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Whats the matter with my dog?????!
- Thread starter ErikCLDR
- Start date
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Well, I just talked to my mom whos at the intensive care vet. One test came back pointing towards he likely has aplastic anemia (where the bone marrow stops producing blood cells) or "a fatal disease" that my mom forgot the name of.
Aplastic anemia can go away on its own, and its also treatable using blood transfusions and immune system depressing drugs and antibiotics (if his immune system is attacking itself which I thought the doctor ruled out but I guess not
)
Its amazing how quickly you can spend $3500 and they don't even know what is wrong entirely.
Aplastic anemia can go away on its own, and its also treatable using blood transfusions and immune system depressing drugs and antibiotics (if his immune system is attacking itself which I thought the doctor ruled out but I guess not
)Its amazing how quickly you can spend $3500 and they don't even know what is wrong entirely.
What a beautiful dog it is. It looks extremely happy with you and it would apparently seem devastating if you did lose him.
Aaahhh. I have a boxer and she is great. I can see what everyone is talking about with how they love their pets. If she falls over, everyone gasps and rushes to her aid. How is Mooch's personality?? We were going to get a rescue Boxer but got told not to because they are normally too boistrous and human hating.
Aaahhh. I have a boxer and she is great. I can see what everyone is talking about with how they love their pets. If she falls over, everyone gasps and rushes to her aid. How is Mooch's personality?? We were going to get a rescue Boxer but got told not to because they are normally too boistrous and human hating.
Mooch's personality is GREAT.. He loves anyone and anything- especially babies.. There's no doubt he has some issues, but it's part of his personality.. We joke that it's because he did 'hard time' at the kennel..LOL... He growls, but he kisses our faces up and down with his trademark boxer wiggle butt going a mile a minute.. He's a great dog..
Here's a little homepage thing I put together messing around a year or so ago..
http://homepage.mac.com/jemeinc/PhotoAlbum3.html
Erick,
Thanks for the update- keep everyone posted like you have been- we're all pulling for him..
My dog is being put on neoral cyclosporene to treat his condition because they think he has aplastic anemia. For now the treatment is free because someone donated the medicine to the hospital.
The doctor is hoping putting him on this medication will revive his bone marrow's production of blood cells. She said that most people at this point put their dog down because the cost is so high.
He's on 600/mg a day. Through some research 50 100mg pills = almost $700. Thats about $85 a day for 600mg.
He may only have to be on the meds for a week or a month, but it could be for the rest of his life
Luckily my parents have good enough jobs to support this cost and I am thankful at this time they're not putting him down. In the past 2 days they've spent over $4000. Up until now they didn't even know pet insurance existed, and apparently you can't get it if your dog has a preexisting condition.
If we ever do have to put him down, I want to take him to the beach, by far his favorite place in the world.
edit: I am finding prices on the drugs that would make it only $22 a day.
The doctor is hoping putting him on this medication will revive his bone marrow's production of blood cells. She said that most people at this point put their dog down because the cost is so high.
He's on 600/mg a day. Through some research 50 100mg pills = almost $700. Thats about $85 a day for 600mg.
He may only have to be on the meds for a week or a month, but it could be for the rest of his life
Luckily my parents have good enough jobs to support this cost and I am thankful at this time they're not putting him down. In the past 2 days they've spent over $4000. Up until now they didn't even know pet insurance existed, and apparently you can't get it if your dog has a preexisting condition.
If we ever do have to put him down, I want to take him to the beach, by far his favorite place in the world.
edit: I am finding prices on the drugs that would make it only $22 a day.
Way to read the thread...
ErikCLDR,
I too hope your dog gets better. Please let us know how things turn out.
Wow, I hope your dog gets better.
If it absolutely comes to putting him down, do as you suggested, and take him to his favorite place. I took my dog to Mt. Magizine (Mountain about 100 miles or so from us) when she had to be put down (stomach cancer).... She loved the view...crying just thinking about her...
Let's hope and pray it doesn't come down to that
If it absolutely comes to putting him down, do as you suggested, and take him to his favorite place. I took my dog to Mt. Magizine (Mountain about 100 miles or so from us) when she had to be put down (stomach cancer).... She loved the view...crying just thinking about her...
Let's hope and pray it doesn't come down to that
Wow, I hope your dog gets better.
If it absolutely comes to putting him down, do as you suggested, and take him to his favorite place. I took my dog to Mt. Magizine (Mountain about 100 miles or so from us) when she had to be put down (stomach cancer).... She loved the view...crying just thinking about her...
Let's hope and pray it doesn't come down to that
Wow. Thanks for putting this thread in your signature. It means a lot.
I've always thought about what I would do if we ever had to put him down. I would definitely take him to the beach. It's absolutely his favorite place in the world. He loves the ocean- playing in the surf. For some reason he never liked our pool. Lets hope it doesn't come to that in the near future.
Thanks everyone for the support. I'll keep you guys updated.
I forgot to say that his name is Max. And if all goes well tonight and tomorrow he might be coming home tomorrow night.
It must be a huge relief that they more or less know what Max has, and have started a treatment. I'm really glad your family has the financial means to deal with it, and good for you for finding the drug cheaper!
Pets can be very expensive when they get sick - one of my Guinea pigs had surgery on the inside of his eyelids recently - over $500!
