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Help help please mvd am dry eye pancreatitis

gaynor

Member
:( Hi I have Toby my beautiful boy we think 11 years old , he is ex breeding dog thrown away , he has dry eye drops but just before Christmas he had a lot of fluid on his chest , the vet suggested he have a ct scan . We were told he has something on his trachea and it was being pushed down . They gave him antibiotics for the trachea I was told it could not be operated on . The scan results mvd sm severe disc problems neck , the medication he is on is Pardale - v half 3 times a day , vetmedin 1.25 1 twice a day . Frusemide 20 mg half twice a day . Lypex once a day , ranitidine 150 mg half twice a day . Gabapentin 100 mg one tab three times a day . Cyclosporine drops night and morning , the vet is treating him for end of life care , can I ask to read the scan results ? My boy looks over weight but he has growling tums food and small amount of chappie twice a day , he is always so very hungry more than normal he could eat your fingers, he is so sad his little Tail still wags , I sleep down stairs with him he has a new pillow and comfy blanket I do not know what is next , am I being cruel keeping him going . My heart is broken I have another cav bella she is a rescue she has shoulder displacement . Please help , I was going to put my telephone number on but I don't know what to do . h*lp
 
Hi Gaynor
What a lot you have been hit with all at once - I'm hardly surprised you are reeling! I should give the meds time to kick in, so that you can see whether they keep Toby comfortable, which is the main thing. In my experience (three out of the six Cavaliers I have owned have had MVD, and a slightly different three have had CM/SM), Cavaliers are very good at enjoying even a very limited amount of life, and if you can keep Toby free from pain he may well enjoy his twilight time.

Take care of yourself too, it's not easy nursing a very sick dog, it tends to take over your life, so a few treats and bits of time for yourself will help you to cope.

Were you given a copy of Toby's actual scan? If not, your vet should have one, so ask him to show it to you and explain exactly what it shows, and what he is trying to do about it with all these various medications. You need to be well-informed and working in partnership with your vet to do the best for Toby. Adding some raw or cooked veg to Toby's food might help him feel more full - courgette, broccoli, carrot, sweetcorn, french beans. My Ruby isn't keen on raw, but I just cook extra for her when cooking it for myself and add it to her regular meals. With pancreatitis it is very important to give them low fat food, so find a tinned food that is good quality and low fat and perhaps give Toby half and half that and the other food he is having.

I'm sure others on this forum will be able to give you good advice. If Toby is eating well and getting some enjoyment from life, I would go along with that. When he has had enough, he will tell you - there is an unmistakable look that says 'I can't go on, please help, mum', and then you can do the final act of love for him.

I've messaged my phone number to you if you need to talk.

:hug:

Kate and Ruby
 
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What an awful lot to be managing; this can be so very hard. Kate has given you some very good advice (Kate, you might want to message your phone number to Gaynor rather than keep it on the board? Just for privacy).

I'd also ask your vet what they feel about Toby's quality of life. Sometimes it really helps to get someone more neutral to give an opinion. I have always really trusted my vets to give me some guidance when trying to gauge the answers to difficult questions like this. Some of things Toby has are generally quite well managed over time with medications -- your vet should be able to give you some sense of what time he might have. Sadly almost all of us end up managing heart disease in our cavaliers and 11 is a good age for a cavalier. They sometimes can go for quite a while on the heart meds and enjoy life each day.

If you feel he is struggling then it would be a good idea to talk to your vet honestly about where he is right now and whether he is likely to improve.

As Kate mentioned, I'd certainly ask them to go over his scan with you.
 
It is so hard when you need to manage an elderly dog with multiple health problems. Absolutely exhausting and the responsibility weighs so heavily.

I suppose that having done this a few times I have come to the conclusion that while their pain can be managed, so they are not depressed and in obvious discomfort and they still feel well enough to eat, then they still have some quality of life.
I have a little Japanese Chin that is at this stage at the moment, so I do feel for you.

I have found that if I ask my vet what he would do if it was his dog, he has usually given me an honest answer.

