Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - Hunter's sister

I lost my golden retriever, Hunter, to AIHA on Oct 16, 2003, just 2 months pat his 4th birthday. Toay his lttermate sister had a huge tumor removed from her bowels. Yesterday she wa a normla acting dog, barking at the dogs on the other side of the fence, howling at sirens on Tv, eating her food, beggng for attention. This morning she didn't eat breakfast, threw up yellow bile and had a temp of 105. Right to the vet He drew blood and then on feeing her, found a large mass in her ower bdomen--that wa no there a month r so ago when she had her kidknes x-rayed and ultasound. He did surgery and found a mass as large or larger than my two fists together wrapped around the area where her large and small bowel et, encasing appendix. It was the worst place in her bowles to have a tumor. The surgery too 1 1/2 hours. It is a very iffy surgery and she may not even make it thru the night. If she does, there are still several very dangerous days aead of her. The mass was sent off to find ou if it was cancer or not but he is pretty sure it is. I was with her til 8:15 tonight and she became fully away. She has a very larege incision and a drain and is on IV. Yet she still wanted to et up to try toget closer to me. We had to shut the heated cge door and they have he something to kill pain and help her sleep all night. KayCee is my link to Hunter. They wre so cose with each otherand with me. I am a basket case and just can't comprehend how she culd be so good one day, and then this the next. My vet showed me the tumor and it is actually bigger than her heart--and she has an enlarged heart chamber. I lost Hunter at 4 years and 2 months, I don't want to lose his litter mat sister at a litle over 8 1/2 years. I am just so worried and upset. Thanks forletting me release some here to yu guys.

Sandra Texas

Sandra, I'm so sorry to hear about KayCee, I feel your worry and your pain. My thoughts are with you during this time. Please keep us updated on KayCee's progress. Tricia

Tricia UK

Sandra, I will keep KayCee in my thoughts and prayers. Penny

Penny Lytle Creek Calif

Sandra -- I am sorry to hear that your KayCee is in a life-threatening situation. I will keep KayCee and you in my thoughts and prayers.

Brenda VA

Sandra, Know of my thoughts and prayers for both you and KayCee. Peace, Ann Marie

Ann Marie FL

My vet is open 9-noon on Saturdays He is alone (small town) and he does have clients coming from surrounding countires because his reputation has spread. He normally gets to the hospital at 7:30 and leaves at 6:00 M-F, then there 3 to 3 1/2 hours on Saurday. This morning about 8:15 the vet tech called and said KayCee had made it thru the night, was alert and sitting up. Said she knew how worried I was and she wanted to let me know. My vet got there just ahead of me and he admitted he had not expected her to make it thru the night (neither had I), but this monring her gums wee a nice brigh pink, her temp was gone and she was very alert. BUT she would noteat and she HAD to eat or her bwels would shut down. He asked me if I would come home and cook some chicken and rice or anything I could think of that might tempt her to eat I did just that, plus took some applsesauce (unsweetened) that she loves and some wafer slice oven baked low fat, low sodium turkey slices. She wouldn't eat much, but she did eat some. The surgery took 1 1/2 hours, whic he said is about twice as long as a normal bowel cancer operation takes. He had never faced one that hat engulfed the appendix and a little of both intestines. He hadto be so careful not to damage all thse blood vessels or her bowels would die. Also it was like trying to join two different size pieces of pipe together with "putty" and not having a leak.Said it was the hardest surgery he had done in a long, long time.I was with her for over an hour, and he said for me to come back tis aftenoon at 5:0 to try to feed her supper. KayCee would not eat at 5:00. But Amber said she force fed KayCee after I left at noon, about 12:45. She had eaten some and then had that can of food, so chances are she was not hungry . and on top of that, she had had a pain med before I got there. I can't recall what she is on, but only gets 1 per day. BUT I took her outside and she went wagging her tail, peed, and then wanted to continue walking out towards the trees. I brought her back in and she got in her cage with no problem--went right to it actually. That is when I tried to feed her, but she wasn't interested and she went into a deep sleep. Amber said the effeft of the pain med and the walk outsdie (she is very weak ) just wore her out, but the little walk would do her good and since she had eaten what she did earlier, no problme. But she did hae me leave the cut up boiled egg , some bread and a little turky in the dish in case she woke up and wanted to eat. She was sleeping so soundly when I left that she didn't een know I had gone. Her breahing was slow, a normal breathing, no tthe heavy breathing of a dog in pain. I go back at 9:00 in the morning to see if I can get her to eat some more.Another night to sweat out! When I took KayCee out, she brushed my leg. Also after trying to feed her and her going to sleep, I washed my hands and then just petted on her. This morning washng my hands was the last thing I did. Well, when I got home tonigh Honey greeted me at the door as usualy, and then almost glued her nose to my leg where KayCee had bruhed u against me (her tail actually as she was wagging it). Then she followed me around and sniffed on my hands, then back to my leg. I think she really misses KayCee and couldn't undestand why I could sll likeKayCee but no KayCee was arund. Is kinda sad. They are such good pals. Kayee could go sour any minute, and is far, far from being out of the woods due to surgery. Hunter wa a fighter and he fought so hard, and his ittermat sister is doing the same. And ironically, she is in the same cage he was in when he died. I got back at 9:00 in the monring to feed her and take her out. I am praying she makes it thru tonight--and many, many, many morenights. Thanks everyone for yur prayers and well wishes.

