Searching For Answers - Nadir's Necropsy Report

[4My2Greys]

I had so many questions about the health issues that plagued Nadir and eventually brought on his death that I decided to have a necropsy done on him.. I needed to know if I had made the right decision to let him go when I did or did I short change him by not putting him in ICU and fight to extend his life. I also was hoping to find answers that might help others facing similar health issues with their greyhounds.

It took 3 months to get the final report back, but it tells me I had a very sick boy and I made the right decision not to force him to live for my own selfish reasons any longer. I also hope that this will help others who are dealing with unexplained urinary issues. No one, even the specialists, could tell me what why he was having the problems he was having. Lab work and ultrasounds didn't show anything that would account for what I best can describe as urge incontinence. I don't know how many times that it was attributed to a behavioral problem. I knew my boy though and knew this was not the case.

Below is the information from the report. As I suspected he did have IBD along with failing kidneys and heart.

 

Histopathdx

Marked glomerularosclerosis with focal capsular mineralization; multifocal lymphoplasmacytic interstitial nephritis with fibrosis

Marked pulmonary congestion

Mild myocardial adipose deposition

Marked splenic congestion; focal siderotic plaque

Marked hepatic congestion

Mild lymphoplasmacytic gastritis

Decreased exocrine pancreatic zymogen granules

Sections of brain, small intestine, and colon demonstrate no significant abnormalities

 

Comments:

The histopathological lesions in the kidney are consistent with chronic end-stage renal disease. There is histopathological evidence of some fatty deposition within the myocardium, which can been associated with cardiomyopathy. The widespread vascular congestion is consistent with cardiovascular insufficiency. The decreased granules in the exocrine pancreas are suggestive of recent anorexia.

 

If anyone has any thoughts or comments to expound on this information that may be of help to others please post them here.

[XTRAWLD]

I look at this and think you are so brave to have asked for this to be done and waited so long to get the result. <Big Hugs>

[NeylasMom]

This must be so painful for you all over again, but I hope knowing that you did the right thing letting him go brings you some comfort. Unfortuantely I can't help to interpret the results any further, although I do have to wonder if there still wasn't some underlying disease causing all of these issues that no one knew about. I just don't know enough about veterinary care to have any clue.

[Batmom]

"chronic end-stage renal disease" = You did your best for him and in the end you did the right thing. Chronic kidney disease with "glomerularosclerosis with focal capsular mineralization; multifocal lymphoplasmacytic interstitial nephritis with fibrosis" is something you cannot fix.

 

Hugs as you remember your sweet boy.

[Guest alannamac]

I am so sorry. Glad you have found closure and know you did your best for your baby. I too am waiting for autopsy answers with a terrible illness in my boy. Wishing you peace and comfort knowing you did what you could and your pup is at rest free from pain.

[MP_the4pack]

It is closure. I still question most of my decisions.

 

[Guest BlueCrab]

Very brave decision for you, and so sorry you lost your boy.

 

When my heart dog Otto died after a three-day battle with bloat, I struggled with the idea of having a necropsy done, as I *knew* there were other underlying problems in there that were never diagnosed, or that had been misdiagnosed. We decided not to do it, but all these years later I still wish I had. Re-living the heartbreak, yes, but I would have hoped it would answer questions.

[Rickiesmom]

Ah Judy, as hard as this was, I hope it brings you peace. {{{{{ Hugs }}}}}

[duncan41]

It's all related. His kidney disease most likely caused the cascade to heart related issues. Lorinda (3DogNite) can speak more to that. The "anorexia" was due to his lack of appetite. There was nothing you could have done differently..............not one thing.............that would have changed the outcome.

 

I hope you can bring yourself to a place of acceptance. I hope you can accept this for what it is and go to a place where you can think of Nadir and smile.

[greyhead]

Thanks so much for having the necropsy done and sharing the information with us. It's noteworthy that neither labs nor imaging had indicated a kidney issue of any significance.

