Pep talk: Sick pets
July 13, 2024 8:42 PM Subscribe
I am completely burned out with my three pets and their chronic issues. Please help me gain some perspective, give advice, or ideas on how to deal with this, and the angles I might want to pursue.
Please understand that I love my animals but am also tired of the constant issues. Also note that they are under vet care and I am actively working with their vets and specialists to figure things out. Winston is our chocolate lab who is almost 9 years old. Every two weeks (sometimes more frequently) he will go two or three days of throwing up his entire meal. It's not a scarf and barf. He'll eat his meal like usual and then 4-6 hours later he will empty his stomach. It all looks like soggy kibble. He will throw up in the middle of the night, often, sometimes multiple times. This is exhausting. Vets cannot figure out what his issue is. We've tried different foods. When this first started, he was x-rayed for obstructions. None were found. I can't figure out his barfing pattern. He doesn't get into things (is extremely closely monitored). His labs are normal. He is a good weight.
Next up is Pirta, my 13-year-old Maltese whose vet file is as fat as Atlas Shrugged. She has IBD, which at the moment is well-managed. However, she has gone completely deaf in the past year or so, is going blind (bumps into things), the vets think she probably had a minor stroke within the past 9 months. She is a shell of the cute, funny, smart little girl she used to be. Now, she just wanders the house looking for crumbs on the floor. She is on thyroid medication. Well managed. She is a chronic pee-er, in the house. We have tested for just about everything under the sun to figure it out. She pees about 15 times a day in the house (thankfully, she's mindful enough to use pee pads 80% of the time). She often goes outside, pees, comes back in and not even two minutes later will pee again, so it's not a matter of her getting outside enough. I let the dogs out probably 50 times a day. No matter what, she'll pee outside and then come in and pee more throughout the day inside. She also has luxating patellas and often throws herself out of whack causing days-long limping episodes spurring urgent care visits and prescription pain meds and anti-inflammatories. She has a gastroenterologist vet, primary care vet (we've recently changed), and her regular urgent care vet - none can figure out her peeing. All her labs are normal except an elevated liver enzyme that has always been slightly elevated (since birth).
Kelso is our orange tabby. He is about 6 years old. He barfs multiple times a day. He is not snarfing and barfing. He eats like a gentleman and then throughout the day will throw up his kibble, brownish liquid, and small hairballs (like really small). His labs are normal. He's an excellent weight, excellent muscle tone. He's on a prescription food for sensitive and digestive issues and a hairball goo that we put on his paw for him to lick off. Nothing makes a difference. He's still throwing up multiple times a day. Oops, hold on he just threw up on my bed. Kelso also suffers from chronic runny eyes and stringy snot that he sneezes out a few times a day. He was on some medication for this, which lessened these symptoms but as soon as he was off them, he's back to the sneezing and watery eyes.
I'm at my wit's end. My quality of life is crap. I'm cleaning up barf multiple times a day from multiple animals, cleaning up pee pads and washing floors multiple times a day. Furniture has been ruined. We no longer have any carpets in the house, thankfully. I'm often up many times at night tending to Winston who has these barfing episodes. I'm tired. We've spent so much money on trying to figure all of these animals out and nothing is panning out (I do have to at least be grateful that Pirta's IBD is currently well-managed because when it wasn't I was also cleaning up dog diarrhea around the house).
I'm coming to you asking humbly for suggestions on angles I could try to better their health. Maybe there's something I and the vets have overlooked and should consider. I'm also asking for some commiseration and maybe some uplifting words to help me keep going. All of this has been ongoing for years. I'm so tired. As a family, we haven't been able to go on vacations or to visit family together. One of us always has to stay behind because finding an animal sitter for these unwell pets is so cost prohibitive and hard to find. We were able to go out of town for two days a few weeks ago but had to cut our time short because one of the animals became significantly unwell. It's also hard to leave them knowing it might stress them out and cause more issues and it's hard to leave them with someone knowing how much work and mess it is.
Please understand that I love my animals but am also tired of the constant issues. Also note that they are under vet care and I am actively working with their vets and specialists to figure things out. Winston is our chocolate lab who is almost 9 years old. Every two weeks (sometimes more frequently) he will go two or three days of throwing up his entire meal. It's not a scarf and barf. He'll eat his meal like usual and then 4-6 hours later he will empty his stomach. It all looks like soggy kibble. He will throw up in the middle of the night, often, sometimes multiple times. This is exhausting. Vets cannot figure out what his issue is. We've tried different foods. When this first started, he was x-rayed for obstructions. None were found. I can't figure out his barfing pattern. He doesn't get into things (is extremely closely monitored). His labs are normal. He is a good weight.