I do believe that when it is certain that they are not going to recover, then it is better to be ready to make the decision a day too early than a day too late.

I will be thinking of you and Toby

xxx
 
Hello Gaynor

I understand exactly how you feel as Ive have been through it too. Give the meds time to work and then you can think about where to go next. Speak with your vet about Tobys quality of life...my vet was very honest with me when I asked about my Leo and although its not what I wanted to hear I appreciated the honesty.

A wonderful piece of advice I was given by Kate was "Leo doesn't know he's ill try and carry on as normal as possible with him" That really helped as I didn't want Leo picking up on my grief and him becoming nervous and distressed because of my behaviour.

Its not easy and it never will be but that is because you are a responsible loving owner who cares deeply for Toby.

Good luck to you, take care and let us know how you get on.

Mel x
 
Toby help please

:thnx::thnx:
Thank you all so much for your great replies , Toby is on chappie tin food and growling tums dry food , I have seen a food called simply low fat food has anyone tried this . My little boy breaks his heart when aim out of sight , he has his food mess then just sleeps , he used to love his toys but not now , it was like play school every day , he finds it difficult to get comfortable when he sleeps I have bought different pillows and soft blankets ? When I saw my vet she told me his disc in his neck and further down were really bad , his heart is working overtime , his head and ears get very hot and his back seems puffy fluid just down from his neck, he finds it difficult to jump up now . He seems to sigh a lot he puts his head down and just sighs also when you pick him up , . My other dog bella is a x breeding bitch she is frightend of her own shadow we have had her 2 years now she is getting a bit better if you cuddle her she trembles as if you are going to hurt her , she hates you going behind her , she scratches just one ear and her shoulders dislocate Ian so worried that she has the same as Toby we think she is 8 when is someone going to save these Angels . I will keep putting how Toby is doing , .

Thank you you all for the support I don't feel so alone now .
Gaynor Toby Bella
 
Toby would probably be helped by having steps to allow him to get up on the settee and then onto your lap. I have a spare set (the end of 2014 and early 2015 I was nursing two terminally ill dogs for about 6 months and they both needed to use steps), so you would be welcome to borrow them - you could perhaps drive over, since Coventry isn't too far from Stoke, or we could meet halfway for a handover!

I got your phone message; I'll be in all tomorrow evening and happy for you to phone (if the phone is engaged around 8pm, I'm ringing my sister, so just try again later).

If Toby is newly on gabapentin, that will make him sleepy, though this usually wears off after a few weeks.

:hug:

Kate and Ruby
 
:(Hi to everyone
just a quick post , been to the vet she looked at my boy and she said he looks so poorly , his head down and she noticed that he has like little shocks winces like if we have neck pain and catch the pain area we can go ouch .. I asked what she thought and she asked how he was at home , he still has his dinner but he is so sad he sits by me all the time I sleep down stairs with him , I know it is time I have to ring my vet to make a date for her to come to the house , then I will take Him to the animal crem and pick him up the next day . My heart is broken my husband has his bitch bella she is an x breeding bitch . He is so cuddly I will miss him so much , this has just made my year and it has only just begun .
i know my boy will be out of pain but I won't have my friend to cuddle . Thank you all for your messages I send my good wishes to all of you . Love Gaynor x
 
Gaynor
I am so sorry for you.....
What you are about to do is very brave and obviously the best for little Toby. Look after yourself and take care. Hug Toby (gently) whilst you can and try and remember you're doing this for him because you love him so much.

Mel :hug:
 
I am so sorry. You clearly care deeply and have a such a big heart -- big enough to feel the right decision there, because you care so much. Many of us have been in your shoes, and can understand fully and share your pain and grief at having to make such a choice. But it is a gift of kindness for them too -- to end suffering when it gets to be too much. Toby found a wonderful loving home with you even if far too brief. I hope you will in time, and when you are ready, find another little one to cuddle and care for, as you have so much to offer. Thinking of you.
 
