.

Add a good multi vitamin as low in phosphorus as you can find.  Malnutrition is another battle you'll have to fight because the dog can't eat enough of the proper foods.  Starvation is a terrible thing to have to see happen in front of your eyes, and that's what's going to happen.

I had really noticeable results with Cran Assure (concentrated cranberry juice in a gel-cap form) in calming down Chica's entire urinary discomfort.  It also adds some needed vitamin C.

You'll need to add something from the vet to help with the ever-present nausea.  We had to use home injections about the last 3 weeks with Chica, until even that didn't help any longer.

If you aren't able to try to keep up with this kind of heavy-duty nursing, please don't feel badly about it.  All of these things may buy you a few more weeks with your pup - or maybe not.  It is hugely stressful to keep up with the constantly worsening symptoms, and you will only be putting off the inevitable.  You know your dog.  Think about 3 of her favorite things in life that define her life.  As those things go away, then you'll know it's time.

In the end, it will make things easier on you and your dog if you ask your vet for sedatives to give your dog before you make that last trip to his office.  We had to do that with Chica last Friday because she was still completely lucid in spite of her body being more than ready to go.  The last thing she knew was me and my husband hugging her on the couch, and the end was as peaceful as I could hope for anyone - human or animal.

Your dog isn't going to die today, or even tomorrow, and maybe not for several weeks yet.  Take the time to make some really good memories with her.  If it's her time sooner than you would like, try to remember that putting her out of her misery is a blessing and you are doing her a real favor.  It's not easy being a true friend to a pet, is it?

  
Jen

[utahmomma]

I am so sorry that you are going through this!

[xxgawjuzuxx]

Thankyou everyone for writing back to my post but on the 11th we had to put her to sleep i didnt want it to happen but i didnt want her to go through pain either. she usually doesnt mind going to the vet but that day she wanted to go straight back out and wouldnt go into the vets room. i feel so awful cause she came to me before the vet had to put her to sleep as if to protect her but i didnt..she cuddled into my arm hiding and cuddling me.. she went to sleep so quickly and i saw the colour go from her eyes i just kept telling her i love her and i was sorry. she was such a beautiful dog the best dog and best friend ive ever had. its so strange without her here i usually say goodnight and i love her every night and tuck her in and i keep thinking i see her outside but i know shes not. no dog can ever replace her i feel like im missing a huge part of me. i love her so much rest in peace jamie jame.

[Jaybay]

Oh honey, you're about to make me cry.  :-(  I went through the exact same thing for the exact same reason just before you did.  Try not to blame yourself.  You really DID protect your friend at the end.  You blessed her by doing her the favor of providing a much easier and peaceful end.  It was her Time, and hard as it is to understand in your heart, sometimes death really is the right thing at the right time.

Of course no other dog can replace Jamie!  When you're past your grieving process, you'll be able to love some other very lucky pup who will surely add more wonderful times and memories to your life.  The human heart is not limited in its capacity to love, which is a wonderful thing.  Wouldn't be awful if we could only love one person or one dog in our lifetimes? Think of moving on eventually with another dog as honoring Jamie's memory rather than destroying it.  Jamie taught you more about life and love in her years with you than you would ever have discovered without her.  

This too shall pass, and good memories will come to overtake the bad memories of the last weeks.  :-)

[skyedog]

Hello, we just went to the vet on Sat. because Dolly our great pyr / golden mix was very sick, she couldn't sit or lay down she just wanted to stand up, she was vomiting a little. The vet gave us Rimadyl and an anti-nausea med and we took her home thinking maybe she hurt her back - she is 17 MONTHS old.  She didn't get any better so we brought her back on Monday then the vet finally took blood and x-rays, well once they gave her the sedatives for the x-rays she was never the same.  Her Blood results showed a creatine level of 7.7 which is very high. So they started giving her IV fluids, on Tuesday we brought her to a facility that could do ultra sound and it showed one kidney was 3/4 of the way gone and the other was over 1/2 her tongue started to turn black from the lack of oxygen, but she could still stand up and lay down she was wobbely but she seemed semi-coherent.  The vet recommened putting her to sleep after we discussed dialysis and/or transplant.  We did put her to sleep there where she lay her head on my lap.
My question is could someone tell me if we could have brought her home for a while and kept her comfortable, she has a litter mate and another older dog that live with us, altho we brought them all with us to the vets office I regret not letting her die at home with us and on her couch, I can't shake this feeling that there was something we should have been able to do.  Did the sedatives from the x-rays send her somewhere that she couldn't come back from?  She was extremely shy and had never been alone until that night at the local vets office was all this to much stress for her.  could someone pleas help.
Thank you!
Chrissy

[Jaybay]

Oh I'm so very sorry.  :-(  No, I don't think it was any of the treatment that made her suddenly worse.  It sounds like it was just her time to go.  Let me tell you, watching a dog slowly die of kidney disease is a truly terrible thing.  You may have only been able to get one or two more days for your dog at home, but those days would have been awful for her - and you.  While kidney failure isn't really a painful condition, it is extremely miserable due to the constant nausea and toxins building up.  Also, once the toxins unabled to be filtered by the kidnes cross the blood-brain barrier, you'll see exactly what you did with your dog: semi-coherent thinking, and uncoordinated movements.  I really doubt she had much of an idea of what was going on there at the end other than having her head in your lap.  That's a good thing.

There is nothing you could have done to treat the problem.  Kidneys just don't heal once they've been damaged.  I know dialysis is possible for dogs, but it's such a hardship on them.  Same with transplants.  I doubt it helps, but I absolutely agree with your decision to do your dog the great favor of easing her out of her misery.  Since she was so young, I wonder if there was an underlying genetic issue that resulted in bad kidneys.  Did your vet have any guess as to why they failed in so young a dog?  

Again, I'm very sorry for your loss, and you did right by your dog.  :-(

[skyedog]

Thank you for your kind words it helps put my mind at ease, altho you just always want just a little more time with your best friend.
The vet actually sent the kidneys to a lab to find out everything they could and if it is genetic I need to call the rescue where we got them.  I did have my other pyr/golden tested while we were there and she came back ok.
Thank you again for reassuring me that we did the right thing.

