# When?



## Kayos and Havoc (Oct 17, 2002)

Kayos has cancer and was told about 2 months or so. She has passed that long ago and has fought it for 5 plus months. 

Sadly she is starting to slip. 

She still gets up and gets going in spurts and seems pretty happy for now. 

She is taking all the Tramadol she can paired with Gababpentin. She also is getting 35mg of Deramaxx. Yes she can take double the dose of Deramaxx but she has had issues with NSAIDS in the past. Just this last week or so she has started to leave food in her bowl although she is still interested in food. She has also started eating feces and dirt, something she has never done. 

I don't know if the Deramaxx is upsetting her stomach or the cancer has invaded her stomach. I don't see any evidence that is bleeding internally and she is still passing stool, although it is pretty flat and she sometimes struggles to go.

I don't want her to waste away and she is losing weight now. 

I don't know if we should consider sending her soon before she gets to the point she is suffering or wait until she is in pretty bad shape. 

Not this week - but it is coming soon. :teary:


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## holland (Jan 11, 2009)

So sorry it is such a hard decision to make


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## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

Honestly I think it's kinder to let them have one last wonderful day while they can still enjoy it and bring them in before it gets to that point. I'm so sorry


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## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

I am so sorry. Im going through this but not w/ cancer with my Lucky. I wanted to give him a great Gotcha Day. We use the OSU quality of life scale but I wonder. Lucky is extremely healthy as in liver,kidney functioning but has begun eating feces and is only interested in food at night. This is so hard. I think giving Kaos a week of onething daily she still enjoys would be a great way to celbrate her life. You know her so well when she is down to only two daily things out of five are still enjoyable then its time. Lucky still rests easily most days and loves his pasta. He gets excited to see me and loves to see our son ,my husband and my SIL.He still triesto chase the cats and bark alets when the neighbor comes down our lane. We are at 3 out of five ,walking and mobility are pretty well done and playing is gone. This is both are hardest and most selfless act we have as dog parents. Take care. Sending thoughts and prayers.
Maggi


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## Gretchen (Jan 20, 2011)

So sorry to hear this! It sounds like exactly what we went through with our previous GSD mix. The last 3 weeks of her life we fed her whatever she would eat. There was one day I thought I would lose her, she kind of recovered and the next day I took her to her favorite hiking place. She really couldn't hike but we just sat in peace in the outdoors for about an hour or so. She passed 2 days later. We both really enjoyed that moment. Hope you still have time to share some special moments together too.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

I'm sorry Kathy - you will know what it the right time for Kayos. For me, I go with my gut - When Keeta was declining, I was thinking/feeling: "not yet, not yet". Then one day, I was at work, and thinking about Keeta, and the thought came to me "It's time".

I feel that they will let you know - I don't force it, I just follow the feeling in me. It does help to talk about the difficulty of making the decision. I know you will do right by Kayos when the time comes.


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## JRC (Jan 27, 2016)

I feel for you!I lost Buddy to cancer may 28 so its still pretty fresh to me.I'm so very sorry


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## Kayos and Havoc (Oct 17, 2002)

She is about 2 to 3 on the quality of life scale, closer to 3. Not great but not too bad yet. She is definitely slipping. 

Our vet wants us to try some zantac for a few days to see if it helps her. She may be bleeding a little but higher up in her GI tract. I need to watch her feces a bit better. They have been occasionally greenish with bile. But I really do not feel like they are dark enough for blood.


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## Heartandsoul (Jan 5, 2012)

I just wanted to add my thoughts and support for you and Kayos. I'm new on the board but have read so many of your posts over the years.

When you do make the decision it will be the right time.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

Kathy, I am just so sorry.


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## maxtmill (Dec 28, 2010)

Castlemaid said:


> I'm sorry Kathy - you will know what it the right time for Kayos. For me, I go with my gut - When Keeta was declining, I was thinking/feeling: "not yet, not yet". Then one day, I was at work, and thinking about Keeta, and the thought came to me "It's time".
> 
> I feel that they will let you know - I don't force it, I just follow the feeling in me. It does help to talk about the difficulty of making the decision. I know you will do right by Kayos when the time comes.


This is how I feel. So sorry you are going through this hard time!


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## Kayos and Havoc (Oct 17, 2002)

We were up and down last night with her. She cannot seem to get comfortable and paced a lot. I am pretty tired today, it is going to be a lots of coffee kind of day.

She has never had an accident in the house but last night she had a bowel movement in the hallway. Sadly it was black, very obvious she is bleeding. Her gums look good and her capillary refill is good still. I don't know if the bleeding is from the cancer or the Deramaxx, vet does not know either. Either way, it is irrelevant. If I take the Deramaxx away she cannot get up. 

She is on 75mg of Zantac twice a day and it has helped a bit I think. She is slipping pretty quickly now and we knew she would. 

I am calling the vet today to schedule her tentatively for next Friday. It will give her time if she is going to rebound and if not it will be clear it is time.








_________________________


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## GatorBytes (Jul 16, 2012)

So sorry you are both going through this


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

I think this is the hardest decision we ever have to make for them......we don't want them to suffer and we don't want to lose them....to find that finite moment poised between their good times and their bewilderment and pain is probably the hardest thing we do.

All the best to you and to Kayos.....celebrate her time with you and your love in the time left


:hugs:

Lee


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## lorihd (Nov 30, 2011)

worst part of being a dog owner, "Hugs"


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I'm sorry. 

I am watching Babsy getting weak in the back end. She had OFA good hips, so it is probably something to do with the spine. Or arthritis. Or a tumor like Cujo had. Which makes me worry about having to make that decision for her. She eats. Lately she wasn't as quick to come to the kitchen when she knows I have food. But today, I set the pie down and whistled and it was a fraction of a second when I heard the toenails scraping the floor. 

The end is inevitable, but when is just hard. I dread making that decision. But I also dread coming home and finding her gone. I think I am taking her in tomorrow to investigate the weakness, and see if there is anything I can do.


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## Malachi (Dec 4, 2015)

I'm sorry for your grief at this time. I just went through dealing with cancer with my Flair and had to let go of her last November...still hurts. When it's time it really does become clear. My thoughts are with you. Blessings!


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