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Laryngeal Paralysis In An Almost 13 Year Old


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Milky Way, almost 13, has been diagnosed with Laryngeal Paralysis. It's getting worse and worse and I'm facing a tough choice in the very near future. Our vets(one of whom studied at OSU and knows greys) DO NOT believe he is a candidate for surgery because his back end is also failing and getting weaker. His hind end issues have been ongoing and we've tried several things including steroid injections but nothing seems to really make a difference. In general all his nerves seem to be giving up :(

 

It's so heartbreaking because Milky Way is still very much alive, last night he wanted to go for a walk but barely made it to the end of the street before his breathing became so bad. He still eats, he still goes potty, and he still loves me so much. However he has trouble standing for longer than 1-2 minutes, has started to occasionally pee on his own leg, and when he is stressed his breathing is terrible, I'm SO scared he will suffocate; which the vets said is a real possibility. Thankfully I do have a very strong sedative injection to give him in case his breathing gets out of control.

 

Is there ever a time old age just wins?? Is it ok to let him go?? Milky Way is my first dog so I've never had to make this choice before. Any advice/ reassurance is appreciated.

Alicia and Foster Yoshi ( pit bull) 

Always in my heart: WV's Milky Way 6/25/2000- 4/22/2013, Hank ( St Bernard/Boxer) ???? - 10/3/2017 and Sweet Pea (English bulldog)  2004 - 6/19/2019

www.etsy.com/your/shops/MuttStuffnc

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My Sam is much in the same boat as your Milky Way. Ask your vet about Doxepin for the LP. It's been helping Sam.

 

As for your larger dilemma, I'm in the same boat as you. I've lost two girl greyhounds: one threw a blood clot, and the other was in the hospital, still failing after four days of treatment, and it was a much easier decision. With Sam (he'll be 13 in May), I'm afraid I'm hoping he'll just go in his sleep one night or that something really definitive--but not painful or scary--will happen to make the decision easier for me. It helps some that I'm working from home these days, so I'm not having to come home daily, hoping to find him fine.

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Kathy and Q (CRT Qadeer from Fuzzy's Cannon and CRT Bonnie) and
Jane (WW's Aunt Jane from Trent Lee and Aunt M); photos to come.

Missing Silver (5.19.2005-10.27.2016), Tigger (4.5.2007-3.18.2016),
darling Sam (5.10.2000-8.8.2013), Jacey-Kasey (5.19.2003-8.22.2011), and Oreo (1997-3.30.2006)

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No advice from my side.
Our boy Tex has the same issues, just not as bad yet.

For me there is are a few things I take in consideration and most important one is, if they has several good years with me, I rather be a week too early, than 5 minutes too late.
My personal preference is to let them go in peace, rather than when they are struggling for breath.
Others may disagree.

2 things I learned after all this time, dogs live by the day and they don't hold a grudge.

If I can let them peacefully go at a good day, I will.

To me that weighs more heavy than keeping them around for me.

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It's always an awful dilemma but when they have had a good life and the vets are saying a dog's prospects arent too good, there is no blame whatsoever in sonsidering euthanasia.

 

A vet wrote these guidelines:

 

"When Considering Euthanasia ask yourself these questions:

 

1) Is the dog free of distress, pain or discomfort, and could the pain be controlled?
2) Can the dog walk and balance fairly well?
3) Can the dog eat and drink without vomiting?
4) Is the dog free of inoperable tumours which are painful?
5) Can the dog breathe without difficulty?
6) Can the dog urinate or defecate without difficulty or incontinence?
7) Does the dog have an owner who is able to cope physically and
mentally with any nursing that may be needed?

If treatment is not possible then answering 'No' to any of those questions means there is no blame in having the dog put to sleep."

Next, ask yourself if it was yourself in your dog’s situation, would you actually wish to continue living? Better a day too soon than a day of misery too late.

 

Then ask your vet if they think it is time to consider letting the dog go. If not then how long and what to watch out for in the quality of life equation. :grouphug

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Why isn't he a candidate for surgery? I'm not suggesting that's it's not a difficult decision to proceed as I'm not sure there's a right or wrong answer here--I'm just unclear why you feel a weaker hind end would sway you from surgery.

It's a very tough call---the surgery could result with complications (aspiration pneumonia) and on the other hand the LP itself may in fact cause a life ending crisis.

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Guest MnMDogs

I'm not offering advice, but just want to share that Mork had tieback surgery at 11.5 (2 years ago now), and he is doing very very well. He also has LS, and is getting steadily weaker, but without the surgery, I think we would have had to let him go quite some time ago.

 

It's a very very difficult decision, and we were certain we would never have the surgery for him. Then we had a pretty scary event, and minds were changed.