[munki_em]

About a week ago i found out my dog had kidney failure, hes been back for blood tests and its now advanced kidney failure, its just came so quickly i feel sick, hes my baby and i dont want him to go, he had just been moping around for days so we took him to the vet the other day, and he said we have 2 decisions, we either put him on a drip for 32 hours and flush out all that bad toxins inside him, because hes not eating because he feels so sick hes not drinking either, mine also lost 2 kg in a week its awful, or we could put him to sleep, i just wanted one last chance to give it a go if it didnt work then we would put him to sleep so we went with the drip. So he came back front he vet yesterday all bright and happy the vet said he had ate and the because he was so dehydrated all the water he had from the drip has made him put on a kg, when we went to collect him i was so happy and we were told he might only have days but i was just happy to see him again, now today hes woke up, breathing really loudly, panting out of breathe, he wont eat or drink, hes just moping about and he keeps shaking like hes having a fit. I just wish they could cure it but they can't and hes probably going to have to be put to sleep tomorrow, i dont know how i'll cope i dont wana leave him but its not fair on him just being depressed so i'll do whats best for him as much as it hurts me. I really want to be there for his final moments but i honestly cant bare it when i know hes gone i dont know what to do.

[Jaybay]

Yes, I think it's time to let your friend go.  I really do understand your dilemma over whether or not to stay through the end.  If you can possibly force yourself to be there, try to do it.  I've talked to too many people who ended up with a great deal of regret because they didn't stay with their pet.

Euthanasia is a 2-part proposition.  The vet will first give an injection of heavy sedation, and the animal is literally asleep.  Still breathing, but asleep.  When you're ready, the second shot is given that stops the heart.  Yes, it's difficult, but when you see how truly peaceful it is in the end, well - it helped me.  

Since this whole thing has you so rattled (very understandably) how about seeing your own doctor for some tranquilizers?  My family doc was incredibly understanding when I went to him a crying shaking mess, and he got me going on badly-needed antidepressants along with a few mild tranquilizers.  You might ask your vet if he'll make a house call for this one last visit.  If not, ask him if you can give oral sedation before you bring your dog in.  That helps a great deal too in making the day less traumatic.

One last thing you'll need to think on is burial.  Many people bring their dogs home to a favorite place in their back yard.  That's what I wanted to do, but my husband is horrified at that prospect.  The two dogs we've had to put to sleep were cremated and returned to us, bringing another dilemma.  What to do with the ashes?  Where to spread them, or not?  I finally decided that when it's my turn, they'll all just go in the box with me.  Who says I can't take them with me?  :-)

You are doing your dog a huge favor.  Never forget that.  Having the ability to choose is a double-edged sword.  We're grateful to ease our pets out of misery and suffering, but then we have the whole guilt trip of actually making that decision.  Know that everyone here understands exactly what you're facing, and we also know you're doing right.

[aggieone]

I have read and reread all of these sad, sad stories.  My heart is breaking for all of you.  We just lost our beautiful yellow lab "Sandy Grace" to kidney failure.  I know many of you have read my plea for help when Sandy was so sick.  Her creatine was 13.  Our vet was amazed at her will to live.  We took her to the vet thinking she had a gastritis virus.  Like all of you, we did everything we could for her.   We admitted her for 40 hours of IV fluids.  Her creatine went down to a 10.3-  We took her to a specialist hoping for a miracle.  The specialist wanted to put her down that day as ultrasound showed she had one kidney, the other resembeled a raisin.  We told the specialist, she was still eating, drinking plenty of fluids, was still sassy when she wanted to be, still walked to the lake, SHE IS NOT READY TO GO!!!!!    I think the specialist thought we were cruel, but we knew in our hearts our Sandy  wanted a little more time with us, and we wanted a lifetime with her.

Our vet sent bags of fluids home with us.  We gave her fluids, nausea meds, vitamins, everything money could buy to make her more comfortable.  I researched every piece of  information I could find trying to help her.  I read many articles about hollistic and homeopathic treatment.  My vet referred us to a vet who practiced orthodox, hollistic and homeopathic medicine.  We rushed her to him, he prescribed  seven medications for her.  They helped a short time.  The fluids helped for a while, but then nothing seemed to help her vomiting.  This is when I came to this wonderful site for help and support.  I tried the Tums like Jaybay suggested, they gave her some relief for several hours but nothing was longlasting.  She stopped eating (KD dogfood, hamburger, dark meat chicken, bacon, some steak, chicken broth with shreds of chicken,  a special mixture of raw eggs, honey, whole yogurt, babyfood, etc.)    We were constantly giving her ice water chips and pedialyte ice chips,  We realized if she lapped, she threw up everytime-if we gave her ice chips, she seemed to hold it down most of the time.  DESPERATE!!!!  I slept in the den with her, her favorite place was our loveseat.  If she got on the floor, I got on the floor to lay with her.  What else can we do, somebody please help!!!  We can't lose our Sandy Grace, she is so special!!!!  She loves us so much, she wants to live!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Your thoughts are constantly with your baby, WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP HER, THERE HAS TO BE A WAY.  Then, you realize you have to let her go, how can you euthanize your baby who has been your best friend and lived her life for you.   NO, I can't do this.  I PROMISED HER I WOULD NOT MAKE HER GET BACK IN THE CAR UNLESS IT WAS FOR FUN!!!!!!!!!   NO, NO, NO.   Then you know, you have to do this for your baby.  She is not eating, she is drinking very little.  She is so weak, when she throws up, I am holding her so she will not fall.  YOU HAVE TO DO THIS.  NO, I CAN'T.   YES, YOU CAN.  You are being selfish, yes I am, I want to hold her, feel her breath, rub her tummy.  You have to let her go.  We finally made the decision to call our vet, we wanted her on her loveseat  with her bankie, I wanted to hold her as she was sedated, I wanted her to remember,  to experience our love one more time before she closed her eyes in sleep.  She would not know about the second shot that would stop her heart.  She would not suffer from the vomiting and weakness anymore.  She would be at peace and healthy forever in heaven.  Our vet was coming at 11:00 a.m. on Februay 6 to help  end her suffering.  That did not happen.  Sandy was much worse, the evening of February 5, she was constantly throwing up, so weak . . WHY DID YOU NOT CALL YOUR VET SOONER!!!!!!!  I finally got her settled around 11:00 p.m that evening or I thought I did.  She was able to rest for a few hours.  She wanted in the floor, O.K., we can do this together girl.  I helped her in the floor and I laid down beside her and put my arm around her, rubbed her tummey, pulled her ears (she loved that) and told her it was O.K. to go.   I told her how much we loved her and what a great friend she had been.  I reminded her of her funny times and told her we would hold those precious moments in our hearts forever.  She was relaxed for a while.  (You see, many dogs lose their personalities during their last days of kidney failure, but Sandy Grace never did.  She knew who we were and was still wagging her tail at us her last hours.  Even with a creatine level of 13, she was still rolling in the grass, watching the seagulls and geese  I hope she was thinking of her fun times.)  We managed to rest a short while, then she started throwing up horrible yellow and green fluids.  Dry heaves that was nearly killing her.  WHAT CAN I DO FOR HER, IT IS SO LONG UNTIL 11:00 AND HER SUFFERING ENDS.  I am holding her as she is dry heaving, she has a seizure, (first one-lasted only seconds)  Her tongue is turning black.  SO LONG UNTIL 11:00, I KNOW I WILL CALL MY VET TO COME EARLY MORING!!!!  I promised her no more fluids, she would not accept any water or pedialyte now.  2:00 a.m. . .  Sandy, I am just going to hold you, I will not bother you again trying to give you any meds or fluids.  We will just lay here together and I will hold you until I can call the vet to come earlier.

