sandra_slayton
Posted : 3/19/2006 10:44:45 PM
I am so sorry to hear this. Flatties are such wonderful dogs.
About this time 9 years ago my 12 year old Irish Setter was diagnosed with a very, very aggressive bone cancer in rear leg. He had started limping on Firday and I thought it was his arthritis. By the time I got him to the vet on Monday he was dragging that leg.
Well, our vet said we had 3 choices--amputate THAT DAT, don't amputate and probably by the end of the week he would not be eating or getting around and we could put him to sleep, or just let him die on his own. Our hearts said amputate, but he he was 12, he had arthritis in his shoulders, and for all we knew it could have already spread, or come there from elsewhere.
We decided to give him a few good days "at the beach" (any body of water was the beach to him, we didn't hve to take him to the actual beach.). I took him fishing every day that week. he swam, chased crabs in shallow water, ytried to catch shore birds--and developed a bunny hop and no longer drug that leg. We were giving him all the doggy no-nos like a little chocolate, nuts, etc. I took him in onFriday and my vet examined and him and said we didn't did have to do it yet.
This went on for exactly 10 week, with me taking him in twice a week. At home he was eating all the watermelon, cantaloups, tomatoes, lettuce, veggies, ice cream, cookies, browniesn, strawberry shortcake, bananasplits, ice cream, etc that he want. Instead of losing weight he gained. He never los his appetite. My vet could not understand it at all.
Then on July 8 he didn't spend as much time in the water swimming, nor chasing crabs and birds. He ate just fine that night. The next morning he went to get on the sofa and he fell. The cancer had gone into his shoulder..on the same side as in his rear leg. I didn't hesitate. I have him a big bowl of butter pecan ice cream and my son and wife took him for his last ride. I coudlnt, and almost called to tell my vet I changed my mind. But I could not do that to the old red man. He is buried out near our duck blind and his spirit can chase the birds and crabs all day.
I made the choice to let him go while he still had qaulity life. With it in his shoulder, he would not be able to have fun. As it was, he had fun til the end.