Next up is Pirta, my 13-year-old Maltese whose vet file is as fat as Atlas Shrugged. She has IBD, which at the moment is well-managed. However, she has gone completely deaf in the past year or so, is going blind (bumps into things), the vets think she probably had a minor stroke within the past 9 months. She is a shell of the cute, funny, smart little girl she used to be. Now, she just wanders the house looking for crumbs on the floor. She is on thyroid medication. Well managed. She is a chronic pee-er, in the house. We have tested for just about everything under the sun to figure it out. She pees about 15 times a day in the house (thankfully, she's mindful enough to use pee pads 80% of the time). She often goes outside, pees, comes back in and not even two minutes later will pee again, so it's not a matter of her getting outside enough. I let the dogs out probably 50 times a day. No matter what, she'll pee outside and then come in and pee more throughout the day inside. She also has luxating patellas and often throws herself out of whack causing days-long limping episodes spurring urgent care visits and prescription pain meds and anti-inflammatories. She has a gastroenterologist vet, primary care vet (we've recently changed), and her regular urgent care vet - none can figure out her peeing. All her labs are normal except an elevated liver enzyme that has always been slightly elevated (since birth).
Kelso is our orange tabby. He is about 6 years old. He barfs multiple times a day. He is not snarfing and barfing. He eats like a gentleman and then throughout the day will throw up his kibble, brownish liquid, and small hairballs (like really small). His labs are normal. He's an excellent weight, excellent muscle tone. He's on a prescription food for sensitive and digestive issues and a hairball goo that we put on his paw for him to lick off. Nothing makes a difference. He's still throwing up multiple times a day. Oops, hold on he just threw up on my bed. Kelso also suffers from chronic runny eyes and stringy snot that he sneezes out a few times a day. He was on some medication for this, which lessened these symptoms but as soon as he was off them, he's back to the sneezing and watery eyes.
I'm at my wit's end. My quality of life is crap. I'm cleaning up barf multiple times a day from multiple animals, cleaning up pee pads and washing floors multiple times a day. Furniture has been ruined. We no longer have any carpets in the house, thankfully. I'm often up many times at night tending to Winston who has these barfing episodes. I'm tired. We've spent so much money on trying to figure all of these animals out and nothing is panning out (I do have to at least be grateful that Pirta's IBD is currently well-managed because when it wasn't I was also cleaning up dog diarrhea around the house).
I'm coming to you asking humbly for suggestions on angles I could try to better their health. Maybe there's something I and the vets have overlooked and should consider. I'm also asking for some commiseration and maybe some uplifting words to help me keep going. All of this has been ongoing for years. I'm so tired. As a family, we haven't been able to go on vacations or to visit family together. One of us always has to stay behind because finding an animal sitter for these unwell pets is so cost prohibitive and hard to find. We were able to go out of town for two days a few weeks ago but had to cut our time short because one of the animals became significantly unwell. It's also hard to leave them knowing it might stress them out and cause more issues and it's hard to leave them with someone knowing how much work and mess it is.
Have any of the three animals stayed anywhere not at your house in the last few years? If so, did their symptoms change at all?
Your cat and chocolate lab are both barfing, and your third pet has IBD which is again, symptoms relating to irritation of the intestinal tract.
It seems weird to me that 3 animals of 2 different species would just coincidentally have similar symptoms.
Is it possible that all three animals are reacting to some kind of environmental allergen/toxin/poison?
I'm guessing you've already changed any of the foods that all three have access too, but treats? Pot plants? Toys?
For problems in your house, has there been any pest treatments (insects, rodents etc) in a part of the property they have access too? Something in the garden, soil, or carpets?
Do they have some kind of parasite/infection which they've passed onto each other/are reinfecting each other with??
posted by Elysum at 9:54 PM on July 13 [9 favorites]
Your cat and chocolate lab are both barfing, and your third pet has IBD which is again, symptoms relating to irritation of the intestinal tract.
It seems weird to me that 3 animals of 2 different species would just coincidentally have similar symptoms.
Is it possible that all three animals are reacting to some kind of environmental allergen/toxin/poison?
I'm guessing you've already changed any of the foods that all three have access too, but treats? Pot plants? Toys?
For problems in your house, has there been any pest treatments (insects, rodents etc) in a part of the property they have access too? Something in the garden, soil, or carpets?
Do they have some kind of parasite/infection which they've passed onto each other/are reinfecting each other with??
posted by Elysum at 9:54 PM on July 13 [9 favorites]
Sounds to me like Pirta has a chronic, probably bacterial infection that is causing her IBD, and is trying to establish itself in Winston and Kelso but so far without success
posted by jamjam at 10:03 PM on July 13 [1 favorite]
posted by jamjam at 10:03 PM on July 13 [1 favorite]
Oh wow. This is so tough. This is a LOT to deal with. I echo the suggestions that there might be something in your house or yard that is causing these reactions in your pets. That the dog and cat are both throwing up is an odd coincidence.
My only thought is to try to go on vacation or board one of them or visit family with one or more of them or something, and see if it helps. Really think through what's in their environment that might be making them sick.
Also, do you or any humans in the house have any kind of health issues? Could there be a connection?
Poor Pirta. Are you looking for someone to suggest it might be time to say goodbye to her? It doesn't sound like she has a very good quality of life. Winston is getting to be an older dog too.
Sometimes vets suggest this path, and sometimes they will try intervention after intervention. It can be compassionate to choose the time and place of our beloved pets' deaths. It's okay to make this decision.
posted by bluedaisy at 10:15 PM on July 13 [7 favorites]
My only thought is to try to go on vacation or board one of them or visit family with one or more of them or something, and see if it helps. Really think through what's in their environment that might be making them sick.
Also, do you or any humans in the house have any kind of health issues? Could there be a connection?
