kibbles place: dog gifts for dog lovers

Just a place to keep track of Kibbles' medical issues.

26 January 2010
Today is the worst day of my life. It is the day we had to say goodbye to our baby Kibbles. She hadn't eaten in 4 days and was limp as a noodle. She had no strength, no energy and no will to go on. I could see it in her eyes. She wouldn't even wag her tail anymore when her "daddy" came home from work. We knew she wasn't gonna get better, the cancer was taking her away from us fast. We called the vet at 3:30pm and took her right in. The car ride was about an hour in the rain. (Even God was crying for her.) We arrived at the vet at almost 4:30. We waited a little while in the car for them to clear the room for us. Doc chatted with us for a little then returned with 2 syringes. He said they would put her into a very calm state, sorta stoned. He left the room for a bit while they took effect. As I was holding her, and rocking her, I told her to look for Rocky at the Rainbow Bridge. He'll be the funny looking poodle with the underbite. He'll be there waiting for her to take care of her until I can join them both. Doc returned to administer the final dose. He shaved her little wrist and inserted the needle... then the dose. She was already limp from the first injections but the final one put her to a sound peaceful sleep. She was in my arms the whole time. I would not leave my baby at a time like this. It didn't take long, and Doc said "she's gone". We stayed with her about another 1/2 hour saying our final goodbyes. It was horrific. I still haven't stopped crying and I'm writing this at 10:00pm. Our baby is gone and I miss her terribly. Goodbye my sweet baby Kibbles. I love you so much.
25 January 2010 (pm)
CANCER
News wasn't good when we went to pick up Kibbles. She has CANCER. She has a tumor on her liver that caused internal bleeding; hence the anemia. The bleeding caused a clot that put pressure somewhere (I don't remember where the dr said - all I remember is CANCER) anyway, it put pressure somewhere and that's why her back legs became limp. She could clot again and if the clot goes to her brain, she will die. We have to decide her fate in the next couple of days. But I think my baby is dying. Her eyes tell me she's given up. This is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. How do I make the trip to the vet on her final day? How do I take her to the vet knowing she's not coming home with me?
25 January 2010 (am)
ANEMIA
Took Kibbles to the vet this morning and had to leave her for the day. Turns out she is extremely anemic. She was given oxygen immediately and will also receive a blood transfusion because her red blood cell count is very low.
(weight: 9.3#)
24 January 2010
Kibbles is still mopey. She hasn't eaten a bite all weekend. Her back legs are giving out now. She is just like a rag doll. When I hold her, she doesn't even have the strength to hold her head up; it just falls. I have to carry her everywhere and when I put her down, she just stays where she is put. Will have to call the vet first thing in the morning.
23 January 2010
Kibbles had a bad day today. She is very weak and didn't eat anything all day. I offer her favorites and she just turns her face away. She has a vet appointment for Thursday, but if her mood continues, I'm gonna have to move the appointment up. She is feeling droopy and walks around like it is hard to do. I don't know what's happening. Yesterday she was fine and the day before she was running around like a puppy. Today she is sad and lethargic. Also her water intake has increased.
7 January 2010
Results of Kibbles blood test came back and her BUN level has come down! Her last test showed her BUN level in the 40s and today it came in at 33! The low protein diet is working. Doc said she is 6 units away from a normal level. To top off that good news with some more good news, her creatinine level is in the normal range. Kibbles has been feeling so much better the past few days. She's running around and has a happy glow about her. We'll stick with her diet, continue her fluids and we'll get her back to where she should be.
5 January 2010
Today was another follow-up visit to discuss the kidney disease that has chosen our little Kibbles. He took blood to see how her numbers are coming along. (We'll get the results in a day or two.) So for now, we are to continue giving her 50cc of fluids daily and continue the k/d diet. Still no chicken. He also took away her most favorite snack in the world: Chik 'n Rice Balls. Today she ate some Chicken-Less Strips that I found at Trader Joe's. It is a soy product that she actually liked! Doc suggested giving her a soup bone, which she thoroughly enjoyed.
(weight: 9.4#)
22 December 2009
Kibbles woke up limping today. Felt around, she didn't cry, so nothing was broken or sprained. I looked under her paw and it was very swollen. Either she stepped on something or something bit her. Either way, doc should see it.
He said she stepped on something and it got infected, so he gave us some antibiotics.
17 December 2009
At today's vet visit, he said we could cut the fluids down to 50cc/day (from 100cc). He also sent us home with some cat food that is formulated specifically for cats with kidney disease. (He said dogs tend to like the taste of the cat food over the dog food). Whatever works! So her diet remains the same with no meat/chicken/fish. This is quite the challenge - she is so finicky. He will probably take another blood test on our next visit to see how her numbers are. (Last blood test was 3 November). Overall a good visit, though her weight did drop a little. Hopefully she will like the k/d food he sent us home with so she can pick up the weight she's lost. Fingers crossed!