On the evening of February 5, my grandson called to say goodnight-I asked him to pray that Sandy Grace would go on her own, I called my daughter, son, sister, mom and friends to pray that same prayer,

Sandy rested until 4:00 a.m., finally she tried to get up, she wanted to lay on the kitchen floor because it was cooler.  I helped her to the kitchen floor.  She laid there for a while, I could tell she wanted to be alone, so I pulled up a chair, gave her some distance and just watched her.  I laid my head back and snoozed for a few minutes, I heard her trying to get up, I got up and helped her into the den.  Just as we got into the den, she sat just as beautifully as you could imagine, she looked at me with those wonderful eyes for a few seconds, dry heaved, fell forward in a violent lunge.  I tried to catch her, as I caught her and positioned her in my arms, I could see in her eyes that she was leaving us, I cried out loud, Lord have mercy on her, two weak dry heaves, and she was gone.  I must have held her for an hour or so, rubbing her tummey, pulling her ears and feeling the warmth leave her body.  I live these moments in my mind every minute of my day and most of the night.  

Why am I telling you all of this . . in my heart, I know I should have called our vet a few days earlier . . I didn't-she suffered that night-but my prayer was answered, she went on her own.  Which way is easier for all of you who loved or loves your babies as much we did.  I do not know.  I do know that kidney failure is a horrible thing and there is no cure, it only gets worse in time.  I have read and heard about dogs who lived for a year or two with kidney failure.  The sub q's do help bring down the toxins.  THERE IS NO CURE!!  I have been told by three vets that they have not heard of any successful kidney transplants for dogs.  Maybe someday.

I hope if you have a decision to make about your babies, you will make the right one for them and yourselves.  It is such a personal and painful decision to make.  My heart is with all of you if you have gone through this or about to do so.  Stay with this site, as you will get  the best support  from these wonderful friends you have found.  Aggieone

[aggieone]

Thank you for letting me share my story .  I haven't been able to talk about her last few hours with any of you until now.  I wrote this hoping to help you as every minute you deal with kidney failure you are going back and forth, should I, what should I do, and just simply wanting to have a little more time with your baby.    I hurt for anyone who has to deal with this.  Aggieone

[Jaybay]

You thoroughly nailed the worst of dealing with renal failure.  It truly is a day-by-day, and minute-by-minute issue.  I doubt that anyone who has had to live through it doesn't end up second-guessing whatever decision they arrived at.  The vomiting, and then dry heaving is the worst.  It gets so bad it's unimagineable to those who haven't seen it.  Can't say any more.  Hits too close to home, ya know?

[chrissy1029]

My best companion was just recently diagonosed with kidney disease, my vet told me to give him low protien and high fat and carb diet. For the past three weeks I have been having to force feed and water him all day long otherwise he would starve and dehydrate and most likely die. He has lost so much weight so quickly and I am finding it harder to walk him because of the stairs to our apartment. He just seems to mope around and has no energy. He used to talk to me everyday and I havent heard a peep out of him for weeks, also he hasnt played with any toys either, I used to constantly have to pick them up every day just as if I had a small child in my home. I feel so bad for him, I know I am loosing my best friend and I am not sure how to deal with it. Any comments would be greatly appreciated.
one miserable mom

[Jaybay]

Hi Chrissy.  I'm so sorry you and your dog have to go through renal failure.  It's just a miserable way to go.  Honestly, I wouldn't force feed him at this point.  It sounds like he's about to the end, and he'll probably just throw it up anyway.  Also, at this point it doesn't matter what he eats protein-wise.  If he eats anything at all count it a victory.  The more important thing is low-phosphorus foods.  Give him a Tums twice a day to help clear phosphorus from his body.  Talk to your vet about giving him something for the ever-present nausea.  

I just can't write it all down again, but if you look at my early journal entries on my profile, I wrote a great deal about the end of my dog's life and dealing with kidney failure.  Maybe it will give you an idea of what is to come.  :-(

[aggieone]

Hi Chrissy, so many of us on this site know exactly what you are going through.  It is one of the most painful things you will go through as you watch your baby slip slowly away from you.  I posted the details of Sandy Grace's  (Cissy was her nickname) last days and hours on this same page on February 22.  Many post from me and others on the original that I sent in titled  My dog is in 4th stage renal failure (the one with 39 replies).  Read Jaybay's journals, and Cissy's story from the beginning to the end.  You will get a lot of insight as to what you will deal with minute to minute.  

I hate that your baby is so sick, just enjoy the time you have  left with him.  Sounds like his personality has changed . .some dogs in renal  failure will lose their personalities and suffer great depression during this horrible illness.  Just hug, love and rub.  It seemed to make Sandy more relaxed and less uncomfortable if I rubbed her tummy for a long time.  I wish I could say something to help you and your baby.  Sandy had a few good days, and I enjoyed them with her.  I hope you and your baby will have some good days too.

