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Farewell Deimos

Guest beezelbarb

By Guest beezelbarb
in Remembrance

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Guest beezelbarb

Guest beezelbarb

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I haven't posted much here over the years, but I've popped in now and then during a crisis, or to research an issue, or just to rub elbows with some other greyt lovers once in a while. I know this is a community that will understand and support our loss.

 

Yesterday we had to put our 9.5yo greyhound Deimos to sleep. A week and a half ago things were pretty normal. The evening of November 3, I came home late. Hubby had already fed the animals and I went to let the dogs out. I glanced at Deimos and something was just not right. It took a minute for my eyes to catch up with my brain and to realize what was off - he was the wrong shape! He looked like a sausage; a fat greyhound. The first thing that crossed my mind, of course, was bloat. But he didn't have any other signs of bloat. We both have been vet assistants in the past, so we tend to monitor a situation first. We waited until morning, and he seemed a little better, and we fasted him for the day. He loved food and was pretty bummed out that everybody else got to eat. But by Thursday night we knew this wasn't going to resolve on its own. He came up on the bed and snuggled his bony bum against me the entire night - very unusual for him - hogging all the covers and pretty much leaving me about 6 inches of room. I had him at the vet by 8 a.m.

 

An x-ray and an ultrasound later we were faced with a grapefruit size, rapidly growing blood-filled mass - probably Hemangiosarcoma. We had to wait until Tuesday to do an ultrasound-guided biopsy. Impossibly, it came back Thursday negative for cancer cells, with a big qualifier: The lab couldn’t guarantee that it was a good sample (even though the vet was certain he’d gotten right into the tumor). And maybe it wasn't a Hemangiosarcoma after all, because those tend to shed a lot of cells. So we were faced with a very hard choice: to operate on the chance that it really was not an aggressive cancer, in spite of all other signs to the contrary: his rapid deterioration in just over one week, his very low protein levels, how fast the tumor changed in size and shape within a few days, and the look of the tumor itself during the ultrasound; or to not operate and to help him die. It was agonizing not to just go in there and rip the offending mass out! But I feel we did the best thing for him with the information we had, and we had not only our gut feelings, but the analyses and advice of two very experienced and trusted vets to rely on. By Friday evening, he was in quite a bit of discomfort and by Saturday morning he didn't finish his food and started vomiting and drooling. We knew that we didn't want to let him suffer over the rest of the weekend. My heart says, "What if it really was benign and we could have given him a few more years of life?" My brain says, "He had all the signs of a fast growing cancer and you acted with compassion and let him die with dignity."

 

This has been a tough year - in February I lost my oldest friend, my cat Connecticut, and we lost another cat in April. Now my attention turns to our remaining animals: 4 cats, Caesar the parrot, Bubba the pug (12.5, lots of health issues, and probably will leave us soon as well), and Ruby the greyhound. We were worried about how Ruby would take it - we got Ruby through GPA the year after Deimos and they immediately seemed joined at the hip. Ruby's a year older, but has always acted younger. So far she seems fine - in fact, she's been quite playful with her stuffies over the last few days. Did she already know that he was dying and is just being stoic about it? I know she spent a long time sniffing him after his last vet visit - reading the story of the vet's office. Does it not really matter to her all that much? None of my animals have ever seemed to outwardly grieve much for their lost brother and sisters. Sometimes they get a little extra lovey for a few days - but then again there's now a little more room for extra attention. What is your experience with greyhounds who have lost other greyhounds?

 

The only thing that is helping me get by right now is writing about losing him. Here is a remembrance I posted on my blog earlier this week:

http://beezelbarb.wordpress.com/2010/11/09/waiting-loving-remembering/

 

and a follow-up

http://beezelbarb.wordpress.com/2010/11/13/an-empty-bowl/

 

Thanks for listening, GreyTalk

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robinw Greyaholic

robinw

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I'm so sorry for your loss. Those were two beautiful tributes to a dog that was well loved. flowers_red.gif

siggy_robinw_tbqslg.jpg
Xavi the galgo and Peter the cat. Missing Iker the galgo ?-Feb.9/19, Treasure (USS Treasure) April 12/01-May 6/13, Phoenix (Hallo Top Son) Dec.14/99-June 4/11 and Loca (Reko Swahili) Oct.9/95 - June 1/09, Allen the boss cat, died late November, 2021, age 19.

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Batmom Greyaholic

Batmom

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I'm so sorry for the loss of your curly-tailed boy.

 

Godspeed, Deimos.

Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in Illinois
We miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.

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Houndtime Greyaholic

Houndtime

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I am so sorry for your loss. Take comfort in knowing that Deimos is at peace, pain free and running once again with the wind.

Irene Ullmann w/Flying Odin and Mama Mia in Lower Delaware
Angels Brandy, John E, American Idol, Paul, Fuzzy and Shine
Handcrafted Greyhound and Custom Clocks http://www.houndtime.com
Zoom Doggies-Racing Coats for Racing Greyhounds

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GreyPoopon Greyaholic

GreyPoopon

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I'm so very sorry. :cry1 If it's any consolation, I think I'd have made the same decision.

 

Godspeed Deimos.

Standard Poodle Daisy (12/13)
Missing Cora (RL Nevada 5/99-10/09), Piper (Cee Bar Easy 2/99-1/10), Tally (Thunder La La 9/99-3/10), Edie (Daring Reva 9/99-10/12), Dixie (Kiowa Secret Sue 11/01-1/13), Jessie (P's Real Time 11/98-3/13), token boy Graham (Zydeco Dancer 9/00-5/13), Cal (Back Already 12/99-11/13), Betsy (Back Kick Beth 11/98-12/13), Standard Poodles Minnie (1/99-1/14) + Perry (9/98-2/14), Annie (Do Marcia 9/03-10/14), Pink (Miss Pinky Baker 1/02-6/15), Poppy (Cmon Err Not 8/05-1/16), Kat (Jax Candy 5/05-5/17), Ivy (Jax Isis 10/07-7/21), Hildy (Braska Hildy 7/10-12/22), Opal (Jax Opal 7/08-4/23). Toodles (BL Toodles 7/09-4/24)

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Guest kar

Guest kar

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I am so sorry for our loss. I just lost doug due to a cancerous bone sheath tumor on friday night. I know my other two greys were very aware that there was something wrong with him they kept sniffing at the exact spot. I know they miss him as everytime I am out they are looking for him to come back with me. I know the pain you are in loosing your beautiful grey. Again I am deeply sorry.

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Guest beezelbarb

Guest beezelbarb

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Thank you. I'm very sad to hear about Doug. Hugs to you and your other greys.

 

I am so sorry for our loss. I just lost doug due to a cancerous bone sheath tumor on friday night. I know my other two greys were very aware that there was something wrong with him they kept sniffing at the exact spot. I know they miss him as everytime I am out they are looking for him to come back with me. I know the pain you are in loosing your beautiful grey. Again I am deeply sorry.

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duncan41 Greyaholic

duncan41

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I am so very sorry for your loss. :f_red

Linda, Mom to Fuzz, Barkley, and the felines Miss Kitty, Simon and Joseph.Waiting at The Bridge: Alex, Josh, Harley, Nikki, Beemer, Anna, Frank, Rachel, my heart & soul, Suze and the best boy ever, Dalton.<p>

:candle ....for all those hounds that are sick, hurt, lost or waiting for their forever homes. SENIORS ROCK :rivethead

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