(weight: 9.5#)
30 November 2009
Three bags of fluid down, three more to go. Yesterday we tried twice to give Kibbles her fluids but were unable to get the fluids to flow. We didn't want to poke her a third time, so we gave up and just waited for today. If we skip a day here or there, it shouldn't be a problem. With today's dose, her fluids drained right in. Don't know what happened yesterday. Hopefully we won't have any more of those days.
17 November 2009
The first thing I told the doc was about our incident two nights ago. He said there is a nerve in the neck and the chances of hitting it are like 50 to 1. I just happened to hit it. All other news was good. Her weight is going back up. She's eating fairly well. At least she has an appetite. Her problem is she doesn't really like the diet. He gave me more food suggestions for me to try. He suggested giving her another month of fluids and he will reevaluate her again at that time.
(weight: 9.8#)
16 November 2009
I tried to give Kibbles her fluids tonight but all I could remember was yesterday. I had a total melt down and couldn't administer them. She goes to the vet tomorrow anyway, so I will have them give her tonights dose.
15 November 2009
I have been giving Kibbles her fluids for several days now with realtive ease but tonight I made her cry. I don't know what I did, I don't know what happened but it freaked me out. She cried and I pulled the needle out. I gave myself a moment or two to refocus and I attempted again. She was a bit uncomfortable but we made it through.
9 November 2009
I called the vet this morning to tell him that Kibbles hasn't been eating and I was quite concerned. He said her kidneys are failing and she needs fluids. He said to come on in so I can learn how to give her fluids subcutaneously. When we got there the nurse showed us the procedure and they said to give her 100cc a day for the next 10 days. Kibbles got about 50cc at the doctor's office so when we got home, we gave her another 50cc. Doc called and said to go ahead and give her another 100cc tonight, so we just finished doing that. It makes me very nervous to put the needle in her but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.
(weight: 9.1#)
3 November 2009
KIDNEY DISEASE
2nd follow-up visit didn't go as well as the last one. Kibbles is still drinking gallons of water and with her weight loss and loss of appetite he said it could be kidney disease. He drew some blood so he could run some tests and sent us home with an antibiotic. He called a few hours later and confirmed it - kidney disease. He put her on a low protein diet, which is gonna be tough because she doesn't want any part of it. She's only been on it 1/2 day and I can tell you right now, this is NOT gonna be a walk in the park. We have another appointment next week to evaluate her progress and discuss her treatment.
(weight: 9.7#)
29 October 2009
Follow-up visit went well. The increased prescription is helping. He said her heart sounded a lot better and decreased her meds back down.
(weight: 10.1#)
19 October 2009
CHF UPDATE
I took Kibbles to the vet today because her cough, caused by her CHF, has gotten worse. Doc said he would rate her heart murmur a 6 out of 6, where it had previously rated it only a 3 out of 6. He doubled her current medication and prescribed an additional one. I told him about her arthritis and that she has trouble climbing her steps to the sofa. He gave her a shot that will have her climbing them again in no time.
(weight: 10.5#)
24 July 2009
Vet just called. Results are in. Tumors were benign - NO CANCER! Thank goodness. Now we can breathe again.
21 July 2009
Surgery went well. She had two tumors near her tail and another forming on her neck. All were removed and sent for biopsy. Will get results in a few days. Doc said her vitals were strong during surgery and that she'll probably be around for a long time to come. Now she has to take it easy for the next couple of weeks. No problem there! I am at her beck and call.
20 July 2009
MORE TUMORS
More bumps were found on Kibbles last week. They are the size of a small pea. Took her to the vet today and he said they were tumors. Again? OK, so they must be removed too. She is scheduled for surgery tomorrow. More later.
26 May 2009
Back to the vet to see how Kibbles has been healing. Doc took the cast off and was happy with her progress. Kibbles needs to take it easy for the next week or so because her leg is still tender. No running and no jumping is her prescription for the next week. For now, no surgery; as long as she doesn't reinjure herself chasing another cat. Whew! Thank goodness.
27 April 2009
TORN ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT -left leg
So Kibbles chased another cat out of our yard last week and came back in the house with a limp. I took her to the vet and his first thought was that she popped her kneecap, so he gave her a couple of shots and told her to take it easy for the next few days as it might pop itself back in. After 6 days and no improvement I took her back in for an x-ray. It showed that she tore her ACL, again. 13 months ago she tore her ACL in her right leg... chasing a cat. Now she tore her ACL in her left leg... chasing a cat. Those darn cats! (They are feral and all over our street.) She is currently wearing a nifty red cast in hopes that it isn't that bad of a tear and it will mend itself. If in 3-4 weeks it hasn't mended to our vets satisfaction, she will need yet another surgery. Fingers crossed for good news.
27 October 2008
TUMOR
Last week, while I was holding Kibbles, I noticed a lump on her chest. As to not take any chances with my baby, I made an appointment with our wonderful Vet so see what it could be. He said it felt like a tumor. I left her for the afternoon so he could take an x-ray to get a better look. When I picked her up, the lump was gone. He said it was benign and that she should take it easy for the next few days but she would be fine.