KD  dog food is good and they seem to love it as long as they are still trying to eat.  I took Sandy Grace to a vet who practiced hollistic and homeopathic treatment, that helped for a while.  Is your vet giving you bags of fluid to adminster to your baby at home.  The fluids help push the toxins out of their systems, but please know the sub q's only help for a while.   Try small ice chips of water,  and freeze a thin layer of Pedialyte to break up for your baby.  Sandy Grace would accept that when she refused everything else.  The Pedialyte will help keep her hydrated and balance her electrolytes.    Stay on this sight for constant support.  Please keep us posted as we DO care.  God Bless you and your baby as you go through this together.     Aggieone

[aggieone]

Correction,   it is titled  4th stage renal failure, page 3 -somehow it is posted twice on that page, but it is the second one you should read-it tells all of Cissy's story.  I hope it helps.  Aggieone

[chrissy1029]

Thankyou for your loving thoughts. They do comfort me as well  as they could. I  just brushed Thor really good, he gets compliments all over this country. My husband and I travel all over the US building Dillards Department Stores, and every where we go people stop us and comment on our baby. With my husband working so much, Thor has become my "greatest companion." I wanted to make sure he feels good about himself because it seems like when someone stops and says "What a BEAUTIFUL Dog" He gets a little hop in his step even to this day. Tomorrow we go to another vet for a second opinion, they called earlier today and wanted to admit him to their hospital immediately, after the first vet faxed them all his medical records. I told them that the only way I would be able to leave him in a hospital would be if they let me bring a cot to sleep on right beside him. He suffers with separation anxiety, I have been with him 24 hours a day for his whole life, we had to find out the hard way, by him chewing himself at the base of his tail so badly that it would be a bleeding mess and a huge bald spot that would eventually get a huge scab on it if I left for any amount of time. This all started about 2 years ago, so if we have to go somewhere, we either take him with or give him some meds for the anxiety. So in his last days I refuse to just drop him off at a hospital and go home knowing full well in my heart that he misses his Mommy and will deteriate quickly. I will continue to force feed him and make sure he drinks plenty of liquids each and every day until that dredful day comes when I know he has given up. Then I will do what I have to to give him peace. I am so glad to find out that they can give him a seditive at home so his last memories will be of  his Daddy and Mommy just holding him and loving him until he falls asleep. We are going to cremate him, I am with you, when my husband and I go we plan to be cremated and then mixed together and spread back where we met and fell in love and I became Thor's Mommy, so we decided that Thor will be right there with us. I hope that doesn't sound too twisted, I find it quite romantic. Being able to chat with someone that knows full well what I am going through does make this a little easier. My husband is such a wonderful man and he loves Thor just as much as I do, I am trying to help him deal with this and try to lift the heaviness off his heart, but he is so worried about me and how this is going to affect me in the end because he sees me doing everything I am doing now just to help make Thor better. And seeing how it just breaks my heart, breaks his. Again I want to truly Thankyou for listening to me and giving me such loving feedback. Until next time...Chrissy

[Ghilly]

Chrissy, my heart is breaking for you going through this with your precious Thor.  Have you tried the Hills K/D prescription diet?  It is designed specifically for dogs with kidney disease.  Also, if you Google Canine Kidney failure, diets you will get a whole slew of links that give you easy to prepare recipes that you can cook for him at home that will help tremendously and might even buy him a considerable amount of time.  I had a puppy in my rescue that had been turned in because his owners couldn't bring themselves to put him down, but they couldn't afford to care for him any longer.  He was six months old when he came to live with me.  He was diagnosed with a condition called "juvenile kidneys", which means that his kidneys didn't grow with him as he did, they were the size of the kidneys in a 3 month old puppy.  

By all that's right and holy, he should have died within 2 weeks of coming to live with me.  But I put him on a diet of home cooking and very low protein, and he lived to be four years old.  He loved life, and I had to give him whatever time God intended for him to have on this earth.  It was truly a miracle that he lived as long as he did, but he loved every minute of it, and I don't for one minute regret any of the extra time that it took to prepare his food.  Maybe you'll have some luck with the home cooking.  It's worth a try.

Ghilly

[chrissy1029]

Hey, well we just got back from the vet and our precious Thor is in kidney failure. The vet wanted to keep him in the hospital for a minimum of 72 hours and then recheck his bloodwork again but they could not garuntee he would get any better, so we opted to take him home and try to keep him as comfortable as possible for the short time we have left with him. Thank you all for listening to me, it does help.
Chrissy

[suzi-q]

Chrissy,

so very sorry....so very sorry....It is a very difficult road to travel to lose our best friends.  Just know that you are not alone in feeling the way you do right now.  We are all here.  Best to you and peace to Thor.

Suzi

[aggieone]

Good Morning,

Wanted to check on you and Thor.  I know how hard you are working to make Thor more comfortable, it is a 36 hour day for you, but I know you do not mind as you love your baby and will do everything you can for him.  Your days and nights will be long, but they are so worth it as you are spending them with your precious Thor.  Husbands have a hard time dealing with all this.  You will find that you will be the one cleaning up the constant throw up, everytime I cleaned up for Sandy Grace, I would tell her it is O.K.  Don't ever regret that you brought your baby home from the vets.  When Sandy was admitted for 40 hours of fluids, we went to see her, she cried like nothing I have heard before, (the vet said it sounded like a woman in deep pain)  we would have to leave her there and would sob all the way home.  Finally, when she was almost through with the 40 hours and I went to see her, she cried so hard, I told my vet to take the needles out, give me all the bags of fluid I can load up in my car as I was taking her home.  I will never regret that decision.  We created a pole to hold her fluid, and I would sit in the floor with her to administer, she would look at me as if she were saying, Why This?  She was such a good patient.   After a while, Thor will start showing you when he is ready.  It is so hard, but you will find the quality time you are spending with him as his mommy, best friend, doctor and primary caregiver will sustain you after your loss.  

One of my deepest regrets is that we had no idea Sandy Grace was sick until she started throwing up.  She was fine, doing her thing and loving life with her Mom, Dad and brother Charleston.  We always took her to the vet for toe nail clipping, shots, boosters, sometimes an ear infection because she was in the lake so much, her frontline, (of which I do not do anymore as this is toxic) and their wellness checks. She got blood work up once a year as part of her physical.  All was fine.   When we took her, her creatine level was 13.  Our vet could not believe it, he said she had a powerful will to live.  Go to my journal,  click on journal list and sort by comments, you will see her story from my first plea of help to this site.