 

Good luck to you and your boy.

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I lost my Logan to LP. Unfortunately, I did not learn what is was until months after he was gone. Evidently the emergency vet didn't recognize it either. It was terribly tragic and is a very painful memory for me. I agree with galogomom, it is better to let them go 5 minutes early than to see them suffer as my poor boy did.

Edited by win4profit
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I'm so sorry.......this kind of decision is the hardest thing ever.

I let my angel Kenton go on a "good" day.......but the night before was one of the worst nights ever,

and I told her I just could not bear to ever see her suffer so much again.

Blessed is the person who has earned the love of an old dog.

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As I often say in these types of cases, there is no right or wrong answer, just a personal decision based on what is best in your situation. However, like tbhounds, I have to wonder why an unrelated condition would make him not be a good candidate for tieback surgery. Is his hind end weakness so bad now that it, in itself, would make you consider euthanasia soon? If the laryngeal paralysis went away tomorrow (which would essentially be the case if he had a successful surgery), would his quality of life improve to where you'd feel you might have a good bit of quality time left?

 

This post is in no way meant to 'push' the option of surgery. I just feel that everyone should be well informed of all the options in order to make the most educated decision they can.

Jennifer &

Willow (Wilma Waggle), Wiki (Wiki Hard Ten), Carter (Let's Get It On),

Ollie (whippet), Gracie (whippet x), & Terra (whippet) + Just Saying + Just Alice

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IMO you should just sit down with Milky Way in the quiet and explain to him what the vet says all about his situation is and ask him what his desires are about treatment or not or when/how he crosses over. That is what I would do. Look in his eyes and listen to him. If you have trouble with it since you two are so close-and sometimes its just that way because of the emotions involved- I would have a good animal communicator help me. I just believe they are smarter and know more than we give them credit for and that they deserve to at least have their wishes considered. At any rate this has always helped us.

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Guest alannamac

Been there.....Bandit was about the same age too. Besides the hind end weakness, my decision was also influenced by the fact that he was terrified of the vet. A two day stay at an out of town vet facility and the possibility of many more vet visits from pneumonia issues post op were also a huge influence. But I must also say that helping him pass was one of the most difficult things I've done in my life and I still cry over it. The outcome was inevitable but me making the decision was absolutely awful. He was suffering and it was a kindness to let him go but I had no idea how awful the guilt would be until after he was gone. But also, in this case, I would make the same decisions again.

It's very personal at your pups age and you must consider both your pup's comfort and quality of life at his age and your own emotional health because this one's a toughie. LP is awful. Wishing you strength.

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Guest MnMDogs

Sorry for another post, but with our vet, we brought Mork home that night... He is also not good at the vet, and they thought he would best recover at home. By the next day (less than 24 hours after surgery) he was essentially normal.

 

We've also had no issues with aspiration in the 2 years since surgery. But all dogs are obviously different. Apparently there was a dog who had the surgery the same day as Mork, who immediately aspirated and was pretty sick for a while :(

 

Been there.....Bandit was about the same age too. Besides the hind end weakness, my decision was also influenced by the fact that he was terrified of the vet. A two day stay at an out of town vet facility and the possibility of many more vet visits from pneumonia issues post op were also a huge influence. But I must also say that helping him pass was one of the most difficult things I've done in my life and I still cry over it. The outcome was inevitable but me making the decision was absolutely awful. He was suffering and it was a kindness to let him go but I had no idea how awful the guilt would be until after he was gone. But also, in this case, I would make the same decisions again.

It's very personal at your pups age and you must consider both your pup's comfort and quality of life at his age and your own emotional health because this one's a toughie. LP is awful. Wishing you strength.

LP really is awful. Is so sorry you lost Bandit to it

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As I often say in these types of cases, there is no right or wrong answer, just a personal decision based on what is best in your situation. However, like tbhounds, I have to wonder why an unrelated condition would make him not be a good candidate for tieback surgery. Is his hind end weakness so bad now that it, in itself, would make you consider euthanasia soon? If the laryngeal paralysis went away tomorrow (which would essentially be the case if he had a successful surgery), would his quality of life improve to where you'd feel you might have a good bit of quality time left?

 

This post is in no way meant to 'push' the option of surgery. I just feel that everyone should be well informed of all the options in order to make the most educated decision they can.

Milky Way's back end sinks to the floor after only a minute of standing, he can hardly eat his food, sometimes I have to hold him up. So I could see that euthanasia could be a reality in the coming months regardless of the LP. Milky Way has had back issues for almost 3 years but we've managed it with meds and he's had a few steroid injections. Sadly now he seems to have hit a point where his end keeps getting weaker.

