Goodbye old friend

[Racket_Man]

So I have a male Golden Retriever who is just over 12 years old. Had him for just over 11 years.

Had to take him to the Vet about 5 months ago because he all of a sudden got very lethargic and did not want to eat or drink or move. We figured he might have injured himself trying to jump up on the couch and missed with his back legs since he did not really want to move or stand on his back legs. The vet found an ear infection and some tenderness in his back and abdomen. No damage was indicated for his hip or legs. She also talked about the distinct possibility that he might have abdominal cancer (which Goldens are very susecptable to).

It took about 2 weeks of hand feeding and placing a water dish near him for him to get back to "normal" (normal for a senior doggie with not much energy left).

Yesterday the same thing happened. Another trip to the vet. Now the vet seems to think the possibility of cancer is the most likely cause. Maybe a tumor in his abdomen.

Now I have to decide when to "pull the plug" and put him to sleep.

I just want to spend a little more time with my furbuddy and tears are running down my cheeks right now. NOT a decision I really want to make right now.

[Marmalady]

Racket Man, I feel so much for you - your photo looks just like my old Shandy. He was 12 years old too, when I had to say goodbye to him. It's the hardest thing to do, even when you know it's the right thing.

[Mikkel]

He looks like a very nice old guy.
Would it be very expensive to get an ultrasound or x-ray? Just to be sure of the diagnosis.

[MoonCat]

I'm so sorry to hear that. He's a very handsome fellow. Whatever you do, please know that I'm keeping you and your friend in my thoughts.

[Racket_Man]

He looks like a very nice old guy.
Would it be very expensive to get an ultrasound or x-ray? Just to be sure of the diagnosis.

unfortuneately too expensive for my income level. Animal medical care is almost as expensive as human medical care is these days

[bhskittykatt]

I'm so sorry. That sucks. That really sucks. You and your furbaby get all my hugs.

[Luna Baby]

I'm sorry you are at the point of making the decision of when. I've been there with my Max. We had had him for 13 years, a shelter puppy, when he started losing control of his hind legs. His eyesight was nearly gone and he'd already gone deaf. I took him after it became obvious that it was inevitable but before he suffered.

I pray for peace for you to get through this difficult time.

[Racket_Man]

a bit of an update.

Doggie is starting to bounce back like the last time 4/5 months ago. his energy level is coming back and he is eating and drinking a lot more in the last 48 hours. He is now able to walk his usual route around the house without stopping. He is peeing a pooping nearly normal

Over the weekend I started to think about things. and I have come to a possible conclusion. I might have accidentally poisoned him with Flea Shampoo.

When this happened 4/5 months ago I had just given doggie a flea shampoo as he had a light infestation. Thinking back I am sure I gave him the flea bath a couple of days before he started acting funny.

Last weekend I gave him another flea shampoo and 3 days later he starts acting funny again. This time I DID inquire of the Vet as to the Flea shampoo being part of the cause of this. She blew off that line of questions and just reiterated the cancer thing.

I am going to take a wait and see position on this for a week or so to see what happens this time.

[Luna Baby]

I'm glad to hear your fur baby is feeling better. Flea medications, even topicals, can and do cause the problems you are seeing.

Keeping you all in my thoughts.

[XCashier]

Over the weekend I started to think about things. and I have come to a possible conclusion. I might have accidentally poisoned him with Flea Shampoo.

You might want to research it online. I know the Hartz brand has a horrible reputation (WARNING: link has heartrending stories and photos of animals injured by product). I don't know about any others.

[Racket_Man]

You might want to research it online. I know the Hartz brand has a horrible reputation (WARNING: link has heartrending stories and photos of animals injured by product). I don't know about any others.

That is what made me think of possible poisoning...... I remembered back about 5 or 6 years ago when the Hartz stories broke in the media and I do remember reading those stories from that SITE.

[MoonCat]

Definitely rethink the flea shampoo. It's absolutely a possibility. Your vet should not be blowing that off!

Look into other methods of keeping the fleas down. One thing you can do is vacuum VERY thoroughly, often. Fleas actually spend little time on the host. You can reduce the number of fleas by something like 40% by vacuuming well and often. Make sure you empty the vacuum while outside.

You can try herbal things instead of flea powder/shampoo, but be sure to read up on them first to make certain they're safe to use on or around your pet.

Try dusting some diatomaceous earth where the walls meet the floor, under and in between sofa cushions, etc. This stuff dries up the bodies of pests like fleas, which kills them.

If you have throw rugs, wash them in very hot water or remove them altogether.

Get a flea comb from your vet. Sit down with your boy and a small bowl of hot, soapy water. Comb through his fur; the comb should grab any fleas that are on him (pay special attention to head/neck area and hindquarters (and his stomach if he's very furry there). Dunk the comb in to the soapy water and watch the fleas drown!

I hate fleas with a passion. I've had to go war on them in the past.

Fleas like it hot and dry. If you can keep the house cooler, it can help.

Good luck with your sweet doggie!

[wolfie]

One anti-flea measure I've heard of, if you can darken the pet's bedroom at night:

Get a gooseneck lamp to use as the only light source in the room, and a low-sided (low enough that fleas can jump into it from the floor) pan - a baking sheet with sidewalls is ideal. Put soapy water in the pan, and position the light so it shines down into the pan. Fleas are attracted to the light, hop into the pan, and drown. Soap is needed to break the surface tension - otherwise the fleas would just bounce off the surface of the water.

[Yurimaru]

Goldens are the best dogs! I dog-sat for my friend's Golden for ages when he'd have to travel. I am so glad to hear it might have been the shampoo. Waiting and seeing is the best choice; judge by your own dog's behavior. And get a second vet's opinion, if you are thinking the first vet is in error.

For my own extended family's brood of five dogs, we use the Frontline Plus. We never had any luck with Hartz topicals, or any flea collars, powders, etc, on pets we had over the years.

Shampoo we use is an oatmeal skin-soothing shampoo. Those aren't expensive and there's nothing in them that have caused our allergy-prone dog pack any issues. Do some online research like XCashier recommended, and look at sites that are pro-Golden. See what other Golden owners recommend for flea solutions and for shampoos.

Dogs in our family are: Westie, Bichon, Shih-Tzu Poodle, Maltese, and Bichon-Papillon mix.

[AmbrosiaWriter]

As I work in a veterinary hospital, yes I can tell you that it IS a distinct possibility that the flea shampoo is the cause of it. Next time you think he might be infested, there is a pill you can give called "Capstar" you don't need a prescription for it, but it's typically only sold in veterinary clinics.

It works wonders and is very easy on the animal. If you're worried about it doing so, however, you can try bathing him several times with Johnson and Johnson's baby shampoo. When there are puppies that are infested, they are WAY too young for ANY flea shampoo (the chemicals in it WILL hurt them, so it doesn't surprise me that it hurts your older guy) so we always recommend frequent baths with johnson and johnson's baby shampoo until you have it resolved.

Trust your gut. My parent's vet tried to talk them into putting their dog down after he bit me, and it took me fighting with them (while on hard core pain meds) to get them to go the hell back there and DEMAND blood tests to be run.

Turns out he has a low thyroid - which would explain the entire reason why I ended up getting bit.

Vets are not 100% infallible, especially when cancer treatments (from chemo to surgery) can rake them in a lot of money. So watch your puppy, don't use the flea shampoo anymore, and take it day by day.