a couple shot kidneys
had this sweet dog in this week with dying kidneys. and thus the dog was dying. the acute event in this youngish dog that led to the more chronic renal failure was unclear. or yes, it could be something degenerative and maybe even genetic. despite this, the dog was dying though we were treating it as best veterinary medicine will allow. we discussed referral for kidney transplant, though it was really a theoretical discussion of all the options available since the poor beagle-jack's values were really too high. plus dogs don't seem to pull through the transplant well. rejection, my dear, in these situations is deadly.
so the owner left the sweet little funny cross with us for several days. her bloodwork was horrific but her temperment uplifting. after 72 hours of lots of fluids her BUN/Creatinine (indications of kidney filtering function) were still crapped out high and she was starting to vomit. The owner elected to take her home and give her lots of subcutaneous fluids so she could die in the family's care and arms.. Throughout the days preceding, he had been candid and open in discussion with me. We could speak medicalese as he was a dentist. On making the decision to let her die at home (a sort of hospice care where treatment was palliative, death was certain and all was for comforting and closure), he broke through the guise of medical detachment and stated his own remote hopes veiled as a message sent through his wife: "my wife seems to hope we can get her through to Christmas. I told her she wouldn't even make it to Thanksgiving." I nodded and his face broke. It was a very sad day.
so the owner left the sweet little funny cross with us for several days. her bloodwork was horrific but her temperment uplifting. after 72 hours of lots of fluids her BUN/Creatinine (indications of kidney filtering function) were still crapped out high and she was starting to vomit. The owner elected to take her home and give her lots of subcutaneous fluids so she could die in the family's care and arms.. Throughout the days preceding, he had been candid and open in discussion with me. We could speak medicalese as he was a dentist. On making the decision to let her die at home (a sort of hospice care where treatment was palliative, death was certain and all was for comforting and closure), he broke through the guise of medical detachment and stated his own remote hopes veiled as a message sent through his wife: "my wife seems to hope we can get her through to Christmas. I told her she wouldn't even make it to Thanksgiving." I nodded and his face broke. It was a very sad day.