Pets can be very expensive when they get sick - one of my Guinea pigs had surgery on the inside of his eyelids recently - over $500!
I'm sat here at work reading this thread with tears in my eyes!
I really, really hope your dog makes a full recovery. I've had a dog my entire life and loved every one like family.
We've only had 3 dogs in about 38 years. Our first, Bess (a border-collie cross) lived to 17, then Chloe lived (a bit of a 'Heinz 57' mongrel - a bit of whippet, collie, etc.) for 16, and our current dog, Lottie (a blue merle Sheltie/Black labrador cross) is 11.
It's horrible to find that your pet's ill. Lottie's been diagnosed with mitral valve insufficiency - basically one of her heart valves is weak. The hot weather back in August caused her to have several attacks, which are terrifying to see happen. She's on a regimen of tablets to reduce the fluid build-up caused by her heart condition. Although she's not the dog she was this time last year (she's so, so skinny now - and she'd always been quite solid), she's still happy - enjoying her walks, rolling about on the carpet and belting off down the garden to chase squirrels. Of course, all those activities are interspersed with some nasty coughing fits, but she only has one of her attacks months apart now.
I think the important thing is that you know your dog. You know when they're coping, when they're happy... and when it's too much for them. Like another poster said, animals do tend to hide their illnesses, so look for key signs like them being off their food. Lottie's not quite as much of a pig as she once was, and can't finish her usual-sized meals, but she still asks for her dinner on-time, and tries to get away with begging for our food
Lottie's had 7 months since she first became ill. We have good days and bad days, but the good ones outnumber the bad. I hope I'll be able to know when 'the time' is, but it's not today
Here's a photo album of Chloe and Lottie, and (so they don't feel left out!) our house rabbits!
I really, really hope your dog makes a full recovery. I've had a dog my entire life and loved every one like family.
We've only had 3 dogs in about 38 years. Our first, Bess (a border-collie cross) lived to 17, then Chloe lived (a bit of a 'Heinz 57' mongrel - a bit of whippet, collie, etc.) for 16, and our current dog, Lottie (a blue merle Sheltie/Black labrador cross) is 11.
It's horrible to find that your pet's ill. Lottie's been diagnosed with mitral valve insufficiency - basically one of her heart valves is weak. The hot weather back in August caused her to have several attacks, which are terrifying to see happen. She's on a regimen of tablets to reduce the fluid build-up caused by her heart condition. Although she's not the dog she was this time last year (she's so, so skinny now - and she'd always been quite solid), she's still happy - enjoying her walks, rolling about on the carpet and belting off down the garden to chase squirrels. Of course, all those activities are interspersed with some nasty coughing fits, but she only has one of her attacks months apart now.
I think the important thing is that you know your dog. You know when they're coping, when they're happy... and when it's too much for them. Like another poster said, animals do tend to hide their illnesses, so look for key signs like them being off their food. Lottie's not quite as much of a pig as she once was, and can't finish her usual-sized meals, but she still asks for her dinner on-time, and tries to get away with begging for our food
Lottie's had 7 months since she first became ill. We have good days and bad days, but the good ones outnumber the bad. I hope I'll be able to know when 'the time' is, but it's not today
Here's a photo album of Chloe and Lottie, and (so they don't feel left out!) our house rabbits!
My mom woke me up this morning to tell me he died last night. He wasn't responding to any of the meds they gave him.
He was a great dog. Out of all the dogs I have had or have known well, he had more personalty and character than any of them. He always knew what you were telling him.
He was a great dog. Out of all the dogs I have had or have known well, he had more personalty and character than any of them. He always knew what you were telling him.
I'm so sorry. At least you know he was with professionals who were doing everything they could for him.
I'm really sorry... hope you and your family are OK.
remember to keep things in perspective, it really is better for him not to be alive than suffering greatly as he might had if the meds didn't help him.
The memories of the good times you had together will always stay with you
remember to keep things in perspective, it really is better for him not to be alive than suffering greatly as he might had if the meds didn't help him.
The memories of the good times you had together will always stay with you
Well I know for sure that he would rather be in doggie heaven then being locked up inside for weeks while the medicine took full effect. Thats what would have happened had he responded to the meds. There is nothing more that he loved than running around outside, chasing birds and squirrels and planes. Sometimes to show off, if you went outside, he would pretend to go chase something. When we went to the beach he loved to prance in the waves and would do it all day if he had the chance. Being penned up for weeks would have broken his heart. He was getting old too, starting to get a tad arthritic, and couldn't do all the chasing he did in his youth.
I feel really bad for my sister though, she was really close to him too but she's studying in ireland so she hasn't seen him in so long, and will never be able to again.
Thanks everyone for your support, I really appreciate it.
I feel really bad for my sister though, she was really close to him too but she's studying in ireland so she hasn't seen him in so long, and will never be able to again.
Thanks everyone for your support, I really appreciate it.
My mom woke me up this morning to tell me he died last night. He wasn't responding to any of the meds they gave him.
He was a great dog. Out of all the dogs I have had or have known well, he had more personalty and character than any of them. He always knew what you were telling him.
So sorry to hear that, Erik
It's so tough when something like this happens suddenly. I'm certain from how you've written about him that your dog had a fantastic love- and fun-filled life.