 

You did everything right, Judy. I hope that helps.

[robinw]

Looks like he was very sick. You did your very best for him, especially towards the end

[greysmom]

{{{{{HUGS}}}}}

 

You did everything you possibly could have done. No one can do any more than that.

[45MPHK9]

I wish you peace.

[greytpups]

Hope you get comfort knowing you did all you could for Nadir.

[Guest MnMDogs]

I'm so glad you have some closure. You were a wonderful caregiver to Nadir.

[seeh2o]

I hope this gives you the answers you sought and some peace knowing your instincts were right. As a friend of mine who is a Pediatrician says, "Moms always know" when there is something wrong.

[Charlies_Dad]

I also agree there wasn't much more you could have down Judy. The kidney disease Alone was in final stages, you made the right choice even though I know it was very hard decision to make.

[forevergrey]

I think it's really good to have answers, and that you waiting so long and did not give up. You did the right thing by your boy. I can tell you from a human experience a good friend of mine passed away due to renal failure. The first thing that went was his appetite, he told be once that food had almost no taste to it when his kidneys started to shut down. Eventually the renal disease caused him to have serious heart problems-they were all connected. I think the symptoms with our dogs are not that different and the outcome is the same. So sorry.

[galgrey]

He was very ill with multiple issues. I hope this brings you some peace. You did everything you could possibly do.

[3DogNite]

It does just break our hearts all over again doesn't it!

Confirmation is always a comfort,, that you did all you could possibly do, for them and for you.

I'm sorry for your loss ----- i'm still so sad for loosing Lazer --- but I am put at pease knowing : no stone was un-turned

no curtain was pulled back,, no consultation went ignored.. as I'm sure you are!

 

we,,,, BOTH of us,, did all we could for our much LOVED ones. It's always tooooooo soon for them to go ---

 

My life was changed knowing, loving and taking care of Lazer --- i'm willing to bet yours was too, with Nadir.

 

i hope you both rest in peace with the knowledge of what the report holds.

 

Love never changes, it is un-ending and stays in our hearts forever.

in memory of Lazer and Nadir

have some cyber chocolate on me! it usually helps ,, just a little

[MerlinsMum]

 

Judy, I have been gone from GT for a long time and I am only just seeing this. I had no idea that you had lost Nadir, and that you had to experience so much anguish over the circumstances of his last illness. I am so terribly sorry. :grouphug

 

I'm thinking of you. I hope you can find a degree of peace from the results of his necropsy.

 

Big hugs to you.

[4My2Greys]

Thank you everybody for your kind thoughts. Although I know now that I made the only right decision in letting him go at that time I also know that my decision to have the diuresis done is what caused the catastrophic event that forced me to make that decision. Letting him go was something I had been keeping in the front of my mind and preparing for. I wish I could have given him the peaceful passing that I was able to give Bruiser.

 

I can't help to interpret the results any further, although I do have to wonder if there still wasn't some underlying disease causing all of these issues that no one knew about. I just don't know enough about veterinary care to have any clue.

This was the main reason I had the necropsy done. I waa really hoping to get some answers that would shed light on an underlying cause that was driving these issues. It's funny, even after his death I don't want to give up searching for something that may have helped him.

[carronstar]

This was the main reason I had the necropsy done. I waa really hoping to get some answers that would shed light on an underlying cause that was driving these issues. It's funny, even after his death I don't want to give up searching for something that may have helped him.

 

I am not sure that we ever give up searching. These dogs affect us so deeply, that any sense of not achieving perfection (because none of us fails them, we do our best in the moment) seems to haunt us for lack of better words.

 

Nadir knew you moved heaven and earth for him.

[3greys2cats]

You are so brave and I admire your persistence in wanting answers, it must have been like re-living it again seeing the report, big hugs to you.

[queenwinniesmom]

Hugs from me and Lydia too. :grouphug