Today has been a most difficult day with the announcement that our beloved older 10 & 1/2 year old friend/dog/companion has limited choices and the choices are tearing deeply at us in the family knowing the outcome. Jack is a dog, that to be honest, i had resistance to bringing aboard some ten years ago, yet of all the dogs that have been, he has been like no other; expressive, compassionate, joyous, faithful - a gentle soul in a big body. Not only these things, he has had the remarkable ability to so positively affect all who have come to know him.
Approximately three weeks ago he developed a sore shoulder and limped favoring it so. Our veterinarian checked him out; manipulated his front leg and shoulder concluding that it appeared muscular. I should have checked here, yet kept him quite and he improved on a dose of anti-inflammatory. There was a slight relapse where his limp was worse late last week and then it improved again.
Based on the improvement, he, our other dog and i headed out Monday to camp and the vehicle broke down. Getting retrieved and heading back home, Jack seemed just fine, walking on the bush road with vigor and playing with his girlfriend. The next day Jack could hardly walk, limping profoundly. We arranged an appointment with the vet and i drove him there this morning. The vet described the first encounter three weeks ago, thinking that the possibility exists that he could have cancer and pulled out a canine anatomy book to illustrate. He then took him to x-ray, requiring a sedative to do so.
The diagnostic fear was confirmed and the reality of options discussed. Without being a vet, having difficulty reading the x-ray,i can only discern the diagnostics with what objective reality presents; Jack is in great pain.
Here is a very poor photo of the x-ray:
Essentially, just before the shoulder joint, the cancer is in/on the bone, with the likelihood it is also present, to a lesser extend, in the lungs. There looks to be a small separation (this could be part of a disintegrating bone) to the lower left of the joint off the bone.
The prescribed options (not factoring Jack's age) are to threat (with Cemo), remove his leg, which removes the direct cancer and pain, which may reappear in the lungs (a year or so away). Factoring his age and having to bearing 60 % of his weight on one leg, it will not be easy for him. Currently, he is fighting off the remaining sedatives in his system and has had one does of Tramadol. He did finally drink and eat tonight, as well as emptying his bladder and is semi-sleeping.
Here is link photo of him from another thread: http://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php/topic,13594.msg118680.html#msg118680
All this information came at me fast today and i'm trying to process what to consider, yet his comfort is foremost of mind. HE, if you read this and have any words that i need to think about, i would appreciate it deeply.
Admin Note: changed topic header to better reflect discussion subject.
Approximately three weeks ago he developed a sore shoulder and limped favoring it so. Our veterinarian checked him out; manipulated his front leg and shoulder concluding that it appeared muscular. I should have checked here, yet kept him quite and he improved on a dose of anti-inflammatory. There was a slight relapse where his limp was worse late last week and then it improved again.
Based on the improvement, he, our other dog and i headed out Monday to camp and the vehicle broke down. Getting retrieved and heading back home, Jack seemed just fine, walking on the bush road with vigor and playing with his girlfriend. The next day Jack could hardly walk, limping profoundly. We arranged an appointment with the vet and i drove him there this morning. The vet described the first encounter three weeks ago, thinking that the possibility exists that he could have cancer and pulled out a canine anatomy book to illustrate. He then took him to x-ray, requiring a sedative to do so.
The diagnostic fear was confirmed and the reality of options discussed. Without being a vet, having difficulty reading the x-ray,i can only discern the diagnostics with what objective reality presents; Jack is in great pain.
Here is a very poor photo of the x-ray:
Essentially, just before the shoulder joint, the cancer is in/on the bone, with the likelihood it is also present, to a lesser extend, in the lungs. There looks to be a small separation (this could be part of a disintegrating bone) to the lower left of the joint off the bone.
The prescribed options (not factoring Jack's age) are to threat (with Cemo), remove his leg, which removes the direct cancer and pain, which may reappear in the lungs (a year or so away). Factoring his age and having to bearing 60 % of his weight on one leg, it will not be easy for him. Currently, he is fighting off the remaining sedatives in his system and has had one does of Tramadol. He did finally drink and eat tonight, as well as emptying his bladder and is semi-sleeping.
Here is link photo of him from another thread: http://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php/topic,13594.msg118680.html#msg118680
All this information came at me fast today and i'm trying to process what to consider, yet his comfort is foremost of mind. HE, if you read this and have any words that i need to think about, i would appreciate it deeply.
Admin Note: changed topic header to better reflect discussion subject.
to you, Jack and your family.
