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Please help! Ella still not well.
- Thread starter anniemac
- Start date
- Status
Love my Cavaliers
Well-known member
Oh my God. Poor Ella! But it could have just as easily been Oz as I have pulled dental floss out of Oz's mouth before that I have just thrown in my bathroom garbage can. I will not do that again. I will make sure it is someplace secure that he can't get at it since he is such a pack rat especially when it comes to our bathroom garbage cans.
Sending many, many prayers to Anne and Ella. What a horrible ordeal. My heart is breaking for both of them.
Sending many, many prayers to Anne and Ella. What a horrible ordeal. My heart is breaking for both of them.
Blondiemonster
Well-known member
Please let her be allright anne. I am so sad about this. I dont even know what to say. Speechless.
GraciesMom
Well-known member
Dearest Anne....
My heart is just aching... so praying for you both. I have no other words to say.
My heart is just aching... so praying for you both. I have no other words to say.
Charlifarley
Well-known member
Just want to let you know that we are thinking of you both here and hope that Ella will be feeling better soon.
Jasper and Holly
Well-known member
Sorry to here that Ella is in surgery. Hope she is ok. You must be going out of your mind with worry. Fingers crossed for you and Ella.
lovecavaliers
Well-known member
OMG, Anne, I am seeing this now. Praying for Ella. I can't imagine what you are going through. It sounds like pure hell! I am so sorry all this is happening to you and sweet Ella. Thinking of you both :hug:
Kathleen
Well-known member
Oh Anne, I am so sorry and so upset to read this, especially since this is so similar to what I went through with Jade recently.... Don't let them give Gabapentin during Ella's recovery, especially if she is on other pain meds. It is believed that it can cause a bad reaction. Ella is a tough little girl and I can't stop thinking about her and you and am praying for her. I know exactly what you are going through and am sending you all my love and support during this worrying time.xxx
Nicki
Moderator
I am so very sorry Anne this is just tragic to hear, poor Ella. Especially hard to deal with on her birthday 
I don't think that birthday greetings are maybe appropriate yet but it is on our minds.
It's very hard - even for a "normal" dog to manage with only that amount of intestine With Ella's complications, medication etc it is going to be very difficult.
Can you talk to one of the specialists to find out their opinion?
I think everything really depends on how likely Ella is going to be able to have a good quality of life. I hate to even write that to you, I so desperately wanted her to be better as did we all, but we have to think of Ella.
I know no-one likes to give up on their dog when there is any hope at all, but you really have to think of it from the dog's perspective...this is the hardest part of having and loving your dog, knowing when it is time.
The hospital will try to keep her going - it is your decision. [Sadly they also have a financial incentive to do so, that is something you need to bear in mind too.]
I would write down the things that you think are important to Ella to give her a good quality of life. These would be on my list:
Being able to eat and wanting to eat [2 different things] I suspect she will need a very special diet which may be expensive - and are you going to be able to administer it, no treats, keeping her out of the garbage and not allowing anyone to give her anything else?
Managing a short walk - even if it's only 5 minutes for the stimulation.
Able to move about happily - I know her SM is deteriorating too
Managing a cuddle or whatever affection she wants
Not in any distress [pain being well managed - living in chronic pain is horrid]
Obviously you are going to get times where things aren't totally under control and you need to speak to your vet then to see whether it is a temporary crisis or a permanent state.
Most importantly obviously - is Ella going to be able to enjoy life?
I've always felt it is better to let them go too soon, so that they don't suffer. Too many are left too long and that is just cruel and you feel guilty forever.
I feel dreadful writing this, it sounds so negative, but sometimes someone has to say these things
I don't think that birthday greetings are maybe appropriate yet but it is on our minds. It's very hard - even for a "normal" dog to manage with only that amount of intestine With Ella's complications, medication etc it is going to be very difficult.
Can you talk to one of the specialists to find out their opinion?
I think everything really depends on how likely Ella is going to be able to have a good quality of life. I hate to even write that to you, I so desperately wanted her to be better as did we all, but we have to think of Ella.
I know no-one likes to give up on their dog when there is any hope at all, but you really have to think of it from the dog's perspective...this is the hardest part of having and loving your dog, knowing when it is time.
The hospital will try to keep her going - it is your decision. [Sadly they also have a financial incentive to do so, that is something you need to bear in mind too.]
I would write down the things that you think are important to Ella to give her a good quality of life. These would be on my list:
Being able to eat and wanting to eat [2 different things] I suspect she will need a very special diet which may be expensive - and are you going to be able to administer it, no treats, keeping her out of the garbage and not allowing anyone to give her anything else?
Managing a short walk - even if it's only 5 minutes for the stimulation.
Able to move about happily - I know her SM is deteriorating too
Managing a cuddle or whatever affection she wants
Not in any distress [pain being well managed - living in chronic pain is horrid]
Obviously you are going to get times where things aren't totally under control and you need to speak to your vet then to see whether it is a temporary crisis or a permanent state.
Most importantly obviously - is Ella going to be able to enjoy life?
I've always felt it is better to let them go too soon, so that they don't suffer. Too many are left too long and that is just cruel and you feel guilty forever.
I feel dreadful writing this, it sounds so negative, but sometimes someone has to say these things
BrooklynMom
Well-known member
I am just now catching up on this thread. Oh my gosh, you poor things. Poor Ella, Poor you. I am praying and hugging and sending every once of healing I have your way. There are no words that help getting through this any easier, but just know that we are all thinking of of you and just hope she gets better soon. It might be a long road, and it could not happen to two better people, but hang in there. Gosh, hugs. :hug:
I am so sorry.
