Poorly fur baby

[Catkins]

So we took our fur baby to the vets today. Over the last couple of weeks she has been drinking more and peeing more (asking to go rather having accidents, she's 13 this month so does have the odd slip up). I guess due to working with a lot of diabetics (human, not dogs) I started to think that it might be that. So I rang them yesterday and got an appointment for this morning and managed to get a pee sample to take with me. They gave her a full check up and said she hasn't got an infection, but when they tested her pee they said it was showing signs that her kidneys aren't working as they should. She has to go back on Tuesday for a full blood test.

I'm feeling incredibly fragile and emotional about it. She is such a sweetheart and such a good dog I really don't want anything bad to happen to her or for her to suffer in any way. Things are complicated by my sister too. She is wanting to give up her dog, who is 2 1/2. I'm very fond of him and when she thought she might have to give him up a year ago I said I would have him rather than him going into a shelter. The problem is that she has never properly trained him or disciplined him, so he has turned into a rather naughty boy. My husband feels that he's been left for too long without any training and so will take a lot of time (which to be honest we haven't got) to help him become the dog he could be.

So as well as worrying about my girl, I'm now really upset that we can't help my sisters dog. But to be honest, it would be incredibly unfair on ours if she isn't well, I want her to be happy in her last years and not run ragged by a dog with a tendency to misbehave and needs a lot of attention to train him.

Feeling a little overwhelmed and upset by it all.

[Carnation]

You've got to put your own first catkins, you've already said that. It's just such a horrible feeling when our pets become poorly but your fur baby is in good hands.

[Fishmanpa]

Awww.. I feel for you Catkins. Having fairly recently lost our boy Socrates, I do the the anguish and pain I've had pets throughout my life but none had the bond that Socrates and I did. I had him from 8 weeks until he passed at 12 getting pets from Daddy and Mommy. Hopefully, they'll be able treat whatever the issue is and give you and him more years together.

As far as bringing in the new addition? I think you have to see if it would work. Will they get along with each other? Will your sister's dog be the raving crazy she is with you? You don't know and depending on the owners/alphas and reaction, that will help you make the right decision. Maybe you can do an introduction or babysit him to see how he really is. With us, when we lost Socrates, while it was expected (I knew he was very sick and he was telling me it was Ok) it was very, very hard. It was just so quick... literally a couple of weeks from when I noticed the change in him until when he passed. Of course my wife and I were hurting and missing him but it surprised me how much Tasha was missing him. She was so mopey and would walk around kind of aimlessly looking for him. We lost him on Nov. 11th and at the prompting of my wife, I went on an adoption site and saw Constantine. That was the Friday after Thanksgiving. I showed my wife and she said to apply so I did. I was accepted on Saturday and we went to meet him at the foster's home Monday evening and the rest is history. He came home with us that night and has melded into our family seamlessly. He and Tasha get along great and play all the time. And he truly is the sweetest little boy, ridiculously cute and hasn't got a mean or aggressive bone in his body. I truly believe that Socrates had something to do with it

The vet will see what's going on with your fur baby so know she's in good hands and they will do the best they can for her.

Sending

Positive thoughts

[Catkins]

Thank you both.


We have had my sisters dog overnight on a couple of occasions. He pesters our dog, he runs up to her and gets in her face then runs away, he keeps doing it until she snaps at him - which she never does normally.


We will see what happens with the blood tests and take things from there.

[.Poppy.]

I'm sorry, Catkins. I hope the blood tests bring good news and that your pup gets to feeling better. To my understanding there are several things you can do to help support kidney function; I had a Sheltie who had bad kidneys for a couple of years before he finally passed at a very old age. So all may not be lost, but I know how hard it is when we are worrying about our pups.

As to your sister's dog, I don't know what sort of behaviors he displays but my dog has a lot of behavioral challenges (and has had since he was a puppy, they are largely genetic/trauma based) and it can be really taxing. Training can help a lot too, but especially in my boy's case we've made a lot of progress but there will always be a high level of management too because it's just who he is. I know you wish you could help them, but I do think you are right in putting your girl first and there is nothing wrong with realizing something wouldn't be a good fit/would be more than you would want to take on.

[Darksky]

Poppy is right, there are a lot of meds that can be given to support kidney function. Also you can buy supplements too, although check with the vet to see if they interact with whatever meds are given. All is not lost

Its a shame about your sisters dog but it’s up to you whether you feel able to re train him and what the effect it will have on your existing dog.

Don’t feel bad about it. Concentrate on getting your own dog back up and running.

[Catkins]

Thank you both.


I'm trying to stay positive about our own dog, she's having blood tests today and to be honest, her symptoms have improved a little. I know at her age things are going to change, I just want her to enjoy the rest of her life.


After a weekend of fretting about my sisters dog I spoke to her last night. As is often the case with me I had made it into a much bigger deal than it was. She has decided to persevere with him as her ex-husband had been visiting this weekend and her dog had really responded well to his training so much so that she had a really lovely time with him and even took him into a cafe, where he behaved well. With that said, I did explain to her that us taking him wasn't really an option because of our own dogs health/age. I did say that we would still have him overnight etc if she needed us to, if she was away.


I'm focusing on our fur baby now, she is such a pleasure to have and has been such a comfort over the years, making her last years pleasant for her is the least I can do.

[Carnation]

It's because you don't want to let people down catkins.
I'm pleased the situation has been discussed so you can concentrate on your own. x

[Catkins]

Well the blood test results have come through, relieved that most things were absolutely fine. The only problem they found was that her liver enzymes were raised (I think that's right) which can suggest Cushings. So they have suggested another blood test to confirm. We've talked about it and decided to go with the test, if it's positive it'll mean a tablet a day for life. If it's not, I don't really know. Of course I googled, Cushings is caused by benign tumours on the adrenal glands/pituitary and surgery is an option, but to be honest we wouldn't want to put her through that. So I guess we'll just sit tight and wait and see what happens with the next tests.

[BlueIris]

Crossing fingers for you, it's so awful when you worry for them.