Poor Pirta. Are you looking for someone to suggest it might be time to say goodbye to her? It doesn't sound like she has a very good quality of life. Winston is getting to be an older dog too.
Sometimes vets suggest this path, and sometimes they will try intervention after intervention. It can be compassionate to choose the time and place of our beloved pets' deaths. It's okay to make this decision.
posted by bluedaisy at 10:15 PM on July 13 [7 favorites]
I'm so sorry you're going through this. When I was dealing with my chronically ill IBD cat I was also at my wits end, and you're dealing with that times three. I can't imagine how stressful and frustrating it must be.
Are all 3 being seen by the same vet for their issues? Have they looked at them as a single problem, vs 3 separate problems? The fact that all 3 are chronically sick with GI issues seems a little suspect.
For a concrete suggestions, I'd suggest separating them as much as possible. Pirta could possibly be managed with puppy strategies, ie keeping her in a area where her peeing doesn't cause much damage - an X-pen (something like this) and a washable pee pad (something like this). And this would keep her from the others, possibly reducing transmission of whatever might be ailing them all.
For my own chronically pukey and snotty cat, we basically live off of Cernia for the nausea and rounds of antibiotics every few months for the persistant upper respiratory issues. It doesn't cure things, but it keeps the symptoms at bay. Some cats just have chronic upper respiratory things, and it is what it is. Mine's 15 and its been this way since she was a kitten. Have you tried anything like this yet for Kelso yet?
For Winston, has the vet suggested a very very bland diet of just white rice and boiled chicken yet? If it's a (non-chicken) allergy, it should help identify that and give his tummy a rest. If he's puking that as well, it may give the vets other clues.
Again, I'm so sorry... I truly hope you find a solution soon!
posted by cgg at 10:27 PM on July 13
Are all 3 being seen by the same vet for their issues? Have they looked at them as a single problem, vs 3 separate problems? The fact that all 3 are chronically sick with GI issues seems a little suspect.
For a concrete suggestions, I'd suggest separating them as much as possible. Pirta could possibly be managed with puppy strategies, ie keeping her in a area where her peeing doesn't cause much damage - an X-pen (something like this) and a washable pee pad (something like this). And this would keep her from the others, possibly reducing transmission of whatever might be ailing them all.
For my own chronically pukey and snotty cat, we basically live off of Cernia for the nausea and rounds of antibiotics every few months for the persistant upper respiratory issues. It doesn't cure things, but it keeps the symptoms at bay. Some cats just have chronic upper respiratory things, and it is what it is. Mine's 15 and its been this way since she was a kitten. Have you tried anything like this yet for Kelso yet?
For Winston, has the vet suggested a very very bland diet of just white rice and boiled chicken yet? If it's a (non-chicken) allergy, it should help identify that and give his tummy a rest. If he's puking that as well, it may give the vets other clues.
Again, I'm so sorry... I truly hope you find a solution soon!
posted by cgg at 10:27 PM on July 13
Response by poster: To answer some very good questions: Winston was a breeder dog for a guide dog organization and would go to their facility for breeding opportunities. His last stint was over three years ago. His symptoms did not change even though he was there about three weeks.
All food has been changed, adjusted, etc. Dogs are fed twice a day and have no access to any other food. Cat is free fed kibble (it is out of reach of the dogs). We do not give edible treats due to everyone's finicky constitutions. Toys vary but there's nothing really remarkable or worrisome there. No allergens/toxins/poisons that I'm aware of nor any pest treatments. No carpets in the home. The dogs especially are closely closely monitored and have a controlled outdoor environment. They are attached at my hip in the house and have close to zero opportunities to get into things in the yard.
Pirta's IBD is called lymphangiectasia and I am hesitant to think that it is something that the other animals can get.
No human health issues in the home. I'm not necessarily looking for suggestions to say goodbye per se, however, it has crossed my mind. No one is necessarily in pain, so it's hard for me to consider it. But, I don't know which realistic avenues to pursue at this point and maybe I should consider end of life protocols.
posted by Sassyfras at 10:28 PM on July 13
All food has been changed, adjusted, etc. Dogs are fed twice a day and have no access to any other food. Cat is free fed kibble (it is out of reach of the dogs). We do not give edible treats due to everyone's finicky constitutions. Toys vary but there's nothing really remarkable or worrisome there. No allergens/toxins/poisons that I'm aware of nor any pest treatments. No carpets in the home. The dogs especially are closely closely monitored and have a controlled outdoor environment. They are attached at my hip in the house and have close to zero opportunities to get into things in the yard.
Pirta's IBD is called lymphangiectasia and I am hesitant to think that it is something that the other animals can get.
No human health issues in the home. I'm not necessarily looking for suggestions to say goodbye per se, however, it has crossed my mind. No one is necessarily in pain, so it's hard for me to consider it. But, I don't know which realistic avenues to pursue at this point and maybe I should consider end of life protocols.
posted by Sassyfras at 10:28 PM on July 13
Best answer: Sassyfras, I'm sorry that you're going through this. You have two beloved old dogs in poor health, and that's rough.
I'm going to say it's ok for you to let your little Pirta go now. Just because she isn't in significant pain doesn't mean that she's not having quality-of-life issues. Her issues are not minor, and it's affecting your family hard.
