From: toolan@scivax.stsci.edu
Subject: Re: dying
Organization: Space Telescope Science Institute
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1992 16:15:07 GMT

In article <1992Oct10.192918.17081@wam.umd.edu>, mwp@wam.umd.edu (Marty William Peck) writes:
> My dog, Moose has a cancerus tummor in his mouth. The vet said he
> only has a couple of weeks to a month to live. That was almost three
> weeks ago. Over the last week he's really gone down hill. Unfortunatly,
> because it is cancerus, we will have to eauthinise him long befor
> the cancer will acually kill him. This is because, being in his mouth,
> the tumor will eventually interfeer with his eating, and is already
> interfering with his breathing, and the pain killers will only work
> for a little while longer.
> 
> What I want to ask is, has anyone else gone though some kind of
> slow death like this. When did you decide it was time to finilly
> eauthinise him. How did you handle his death. And if you can think
> anything else, I'd be glad to listen.
>                                         Thanks,
>                                          Martyn


	I'm so sorry to hear of Moose's cancer.  It's extremely hard to watch
a beloved friend (animal or otherwise) dying and know you can't to anything
except be there for support, and, in the case of a pet, put him gently to
sleep instead of allowing him to suffer.  I think you will know when it's time
to ask the vet to euthanize Moose--when the pain killers are no longer
effective--because I know you don't want him to suffer.

	I had a little Lhasa-Poo who was my constant shadow.  If I was within
reach, he was _always_ there.  We noticed that he seemed to be getting somewhat
plump (even though he wasn't eating any more than normal), and that he was
having trouble getting up the steps without almost keeling once he got to the 
top. To make a long story short, exploratory surgery turned up what the vet said
was a ruptured cyst.  The internal bleeding led to considerable fluid build-up
(the "plumpness") and anemia.  After the surgery, we brought Josh home and he 
recuperated well (he was 12 years old at the time), but two months later we 
noticed the same symptoms again--plumpness and actual fainting after any
exertion.  Absolutely heartsick, we returned him to the vet.  He was 
hospitalized for testing, and as a last resort, another surgery.  This time
the vet found a whole collection (_20_ or more that were plainly visible!) of 
these ruptured cyst-like "bubbles" that had formed on the membrane that holds 
a dog's intestines in place.  Josh was suffering from _______ sarcoma.  (I'm 
sorry, I can't remember the whole name.)  There was nothing more anyone could
do for him, except give him a peaceful end.  It took us a couple days to come
to grips with this and agree that it was the best thing for Josh, so we went
in after hours for our last visit.  My little sweetheart went to sleep for 
the last time in my arms, and I thought I'd never stop crying.  It was 
extremely hard to do, but I've never doubted that it was the right thing to
do, even though it's years later and I still miss the little fellow.

	I should mention here that our vet is an absolute gem.  He is not
out to become a millionaire from his practice, and he and his associates
manage to cover the hospital 24-hours a day.  A late-night emergency visit to
some total stranger is never necessary here.  I was totally floored when I
actually received a note of sympathy from him.  I think I still have it.

	If something good can come from something so sorrowful, it was Josh's
death that eventually let us to become greyhound owners.  We were looking for
a dog that had Josh's personality:  laid back, gentle, affectionate, but also
low maintenance and relatively non-allergenic.  Instead of finding a single 
dog, we found an entire breed that fits that description.  My heartfelt thanks
to a former coworker, Janet Boss, who suggested we check into greyhounds.  We
are now the owners of two beautiful retired racers, and are very active with
the local rescue group.  I think Josh would be happy with his successors.

					Sharon Toolan
					toolan@stsci.edu

Xref: sparky rec.pets.dogs:12139 rec.backcountry:8133