[NAGDU] My Fisher

Thu Aug 20 16:37:04 UTC 2020

Oh Cindy,
I'm so sorry to hear about Fisher, at least you're able to care for him!! You'll
know when the time is right. Please keep us posted. Thinking of you,
Madison

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Cindy Ray via NAGDU
Sent: August 19, 2020 7:03 PM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: cindyray at gmail.com
Subject: [NAGDU] My Fisher

Hi to all,

Well, the latest episode of my whining about good old Fisher. He turned fourteen
on July 16. He was doing well, as energetic as you would expect, and quite full
of life. Then last Friday came. He fell down a few steps. We helped him go
downstairs. After that, he really couldn't do the stairs anymore. At first he
would stand at the bottom, and once he went up to the landing (it is a split
foyer house with seven steps in each little flight.) My husband carried him up
so he could go out on the deck with us for lunch, but we didn't stay long
because It was hot.

I called my vet to tell her what had happened, and she couldn't work him in.
They suggested that I call a mobile vet, so I called her. They sent over some
anti-inflammatories for him to take. Bob carried him down to the landing and we
went out in the front. He saw the sidewalk and thought we should go north like
we always did on our walks, but I did discourage that.

After dinner, we tried to "rig up the deck" so he would relieve there, but
nothing doing. 

Saturday morning he wasn't eating or drinking, and being a goldador, I was
pretty sure we were in a Hospice situation. I took him to an emergency care
place. 

They determined that his vitals were good, he has arthritis, and he has odd eye
movements, a stygnus.  Vestibular disease is what they call it, and it is like
neuralgia. They say that when there doesn't seem to be a cause except maybe an
underlying one that they would have to test for. They gave him a shot and some
meds for nausea, but I never was sure if that was an issue.

On Tuesday, we had the mobile vet come here. She looked at him and said he was
in pain and his rear was dropped down some, but he seemed to be in good health.
So I decided I would go back to giving him his regular food. I had been giving
this specialty food that I got at my vet when he was  having stomach issues and
adding a little chicken to it. He also was given some glucosamine chews. He
wouldn't eat his food even though it was a mix of old and the specialty food,
though he did when I added the chicken to it.

Today I gave him his old food twice. He would have no part of it. I then gave
him the specialty food with a little chicken, and he ate it. We have to watch to
make sure he gets water.

So he can't do stairs, and we moved into the family room so we could all be
together. I took him for a short walk today, but he quickly commenced to pant
heavily, so I would say he is in quite a little pain.

The one good thing about it is that he is no longer the dog I knew last week. I
can care for him, but it is different, except that he still shows me he cares a
lot. All this is to say that I think we may have precious little time left. This
wasn't how I imagined losing him, but of course there are so many ways.

I would sort of like to use the same vet I have been, but I feel as if after
17 years she could find a way to work him in. (That's 17 years all
together.) To be fair, she is a one doctor office, but given the symptoms, I
just couldn't believe they couldn't figure out a way to work him in. If I am
going to have to euthanize him, then I want to do it here. I am not sure she
would do that. It won't be easy, but I feel I am giving him the best comfort I
can in these days of pain. I miss his coming upstairs to follow me around, but
it is all good, because he greets me when he is aware of my returning to
downstairs. We don't want to leave him alone at all now. Maybe that's silly, but
I feel an intense need to remain here with him, or for Bob to. 

So have any of you used a mobile vet? Did you ever use one as your primary care
vet? What do you think are the pros and cons of doing that?

Sorry this is so long. I'm tired of reading it myself.

Take good care.

Cindy Lou Ray

cindyray at gmail.com <mailto:cindyray at gmail.com> 

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