4 March 2008
Well it was a long and grueling surgery but she came through it without complication (thank God). Doc said for her to just take it easy for the next few days. She's on several medications because she's in a lot of pain. She currently has no feeling in her leg so she continues to hobble. She feels miserable, I can see it in her eyes. She sleeps most of the day which is good so at least she won't feel the pain. She has a little trouble going outside to do her business because she hasn't quite gotten the hang of being a temporary tripod. She's a tough cookie for 12 1/2 yrs old. She is a fighter and I'm sure she will overcome this temporary set back.
25 February 2008
TORN ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT -right leg
Well another two years without an incident but our luck ran out on Saturday. Let me start at the beginning. A couple of weeks ago, Kibbles was chasing a cat. (Yes, she still chases cats.) The cat jumped over a wall and Kibbles thought she could do the same thing. Well mid jump she decided she couldn't make it afterall, so she pushed off the wall with all fours. After that she was limping for a few days but we figured she just had a mild sprain because her limp went away. Fast forward to Saturday. She was climbing down the stairs from our bed and apparently completed the damage that she'd begun a couple of weeks back. This time instead of just limping she was actually hobbling. She was putting no weight on her back leg at all. So I called her vet and of course I took her straight in. He said it wasn't broken but suspected either a torn ligament or a hairline fracture. He took x-rays and his suspicion was confirmed: she had torn a ligament. Surgery is set for next Monday, 3 March. I will keep you posted on her progress.
2 March 2006
HERNIA
I had taken Kibbles in for a check up last week because I had found a few more "moles" on her underside. The doctor said these were not more melanomas and not to be worried about them. However, he noticed a little ball in her belly. It was a little larger than the size of a pea. He said that was either a hernia or a tumor. Either way, he said it shouldn't be there and it should come out. So today I took her in for another procedure. It turns out it was a hernia. I asked him how did he think she got it? He said that apparently when she was spayed, at the shelter where we found her, they basically did a lousy job and had left a little hole. Doctor said the hole was the size of his little finger! It scares me to think that she has been living with it since 1995! It could have ruptured and she could have died. Again, our little fur baby survived a life treatening event
18 November 2005
MELANOMA
It's been nearly two years since Kibbles' last medical update. My, how time flys. Kibbles has been doing well until just recently. I've been noticing some "moles" on her tummy that weren't there before. She was going in for her regular teeth cleaning, so I asked her doctor to take a look at them. He was very concerned because he said they looked like melanomas. A few hours later when I went to pick her up, I was informed they were indeed a type of melanoma and he had removed them. Thank goodness they were benign. He said to keep her out of the sun and to keep an eye on her for any new ones. Please be careful with your dogs in the sun. Monitor their sun exposure. Check their skin regularly. Put sun screen on them if need be. Take them to the vet at the first sign of any changes in the appearance of their skin.
31 January 2004
Well January has come and gone, and I'm happy to say I've had no more problems. The only thing is that I have to wear underpants to help break me of my scooting habit. Other than that, I'm A-OK. Thank you for all your well-wishes. It's nice to know I have so many friends out there.
26 December 2003
I'm finally home! What an ordeal I've been through. I've been under protective observation for 3 days! After my second surgery, Doctor didn't let me come home for fear that I would tear my stitches again. He said I almost died because of the amount of blood I lost. He had to give me a blood transfusion! It was very serious, and very scary. As you can see by my picture, I have to wear a diaper and I have a bandage on my wrist where the IV was. The diaper is so I don't scoot and tear my stitches again. I really hate it but mommy says I look adorable. It was terrible to not be home for Christmas. I really missed my family. I'm sooo glad to be back home, in my own bed. I am so thankful for having such a wonderful family. I know I put them through a lot, emotionally and financially, and they still love me! They are the greatest.
23 December 2003
Well my surgery was yesterday. I had to come home with one of those horrible cones around my head! All went well until last night... I think I ruptured a blood vessel because I was bleeding quite a bit. I lost a lot of blood and now I feel very weak. Mommy stayed up with me all night long! She had to keep direct pressure on my bum to control the bleeding. This morning she took me back to the doctor. He said he will suture me up again and cauterize it this time. I will post more when I am home and feeling better.
24 November 2003
IMPACTED ANAL GLANDS
For some time now, I have been having a problem with impacted anal glands. My vet says I should have them removed. I'm a bit scared about needing surgery but if it will make me feel better, and I don't need them anyway, I will let him take them out. Most dogs can empty their sacks by themselves. I can't, so they just keep filling up. So what I do, is scoot all around the house to try and express them myself. When this doesn't work, and they get so full, I have to be taken to the vet so he can empty them for me. This is a very uncomfortable procedure. I really hate going there for that. On my last visit, he suggested removing the glands. He said I would be much happier without them. I just wanted to update you on my life and to let you know that all purchases made from my site will go to help with my doctor bills. My surgery is set for 22 December 2003. Please keep me in your thoughts. Thank you.

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