carronstar

I am so very sorry. Fly fast and free, Misha.

Keeping you and your boy in my thoughts and prayers.

How is your pup doing?

A bad tooth could well explain why she hasn't wanted to eat. Did your vet never once check her mouth through all of this? Aquitaine had a dental surgery last August for an abscessed tooth. She was much happier and felt better afterward.

That sounds like a great update! Keep up the good progress, Peggy!

85% chance is good. Keeping you in my prayers. It can be so hard to see them when they are not feeling 100%. You are just about at the halfway point to see improvement.

As everyone has said, those numbers look good. Is Snow eating her new food? My vet is homecare, he owns his practice, he used to be an oil trader and still trades for himself. He does well for himself and went back to vet school once he had made his money. He was my neighbor when he was a trader. He knows that as a lowly admin at a bank, I don't earn much but would move heaven and earth for my girl. He has been very good to us over the years. When he told me he wanted to come back in his next life as my greyhound, I knew he understood me. Vets in practices that are not their own don't have his leeway on the discount, meds at cost, etc. I am so exceptionally thankful for his kindness. I know how the bloodwork costs, meds, etc. add up. A second opinion could potentially save you that money, plus hours of worry. I hope you get much better answers at your appointment.

Adding good thoughts for your pup.

Sending prayers.

This. I was thinking this morning that Snow might be picking up on your feelings of frustration, despair, concern, etc. I would be surprised if you were eating, you have been through a real roller coaster the last few months. Hearing the specialist opinion yourself, and seeing how they are with the dog and you is so important. Just hearing the decision/impression second hand from your vet leaves it open to interpretation. As my vet said at the beginning of Aquitaine's PLN/CRF journey, when he referred me to a specialist, it is the best money to be spent on the journey. She now has two vets who manage and monitor her care and her progress. Thankfully, I only have to pay the specialist when I see him, and my own vet is very generous with his time and discounts. You may very well get better news than your vet has led you to believe.

This. For the greater part, compassion is the norm. However, the continued lack of compassion and negative comments are truly wearing and not necessary. Aquitaine is my first CRF girl but I my plan is similar to yours in that when she stops drinking I will send her to the bridge. I lost my last girl to a status seizure that started when she was alone in our apartment. I won't have Aquitaine go through that if I can help it. I love the list of foods that might work today, but perhaps not tomorrow. I also endorse the liver sprinkles. There are days when A is slow to start eating but I just sprinkle those (I crushed dehydrated liver treats) on top and her hoover instincts kick right in...unless she wants to play me for more sprinkles! You love your girl, you can be trusted to do what is right for her. We will all be here to support you.

Another heart hurting here for you. Holding you both in my thoughts and prayers.

Please don't take this as a flame, or bashing you, or anything else, I beg you. This is just a question because I think your current vet is doing you a disservice and is making you doubt yourself and he/she is not doing what is best for Snow. So, here goes, Do you need someone to take Snow? You have any number of truly knowledgable people on here telling you that Snow isn't in kidney failure yet your vet has her on a very high dose of Enalapril and is only willing to sanction and restricted kidney diet. It feels like this vet is caring for your wallet more than your dog. Please, don't anyone else flame me either.

Better is good!

Aquitaine ate Innova Senior kibble for about 4 years before we switched to the kidney foods. She LOVED it. I can only imagine what she would have thought of the canned version! She thinks canned food is a gift from the gods. Info for the canned: Ingredients Turkey, Turkey Broth, Chicken Broth, Chicken, Salmon, Brown Rice, Whole Eggs, Potatoes, Carrots, Herring, Apples, Natural Flavors, Apple Fiber, Guar Gum, Cottage Cheese, Alfalfa Sprouts, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Pumpkin, Inulin, Sodium Phosphate, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Chondroitin Sulfate, Herring Oil, Sunflower Oil, Vitamins/Minerals Analysis: Crude Protein6.00% Crude Fat3.00% Crude Fiber3.60% Moisture78.00% <> $25 per case from Pet Food Direct, $2 a can is a great price. They discount on auto-ship. Dry version: Turkey, Chicken, Chicken Meal, Barley, Brown Rice, Potatoes, Rice, Chicken Fat, Natural Flavors, Flaxseed, Apples, Sunflower Oil, Carrots, Herring Oil, Egg, Cottage Cheese, Alfalfa Sprouts, Pumpkin, Dried Chicory Root, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Direct-Fed Microbials, Chondroitin Sulfate, Rosemary Extract, Lecithin, Vitamins/Minerals Analysis: Moisture (max) 10.00% Crude Fiber (max)3.00% Crude Protein (min)26.00% Crude Fat (min) 10.00% <> Benefits: Same Innova ''Fresh-From-The-Five-Food-Group'' blend of ingredients Specifically formulated for the Large and Giant Senior Dog Precisely controlled levels of calcium to phosphorus Appropriate ratio of Protein to Fat Omega 3 Fatty Acids from both Fish Oil and Flaxseed Added Naturally Occurring Microorganisms With added Chondroitin and Glucosamine So Complete and Balanced that supplementation is discouraged For Senior Large Breeds from 7 years and older $61.99 for 30 pounds. Not cheap but still a lot less than the prescription diet! There are many other good senior foods, this just happens to be the one I have used. As I have said before Fresh Pet, which you can get at the grocery store, has low enough phosphorous for your (our) needs. JohnF, thanks for that list. Even though Aquitaine is in good shape, zoomies and bounces, there is still a part of me that panics that I am going to lose her any minute. That list reminds me that since not one of those items applies to her, I can remember to breathe and truly enjoy every day with her.

Aquitaine is definitely in kidney failure and she was successfully operated on last year as one of her bad teeth had wrapped the roots around a vein which caused her to hemorrhage. She had several extractions the same day. Board certified dentist. It was expensive. I know the one that my friends use in CT is also board certified and bot as costly as mine. Not NYC pricing! I know one of the vets suggested back in February was Cornell Specialty Vet in Stamford. Please,talk to them. Cuvs.org They are also an emergency service but you need a specialist at least for an initial diagnosis.

I am going to have to agree with everyone who says you need a new vet. This has been an ongoing issue for months and the only answer seems to be put the dog down. Her bloodwork has not indicated renal failure. What your vet doesn't seem to care about is that if that if Snow doesn't eat Snow will die. It is most important right now just to get her to eat. A lot of the indications now seem to be that good high quality protein is okay to give a kidney dog. There is still also information saying very low-protein. I wish they would make up their mind. Definitely very low phosphorus is needed. Fresh Pet is good and their phosphorous is low enough. Ground beef or turkey is also good. At this point, the meat like substance from McD's would be good. I am on my phone now so it is hard to look but I will find the name of the vet that Lauren gave you a few months ago. We were both asking her brother so the answer is the same one.

Fly free, Nellie.

Godspeed.

Godspeed.

I am so very sorry. Godspeed, Pepper.

Oh, Pam. I promise you the honor guard was there to welcome him. No matter how good a mother you are to a poodle, they are still poodles and they will do what they want to do. You have the grace to let that happen. You gave Poodle the most wonderful life. Godspeed, Poodle.

Big, big hugs.

Pam, you know I am holding you, Poodle and Barkley in my heart this morning. You have given each other such beautiful times.

Magical Burp Dog crumbs. Or do they lose their magic for him? Maybe some scrambled eggs would tempt him.