One thing that will help Thor is the clear Pedialyte ice chips.  At first, Sandy Grace did not want it, but when she finally accepted it, she loved it.  The homeopathic and hollistics meds helped a while.   Thor will love the KD dogfood for a while, it is really good for them.  Lots and lots of chicken, trimmed steaks, liver, the eggyoke mixture ( I had to use a syringe for that as Sandy Grace hated it.  It coats their stomach and gives them good protein. Helps with the throwing up for a while (use whole yogurt, not the non-fat type)

I am reliving Thor's illness with you, and want to help you so much.  I know your husband will be 200 per cent supportive, but at times as the primary caregiver, you will feel so alone.   That is when you just hug Thor more.   The throwing up is horrible and it will  be just about more than you can stand because you can't help them, just rub and hug and tell them it is O.K.  

It is so important that you keep coming back to this wonderful site, as we will help you go through this.  You will find that the support you get here is like no other.  I am thinking about you and Thor constantly, oh I wish I could help you.  Aggieone

[chrissy1029]

Thankyou so much for your support, today is not a good day, so I cant find it in me to write as much, I just wanted to Thank you so much...
Chrissy1029

[suzi-q]

Hang in there.  God will give you the strength you need to make it through.  Cherish the time you have with Thor.  You are such a good mom and believe me, Thor knows that.  We are hear to listen.  We know it is so hard....

[aggieone]

I am sorry you are having a bad day, but please know, you may have a good day too.  It is O.K. if you don't post anything, but just a plea for help and support.  Or if you want to post and tell us you are screaming, that is O.K. too.  We are here for you, and we care so much.  Let us know how things are going.   Aggieone

[aggieone]

I am sorry you are having a bad day, but please know, you may have a good day too.  It is O.K. if you don't post anything, but just a plea for help and support.  Or if you want to post and tell us you are screaming, that is O.K. too.  We are here for you, and we care so much.  Let us know  when you can how things are going for all of you.   Aggieone

[aggieone]

I am sorry you are having a bad day, but please know, you may have a good day too.  It is O.K. if you don't post anything, but just a plea for help and support.  Or if you want to post and tell us you are screaming, that is O.K. too.  We are here for you, and we care so much.  Let us know  when you can how things are going for all of you.   Aggieone

[BanditPages]

My dog recently died of kidney failure. He stopped eating and then he started trying to throw up the pills we gave him. On his last night he began bleeding out of his mouth. If anyone needs moral support, I am here. I would completely recommend the Pet Angel memorial center if there is one by you. My dad said we could have him cremated and I could keep him with me. It is really nice there and they treat you kindly. They don't call it your dog or your pet, they call it your baby. I know for me, that's what mine are - my babies. I think they have cremation, burial, and other services. It's just a nice place.

[chrissy1029]

Hello, and Good Morning. First of all I want to deeply Thankyou for all your loving words of support. This morning I had to make the big decision, Saturday we are going to go and have our baby put down, he is so weak and this morning I had to help him hold himself up to go to the bathroom. I dont want him to loose all of his dignity, and I can see it in his beautiful eyes that he is ready, I feel like he is telling me that he is ready so we are going to go and take him out of his misery. He still tries to get up and go outside to smoke with me because for his whole life he has always been my protector, I can see it in his eyes and the way he is acting like he feels like he is letting me down because he just cant get up and go everytime. I continually try to reassure him that it is ok and I still LOVE him very much. Even when he vomits he is trying to hide it so I wont have to clean it up again, I keep telling him that it is O.K. and he is not in trouble, but I can tell he feels guilty. We have to do the right thing by him not just try to keep him around for us. I know all of you can relate with me and I thank God I found this site. I really hope you all have a great day and Thank you again for everything. I will write more later and let you all know how we are doing.
Chrissy1029

[aggieone]

I am so sorry you are having to face this with your baby, but you are doing the right thing for him, your last great sacrifice for him.  Sandy Grace hid to throw up too, sometimes she would go or try to go behind the curtains, or behind the nightstands.  I never fussed at her for throwing up, but she felt like she had to hide .  I told her it was O.K. too, but you are right, having to help them with their personal business and clean up after them humiliates them.  You are such a good mom to your baby and you have fought hard to help him through this.  My heart and prayers will be with you as you face this with your baby.  Stay with us, as we will walk every step with you and support you in your darkest hours.  Imagine a hug from me.   Aggieone

[chrissy1029]

Well,
Saturday March 29, 2008, at 1:00 p.m. our baby past away. The vet was real nice and very considerate to us. My husband and I got on the floor with our baby Thor and just held him and let him know we truly loved him and then we stayed with him until he past away. My heart just absolutly broke, but thanks to my wonderful husband I was able to pick myself up and actually say goodbye to him. But I have found that when I got up that first morning with no-one here it really hit me, my baby was really gone...I still  struggle with that, but I know it will eventually get better. Thankyou for checking in on me, I will write more when I can, it seems like everything I do takes much more effort than it used to, this to I hope will pass. Thanks again, Chrissy1029

[suzi-q]

I am so sorry.  The pain is very hard to take.  Please know that you are not alone.  I am sure that your baby is at peace now and know that he went knowing how much you love him.  I still cry for my Tiffy who was put down on Dec. 15.  But the tears do subside and the pain does become less.  Soon it will be replaced with happy memories.  God Bless you at this difficult time.

[aggieone]

Oh Chrissy, I am so sorry for you and your husband.   I know what the pain is and it does lighten.  It has been almost two months since she left us, but I still cry for her.  The days are getting better and I am laughing some now, but  that special place in my heart for Sandy Grace is still so raw.  When I get down and start to cry for her, I make myself get busy.  We have to do this to keep going, and that is how time heals our pain.  One day at a time.  Everything you do at this moment will take more time because your heart is not in it.  Right now it is with Thor, but that is O.K.  Soon, you will find that things are easier and somehow, you start getting better.