I believe that pets deserve our care and respect, and they are not disposable, but that doesn't mean that we have to bankrupt ourselves financially or spiritually for them. Sometimes we persist in keeping animals alive simply because we can. The phrase 'living their best life' is often tossed around, but it doesn't appear to apply to Pirta at this point. She doesn't sound happy. Right now, you remember many years when she was a sweet and funny companion. Wouldn't you prefer to have that as your final memory as opposed to remembering that for the reminder of her life, she was a "shell of the cute, funny, smart little girl she used to be" and how much bad the situation was for both of you? 12-15 is a goodly lifetime for a Maltese in terms of age. She's had a good run. Letting her go now would allow you to have more time, money, patience, and breathing space to care for your other friends.
Winston is a big dog, and old age is hard on big dogs (and their owners.) 8 is considered senior age for a lab. Some labs can live into their teens, but other dogs age faster than others--especially those who have had chronic health conditions for years. It sounds like Winston is still kicking along despite his problems, but you don't mention what his demeanor is like. Is he still happy dog 'living his best life'? Give him a chance to live that life, but also allow him the dignity of a good death, when you decide that time comes. I will tell you that although have I grieved at having my companions and friends gone, and that I always will feel my time was too short with them, I have never regretted the decisions I have made to let them go when I did. I let them go without having to be in misery. I honored them by being with them at their death.
Kelso (great name) is a young cat and he's going to be kicking around for a long time, hopefully, and hopefully not puking continually that whole time.
I live in a rural area, and my cats are indoor/outdoor cats. Metafilter in general hates outdoor cat owners, and I refuse to debate the issue. My cats are necessary as mousers. However, I do agree that an urban pet cat shouldn't be an outdoor cat for Good Reasons. But I know cats really do love to be outside, and perhaps if you built a catio for Kelso that would keep some of the puke outside (and off the bed) as well as entertain him? My vet told me cats eat grass when their stomachs are upset, for constipation, and perhaps even for vitamins. My 60 years worth of cats have all happily nibbled grass, and I think it actually works to keep the puking in check. Maybe you could either have a catio that extends out over grass or grow cat grass in a pot for Kelso?
You sound like you're doing the best you can for your buddies. Whatever decisions you make for them will be the right ones.
posted by BlueHorse at 12:18 AM on July 14 [24 favorites]
I'm going to say it's ok for you to let your little Pirta go now. Just because she isn't in significant pain doesn't mean that she's not having quality-of-life issues. Her issues are not minor, and it's affecting your family hard.
I believe that pets deserve our care and respect, and they are not disposable, but that doesn't mean that we have to bankrupt ourselves financially or spiritually for them. Sometimes we persist in keeping animals alive simply because we can. The phrase 'living their best life' is often tossed around, but it doesn't appear to apply to Pirta at this point. She doesn't sound happy. Right now, you remember many years when she was a sweet and funny companion. Wouldn't you prefer to have that as your final memory as opposed to remembering that for the reminder of her life, she was a "shell of the cute, funny, smart little girl she used to be" and how much bad the situation was for both of you? 12-15 is a goodly lifetime for a Maltese in terms of age. She's had a good run. Letting her go now would allow you to have more time, money, patience, and breathing space to care for your other friends.
Winston is a big dog, and old age is hard on big dogs (and their owners.) 8 is considered senior age for a lab. Some labs can live into their teens, but other dogs age faster than others--especially those who have had chronic health conditions for years. It sounds like Winston is still kicking along despite his problems, but you don't mention what his demeanor is like. Is he still happy dog 'living his best life'? Give him a chance to live that life, but also allow him the dignity of a good death, when you decide that time comes. I will tell you that although have I grieved at having my companions and friends gone, and that I always will feel my time was too short with them, I have never regretted the decisions I have made to let them go when I did. I let them go without having to be in misery. I honored them by being with them at their death.
Kelso (great name) is a young cat and he's going to be kicking around for a long time, hopefully, and hopefully not puking continually that whole time.
I live in a rural area, and my cats are indoor/outdoor cats. Metafilter in general hates outdoor cat owners, and I refuse to debate the issue. My cats are necessary as mousers. However, I do agree that an urban pet cat shouldn't be an outdoor cat for Good Reasons. But I know cats really do love to be outside, and perhaps if you built a catio for Kelso that would keep some of the puke outside (and off the bed) as well as entertain him? My vet told me cats eat grass when their stomachs are upset, for constipation, and perhaps even for vitamins. My 60 years worth of cats have all happily nibbled grass, and I think it actually works to keep the puking in check. Maybe you could either have a catio that extends out over grass or grow cat grass in a pot for Kelso?
You sound like you're doing the best you can for your buddies. Whatever decisions you make for them will be the right ones.
posted by BlueHorse at 12:18 AM on July 14 [24 favorites]
Definitely doggy diapers for your older gal. I agree with the folks above suggesting that it might be time to let her go, although first step would be to talk to your vet about palliative care to see if they have suggestions to bring her some comfort and joy while you think over your options. Sometimes pain meds can help a pet express a bit of their lost personality and help their people figure out what to do, for example.
