Comments on: The bitterest pill

By: teff

teff — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 20:00:14 +0000

The confinement to a crate isn’t pleasant, but I do believe it’s harder on the human than the animal. Our 16-year-old cat is in week 3 of a minimum of 4 weeks of constant confinement for her compressed vertebra, also on steroids to control swelling. She’s very vocal, but hasn’t complained about being in the cage…until yesterday, when I took her out, put her on a thick rug to see how she could walk. And she didn’t tip over. She isn’t walking normally, but she’s doing much better, and has been insistent about getting out ever since. But it took nearly 3 weeks for her to feel like she wanted to be out.

Of course, this afternoon she jumped for the string we had tied in there for her to play with, and aggravated the injury a bit (purred when I put the ice pack on her back). But the way we knew she hurt was she didn’t want to get out of the crate. I suspect Satchmo will also know that he’s there to heal and be accepting of it. As one of the librarians I work with who also has done kitty physical therapy for her cats after injuries put it: Animals don’t overthink things. That’s what people do.

Hope the medication route goes well; it really can do wonders.

By: pamelajo

pamelajo — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:10:05 +0000

Having had to part with our beloved shih tzu one week ago today, at the tender age of 7, I literally feel your pain. Like everyone else’s, she was the best dog in the world. Some of our problems were similar to yours – trouble at the “back end” and such. Since the breed’s prone to them, vet, then orthopedic veterinary surgeon assumed it was a disc problem, but surgery revealed the worst – extensive cancer. What I wanted to point out was that the ortho charged around $2,000 (we’re in NJ, not known for bargains), so my hope is that someone like that could help your pup in CA for a lot less than $8,000, if that becomes the best option. All the luck to you guys and thanks for all your incomparable posts.

By: beckya57

beckya57 — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 05:59:30 +0000

We went through this same thing with Kona, our first Basset. The steroids/crate approach did extend his lifetime (with good quality). Our prayers are with you.

By: JCfromNC

JCfromNC — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 05:41:50 +0000

I cannot possibly improve on the good wishes that have already been offered by so many of your readers, but want to add mine to the list just the same.

By: labradog

labradog — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 05:10:59 +0000

Y’all are people any dog would be proud to own.

Good Satchmo - part and parcel of The Good Dog. As are they all.

By: gradysu

gradysu — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 03:53:21 +0000

And yes, salmon oil (loaded with anti-inflammatory Omega3s) and turmeric are definitely worthwhile.

By: gradysu

gradysu — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 03:44:47 +0000

If the vet thinks he would be okay in surgery and that an operation would work, and you cannot afford it, I will put it on my credit card. Seriously.

After nine months of unemployment in Bush’s crappy, I recently got a new job and paid off my credit card bills, and I can’t think of a more worthy cause than Satchmo. (My last big credit-card purchase was back surgery for my dachshund, and I was grateful to be able to do it.)

In the meantime, try anti-inflammatory supplements as well as the steroids, as well as acupuncture and massage.

Love and prayers to your family and your pups, from mine.

Janet

By: stinger

stinger — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 03:43:22 +0000

Best wishes to your whole family from another Thursday lurker.

By: montysano

montysano — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:39:00 +0000

The Satchmo updates/Thursday Night Basset blogging and accompanying commentary are reflective of our humanity and ain’t that what “liberalism” is supposed to be about.

How true!

Of course, my brand of liberalism also involve Bill Kristol…… and pie.

By: lggbie

lggbie — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:25:55 +0000

Like many others, long time lurker, big fan of the TBoggs and TDogs. I am so sorry to hear that Satchmo is hurting. I noticed my best buddy of 12 years stopped eating one day. I hadn’t noticed, because his sister had been eating all his food plus her own (in retrospect, no wonder she got so chunky). I took him to the vet, never expecting the diagnosis of cancer. I had a choice, surgery (which would buy him a few precious months) or option 2. I agonized (as I am sure you all are doing) and I cried and I cursed fate as I loved that boy more than anything. Ultimately, I brought him home for a few days and just sat with him, watching him and talking to him, just being with him. Somehow, after spending that quiet time with him, I just knew he was ready to go. I felt it in my soul. I could keep him with me, for me, but I knew his quality of life would not be great. Or I could choose to let him go. It was the hardest decision I’ve ever made, but I think I made the right choice.

I know you love your dogs. I know you will know what the right thing to do is when it comes. Satchmo is truly a sweet-faced and sweet-natured dog. I know he knows, as dogs always do, that he is loved and he has had a great life with the Boggs. I hope you have many more years of his companionship, and this turns out to be just a blip. Best of luck.