I am so sorry Gaynor. I had to make the same decision almost a year ago for my 13-year-old Oliver - his heart was strong, he was eating well but on the whole his quality of life was poor and it seemed so mean to just keep him going, so selfish on my part. I still miss him but he had given me so much in the 12 years I had had him that I knew I couldn't let him down at the end. Well done for not letting Toby down either, for not hanging onto him when he was clearly ready to go but doing the most loving thing for him. He will always have a place in your heart and you will always miss him, even if, when the time is right, you share your love with another dog.

:hug:

Kate and Ruby
 
I feel so sad for you but you have given Toby everything you can and now it is an act of love to let him go.
He was lucky to have ended his life in your care.

My very best wishes to you.
 
Toby my boy is still with me

Hi everyone I am just asking if you can give me some advice , my Toby has sm,ch . Mvd,dry eye , terrible disc problems , also prone to pancreatitis .
toby has been on lots of medication since his diagnosis with all his problems , he is on vetmedin , Pardale v , frusemide , Lypex , ranitidine , ledetiracetam , gabapentin , metacam , cyclosporine eye drops .
his problem now is he was terminal at Christmas but since all these pills he did pick up , I have had to find low fat food because pancreatitis , now he still has most of his problems still looks like he gets shocks to his body he is walking more stiffly his ears overheat and his head gets very warm, but his biggest problem is when he has his food his tummy is solid as if it is not moving through, then tea time he seems as if he really is blown up , could this be the medication he is on ? I would love to hear from people who have had dogs with sm ch , mvd ............ My vet said if the drugs work just see if he is still happy , she does not want to up his medication she thinks he has a limited time . He lies at night with a swollen belly type he is doing about 4 poohs a day I just want to make him happier , his tail wags and he loves a love lies on his back so you can keep rubbing his belly his tummy gurgles. Sorry to go on , Bella my other cavy is doing well a bit better with her nerves , her front legs displasher Is not causing any problems I would love to get the person who kept my dogs in cages and put them in one and leave them in a long time see how they would feel .h*lph*lph*lp:updte::thnku::thnku:
 
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It sounds to me as if Toby may have a build-up of fluid in his abdomen. In the last months of his battle with MVD my Aled had this several times - looked as if he was expecting 6 puppies! The vet gave him an extra diuretic on top of the frusemide and the fluid dispersed within a day and then he stopped the extra medication; came back again a couple of weeks later but was dealt with in the same way. This is very usual with MVD, as the heart just doesn't push hard enough to keep the fluid circulating and it can back up in the lungs or abdomen.

The jerks are myoclonus, which is small electric shocks in the underneath of the brain that momentarily disconnect the neurons; very common in older Cavaliers. Aled had it too and like Toby was on levetiracetem. Oddly enough, having been quite well controlled for a couple of years, it got worse in the last few months of his life.

Are you managing to get all these pills down Toby OK? Aled had 18 a day to take and I found the easiest way was to crush them in a pestle and mortar (taking the gabapentin out of its case), add a little water and honey, put it in a plastic syringe (saved from an old metacam bottle!) and just squirt it into the side of his mouth.

Do you have a buggy? Aled enjoyed being able to go out and about with me and Oliver, walking a little way if he felt able and then being popped back to watch the world go by. If you think Toby would enjoy it, mine is on loan to someone, but her Cavalier has just died, so if you haven't got one I could organise for Ruth to get it to you.

Take care of yourself too. Looking after a dog in heart failure is enormously stressful - apart from anything else, you don't feel you can give someone else the responsibility of coming in for an hour or so to give midday pills and check on Toby, so your social life ends up non-existent! Your world narrows to sick dogs, always looking out for the next disaster. I had my Oliver ill at the same time - he and Aled were put to sleep within 5 days of each other, and part of me is never going to recover from the stress of those last few months. So give yourself a few little treats - a new book or DVD, a box of chocolates, a plant for the garden - whatever cheers you on.

I'll message you with my phone number and email - do get in touch to have a chat if that will help. Feel free to get angry at the end of the phone - I get very angry about MVD, it is awful to watch and so unnecessary - it could have been eliminated from Cavaliers years ago if breeders had just bothered to do something about it. :-X

:hug:

Kate and Ruby
 
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