This has been a VERY hard week. Dragon has worked 12 hr+ days every day this week. The only day he had off was Sunday. He got called in again this morning. :/
Pretty normal at our house. So what is the problem?
My Great Dane. ( not a DD post at all) Sorry
Monday night he didn't want to eat his supper but he did just for me. I took him for his last walk of the night and tucked him into bed.
Tuesday morning he didn't want to get up. He moved a few times from the couch to the floor but that was it. Very unsteady. He didn't go out at all nor would he eat or drink anything. Absolutely refused.
Just a dog right? No big deal?
Not at my house. He is a part of our family!
Wednesday. He finally stood up. I rushed to fill his water bowl with fresh water. He leaned on my while he drank. How we did that I don't know. I held the bowl up for him to drink out of and supported him. That is a job fit only for a contortionist. Another mad scramble to find his leash. He struggled down the steps, nearly falling. When he was done he hobbled back into the house and curled up on the rug. He didn't move for the rest of the day.
He was happy to just sleep with his head in my lap. I was thinking hard about what to do. Is it time to put him down? He is such a young dog. Only 3 years old but so very sick. Please understand that he has never been a healthy dog but he has never been this sick either.
Thursday started out with more of the same. Then mid morning he stood up. He ate the bowl of food that had been sitting there since Tuesday afternoon. Not all of it but a good bit still. I refilled his water bowl while he ate. He drank and went for another walk outside. This time he was a little steadier. I wasn't as worried about how I would get him back inside if he fell. Then latter in the day he did it again! Got up, ate, drank and went potty out side. Not even an accident in the house.
Then comes Friday morning. The first day Dragon had been scheduled for a short work day. I found a vet to do the deed. I knew it was time. A Great Dane limping and seemingly giving up on living.
Nope. Not going to happen. Dragon got called into work this morning. I am not sure if this is a good thing or not. One thing it will do is show us is he really is getting better or if these improvements are temporary. The good news is that my dog doesn't seem to be suffering. He isn't whining, biting or complaining. Just sleeping a LOT more than usual, not steady on his feet at all and limping.
We really need a second car. There is NO WAY I can get a Dane on a motorcycle to take him to the vet. :/ I need someone to tell me what to do now. I don't want my puppy to suffer but I don't want to put him down before his time either.
Now you know how my week has gone. Miserable.
Oh sweetie, I'm so sorry! *HUGS* Lots of hugs! If this has been going on for a while or if he won't get better, I would put him down. It's a hard decision to make. He is lucky to have you there to love him and take care of him.
ReplyDeleteOh I'm so sorry Rose! My dogs are absolutely part of our family too! My first babies before my actual babies!!
ReplyDeleteHave you had him checked out by a vet? Does he have a condition? Arthritis or something? Maybe there's some medicine he can get. I had a bigger dog when I was young and he had to take aleve everyday or he couldn't walk.
Do you know what is specifically wrong? Can you get a ride to the vet to have him checked out or maybe take dragon to work one day so you can have the car to get him checked?
Big hugs,
Elle
I'm not a vet, so I cannot say anything about this illness and chances of recuperation.
ReplyDeleteWhat I do know is that dogs can be very sick suddenly and also suddenly can be healthy again. During the sickness period, they normally refuse all food, throw up a lot and look like they are extremely sick.
Our dog, who is famous for eating everything that looks remotely edible, regularly eats something wrong and then goes down like this for a few days. The only thing I can get her to eat then, is boiled chicken breast.
But it can be very difficult to diagnose a dog, because he won't tell you how he is feeling. Our last dog was sick like this and stayed with the vet for a few days. When the vet called us that we could take her home because she was doing so much better, she died before we got there.
So even a vet doesn't really know.
As long as he is not suffering any pain and he is still drinking it's probably best to wait and see.
Wishing him the best. 3 years of life is not enough.
I'm so sorry Rose. Our pets have always been part of our family too. I know how difficult that decision is. I'm actually facing it myself right now. My "baby" (cat) is going to 17 in March and I see him getting skinnier every day. We're their HOH's though and we have to be the ones to make that decision. I hate it.
ReplyDelete((((hugs))) to you and yours and the decisions that might need to be made.
I'm sorry your puppy is ill, Rose. Here is a site that may be able to provide some answers: http://www.all-about-great-danes.com/dog-illnesses.html. They have lots of Dane specific info and a forum with lots of info and access to people with specific health knowledge. I hope this helps.
ReplyDelete(((hugs)))
So sorry. I think this is a trust your gut moment. Hugs to you!
ReplyDelete