Sandra Texas

I went in this morning at 9o and took chicken & rice, turkey yogurt, apple sauce and melted ice cream. She woulnd't eat a thing, only lapped a little of the melted ice cream--and she loves ice cream, rarely gets it and thinks it a grand treat to get a spoon of ice cream. My vet had been in before I got there. Also, Amber had already taken her outsdie and she had peed. She is is drinking water very well, has no fever, gums are still nice, but she just won't eat. Amber force fed her before I left. I will be going back at 5:00 If she doens't start to eat on her onw in the next couple of days I will have to let her join her precious brother, Hunter, at the Bridge. I won't let her suffer. Ironically she in the same ICU unit age that her brother died in. At firs I was a little upset, but then came oto think that if she doesn't leve the hospital, she will have died in the same cage as Hunter and that is one more thing linking them together.

Sandra

When I got to the hospital at 5:00 and looked at her I knew I had to let her go. Amber got her out of the cage and she could not even stand, just collapsed. I told Amber I had to end her suffering tonight. Amber got her on a blanket and put in a call to Rickey. I just stayed on the floor with her, petting her, telling her I loved her. She just watched me. Amber had just given her her pain med before I got there and it had not kicked in and I could tell she was hurting. Amber and kennel girl both stayed with me--suppose to be out by about 6:00. Finally the pain med kicked in and KayCee went into a peaceful sleep. The girls were both on the floor with m, rubbing her. I gave her kisses and hugs. At 7:00 she gasped 3 times and I knew it was the end, I just hugged her and at 7:01 she stopped breathing. I cut a lock of her fur and Amber made the clay print of her foot. before she died. She will be picked up for Cremation on Tuesday. Being the weekend, her tumor was still there and I said don't bother sending it. If she had lived I would have wanted to know, but now it doesn't make any difference. Rickey called me shortly after got home. He wa so upset. He was on the road and his cell phone had died or had a problem and he coulnd't retriever the messages. But he did say he was glad that she had just died in my arms peacefully and he didn't have to send her off. So am I. She really just died in her sleep with me hugging her. I can't believe my angel face girl is gone, but now she is with Hunter nd no longer in pain. __________________

Sandra

Sandra, I am really, really sorry for your loss. Take care of yourself - we know these are difficult days. Bonnie

Bonnie Chicago

Sandra, I am so very sorry to hear of your loss. Please accept my deepest sympathies. I can totally relate to your pain since when I lost my Margo, 18 months after I lost Meisha, it was almost like two losses, both Meisha again and Margo since the two had been together for so long. in fact Margo had even become Meisha's ears after she lost most of her hearing. Take care of yourself and know you are in my thoughts and prayers today.

Joanne MN

Sandra, I am so sorry to hear of your loss of KayCee. Know that Hunter, Molson and all our furry friends were there to welcome her and to take her to the field of daisies for a run. My thoughts and prayers to you. Peace, Ann Marie

Ann Marie FL

Sandra, I am sorry that you had to let KayCee go. She is now with Hunter and I am sure they are playing up a storm, Take Care Penny

Penny Lytle Creek Calif

Dear Sandra -- I am so sorry to hear the news about KayCee, but you know you made the right decision. You couldn't let her suffer any more as you tried to have the doctors work with her. I am glad that you were there with her when she breathed her last breath. Her last impressions of this world were your loving arms around her, your kisses, and your voice telling her how much you loved her. Those final moments will be a great comfort for you in the days ahead -- they continue to be a comfort for me as I think of my dear Wiley. KayCee is with her brother and all of our other dear dogs. They all are happy and healthy again, and they remain in our hearts forever. Please take care.

Brenda VA

Thak you everyone. I cry, my heart hurts, but at the same time I feel peaceful knowing my angle face is no longer suffering, she will never face cancer again, and she is with her brother. I had so dreaded signing the euth papers, but I had made my mind up., But God intervened and kept Rickey away and my precious girl gave a last gift--she crossed over on her own witout me having to have it done She had an enlarged heart, but I said it wasn't a medical thing. She just had so much love her heart had to be bigger to hold it all.

Sandra

Sandra. I'm so sorry to hear about KayCee. You did what was best for her. My thoughts are with you. Tricia

Tricia UK

I am so sorry that KayCee is no longer with you. She is happy now playing with Hunter. It was good that you were able to hold her in her last moments. She knew you loved her.

Mary Indiana

I am so sorry for your losses - my heart aches for you. As others have said, take comfort in knowing you did all you could do. You will be in my prayers jeanne

Jeanne texas

Sandra, I'm so sorry to hear about KayCee. It just seems to me that so often, by the time they let you know anything is wrong, it's too late. Like you say, she's healthy again, and she's with her brother. Big hugs to you; hang in there. Elizabeth

Elizabeth Baltimore

This thread was discussed between 24/05/2008 and 29/05/2008

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