Carolyn
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 Canada
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« Reply #25 on: April 23, 2008, 11:48:54 AM » |
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Today is the day when I have to face the death of our intelligent, sweet, wonderful 8 year old American Bulldog because not only do I have no more money to pay for the thousands of dollars of vet fees just to see if he could live longer, but because he will die anyway even with the surgery.
He is only 8 years old, a wonderful, intellignt being we adopted at one year old. It seems it is Mast Cell cancer on his face below the cheek bone.
To remove all the cancer cells requires removal of a great deal of the surrounding area, but on his face the amount to be removed would be most of that side of his face. Then what?
I am so upset that money stands between his being able to have medical treatment and perhaps survive and being put to death because I don't have the money.
In the last few years I've spent thousands of dollars on him and his buddy, our old yellow Lab.
He shattered his knee a couple of years ago, and had surgery and a metal implant to keep his leg together. That took a year of my life to go through all that involved. I was glad to be able to have him back on his four feet and running around.
The Lab, and I suspect the lousy inbreeding he came from, was also adopted, and is a purebred registered Lab. He has so many medical conditions, its another huge cost that is draining all my money.
He has a hypothyroid condition, an eye disorder,
allergies, arthritis. He is 10, and aging rapidly.
Had to pay to have both neutered when we adopted them, and both have chronic conditions requiring medication daily. I just got a $150 bottle of Metacam to relief the arthritic pain and inflammation for our Lab.
Now this ugly growth on our beloved American Bulldog's face. It has all the signs of being mast cell cancer common to his breed.
Even if I had the money, is it right to put him through surgeries, radiation, and all that? He is terrified of anything to do with vets, due to what he went through with his knee surgery.
These two darlings are my 24 hour a day companions, they are such comfort and make me laugh, and are as you would know, incredible souls.
But in the end, its the realising I have to face that only money stands between their deaths, earlier deaths than necessary, and their being able to be treated and have additional good years.
But then that goes for us humans too.
The other side of the issue is, even if I had the money, would I put him through this long, painful difficult cancer treatment ? He is terrified of anything medical, since he had the $5,000 knee repair and surgery.
Even if I had the money, would it be right to put him through even more painful surgery and have his face all deformed from surgery, and in the end, maybe dying from this cancer anyway?
At what point do we have to be kind to our darling pets and just let them go.?
He is so frightened by anything medical now, that putting him through all the tests, examinations, surgeries, would stress him so badly, and then to find he has a terminal cancer anway?
No matter when the time comes to say goodbye to these wonderful, amazing beings, its just horrible.
But here's the catch. I don't want them to outlive me, I am in my early 70's, and they would never understood where I went.
All things come to an end, we just never think of it, until its in our face. The bond between us humans and these wonderful souls is beyond understanding, we know how strong it is when one of us dies.
Better then before me. I am sobbing sickeningly miserable right now.
Even if I had the money, it would be selfish of me to put J. through all this surgery and pain and fright.
The prognosis for this kind of cancer especially on the face is really poor.
News about stupid Ontario Canada laws about alleged "pitbulls":
My "J" is always been surmised to be a pitbill by his appearance...
In Toronto a six month old dog is isolated in a pen at a facility awaiting court hearings.
The dog got out of its yard, and caused no one harm.
The stupid breed specific law in Ontario was challenged and the "looks like a .." part of it was struck down, as was the requirment to be able to force a vet to make judgements on whether it is a pitbull or not.
The puppy was "arrested" and jailed in isolation now for months.
Where is the uproar?
Anyway, my beloved white blonde "J" is lying asleep beside me, as I type, and the thought of losing him especially at such a young age is really tearing me apart.
Even if I had the money I have to ask, "Would all that medical stuff be for me or for him?" since the prognosis is so poor even with surgery.
C
I have no more. I live on a pension, and have spent thousands of dollars on their care in the last few years, and now, it seems this cancer (mast cell carcinoma on his muzzle) will kill him.
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