I know in my heart there is a place in heaven for our babies, and I think they run and play with each other.  That is a good thought, as in heaven there is no suffering.  I will be thinking about you and what you are going through.  Stay on this site as we care so much and do understand your pain.  Aggieone

[Jaybay]

I'm so sorry.  :-(  I know from bitter experience how traumatic it is to be present when our dogs move on, but it's worth every sob and every tear.  There is no way I could just drop my kids off to be euthanized.  No, I have to see them through the end no matter how hard it is on me.  It's going to be rough for a while.  You'll see Thor in his usual places and then realize he isn't there.  It's surprising how long those darts get slung at your heart, but time really does cure that.  You did right by Thor, and that's the most important thing.  It helps to do whatever you can to remember him before he got sick - like prominently place a photo from his younger days that you can glance at when you need a reminder.  Like everyone else here, I firmly believe we'll see our furbabies again in Heaven.  :-)

[hale2uf]

My baby girl Jetta was diagnosed with kidney failure 3 weeks ago.  For 5 days she was on IV flushing; she kept pulling out her IV.  It was recommended we transfer her to AVS [specialized medicine facility in Maitland, FL] with 24/7 care.  She was there for 5 more days.  They sent her home.  They are speculating that she may have lepto... one of her titers was borderline high [my reg vet says it's from the vaccine she had in Sept.] We have 3 other babies and no one else has it.  They want her to take antibiotics but, they make her sick because she doesn't eat enough.  I honestly do not believe she has lepto [very rare].  We spoke with her internist and she said to take her off the antibiotics for a few days until we see her tomorrow [Fri.].    
Jetta has lost so much weight.  Some days are good - she'll bark, eat something out of the 10,000 things I try to fix for her.  Today, we lie in bed together; no interest in eating so far this morning.
I'm fortunate to be able to devote 24/7 to her [my husband wants it that way].  We have 3 other dogs and my children are grown and on their own.
These are my anxiety issues:
1.  I can't eat [she can't - I feel guilty] and live for my next xanax.  I've lost nearly 10 lbs in the last 3 weeks.
2.  I know in my heart she will not recover from this - my husband is in denial.  He thinks it's like a virus she'll recover from.  He believes she beat this....  He's made an appt with a holistic vet - earliest date to get in is a week from Tues.
3.  Everyday I wake up sick to my stomach wondering how many things I need to cook during the course of the day to get her to eat a morsal.  I get so anxious and nausiated.
4.  Everyday is agonzing to see her like this.  To live by a clock of giving her another pill and sub'q fluids.
5.  I never leave her side.  How do others who have regular jobs do this?
6.  I have guilty feelings over I want it all to stop; the daily pain, agony, crying, wailing, the why...  but, the only way out is to put her to sleep.
I can't and won't until she cannot function...
How do I get through this?  Everyday every minute is depressing.  If I knew that what I was doing was going to get her better; I would feel different.  All I know is that I'm waiting for the inevitible and it's unbearable day in and day out.  
Help me.... this is torture.... how do I get through each day?
Sandy,

[Jaybay]

I'm going to start a new thread with your screen name on it so you'll get more responses.  This particular thread is so long that I don't want your questions to be missed.  I'll write my response on the new thread.

[munki_em]

as you may have seen i typed in feb about my dog saying id probably have to get him put down the next day and that he was shaking, unfortunately he died that day, the vet said he would have been suffering a seizure, it was so horrible. He was shaking uncontrolablly, i was home alone and did not know what to do, my mum was at work and i didn't want to upset her, i put him on his favourite place on the sofa, and kissed him, within minutes he was shaking and shaking like crazy i was crying like mad and hugging him, i could tell he was gasping for air and couldn't get any but theres nothing to be done i just had to helplessly watch my baby die, i felt sick and just wanted him to be out of pain, he slowly stopped shaking and he was then gone, i couldn't stop crying i felt so guilty and helpless but i was so glad he was out his misery, i just looked at him with his eyes open, his tounge had turned white, i was in so much shock and it just felt unreal. I cryed and cryed for hours on end hoping id wake up and it would all be a dream. My mum then came home and i couldn't even speak to my mum i was trying to hold my cry in when she came in the kitchen with charlie in the lounge (my dog) and she asked me what was wrong and i just burst into tears and she knew.. we walked into the lounge together, closed charlies eyes and kissed him goodbye before the animal shelter collected him. It was the most horrible thing ive ever been through, charlie my dog meant so much to me, when we first got him as a puppy he was like a brother to me as we grew up but i then saw him as a son to me, he meant the absolute world to me and i just wish he could have been cured. But he was 12 and a half which meant he lived a long life, me and my mum gave him all the love we could. I know people will be coming on here for information or their dogs have passed away and im really sorry if my story has upset anyone but i felt better posting it. Dogs with kidney failure cannot be cured, but it may not be too bad at the start and as excessive as my dogs. All i can say is give your dog as much love as you can and i know putting it down is painful as they are part of your family, but its not fair letting them go on in pain, unable to eat, and moping about. My mum was considering burrying him int he garden but he was more of a cat he just loved being inside and he wouldn't have wanted that, i have his ashes in a special wooden box from the animal shelter, and hes in my room where he belong and he'll always be in my heart. Sorry to anyone going through this now but once again its for the best.

[Jaybay]

Bless your heart.  I am so sorry that you had to experience such a sad and traumatic ending to Charlie's life.  Kidney failure is a horrible, slow, long, drawn-out process that it makes it next to impossible to determine when it's right to let our loved one go.  There really isn't a right or wrong decision in that case.  I'm glad you were able to write about your experience and hope you're beginning to feel some kind of peace.  You and your mum obviously loved Charlie a great deal, and ultimately, that is the most important thing.  He had far more time being healthy, happy and loved than he did being sick.  That's what you need to always remember.  :-)

[munki_em]

yes i did love him to bits :( and yes im glad hes out of his misery now and i hope he had a good life :) thanks for your lovely comment.

[versallec]

I have been trying to save my Peanut (he is a six year old chihuahua) for over 3 months now. He had a MAJOR turn around and I thought we beat it. The vet gave him a 50/50 shot with sub-q fluids and the phos binding meds with Epikatin to rebuild his epo. He started out at 5.8 ponds he now wieghs 4.6 pounds. We had him up to 4.11 before he started the next spiral down hill. His breath had gone from smelling like 5 day old urine to food breath. I thought we had kicked it he was going to be in the great 50%  I never let on meds, surynge feeding or the sub-q fluids. I have done this every day for 3 months.He now has the BAD breath back and sores on his mouth again. I do NOT want to give up but.. he does not even give the kisses he used to and has no intrest in playing with his mini tennis ball IT IS KILLING ME!!!

[zoe114]

I am so sorry your going though this. I had to let one of my dogs go a little over a year ago now, but it was very hard to do. I am not going to tell you to put your dog to sleep, you will know that for yourself when it is right for you and him. It will not be easy and I am not going to tell you anything more on that. I do want you to know that you have been the best friend for your dog and there is nothing natural about having to be the one to make the choice to say good bye.  I can however tell you it is not the end. You gave your best friend the best life anyone could give him and you will be able to give another one the love and care as well...I did. I figured that my dog would want me to love another as much as I loved him, and I will tell you everyone in my family knew how much it was tearing me up to let him go. My dog was in pain, I had no choice but it sure did hurt me.