I would have posted just what Nicki has said -- you are balancing already her difficulty in living with SM and a lost eye and PSOM plus this very difficult surgery which is likely to hugely affect her quality of life -- it can be very hard for a healthy dog to recover from this particular surgery and have any decent quality of life.
I would be asking the advice of both the people who have done this surgery and her neurologist on how capable a little dog is with handling this further blow -- and what may be involved in care and whether it is possible to give it if you work, and for how long she would be likely to manage with all these things combined.
As hard as it would be -- and as Nicki says, as terrible as it is to contemplate and say -- in your position I would let her go rather than set such a steep mountain for her to climb on top of everything else she is dealing with, if you are already looking at a matter of months given her decline with SM.
I also have dogs struggling with health issues and if this were my Lucy, who like Ella is facing a limited time already, there is simply no way I'd want her to try and live on as I'd feel I was doing this more for me than for her. It is hard to balance the 'right moment' but as Nicki and others like Kate have said -- it is so much better and kinder to let them go before they are truly in pain and distress and struggling. My vets have always been very good about being honest with me and letting me know when they would call time (as with my sweet Quincy two months ago, who could perhaps have struggled on with serious kidney and liver problems for a few more months -- but to what end? Another inevitable collapse and further decline into pain? That seemed cruel and unfair to him).
I think it is the time when you need to get honest advice and input from the doctors and weigh whether keeping Ella going through all this is more about what Ella needs or an owner needs. It is the toughest and most courageously honest discussion every dog owner faces at some point. We must each of us face it at some point and it is hard. Would she want to go on? What will be her quality of life? Is it kinder to let her go before she may face further surgery complications or the multiple impact of this on top of all her other conditions? We just cannot keep asking them to live on, just for us -- if the prognosis is poor, we need to have the love and courage to give them relief from suffering.
Maybe take some time out now to go talk with doctors and think these things through. The debate should be one you have in your heart and head now, more than something to keep returning to the board to ask (as people here can only say they support you -- and realistically, little more -- none of us can assess her health, nor the prognosis, nor her quality of life now and going forward -- it is advice your doctors only can give). There is lots of support here for you, but I think the situation is far more complicated than any replies here can encompass because her ongoing poor health situation and her current situation goes beyond what any of us can advise you on.
I would have posted just what Nicki has said -- you are balancing already her difficulty in living with SM and a lost eye and PSOM plus this very difficult surgery which is likely to hugely affect her quality of life -- it can be very hard for a healthy dog to recover from this particular surgery and have any decent quality of life.
I would be asking the advice of both the people who have done this surgery and her neurologist on how capable a little dog is with handling this further blow -- and what may be involved in care and whether it is possible to give it if you work, and for how long she would be likely to manage with all these things combined.
As hard as it would be -- and as Nicki says, as terrible as it is to contemplate and say -- in your position I would let her go rather than set such a steep mountain for her to climb on top of everything else she is dealing with, if you are already looking at a matter of months given her decline with SM.
I also have dogs struggling with health issues and if this were my Lucy, who like Ella is facing a limited time already, there is simply no way I'd want her to try and live on as I'd feel I was doing this more for me than for her. It is hard to balance the 'right moment' but as Nicki and others like Kate have said -- it is so much better and kinder to let them go before they are truly in pain and distress and struggling. My vets have always been very good about being honest with me and letting me know when they would call time (as with my sweet Quincy two months ago, who could perhaps have struggled on with serious kidney and liver problems for a few more months -- but to what end? Another inevitable collapse and further decline into pain? That seemed cruel and unfair to him).
I think it is the time when you need to get honest advice and input from the doctors and weigh whether keeping Ella going through all this is more about what Ella needs or an owner needs. It is the toughest and most courageously honest discussion every dog owner faces at some point. We must each of us face it at some point and it is hard. Would she want to go on? What will be her quality of life? Is it kinder to let her go before she may face further surgery complications or the multiple impact of this on top of all her other conditions? We just cannot keep asking them to live on, just for us -- if the prognosis is poor, we need to have the love and courage to give them relief from suffering.
Maybe take some time out now to go talk with doctors and think these things through. The debate should be one you have in your heart and head now, more than something to keep returning to the board to ask (as people here can only say they support you -- and realistically, little more -- none of us can assess her health, nor the prognosis, nor her quality of life now and going forward -- it is advice your doctors only can give). There is lots of support here for you, but I think the situation is far more complicated than any replies here can encompass because her ongoing poor health situation and her current situation goes beyond what any of us can advise you on.
GraciesMom
Well-known member
This is such a tough and personal decision...
Here to support you in any way you need it. God bless.
Here to support you in any way you need it. God bless.
Blondiemonster
Well-known member
Dear karlin and nicki, i read your posts with tears in my eyes. You two arr always the voice of reason, something which this board desperately needs with all of us being so emotional about our fur babies. In many ways ella is such a big symbol on this board carrying the flag for many with sm since she has breen such a fighter and so brave. And anne one of the most caring mums i know. The thought of loosing ella after all this is so hard to bear, even for me who has never met her. I so desperately want her to be ok. even though i realize the odds and the situation. What a sad day.
even though i realize the odds and the situation. What a sad day.- Status