PDA

View Full Version : The downside to having beloved pets



CreepyOldDude
07-29-2015, 01:54 PM
My buddy Bronson was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease on Saturday. It's in it's early stages. His creatinine is 1.7, which is almost as close to normal as you can get, and not be normal. He's a Jack Russel. He's supposed to live around 13 years. Not less than eight. He just turned six. He could fail quickly, and be gone in a couple of months, or he could be around for a couple of years.

He's young enough, that the vet says it probably won't be the longest time. Maybe a year, to a year and a half.

This has been hard to process. Dogs very seldom get kidney disease.

One minute, I'm fine, determined to give him the best quality of life, and take care of him, without letting him suffer. Then, the next moment, I'm thinking about taking him for that last ride, and I want to cry. Which is stupid, because I'm going to take all the pets for that last ride, someday. I know that going in. But every time a last ride comes up, it's a shock that it's already time. It couldn't be time already. He was a pup just last week.

Hopefully, my emotions will settle down as I wrap my head around the new facts.

PolWatch
07-29-2015, 02:04 PM
My heart goes out to you. Animals have always been a part of my family....they are not pets, they are family members. When their quality of life drops is when we have to take that ride. We have a mutt that we rescued 17 years ago that is rapidly approaching that time. She is almost completely blind and has arthritis (pretty bad at times). She still romps and plays when she feels well....she doesn't seem to realize that she can't see much and we don't move things around so she doesn't bump into things. If your friend is not in pain and still enjoys more of his life than not, I would suggest enjoying his company as long as possible. Giving them a joyful life & a painless death is the least we can do for them....they give us so much more.

Tricia
07-29-2015, 02:07 PM
:( I'm sorry, friend.

CreepyOldDude
07-29-2015, 02:23 PM
My heart goes out to you. Animals have always been a part of my family....they are not pets, they are family members. When their quality of life drops is when we have to take that ride. We have a mutt that we rescued 17 years ago that is rapidly approaching that time. She is almost completely blind and has arthritis (pretty bad at times). She still romps and plays when she feels well....she doesn't seem to realize that she can't see much and we don't move things around so she doesn't bump into things. If your friend is not in pain and still enjoys more of his life than not, I would suggest enjoying his company as long as possible. Giving them a joyful life & a painless death is the least we can do for them....they give us so much more.

Thanks.

Yeah, I feel the same way about our furry family members. It would probably be easier if I did just think of them as pets.

And you're right, it is about quality of life. This is especially hard on my bride. Just seven years ago, her beloved pooch Sheila died of kidney failure. She went pretty quickly. But she was 16 when she got sick, and she was already in stage 3 by the time we found out what was going on. Sheila was my wife's dog, hands down. Bronson is both of ours, but spends a lot time tailing my wife around.

I hope your mutt lasts a while longer, with some joy in her life.

My wife took Sheila for her last ride. I said goodbye to Sheila at the door to the vet's office, and waited in the car, at my bride's request. She hasn't been able to again, since. Whenever we do lose a pet, we decide we're not going to get another one. Then, in a few month's time, we head off to the shelter, and bring home someone who needs a forever home.

Well, darn it, I'm crying a bit. I'm going to go, for the day.

Take care.

PolWatch
07-29-2015, 02:36 PM
My husband could not go to the vet when I had to take Baby, our 16 year old boxer. She went into kidney failure.

Redrose
07-29-2015, 02:56 PM
Bronson has many good years ahead of him. Love him every minute of it. Our 13 year old Lhasa has kidney trouble, and a very large bladder stone, too big to pass, they won't operate due to his age. He's in no pain, just on meds. He was diagnosed almost 5 years ago with that. He's happy and as active as an old dog can be.

With good vet care your Bronson will have many more happy years.

Chris
07-29-2015, 03:19 PM
Sorry to hear that.