One thing I want to suggest to you is ask the vet (when you do make this choice) if they use the two shot method. This is what I regreat the most, I wanted my dog to go to sleep before he was sent to heaven. The vet used the one shot method and it was s shock and my dog looked at me like " what did you just do"...that hurt me the most and still does.

I am sorry if I sound like I am suggesting you say good bye to your pet, I guess it just seems like the right think for me to say to you...and I am very sorry for your pain, I am actully crying because I really understand...as most on here will who have had to make the choice.   ((hugs))

[versallec]

Thank you so much for your wonderful response. My vet does the two injection method and I plan to have his mate go with him when I do have this done. She is 13 and has cancer and CHF. They are the two in my picture :-) I love them both so very much. I can not let her suffer without her friend.
I think he is starting to have pain now. He is having a hard time walking, will not go up or down the stairs and when he does walk he has a hunched back. Today will be the last day I give him fluids and meds. I want my husband to be there with me when this is done. I can not face this alone. I am having them creamated together and put in the same urn so they forever keep each company in spirit.
I want him to sleep on my chest with her by our side one last night. It is going to be so hard not having them with me. He always sleeps on my chest and she puts her head on the pillow and sleeps right next to me every night. This will be one of the hardest things I have ever done.
They both are so wonderful. My heart is going to ache for a very long time.

[versallec]

Peanut and Cocoa will be in heaven tomorrow. They both fought the greatest fight of their life. Her with cancer and CHF and Peanut with renal failure. Cocoa had 13 years and Peanut a very short 6 years but they have filled my life with so MUCH HAPPINESS and LOVE. I will never ever forget the good morning kisses and the GREAT restfull nights of Peanut on my chest and Cocoa lying with her head on my pillow under the covers facing me every night. They have seen me through some many ups and downs in my life. I WILL TRUELY MISS MY BABIES FOREVER!!!!!!!!

[Dr. Carol Osborne, DVM]

Hello-Perhaps this article I wrote will help you. Feel free to call me directly if you'd like to discuss this further.

Pet Kidney Function: Dogs and Cats

The kidneys serve many vital pet functions.  They filter and remove toxic wastes from the body via the urine, regulate Calcium and Vitamin D levels, maintain fluid levels, and secrete the hormone responsible for red blood cell production.  

Anything that interferes with the kidneys’ ability to function properly can cause kidney disease, which is the second only to cancer as a leading cause of death in pets.  In most cases, progressive age-related deterioration is responsible, with no apparent cause.  

Other causes of kidney disease include bacterial and viral infections, nutritional factors, immune system defects, toxins, and inherited breed disorders.

“Acute” kidney disease occurs suddenly, is much less common than chronic kidney disease in pets, and with prompt treatment is generally reversible.  Long-term “chronic” kidney disease referred to as chronic renal disease is the most common form in dogs and cats.  It is usually the result of slow age-related deterioration of the kidneys.  

Signs of Pet Kidney Disease

Initially dogs and cats drink and urinate excessively.  The urine produced is dilute so dogs become dehydrated and drink a lot to try to replace the lost fluids.  No matter how much they drink; they are unable to maintain normal hydration.  

Advanced signs of Kidney Disease include weight loss, vomiting, depression and loss of appetite.  Signs are not apparent until 80 percent of kidney function is already lost.  

Routine diagnostics include blood and urine tests as well as abdominal x-rays.  A kidney biopsy is generally necessary to confirm the exact cause.  In most cases, a biopsy is not obtained and treatment is symptomatic.

What Pet Owners and Vets Can do for Kidney Disease

Fluid therapy is the single most important factor in the treatment of kidney disease.  The kidneys normally function to maintain fluid levels by concentrating the urine.  With kidney disease, excess fluids are lost into the urine so dehydration is a major problem.  

Good nutrition is also critical.  The goal is to decrease the workload on the kidneys by decreasing the amount of waste the kidneys must eliminate.  Excess dietary protein, phosphorus, calcium and salt create a lot of waste. Pet diets should therefore contain small amounts of high-quality proteins, low salt (use salt substitute), and minimal phosphorus. Home made diets are ideal and can be tailored specifically for each pet.

The most important parameter with respect to dietary protein is quality rather than an absolute amount. For example human dialysis patients eat eggs. Why? … Each egg contains 7 grams of pure protein on which the kidneys do not work at all to utilize.  

Trying to determine protein levels, by reading pet labels can be quite misleading. For example, a chemical called Cyanuric Acid, used as a pool cleaner is approved as a pet food additive to artificially elevate protein levels.

In fact, the reason thousands of pets died during the 2004 and 2007 MENU pet food recall was not just because of the Melamine. The Melamine was present in the contaminated Chinese Gluten. The problem occurred when it combined with the Cyanuric acid which was also present in the pet food.

The Melamine and Cyanuric acid formed an insoluble precipitate in the kidney tubules of the dogs and cats that ate the pet food and this is what led to acute kidney failure and death for thousands of pets. The latest pet food reports available indicate that the melamine is no longer an issue but the cyanuric acid is still allowable and present in pet food.

Anemia or a low number of red blood cells is usually present in pets with Kidney Disease.  Supplementing your dog or cats diet with B-vitamins and iron stimulates red blood cell production, which helps to counteract anemia.

Today kidney therapy may include Calcitriol, which is a natural form of vitamin D and is compounded specifically for each pet.  Capsules are given by mouth once daily.  Calcitriol helps prevent further kidney deterioration, regenerates the kidneys and helps restore normal function. It was given routinely to human dialysis patients.

In pets, Calcitriol is only effective when the value of the blood calcium multiplied by the blood phosphorus level is less than 40. After over 15 years, of successful international clinical trials, Calcitriol is still considered experimental in pets.  So far the results have been excellent for both dogs and cats.  

Kidney transplants are a treatment option in extreme cases, and are available at a few veterinary facilities in the US. The College of Veterinary Medicine, in Davis, California has a top notch Kidney Transplant and pet dialysis facility.

Long-term management involves monitoring kidney functions with blood and urine tests every three to six months.  At home hydration can be monitored by pinching the skin on the back of the dog’s neck.  Hold it for five seconds, then release.  If it takes over five seconds for the skin to return to normal, your pet is dehydrated and fluids are indicated.  

