LennysMom

I am so sorry for your loss

I'm so sorry you are facing this decision. When we let Lenny go in December it was at home. I have a wonderful vet and she brought 2 techs with her to help with everything (in case I didn't want to hold him, to carry him). I'm so grateful that he got to be at home and our girls got to be there. The hardest part was waiting for the vet to come over - but I think the drive to the vet would have created the same feelings. I really wanted this for our other dogs and because he was having a hard time moving around. To answer how he left our home - He was wrapped in his blanket to be carried to the car so that was not upsetting for me. There was only a little mess but I threw away the bed he was on (at the time anything that reminded me of him being sick got tossed - I could only keep things that made him happy). I think going with your gut on what will make you and your dog most comfortable is the right answer. For me this was the only way - however reading other people's post that are for the vet I can see why that worked for them. My thoughts are with you

I am so sorry for your loss

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your condulences, it is a great comfort to know that we are in your thoughts!

It's taken me quite awhile to post this. I'm not a regular on this board but many here helped me when Lenny got sick so I feel the need to to let them know he has passed. He was just in too much pain and when DH had to carry him downstairs I knew it was time. I wrote a letter to him and I want to share it here. I just want others to know how amazing my Lenny was. My sweet boy, I will always remember the first time I saw you at your foster’s. I hadn’t seen many greyhounds and you with your ears slicked back prancing and slapping your paws around just made me giggle. When things calmed down and I really got to see you I saw that chuck of ear missing and I was a goner. I will always remember your first day home and the roommates thinking you were broken because you just stayed in your crate. The crate you wouldn’t go into with the big comfy cushion, you wanted just a blanket. I will always remember when you helped that scared little girl over her fear of dogs. You pretended to pay no attention to her while she worked up the courage to pet you from the butt up but I saw you watching her out of the corner of your eye the whole time, waiting for her to come to you. By the end she was bear hugging your neck and you got to give her your kisses. I will always remember your kisses. You were far too dignified to slobber on people but when asked for a kiss you’d stick that big long nose right in my face. I will always remember your crazy zoomies and tearing toys apart. I will always remember your battle with grandpa; he thought he could find a trashcan you couldn’t get into. He went so far as to spend $100 on one. I remember about a week later coming home and seeing it turned over and it never closed the same again, you could get your nose in there. Grandpa loved you so much all he did was shake his head and admit defeat. You weren’t a pushy dog but you always got your way. I will always remember you being there for me through heartaches, new adventures and all the happy times. How much you loved DH and how you two had time to bound. I will always remember your tolerance (to a point) with your sisters exuberate display of love for you. How during the last bit they could still get you to play for a minute. I will always remember how downstairs neighbors would comment to me that they would never know I had a dog until they would hear you thunder to the door barking because I came home. I remember no matter how bad a day I had seeing your happy face – happy just for the simple fact I was home – made me forget everything. I will always remember your eyes. How they went straight into my heart. Without question I knew when you happy, sad, thinking, mad at me. You would make me laugh when you’d tilt your head down and look at me from under your eyebrows to let me know you weren’t impressed with something I had done. All the techs at the vet commented on your eyes. How you would draw them to you while other dogs were jumping and barking you would get the most attention just by staring and being quiet. I could go on forever about all the pieces of you that made you my dog but most of all I just loved you. It was simple. I did my best for you and I hope you know how loved you were and how many you touched. I taught me so much about myself and I am forever grateful for having you in my life even if it was way too short a time. Thank you for the snow man on Christmas, I thought I was being ridiculous asking for snow in Las Vegas on Christmas as a sign that you were ok, but there it was. I know you are pain free now and I know when you got to the bridge there was a white haired man there with more food then you could ever eat. He had with him a golden who would love to play keep away with you. Watch over us with them until we are together again someday. Love, Mommy

Update in the first post

I've been going through a lot of digestive trouble with Lenny and my best advice is to go to an internal specialist. It's the best advice I got (and I got a lot of good advice). I have a wonderful vet but she just doesn't have the same training. hugs for Duke