The puking in the other two does seem suspect. My previous precious perfect stinky boy Korben the cat had lifelong IBD that meant very particular foods and lots of hairball maintenance but still a house full of puke spots and outrageously smelly poops. Thing is, it was also lymphoma, but the treatment in cats for lymphoma is practically the same as for cat IBD, until the symptoms really progress. We didn’t know it was definitely lymphoma until after he died, but his ultrasounds showed all the classic symptoms of chronic IBD so it was a one things leads to the other kind of situation. I would suggest, if you can afford it and if you haven’t already, getting your cat an abdominal ultrasound. If there are signs of IBD you might try steroid therapy to help him, and if there are no signs and all his blood work etc is normal that points to something environmental. Obviously, discuss with your vet. Bonus: they usually shave the cat’s tummy and it’s funny at first and then grows back in supper suedey soft and wonderful to pet if Kelso lets you touch the coveted tummy. He might also benefit from some anti nausea meds, which aren’t really intended for long term use but I’ve known cats who take them near daily for years and been fine, and they are generally very effective.
As for your lab, I wonder if it could be anxiety induced puking? Have you tried anxiety meds or other ways of keeping him mellow? Some dogs, especially larger ones, just have the most sensitive nerves and stress-puke. Thunder shirt, maybe? Even if he is typically a cheerful lab with you, he might act or feel very differently when you are out of his immediate perception. Or if it’s not separation anxiety it could be any number of other things.
It really is terrible when the pets we love and care for begin to impact our quality of life so drastically. It sounds like maybe you are the one who feels the greatest obligation in your family and are having to wrangle all three of your pets issues all the time? I wonder if you could discuss some clear divisions of labor with the rest of your household. Like maybe, if you are on 24/7 puke cleaning duty, someone else is on 24/7 dish duty, you know? Take a step back and see what the balance is.
posted by Mizu at 2:45 AM on July 14
The puking in the other two does seem suspect. My previous precious perfect stinky boy Korben the cat had lifelong IBD that meant very particular foods and lots of hairball maintenance but still a house full of puke spots and outrageously smelly poops. Thing is, it was also lymphoma, but the treatment in cats for lymphoma is practically the same as for cat IBD, until the symptoms really progress. We didn’t know it was definitely lymphoma until after he died, but his ultrasounds showed all the classic symptoms of chronic IBD so it was a one things leads to the other kind of situation. I would suggest, if you can afford it and if you haven’t already, getting your cat an abdominal ultrasound. If there are signs of IBD you might try steroid therapy to help him, and if there are no signs and all his blood work etc is normal that points to something environmental. Obviously, discuss with your vet. Bonus: they usually shave the cat’s tummy and it’s funny at first and then grows back in supper suedey soft and wonderful to pet if Kelso lets you touch the coveted tummy. He might also benefit from some anti nausea meds, which aren’t really intended for long term use but I’ve known cats who take them near daily for years and been fine, and they are generally very effective.
As for your lab, I wonder if it could be anxiety induced puking? Have you tried anxiety meds or other ways of keeping him mellow? Some dogs, especially larger ones, just have the most sensitive nerves and stress-puke. Thunder shirt, maybe? Even if he is typically a cheerful lab with you, he might act or feel very differently when you are out of his immediate perception. Or if it’s not separation anxiety it could be any number of other things.
It really is terrible when the pets we love and care for begin to impact our quality of life so drastically. It sounds like maybe you are the one who feels the greatest obligation in your family and are having to wrangle all three of your pets issues all the time? I wonder if you could discuss some clear divisions of labor with the rest of your household. Like maybe, if you are on 24/7 puke cleaning duty, someone else is on 24/7 dish duty, you know? Take a step back and see what the balance is.
posted by Mizu at 2:45 AM on July 14
I'm sorry this is happening, it sounds horrible. I don't have much helpful to say except if Pirta was my dog I would, with love, choose to euthanise her at this time. Sounds like she has lived a full life and is now no longer comfortable.
posted by latkes at 4:37 AM on July 14 [9 favorites]
posted by latkes at 4:37 AM on July 14 [9 favorites]
My sweet Henry (cat) was a serial puker. Under the vet's advice, we started adding Pepcid AC (famotidine) to his food. It made a HUGE improvement, was cheap, and was easily added to kibble or wet food. Your cat is still young - it would be worth exploring.
Sending internet hugs to you - I've been where you are with 4 cats in various states of health and cleaning up hour after hour. There are no easy answers.
posted by XtineHutch at 6:07 AM on July 14 [5 favorites]
Sending internet hugs to you - I've been where you are with 4 cats in various states of health and cleaning up hour after hour. There are no easy answers.
posted by XtineHutch at 6:07 AM on July 14 [5 favorites]
I’m sorry you’re going through this. We’ve got 2 (formerly 3) senior doggies in our house with all their symptoms. We look forward to taking trips again someday.
The service we had for the euthanasia of our 17-year-old has this useful quiz to help suss out your pet’s quality of life. A good rule of thumb is also to think of Activity, Appetite, and Affection, and does your pet have at least 2 of these?
posted by Drosera at 6:08 AM on July 14
The service we had for the euthanasia of our 17-year-old has this useful quiz to help suss out your pet’s quality of life. A good rule of thumb is also to think of Activity, Appetite, and Affection, and does your pet have at least 2 of these?
posted by Drosera at 6:08 AM on July 14
Best answer: Have you tried splitting up Winston’s meals a few hours apart? My dog had this same pattern of vomiting and that was the solution.
posted by rhymedirective at 6:27 AM on July 14 [3 favorites]
posted by rhymedirective at 6:27 AM on July 14 [3 favorites]
I'm not necessarily looking for suggestions to say goodbye per se, however, it has crossed my mind. No one is necessarily in pain, so it's hard for me to consider it.