Alicia and Foster Yoshi ( pit bull) 

Always in my heart: WV's Milky Way 6/25/2000- 4/22/2013, Hank ( St Bernard/Boxer) ???? - 10/3/2017 and Sweet Pea (English bulldog)  2004 - 6/19/2019

www.etsy.com/your/shops/MuttStuffnc

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We had a 13 1/2 yr old live with us for only 2 months and we lost her to LP. We hoped we would have more time since the weather was still cool and the LP didn't seem too bad. Then one Sunday she had an episode and to see her gasping with her tongue turning blue was horrible. We got her to the vet and she actually started breathing better a block from the evet. Sadly her heart rate was 250 and with meds they could only get it down to 180. Every time she would start to come out of the drugs her heart would ramp back up and another episode would start. We loved her and kissed her and told her about all the dogs waiting to show her around the bridge and we said goodbye.

 

I miss her everyday but would make the same decision again. To see her suffering as she struggled to breathe was not what she wanted and was not the life I promised her. I told her I would protect her and love her until it was time. Then I would let her go with dignity and love. Your decision will be the right decision for you.

Mom to Bella, Trinity, Cricket, DB, Dabber and Sidewinder
As well as Gizmo, Miles, Pumba, Leo, Toby, Sugar, Smokey, Molly, Jasmine, Axel, Billy, Maggie-Mae, Duncan, Sam (MH King 2019), Bambi, Stella, Bay and "Gerty the cat" at the Bridge

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After doing more research and reading several old threads here on GT I put in a call to my vets and got an estimate on LP Tieback surgery. One of the vets at the practice we go to is a surgeon so they can do the procedure in house. The estimate was resonable and within our limit so pending nothing disasterous Milky Way is set for surgery next week.

 

Milky Way does have hind end weakness but he can still get up on his own, he still wants to play, go on walks, eat his food etc... I could not say goodbye, he isn't ready, he's still full of life. Thank you so much to everyone on here, your info, experiances, and points of veiw made me look at every angle.

Edited by kickchick2000

Alicia and Foster Yoshi ( pit bull) 

Always in my heart: WV's Milky Way 6/25/2000- 4/22/2013, Hank ( St Bernard/Boxer) ???? - 10/3/2017 and Sweet Pea (English bulldog)  2004 - 6/19/2019

www.etsy.com/your/shops/MuttStuffnc

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Sending good thoughts that Milky Way's surgery is a complete success.

Cynthia, & Cristiano, galgo
Always in my heart: Frostman
Newdawn Frost, Keno Jet Action & Chloe (NGA racing name unknown), Irys (galgo), Hannah (weim), Cruz (galgo), & Carly CW Your Charming

Princess http://www.greyhound-data.com/d?i=1018857

"It came to me that every time I lose a dog they take a piece of my heart with them. And every new dog who comes into my life, gifts me with a piece of their heart. If I live long enough, all the components of my heart will be dog, and I will become as generous and loving as they are." -- Unknown

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Sending good thoughts for Milky Way! :)

Kristin in Moline, IL USA with Ozzie (MRL Crusin Clem), Clarice (Clarice McBones), Latte and Sage the IGs, and the kitties: Violet and Rose
Lovingly Remembered: Sutra (Fliowa Sutra) 12/02/97-10/12/10, Pinky (Pick Me) 04/20/03-11/19/12, Fritz (Fritz Fire) 02/05/01 - 05/20/13, Ace (Fantastic Ace) 02/05/01 - 07/05/13, and Carrie (Takin the Crumbs) 05/08/99 - 09/04/13.

A cure for cancer can't come soon enough.--

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Guest MnMDogs

It's such a hard decision. Like you, we'd thought we'd never have tie back for Mork. But I'm so glad we did...feel free to PM me at any time if you have any questions. We're lucky in that we had zero complications.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hoping to hear good news on Milky Way.

 

Freshy (Droopys Fresh), NoAh the podenco orito, Rita the podenco maneta, Howie the portuguese podengo maneto
Angels:  Lila, the podenco, Mr X aka Denali, Lulu the podenco andaluz, Hada the podenco maneta, Georgie Girl (UMR Cordella),  Charlie the iggy,  Mazy (CBR Crazy Girl), Potato, my mystery ibizan girl, Allen (M's Pretty Boy), Percy (Fast But True), Mikey (Doray's Patuti), Pudge le mutt, Tessa the iggy, Possum (Apostle), Gracie (Dusty Lady), Harold (Slatex Harold), "Cousin" Simon our step-iggy, Little Dude the iggy ,Bandit (Bb Blue Jay), Niña the galgo, Wally (Allen Hogg), Thane (Pog Mo Thoine), Oliver (JJ Special Agent), Comet, & Rosie our original mutt.

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