State of the Corgi
Ok. So I've been needing to update this for awhile now, but I just haven't had the energy or the words. Ember, our corgi, is not getting better. He seems to be in a gradual but steady decline. This past September 5th, labor day this year, was his 7th birthday. The day after his birthday he got to go to yet another veterinary appointment in a long string of them. This time, the vet looked him over, looked at the bloodwork we had done, which was normal, looked at all the medicines he was on, and discussed the x-rays. He said he was worried that he was getting skinny and losing muscle tone. Then he hemmed and hawed and took a long time to say that basically he couldn't do anymore. That regular vets are limited and there's just no more options to try. He said we need to take Ember to a specialist, and referred us to MSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Lansing. Or we could get a referral to a place up in Grand Rapids, should we prefer.
The problem is, we can't afford another couple thousand dollars of treatment. We didn't have the $700 it's cost us so far, either. But we put it on credit. So we're ok til all the bills come due. ~sigh~
This started mid-June or so. Ember started vomiting occasionally. Dogs do that sometimes, so we didn't think much of it at first. A couple weeks pass, and he begins vomiting daily. His voice also changes, very suddenly. It's very hoarse and deeper than usual. He can no longer whine through his nose, either. So we take him to the vet. Stool tests, blood tests, all come back normal. So the vet puts him on a round of antibiotics just in case. No improvement. Antacids and anti-vomit medicines. No change. All along I am telling the vets that it seems like he's gagging on something, like there's something in the back of his throat or nasal passage that's triggering a gag reflex. Drainage, perhaps, because when he throws up there's a ton of mucus, generally. Finally the vet agrees to do x-rays to see if there's any obstruction. I think this means she'll do the whole head and throat, to check the sinuses too, but she doesn't get his head in the x-rays at all. The rest of his esophagus and digestive system is clear. Everything looks normal, except for the arthritis in his hips and pelvis, which we already knew about. The evening after that appointment, Ember can no longer walk. His back legs just won't support him. He tries to get up and fails. The best he can manage is to drag himself a few feet with his front legs. He has a few of his painkillers left, so i give him those, and call our vet the next morning. I can't get through after a dozen calls, so I call a different vet, and eventually get his Deramax refilled. Taking that seems to help a little, but he still has a lot of trouble. He won't get up unless he absolutely has to, or it's food time.
He can no longer play his favorite game, fetch, or wrestle with the girls. He can't run without falling, or make it up the stairs. We've been having to carry him up, and usually down, the steps. 90% of the time he just finds a soft spot and lays there. We've been looking at wheelchairs for him, too. But we also have the vomiting issue to worry about. He's confined to the kitchen at night, because he throws up so much. The other night he gagged at least 20 times in an hour and a half. It wakes him from a sound sleep. Now, he is doing that reverse-sneezing thing, and occasionally has a terrible horking wheeze.
Now we are faced with so many hard thoughts to contemplate. How can we find a way to afford to care for him, on top of everything else we are struggling with? What kind of quality of life can he have, can we give him? How will we know if enough's enough... when his suffering isn't worth our selfish attachment? He's only seven! That's not very old for him to have so many problems. He's had a couple of surgeries, once for tumor removal, once to repair a lacerated pawpad. He's given us a couple of cancer scares after that, and the arthritis has flared up badly before. But he's never been so miserable, or so lethargic.
Back when he was happy and healthy. We want to see that smile again.
It's really getting us down. We miss our boulder-hopping hiking buddy. I'm sure he misses playing fetch and chasing other dogs, and defending his pack from intruders. The next step is an MRI, probably, to determine if he has a tumor or something in his sinuses. So, another $1400 at least. I've updated my Etsy shop with a few more things for sale, and will be working on getting some more art up soon. But even if everything i currently have listed sold, that's less than $600. I need to make more art, now. I need to figure out what i can offer for commissions.
If you could, signal boosting my Etsy shop would be greatly appreciated.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/abirdintheheart
Any other suggestions would be appreciated, as well.
The problem is, we can't afford another couple thousand dollars of treatment. We didn't have the $700 it's cost us so far, either. But we put it on credit. So we're ok til all the bills come due. ~sigh~
This started mid-June or so. Ember started vomiting occasionally. Dogs do that sometimes, so we didn't think much of it at first. A couple weeks pass, and he begins vomiting daily. His voice also changes, very suddenly. It's very hoarse and deeper than usual. He can no longer whine through his nose, either. So we take him to the vet. Stool tests, blood tests, all come back normal. So the vet puts him on a round of antibiotics just in case. No improvement. Antacids and anti-vomit medicines. No change. All along I am telling the vets that it seems like he's gagging on something, like there's something in the back of his throat or nasal passage that's triggering a gag reflex. Drainage, perhaps, because when he throws up there's a ton of mucus, generally. Finally the vet agrees to do x-rays to see if there's any obstruction. I think this means she'll do the whole head and throat, to check the sinuses too, but she doesn't get his head in the x-rays at all. The rest of his esophagus and digestive system is clear. Everything looks normal, except for the arthritis in his hips and pelvis, which we already knew about. The evening after that appointment, Ember can no longer walk. His back legs just won't support him. He tries to get up and fails. The best he can manage is to drag himself a few feet with his front legs. He has a few of his painkillers left, so i give him those, and call our vet the next morning. I can't get through after a dozen calls, so I call a different vet, and eventually get his Deramax refilled. Taking that seems to help a little, but he still has a lot of trouble. He won't get up unless he absolutely has to, or it's food time.
He can no longer play his favorite game, fetch, or wrestle with the girls. He can't run without falling, or make it up the stairs. We've been having to carry him up, and usually down, the steps. 90% of the time he just finds a soft spot and lays there. We've been looking at wheelchairs for him, too. But we also have the vomiting issue to worry about. He's confined to the kitchen at night, because he throws up so much. The other night he gagged at least 20 times in an hour and a half. It wakes him from a sound sleep. Now, he is doing that reverse-sneezing thing, and occasionally has a terrible horking wheeze.
Now we are faced with so many hard thoughts to contemplate. How can we find a way to afford to care for him, on top of everything else we are struggling with? What kind of quality of life can he have, can we give him? How will we know if enough's enough... when his suffering isn't worth our selfish attachment? He's only seven! That's not very old for him to have so many problems. He's had a couple of surgeries, once for tumor removal, once to repair a lacerated pawpad. He's given us a couple of cancer scares after that, and the arthritis has flared up badly before. But he's never been so miserable, or so lethargic.
Back when he was happy and healthy. We want to see that smile again.
It's really getting us down. We miss our boulder-hopping hiking buddy. I'm sure he misses playing fetch and chasing other dogs, and defending his pack from intruders. The next step is an MRI, probably, to determine if he has a tumor or something in his sinuses. So, another $1400 at least. I've updated my Etsy shop with a few more things for sale, and will be working on getting some more art up soon. But even if everything i currently have listed sold, that's less than $600. I need to make more art, now. I need to figure out what i can offer for commissions.
If you could, signal boosting my Etsy shop would be greatly appreciated.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/abirdintheheart
Any other suggestions would be appreciated, as well.