The timid cavalier,Linus

[emibean]

Well,at this point,we are acting as though Linus has SM.I have been in constant contact with the vet and we are going to try pain meds.
I know it's a hard thing to watch and I can't imagine the pain these little creatures are in. With that thought, would it be "better" to put these dogs down rather than have then live this way? Or is that selfish?
It is so very hard to see an animal in pain.
We had a golden ,who at two, had two hip surgeries. It was apparent that after an appropriate recovery time,he was still in too much pain...his eyes said it all. He wouldn't move from the same spot for hours.....we decided to put him down.
This si so hard. I sure wish these guys could talk.

Thank you for any thoughts.

[brotymo]

I'm sorry emibean I can't imagine how hard this is for you, and I don't have any experience, thankfully, at this time with sm. My only advice would be make sure you are working closely with a vet who really understands SM and the available tests and treatments. Try the available treatments and follow your gut instinct with your baby's quality of life as you proceed thru this.
There are, sadly, a great deal of people on here who can give you advice based on first-hand experience. I do wish that wasn't the case for this wonderful little breed. They are so dear.

[*Pauline*]

It's early days and as Linus is not on medication yet you will not know how well he could be. Don't give up hope yet the pain medication can really help. I'm not sure why your vet has not referred Linus to a neurologist for an MRI scan. There are other conditions which can show some of the same symptoms, you should be clear what you are dealing with. Dylan had a spinal tap at the same time as his MRI to test for meningitis. Some people have suggested I put Dylan down (not any vets etc), but they have not seen him! He had a very bad scan result, one of the worst they had seen at the RVC but, his pain is controlled and he is happy and playful. Don't give up yet

[emibean]

Thanks....we go to the vet again today for blood work and another exam.
They said they would write up the orders for an MRI but,right now, I don't have an extra $1500 and the closest one is five hours away. I have five kids and I have to work around school schedules,too.So we are doing what we can now.
Thanks,again.

[*Pauline*]

I do understand, it is very expensive. Maybe for now your vet can give you some Rymadil which is an anti-inflammatory pain killer. They might not want to give Gabapentin without a diagnosis.

[tara]

I'm so very sorry Linus is still not doing well. Forgive me, but why do you think this is SM? I thought that Linus went home with a behavior specialist for a night and did very well -- and that your decision was to rehome Linus. Have you contacted Cavalier Rescue in Michigan? What about Linus' breeder? Is she/he able to take Linus back to rehome?

[Cathy T]

Along with Tara I'm confused about this most recent turn of events. I was under the impression that Linus's breeder was going to take him back and also that you had been in contact with Rescue. Please don't make any rash decisions (I know that's easier said than done). Please get back in contact with the two women you've already been corresponding with if you feel you can't handle Linus's situation. That's what rescue is there for. It's nothing to be ashamed of, you sound like you really have your hands full and I know you want to do what is best for Linus.

Please let us know if we can help further. You are more than welcome to contact me privately as we've already been in touch with each other.

[emibean]

We decided to accept responsibility for raising him in sickness and health.
Plus,my husband loves him too much
His x-rays all look good.His blood work is fine. his urine came back with one item high but will be rechecked . We will continue to spoil him with lots of love.
Thank you.

[Karlin]

First off: has the vet actually diagnosed pain? Maybe I missed some additional informaion but last post you were considering rehoming for a set of factors, and were going to take him to the vet, but I don;t understand if your vet agrees there is pain underlying his behaviour...? Or any pain at all...? I would not jump to conclusions about possible conditions. What reason has your vet given so far for considering an MRI? Why would you not simply go for a clinical exam first with a neurologist -- this would be normal unless the vet believes there is severe undiagnosed pain?

I also understand that you feel responsibility and love this dog, but at the same time, and if you truly feel this way, as hard as it may seem, you also have a responsibility to make sure he is in the right place especially if he turns out to have a serious health issue that you feel you cannot afford to diagnose properly (it will be thousands more to treat; the MRI would only be the start of a journey), or if he finds the home too frightening due to lots of kids and other dogs. It may be that a different dog at a different time would be a better choice for everyone, including the dog; it would be deeply unfair to Linus to keep him in a situation where he is clearly not happy right now, if he is living most of his life in a closet (as you described in your previous thread).

These are very serious questions you need to explore.

And IMHO it would be wrong to simply pts on the basis of something that hasn't been diagnosed. Please work with the breeder or rescue before you even consider that route. Cathy T would be an excellent person to work out some of these issues with, privately, as she has faced a challenging health concern, cancer, with her own dogs and also has worked with breed rescue.

[chloe92us]

Please please please do not consider having him put down until you find out what is causing the pain. Saying you will love this dog through thick and thin and then even considering having him pts before any diagnosis, is not holding true to that commitment.

If you are overwhelmed by the situation, emotionally or financially, PLEASE turn him over to his breeder or a rescue group!