Pet owners may learn to give daily subcutaneous fluids, which are given under the skin at home.  Sodium Chloride, rather than Lactated Ringers solution is preferred for fluid administration, because the Lactated Ringers solution contains both Phosphorus and Calcium neither of which are beneficial to dogs or cats in kidney failure.  

Most pets enjoy quality life for several years post diagnosis.

I hope this information is helpful.

Best Wishes,

Dr Carol Osborne, DVM

[Misfits4Me]

Just to let you know that I'm thinking about you & yours......This post caught me off-guard and I'm heartbroken for you......My sincere prayers are with you through the night, tomorrow & days after.....God bless you & your little ones........Karla

[zoe114]

I know your hurting, just know we are here if you want to talk.  (( many hugs)) btw, I think I told my dog good night for a year after I had to put him down.

Dr. Osbourne, you really are there / here for the pets. That information is very helpful !!

    

[versallec]

Putting Peanut and Cocoa down was the hardest thing for me to do.
My heart aches everyday but I know he was very tired of fighting and she was getting worse from her cancer.  I think she stuck around longer just for her little buddy :-)
They passed together last week Thursday. They both seemed to know when we went into DR. Sarah's office what was happening because they both just curled up together in thier favorite blanket and relaxed. It almost seemed like they went hmpf it is finally going to be over I am soooo tired.
No puppy will ever be able to rplace them but I am going to look at some rescues to try and fill a part of this gaping hole that is in my heart.
Thank you so much for your post, care and concern for me and my babies. You really helped make this a little easier.

[vinnyd144]

at this moment my best friend bella is at the vet hospital .i took her there 2 days ago because of vomiting i was told she has end stage kidney trouble .i just came back from visiting her .she is getting iv fluids and are trying  a new antibotic (antibiotic) .the doctor says her chance for survival is not good i have not stopped crying . i'm going to light a candle and say a prayer . the hole in my heart can't be filled i feel like dying . i need someone to talk to please help me vinny ***@****

[Lou000]

Hello to all you lovely people from New Zealand, who love your animals as much I do.We are a rare species..
My darling wee man 'Shatsi' (mini schnauzer) whom I love so much and was born half his size, now nearly 13 years old was diagnosed with chronic kidney failure 7 mths ago.His first symptons were a urine smelly breath and drinking heaps of water..I admitted him to the Specalist hospital for a 2 day drip which brought his cret levels down considerably but with the bad news he had maybe 6 mths to live if that...He was placed on the Royal Canine kidney food which he ate for awhile then refused..I tried every type of his fav foods to tempt him to eat but to no avail..Fortunately, 7 mths later I still have my little boy... I syringe feed him 3 times a day with the KD food soaked in water and IV him daily at home  (120 mils soduim lactate) to keep him hydrated.. which was pretty scary at first, sticking the needle in but I have the hang of it now and he just lays on my lap thru the whole 10 mins procedure..This has kept him alive I believe... His poohs are normal and no vomiting yet..The only thing difference with him that I haven't read about on your forum is, he stretches his neck and frantically claws at his mouth which is very distressing for him and for me.. like he is fitting!..It seems to be phlem coming up into his mouth and he cant get it out..I calm him down petting his head and he snaps out of it and settles down for awhile..But it is continual unless he is sleeping..The vet put him on a neurological medicine that gave him terrible painful diarrhoea so I took him off that, it made if so sleepy and floppy like a rag doll.. I know I have to make a heartbreaking decision soon as this frantic clawing at his mouth can't go on for my little man..He has been such a huge part of my solo life and I know I have to do the right thing one day but, I keep saying to myself "he hasn't given me the OK  to go yet".. he doesn't appear to be in any pain being on pain relief ...Knowing I will be an absolute mess emotionally I accept I will have to bring myself to do what is best for his well being eventually.. I just don't want to be left with the guilt  "did I put him to sleep before he was ready to go?"..I ask him every nite as I lay him on his hot water bottle in my bed to go naturally in his sleep..I have found some peace with myself after reading all your heartbreaking stories knowing you have all had the same emotions ..I don't feel so alone now ...What a wonderful site this is for one to express their feelings..Thankyou so much..Kia Ora from New Zealand...(We are still rocking and rolling from the earth quakes)...All my love and thoughts to all out there who are going thru the same..  Lou

[Damien626]

I read this whole thread in pain. Just lost " Itty Bity" Pomeranian mix 17lbs who was 19 yyears old to kidney failure after a 5 week battle.
Here is what i can add, my dog was completely fine. Strangely, after i had given him i think it was Advantix or Advantage for fleas per his body weight from vet......several days later he fell ill.

The battle started there, not blaming the vet at all. But could have this Advantix or i think it was Adantage for fleas initiate this condition?.


Damien : (

[gillyjay]

My 12 year old bichon as just bin diagnosed with kidney failure we are gutted as he is our baby we got him frm pup he as bin a poorly boy from pup but 12 years on an we no it's old age, he is still avin a gud life but I am petrified in losing him any suggestions in coping with this thanks ANIA AN CAROL JAY

[alfred_k]

Our Sydney has renal failure he's not yet at the uthanize stage but since refusing k/d and the other renal foods he's going down hill every day. I know were going to be in exactly the same situation your in now. Interesting that you feed her ice. Our dog has been eating snow. Do you know why they want ice?
In any case it gut wrenching but we have to it at the right time.

[tinka333]

I am so sorry to hear all of your stories and the pain that you all have gone through, I could not imagine my little girl going through that and I couldn't begin to imagine going through what you all have gone through.  My Tinka was diagnosed with bad kidneys, she is not in renal failure but she urinates a lot and drinks a lot.  Her breath is unbearable. She is still eating normal and she is not throwing up.  I was thinking about bypassing the Vet completely and trying some herbal treatments and feeding her organic meats, beans, greens and seeds.  Does anyone have any input?  In my heart I think that my Tinka will get past this...and be normal again.  I don't want to ask you all if I am wrong but at the same time I want to know what I can expect.or what I may be in for.  Her BUN level is 77 and the other is 2.3 (I can't remember the name). I  Need to know!!!!!!!!

[tinka333]

I'm so sorry!

[Misfits4Me]

Hello Tinka...We have a thread about kidney disease within this forum...It's lengthy & sad, but it may give you some ideas pertaining to your questions.....Here is the link:

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Dogs/4th-stage-renal-failure-in-my-dog/show/425814?page=1

I'm sorry you have found us under these circumstances.....My thoughts are with you as you & your Tinka begin this journey.......Karla