Thank you so much for the prayers and comfort. He did eat a little last night and this morning and kept it down so without getting excited at least I know he's getting his appetite back. I am getting a lot of good advise here and will be talking to his vets and others to see what other options we have and what they mean for Lenny. So long as the vets agree that it is worth the effort and it wont make him worse we'll try anything. Also, thank you for for sharing your stories, they are a comfort. Luckydog, your words mean a lot, thank you

Update 12/3- I wanted to let those of you who have prayed and given advise for my boy that it turns out he does in fact have cancer - gastric sarcoma. There is also a spot on his liver. It isn't his regular vets fault that it was missed when we first biopsied 4 months ago. After much discussion and soul searching we are opting to make him as comfortable as possible until he is ready. Surgery was an option but the best the oncologist could tell us is possibly 8-12 months and that's it. Given his current state of health it would be a painful time for him and there were concerns about his recovery. If we did the surgery it would be for me and not for him. I wanted to thank everyone for their prayers. He is comfortable right now and his vet who loves him will come out to the house when it's time. I'm trying to keep it together for him and enjoy his time with us, but I am heartbroken. For a long time it was just he and I. He has been there with me through so much. Some of you may remember my boy was having a very rough time with IBD issues. We have tried everything including very helpful suggestions from caring people here The vet and I decided it was to the point where predisone was called for, since diet changes were not helping. Well, now it appears nothing is helping. We've been to the holistic vet also who, when she looked at his work up, agreed that predisone had been the correct step and started working with us to get everything on track to get him off. However nothing works, he'll have a few good weeks and then a huge set back which leaves him thinner then before. My handsome boy is just wasting away. Everyone who sees us walking must want to take him away, and I don't blame them, he looks like a skeleton. On his good weeks I can see the fight in him to get better and he gains some weight. We moved in with my DH and his 2 girls (dogs, not kids) and Lenny seemed to blossom for a few weeks. Even though he's a grumpy old man I think he really loves the girls. But now its a bad week - the worst he's been through - and I feel so selfish putting him through this. I can tell he's miserable but then I think about the good week and how he seems to have so much time left. Our holistic vet said she had some other things to try but at what point am I putting him through more than I should? When am I not putting him first? I made a promise to him that I would be brave enough to let him go when it was the right time and now I'm not sure I can. I told DH that I would speak with both vets and put everything we had into this week and see where we are. DH is having a very hard time with it too, but is leaving any decisions to me. I just needed to get this out somewhere where I've been supported before. Thanks so much for reading

My thoughts are with you and Della, I know the frustration of not knowing what to feed your dog to make them better. It seems so rudimentary but it can be so complicated. Many hugs and prayers!

Lots of prayers and hugs for Piper

Yay for good news! Keep it up Saul!

Thank you all again for wishing us the best! That's actually where we started with this whole thing and I totally agree prednisone should be a last option, unfortunately we're there. A few months ago we started changing diet, medicines, I actually got a really great diet from a forum member here and it worked for about a month and then he became worse then before and would not eat. That's when I opted for the scope since his symptoms moved away from IBD a bit and the vet thought it was cancer when she saw his stomach. I will definitely try to ween him back off but right now he has lost too much weight and really can't afford to lose anymore. I know he's been in a great deal of pain so I feel, at the moment, I am choosing the lesser of 2 evils. I totally understand your concern and thank you for your advise! He's still a bit picky, I'm hoping in about a week I'll be able to introduce more foods.

I just got the news from the vet! It's a severe IBD (which is not so great news) so his vet does want to start a predinsone cycle. It's what I was initially trying to avoid when this all started but right now is just a huge relief. I feel bad that it's gotten this bad while I was working with it but at least I have a definite answer now and I can get him feeling better and gaining weight. The vet is willing to work on different diets to hopefully get him off predinsone in the future. Thanks so much to everyone who lent their support and prayed for my boy

I'm very sorry for your loss