I understand completely. From another perspective, Pirta's quality of life seems like she is not enjoying anything. I often gently remind people on Ask that our dogs do not value time the way we do, and sometimes while it is hard for us, the kindest thing for the dog is to give it a gentle ending.
In terms of just looking at the peeing, is she spayed? If so has she been assessed for Leaky Bitch, aka estrogen-responsive urinary incontinence in ovariohysterectomized dogs? It can be helped with a drug called Incurin which is very effective in most cases. I can't imagine this was not the first port of call for your vet, but just in case, they should be willing to try her on it for six weeks as there isn't a practical downside to giving estrogen to a 13-year-old dog.
posted by DarlingBri at 6:30 AM on July 14 [3 favorites]
I understand completely. From another perspective, Pirta's quality of life seems like she is not enjoying anything. I often gently remind people on Ask that our dogs do not value time the way we do, and sometimes while it is hard for us, the kindest thing for the dog is to give it a gentle ending.
In terms of just looking at the peeing, is she spayed? If so has she been assessed for Leaky Bitch, aka estrogen-responsive urinary incontinence in ovariohysterectomized dogs? It can be helped with a drug called Incurin which is very effective in most cases. I can't imagine this was not the first port of call for your vet, but just in case, they should be willing to try her on it for six weeks as there isn't a practical downside to giving estrogen to a 13-year-old dog.
posted by DarlingBri at 6:30 AM on July 14 [3 favorites]
My dog was a pretty consistent puker and it seems to have gotten much better once we put her on a "sensitive stomach" food that doesn't contain chicken. We suspect she is mildly intolerant to chicken protein, which is in most commercially available dog foods. I assume you've already barked up this tree, but just in case, I figured I'd mention it.
posted by potrzebie at 9:16 AM on July 14
posted by potrzebie at 9:16 AM on July 14
My sister's cats were geriatric puke machines (and one had a skin condition they could never get under control), and she spent a decent portion of her day cleaning up after them. She'd done everything she could think of, they were on a special diet, etc., but when she got sick and then died, we couldn't find anyone who wanted to take care of them, including the person who'd agreed to take them with a decent financial stipend for their unique care needs. Fortunately, one of her old friends all the way in North Carolina came out to the San Diego and took them home with her, and it was just...like a switch had been turned off. They both stopped barfing, the one's skin condition disappeared, and we were baffled. Her vet suggested they had just been...allergic to Southern California. And that wasn't a thing that seemed to be testable for. It's taught me a lot about thinking outside the box when I've had foster dogs going through things like that.
I'm not saying this is a possibility for your pets, but there might be things that seem undetectable. There's a lot of better suggestions above, but I thought I'd throw this out just in case there might be some kind of general allergy stuff going on related to environment.
posted by kitten kaboodle at 1:50 PM on July 14 [1 favorite]
I'm not saying this is a possibility for your pets, but there might be things that seem undetectable. There's a lot of better suggestions above, but I thought I'd throw this out just in case there might be some kind of general allergy stuff going on related to environment.
posted by kitten kaboodle at 1:50 PM on July 14 [1 favorite]
For Winston, the fact that the food is still mostly fully formed kibble 4-6 hours after eating makes me wonder about delayed gastric emptying. Has he seen an internal medicine specialist? Or you could even talk to your vet about trying out one of the medications to increase gastric motility and see if that resolves the problem, especially if finances are an issue.
For Pirta, have you talked about possible incontinence with your vet? Proin is a medication that I'm familiar with which can help resolve this. It's more common in spayed female dogs, I believe. Has Pirta been checked for a UTI? If there's no obvious cause of the peeing, I think at this point, it's totally reasonable to let her go. She's got a lot of problems, and it's likely not fun for her to be having all these accidents either. If you don't want to do that, I would just try to put out a whole bunch of pee pads.
Of course, IANAVet, just some ideas to consider.
posted by litera scripta manet at 4:14 PM on July 14
For Pirta, have you talked about possible incontinence with your vet? Proin is a medication that I'm familiar with which can help resolve this. It's more common in spayed female dogs, I believe. Has Pirta been checked for a UTI? If there's no obvious cause of the peeing, I think at this point, it's totally reasonable to let her go. She's got a lot of problems, and it's likely not fun for her to be having all these accidents either. If you don't want to do that, I would just try to put out a whole bunch of pee pads.
Of course, IANAVet, just some ideas to consider.
posted by litera scripta manet at 4:14 PM on July 14
Best answer: For Winston, has he been on Pepcid (famotidine) and/or Prilosec (omeprazole)? I've had dogs on Pepcid for literal years because of reflux and vomiting food that is still in the same form it went down hours later. When they started getting 'urpy', they were put on Prilosec 1x/day and their vomiting cleared up relatively quickly. I can actually hear that they are no longer refluxing, whereas before, it would wake me up (ready for barfies in bed). The meds are OTC human pills that are usually the cheapest at Costco or Amazon.
