Well friends, my big, goofy, black and tan Gordon Setter has cancer. He collapsed Saturday night at home. We rushed him to CSU vet hospital emergency where they stabilized him.
We had a bit of false positive news yesterday that had us practically giddy with joy thinking he was going to be o.k. but they found a lot of tumors today.
Hellooooo emotional roller coaster.
Hopefully we can bring him home today and he'll spend a few weeks with us being happy and well loved before we call our vet to have him put to death at home. At least his last days will be with us and when it comes to the end, we have a vet who will come to our house to put him to sleep. That is where he is happiest. We don't know how long he has. Could be a week, a month... who knows.
I have lots of other, sunnier news to tell you but it might be a day or two.... I worked in our yard on Sunday doing a lot of manual labor trying to keep my mind off of my Booker. I think I may have hurt myself... I am so sore and painful with screaming muscles. It worked on Sunday to keep me from bawling my little eyes out only now I'm really sad AND phyically in a lot of pain. Hmmmm - maybe that wasn't such a good plan... heh, heh.
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About Me
- Shanster
- Fort Collins, CO, United States
- I'm 51 (wait... how'd I get to be 51?!) divorced (wait...how'd that happen?!) and figuring it out
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8 comments:
I'm so sorry to hear about your pooch. Sounds like he has had a good life filled with giving and receiving love. Plant some really pretty flowers in your soon to be fabulous garden especially for him.
ahh...I feel your pain. My father was the one who instilled the notion that physical hard labor helps heal the soul. It helps, but it does take it's toll on the body. Losing family, be it human or animal is tough, very tough. Inevitable but is the saddest thing that makes us human. Hang in there(hugs)
Foxxy - yup, he DID have a really good life and was very well loved from the git go. He was probably the only purebred dog I'll ever have. I wanted to show him in obedience and conformation so I bought him silver spoon in mouth.
The breeder told me when he was born so I could come each week to see the puppies.
I've known Booker ever since he was the size of a can o' corn.
I keep trying to be rational - we all gotta go sometime, he has been happy and very well loved his ENTIRE life etc. but dang, then the emotion hits and it's crybaby city!
DebH - No kidding - my body feels like it's been hit by a truck! I needed to do it tho, it helped get some of the emotion out.
I know - it is inevitable - and things will be o.k.
Someone once told me that our pets don't live as long as we do because it gives other pets a chance to come along and be loved. I sorta like that sentiment.
Sure don't make it easy tho!
I am so sorry! I can only imagine the pain. When Charley started having seizures, we took him to the vet and the vet told us that every boxer he has known has died of cancer. So, I have had a hard time reconciling with the seizures as well as the fact that we will probably lose him to cancer.
Consider yourself lucky to have known him since he was a pup. I have known Charley since the day he was born and it really creates an amazing bond.
PS- Is Booker the crotch sniffer or did I make that up?
Heather - thanks - I know - it is amazing.. we have video from each week we went to visit. I am super lucky! And yes, he is NOTORIOUS for crotch sniffing! :)
Hi Shanster,
I'm so sorry to hear about Booker ... I know only too well (and too recently) what a gut punch that can be. Do you know if it's Mast Cell tumors? If so, who knows how long he could have ... my dear Cardigan Corgi mix Coco developed that late in life and despite a few hopeful surgeries, it always came back more aggressively and eventually took her. But she lived her last few months pretty comfortably on big doses of Prednisone and when she decided on her own to go, she went peacefully. Hopefully when Booker's time comes, he'll be able to do the same for you and spare you the big decision.
Keep us posted, and you'll be in my thoughts often, because you know this kind of situation really hits home for me!
BTW ... I've always thought Gordon Setters were the most regal and gorgeous dogs! The few I've known were as sweet as could be and great hilarious goofballs of furry love!
IVG - they couldn't officially find any mast cells and wanted to do another slew of tests but since we knew that surgery or chemo wouldn't be an option for us, we declined because... well... if we weren't going to treat it, we don't really need to know. We are hoping it wasn't cancer ... it probably is... but we'll have him for a good 2 - 6 mos they think and he is really happy and comfortable. It really was a huge gut punch for sure... oh, man, when he collapsed on Sat night...
Thanks! He is a good looking boy and goofy as all git out... definately a dog with a HUGE sense of humor and he loves everyone. I think that he thinks he's the mayor of Ft. Collins!
Gosh, that's the worst thing about having pets. You know, going in, it's only for a little while. I still miss my cat Jeffie, the bestest, sweetest cat in the whole world. I say bawl your eyes out of you have to. Grief sucks but it is a process, at least. It'll get easier, but I have a feeling you already know that.
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