[Run Free, Sweet Girl]

So sad when we have to let them go, but a blessing that there is the peaceful euthanasia option when they need it. None of us who truly love our dogs will ever actually let them go at anything other than the right time. As my vet said to me when it was near Angel's time: "Only you could possibly know your dog well enough to be able to decide."

Maybe your girl will get to meet my Angel, Mona, Misha and Kerry there at the Bridge. Hopefully the natural healing process that is 'Grieving when you don't hold anything back' will soon return happy memories of your girl to be the first things that come to mind when you think of her; and maybe too you can teach future dogs all the things you enjoyed learning about together.

There's a bittersweet little poem called "The Legacy" on my Angel's photo gallery at PBase.

http://www.pbase.com/johnfr/fast_angel

[I Have Another Dog In Renal Failure]

How awful. I've lost 3 dogs to this awful disease and each case has been different. One went very quickly, the middle one over 12 weeks and the last one over about 2 years. You can only try to treat the dog and not the numbers.

If you have not already done so please visit:

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/K9KIDNEYS

it is just about the best resource for canine kidney care on the Internet and may offer something that can prolong the quality of Biscuit's life. www.dogaware.com also has some of the latest info on the disease.

There is no blame in letting them go early or late with a disease like CRF. I've always tried to wait until there was actual kidney failure, after not eating anything meaningful for about a week and before the vomiting got too bad and the seizures started.

Prayers for Biscuit and yourself at this difficult time.

[Rain]

It can indeed be quite 'interesting' getting them to go out to toilet in the rain. Defintely take them out in the morning shortly after they've got up and/or just after they've had their breakfast. I would swear that mine says to herself: 'If I have to go out and get wet then HE is going to have to wait around out there and get wet too'. With Peggy letting out into the back yard when it's reaining is a waste of time... I have to put her on a leash and take her to her places. With a new dog you must do this and wait just as ling as it takes.

Peggy actually enjoys walking in moderate rain and has a Blizzard brand coat for the cold weather and a high visibility flourescent light waterproof coat for the warmer weather. I have learned to buy them 1" above the correct size so that they keep the water properly off the dog's rear end (this might not work with anything other than the well-fitting Blizzard brand).

[Add The Salad Spinner To The List]

My last one, Angel, so hated the sound of the garden water tap being turned on that I changed it for a new one to stop it squeaking. But it was really the hose she disliked and the squeak was a vital early warning.

With our latest addition, Peggy, I've been careful to send out calming signals for anything new or scary that might have been happening. I even got her to go up wooden beach steps the other day using that method - took less than 5 minutes. After a year it is only the vacuum cleaner that makes her leave the room, I don't think she's scared just that she hates the noise it makes the same as I do.

(There's an article on Calming Signals at Turid Rugaas site which will come up straight away if you Google for it)

[How Often Do You Walk Your Grey?]

Our Peggy is about 2.5 years of age now and she has been with us since March last year. Her normal exercise is a 45min walk on leash along small town roads in the morning, a slightly longer one in the park in the late afternoon with some off leash time there if she meets her friends (I like the walking exercise too and off leash is god for her but not for me). Then in the the evening there's a 20 minute stroll around the block.

She can run around in the back yard but I've had to put plenty of lawn grit down when the weather got wet and she started to wear the surfce into mud. My last dog died at age 14 and I'd forgotten what a mess they can make when young and active.

Anyway... Peggy was not let off leash in public until I'd had her for about 4 months. she's not as bad at turning her hearing off as my Borzois were and will turn her head to look when I call and return for a treat, but to get her back instantly requires throwing her favourite squeaker toy in front of me. She likes walking in the rain, loves a light covering of snow, doesn't dislike the sound of thunder but seems to know when it's going to hail and refuses to go out. Each dog is so different.

[Anyone Fighting Kidney Failure/disease]

I'M NOT GIVING UP!!!

 

going to look for different food, ones that were suggested here.

apt next week with a specialist.

more anit-nausea pills and/or pepcid to help his poor tummy

 

in the mean time,,, keeping my fingers, toes, and eyes crossed that he finds something yummy wants to eat!!!

 

Thanks for all the advise!

 

Unfortunately I know just what a roller-coaster ride it can be looking after a dog with CRF. I've lost 3 to it over the years and each case has been different in terms of how the disease progressed. I think it is important that you treat the dog and not necessarily the lab test numbers. My last one had signs of CRF for about 2 years and she died at 14. I'd just like to share a couple of sites that helped me enormously. http:www.//pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/K9KIDNEYS - probably the best canine kidney resource on the internet today, and also the very clear information about CRF at www.dogaware.com.

Don't give up on your dog until the kidneys have actually failed, there is plenty you can do to help make their life comfortable and enjoyable. Good luck.