Does Winston show any other signs of not tolerating his food well? Scratchies? Chewing his feet, smelly or itchy ears? It all goes together. I've had dogs that were allergic to anything with wings and could only eat fish.
Kelso may be allergic to his food. We had an issue with my grandcat that took us a good while to figure out he's allergic to beef. He would eat it, but yarf it back up within an hour. We now know to stick with poultry or seafood.
You may want to give a good think about whether Miss Pirta is happy. She's struggling to walk, has lost two important senses, and is mostly incontinent. The biggest act of love and respect that we, as pet parents, can give our babies is to let them go when it's time. I've both waited too long and also not waited long enough. In retrospect, waiting too long was selfish of me. Not waiting long enough was because I was afraid, but my girl had a long, good life and knew she was very loved. She was also showing that she was tired and had enough.
I truly wish you peace in whatever it is you decide with Pirta. Keep us posted on all three of your babies. Sending big hugs.🥰
posted by dancinglamb at 11:02 PM on July 14
Does Winston show any other signs of not tolerating his food well? Scratchies? Chewing his feet, smelly or itchy ears? It all goes together. I've had dogs that were allergic to anything with wings and could only eat fish.
Kelso may be allergic to his food. We had an issue with my grandcat that took us a good while to figure out he's allergic to beef. He would eat it, but yarf it back up within an hour. We now know to stick with poultry or seafood.
You may want to give a good think about whether Miss Pirta is happy. She's struggling to walk, has lost two important senses, and is mostly incontinent. The biggest act of love and respect that we, as pet parents, can give our babies is to let them go when it's time. I've both waited too long and also not waited long enough. In retrospect, waiting too long was selfish of me. Not waiting long enough was because I was afraid, but my girl had a long, good life and knew she was very loved. She was also showing that she was tired and had enough.
I truly wish you peace in whatever it is you decide with Pirta. Keep us posted on all three of your babies. Sending big hugs.🥰
posted by dancinglamb at 11:02 PM on July 14
Best answer: I'm sorry you're going through all of this. I only have one suggestion that has helped my puke-y cat. I sprinkle cat nip on his wet food which he gets twice a day. It has reduced the vomiting significantly. I hope that helps!
posted by poppunkcat at 8:32 AM on July 15
posted by poppunkcat at 8:32 AM on July 15
Best answer: The doggy diapers sound like a good solution for now for Pirta.
Also... No one is necessarily in pain, so it's hard for me to consider it.
I know you mean your animals, but it sounds like their conditions are causing significant pain and hardship for you and also interfering with your quality of life, never mind theirs. I am not arguing for the disposability of beloved pets. But I have been thinking a lot about end-of-life care for beloved animal companions as I spend time with my elderly pup. I try to imagine what I would want for myself, if I couldn't communicate.
So, take a very big step back: imagine you, a human, or a human you loved, were many years into life and had lost your hearing, had a stroke, been put on multiple medications, and couldn't hold your bladder and had 15 accidental bladder releases a day in addition to regular peeing. Imagine you spent the day wandering the house, not seeing well and bumping into things. Imagine you had frequent injuries that necessitated many stressful visits to vets and lots of rounds of medicine. Imagine you felt like a shell of your former self. Imagine that supporting you was causing significant distress to your beloved caregivers, in addition to the stress you were feeling. If you could, if it was socially acceptable, you might ask for some final loving and cuddling time with your beloveds, and to have a compassionate end-of-life in a pain-free manner surrounded by your favorite people.
posted by bluedaisy at 11:39 AM on July 15
Also... No one is necessarily in pain, so it's hard for me to consider it.
I know you mean your animals, but it sounds like their conditions are causing significant pain and hardship for you and also interfering with your quality of life, never mind theirs. I am not arguing for the disposability of beloved pets. But I have been thinking a lot about end-of-life care for beloved animal companions as I spend time with my elderly pup. I try to imagine what I would want for myself, if I couldn't communicate.
So, take a very big step back: imagine you, a human, or a human you loved, were many years into life and had lost your hearing, had a stroke, been put on multiple medications, and couldn't hold your bladder and had 15 accidental bladder releases a day in addition to regular peeing. Imagine you spent the day wandering the house, not seeing well and bumping into things. Imagine you had frequent injuries that necessitated many stressful visits to vets and lots of rounds of medicine. Imagine you felt like a shell of your former self. Imagine that supporting you was causing significant distress to your beloved caregivers, in addition to the stress you were feeling. If you could, if it was socially acceptable, you might ask for some final loving and cuddling time with your beloveds, and to have a compassionate end-of-life in a pain-free manner surrounded by your favorite people.
posted by bluedaisy at 11:39 AM on July 15
Best answer: It sounds like Pirta may be experiencing some symptoms of Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (dog dementia).. Is she being treated for this at all? One over-the-counter supplement that helped our dog regain some of her former cheerfulness and interest in the world was SAM-e. Diapers sound like a good idea for a dog that pees again immediately after going outside.
We found this quality of life checklist on this page helpful- filling it out, or even just re-reading it every couple of weeks was very useful in noticing changes. We also started seeing a more holistic vet who gave us some new ideas and just generally seemed to have more time to troubleshoot what was going on when our regular vet was sort of "well, you have an old dog". That didn't help us with the getting up multiple times a night or the sundowning stress. The holistic vet helped us solve those issues so we all got a full night's sleep (I realize this is not the problem you're having).
I would also consider taking Kelso off free feed. Free feeding dry food can lead to dehydration, which is made even worse with vomiting. I know it can be more initial work, but feeding twice a day, ideally with some wet food involved, can help with barfing even if it's not a scarf and barf situation. It's normal for cats to have an empty stomach for a large part of the day.
I'm sorry. This is really hard to deal with. I totally understand being worn out by cleaning up gross stuff 24/7. It's incredibly stressful.
posted by oneirodynia at 2:18 PM on July 15
We found this quality of life checklist on this page helpful- filling it out, or even just re-reading it every couple of weeks was very useful in noticing changes. We also started seeing a more holistic vet who gave us some new ideas and just generally seemed to have more time to troubleshoot what was going on when our regular vet was sort of "well, you have an old dog". That didn't help us with the getting up multiple times a night or the sundowning stress. The holistic vet helped us solve those issues so we all got a full night's sleep (I realize this is not the problem you're having).
I would also consider taking Kelso off free feed. Free feeding dry food can lead to dehydration, which is made even worse with vomiting. I know it can be more initial work, but feeding twice a day, ideally with some wet food involved, can help with barfing even if it's not a scarf and barf situation. It's normal for cats to have an empty stomach for a large part of the day.
I'm sorry. This is really hard to deal with. I totally understand being worn out by cleaning up gross stuff 24/7. It's incredibly stressful.
posted by oneirodynia at 2:18 PM on July 15
Response by poster: Thank you all for the suggestions. Woke up last night to Winston throwing up. He proceeded to throw up three more times after that. Then when I went to the front room this morning, Kelso had thrown up all over that. I'm pretty tired today. I'm have started feeding Winston four meals a day instead of 2, hoping that keeping something on his stomach more helps. Thank you for that suggestion. I also started a round of omeprazole for him. I'm going to try feeding Kelso only twice a day instead of free feeding. He has access to our back yard and does like to eat grass, but maybe I'll get him his own cat grass. Pirta is a difficult one. While she's not how she used to be, she still has daily moments of being super happy and peppy. But, I do see that she's very much diminished for the most part. I forgot to mention she was just diagnosed with a grade 4 heart murmur. She's my little soulmate and this is sad.
It's been very hard for me to objectively assess the state of things and what to do. I feel selfish for not wanting to continue this path. Am I considering euthanasia for any of them because I'm just sick of dealing with their messes and sicknesses? I don't know. Maybe. Financially it's become a difficulty and also a mental load that I'm kind of sick of carrying. And that makes me feel pretty terrible. But, it's been years of this with no end in sight and feeling like it's only going to get worse.
posted by Sassyfras at 7:33 PM on July 15 [1 favorite]
It's been very hard for me to objectively assess the state of things and what to do. I feel selfish for not wanting to continue this path. Am I considering euthanasia for any of them because I'm just sick of dealing with their messes and sicknesses? I don't know. Maybe. Financially it's become a difficulty and also a mental load that I'm kind of sick of carrying. And that makes me feel pretty terrible. But, it's been years of this with no end in sight and feeling like it's only going to get worse.
posted by Sassyfras at 7:33 PM on July 15 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I feel selfish for not wanting to continue this path. Am I considering euthanasia for any of them because I'm just sick of dealing with their messes and sicknesses?
I wondered the same thing, and then felt guilty for wondering. Some vet hospice/palliative care-focused practices also provide quality of life counseling in our town- I don't know where you live but maybe something like that exists for you. For us finding the holistic vet provided us with a better framework for how to evaluate our pup and our stress levels, so I never contacted any of these places.
Also I remembered that I found this blog post on Dr Buzby's Toe Grips site about canine dementia really helpful. Near the bottom are links to other blog posts that I also read and helped me kinda sort out my feelings about when it is time to say goodbye.
posted by oneirodynia at 11:13 PM on July 15 [1 favorite]
I wondered the same thing, and then felt guilty for wondering. Some vet hospice/palliative care-focused practices also provide quality of life counseling in our town- I don't know where you live but maybe something like that exists for you. For us finding the holistic vet provided us with a better framework for how to evaluate our pup and our stress levels, so I never contacted any of these places.
Also I remembered that I found this blog post on Dr Buzby's Toe Grips site about canine dementia really helpful. Near the bottom are links to other blog posts that I also read and helped me kinda sort out my feelings about when it is time to say goodbye.
posted by oneirodynia at 11:13 PM on July 15 [1 favorite]
I spent several years of multiple blood tests, x-rays, ultrasounds, etc trying to figure out why my dog was having random puking spells. Ultimately after a visit to urgent care, they suggested putting her in a probiotic. Adding a packet of Fortiflora to her food once a day has solved the vomiting issue.
posted by Malleable at 9:55 PM on July 16 [1 favorite]
posted by Malleable at 9:55 PM on July 16 [1 favorite]
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
posted by Blue Jello Elf at 9:21 PM on July 13 [4 favorites]