# Our Amazing Journey with Duke SHOULD NOT Be Over



## momtoduke (Sep 29, 2008)

Today has been one week since we lost our wonderful boy of 8yrs. The pain is Still so unbearable. We have came to the site several times wanting to post our loss but couldn't because it just felt like when this is done its real and just trying to hold on to what's left.
Duke at 8 1/2 year old was so active, healthy, and non stop. We took him to his vet of 8 years for a very minor skin irritation actually had healed but just for precautions wanted to make sure. 
We took him in on tuesday and she checked him out and agreed it was ok just wanted to give him some medication for allergies along with his bravecto and heart guard.
We arrived home and he ate gave him his meds and bravecto like the vet said to do. She said there were no interactions and would be fine.
On Wednesday we noticed he was really lazy and just passed it off as not being use to the medications.
By Thursday morning he could not stand up called the vet asked about the meds they said NO WAY IT COULD BE THE MEDICATIONS.
Knowing it could we called another vet they said bring him in. He found that Duke was so severely anemic he was 4 points from a blood transfusion. He stayed over night for IV and testing. Friday morning I called as soon as they opened and the vet called back within 10 mins and told us our baby boy had passed from liver failure due to the medication mixture moments before he called.
Basically our baby died of an overdose combined with bravecto, heart guard, and 3 other medications.
His vet of 8 years still says no way it could have. But we know it was. 
The second vet had done X Rays, needle aspiration, major blood panels and there were no tumors no internal bleeding nothing. He said his heart, lungs, and all was in great condition. 
It hurts so bad knowing he would have still been here had we just not took him. 
Our baby was perfectly fine running, playing, and then 61 hours later he was gone. The guilt and pain we feel is so unbearable. 
Duke was not a dog he was family. So loyal, proud, always knew where everyone was at all times, he was our protector for 8 years never failing us a day in his life. We failed to protect him. We never got to say good bye or look Into those big Brown eyes that told us everything we needed to know. We are so numb and lost with out him. The day he left us is the day we realized what unconditional love truely was. We will forever hold you in our hearts baby boy.


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## momtoduke (Sep 29, 2008)

Until We Meet Again Our Friend
Duke 10/01/2007 ~ 03/18/2016


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

I'm so very sorry for your loss. 

I think you should report this to your state's vet board.


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## momtoduke (Sep 29, 2008)

Thank you it hurts more than we ever realized. Yes that will be done after we find our way back. After we came home from picking him up Friday I called and told them we were burying our baby. No one ever called us to say they were sorry. However the 2nd vet did call us on Monday letting us know they had called him multiple times wanting Dukes records which he said they would not get. Then 5 days after he was gone she called not sympathetic in no way basically wanted to let us know she had contacted him but he wouldn't release his records to them. They didn't even call and ask us if they could get his records. They will never get them. We told them all we wanted was for them to acknowledge this is what took him from us. She Still says NO WAY!


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## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

I'm so sorry


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## Traveler's Mom (Sep 24, 2012)

I feel so bad for you. 

Lynn & Traveler


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

I am so sorry....I am sitting here with tears in my eyes.....I just can't imagine this kind of stupidity on a vets part - actually I can....I spent 4 years at vet school putting my ex through and worked for years in hospitals....there is just so much blind trust in that DVM/VMD after someone's name.....I fight and argue and even dictate with puppy people who want to give all kinds of vaccines and meds...

I know it is no consolation - but again, I am so so so sorry...

<<<hugs>>>>


Lee

Run Free Duke ~ you left way too soon and are deeply missed....


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## Loneforce (Feb 12, 2012)

That is terrible  I am sorry for your loss. RIP Duke


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## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

So very sorry for your loss.


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## annabirdie (Jul 3, 2015)

Oh no I am so sorry to hear. What a terrible loss.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I am so sorry for your loss. I see more and more that people completely trust their vet and in a perfect world they should, but it's things like this that make me take a step back and question everything.


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## momtoduke (Sep 29, 2008)

Thank you all very much. We never thought a little 4 month puppy would cause this much heartache 8 years later. It hurts worse than loosing some people and close people. We are completely lost without him. Even with Molly and our sons in the house it's so quiet. He was by far our companion but Molly has been with him for 2 years and we always just thought she didn't know how to play with humans beings we were her 3rd home. She is a 3 yr old GSD and he is all she knew. We just never realized how much she depended on him. He followed us, and she followed him. She never would potty, eat, bark, run, drink, anything until he done it first. Now she just lays only gets excited when we go somewhere so we make a point even if we don't need to go we go.


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

I am so sorry for your loss it must be so heartbreaking. 

What meds interacted? You said Bravecto and heart guard and 3 other meds. What were the other three? Just for safety for my dogs. It's so scary. 

Legally the records are yours. You have a legal right to them. Go get them.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

I would like to know as well. I am so sorry for your loss.


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## momtoduke (Sep 29, 2008)

Bravecto 1400 mg, Heart Guard 227 mg, Cephalexin 500mg, Cetirizine 20mg, and ketoconazole 400mg. Every 12 hours except the bravecto and heart guard 1st dose Tuesday night at 7:30pm and 2nd dose Wednesday 7:30am we refused to Give him his next dose on Wed night seeing it wasn't working well with him. The vet that tried to save him is very positive it was the mixture of bravecto and ketoconazole (not something you just send home unless emergency). We have complete access to his records. His vet of 8 yrs the one that gave him all the meds is the ones that tried to contact the 2nd vet without our permission to get his records and the 2nd vet called us to let us know they had called multiple times trying to get them and he told them they was not getting them.


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## LuckyMe2G (Nov 19, 2015)

I am so sorry for your loss. I can't even imagine how heartbreaking it is for you and your family.


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

Sorry. I am not trying to question anything. Your loss is palpable. And I am so sorry. 

But what was the reason for dosing the Bravecto and heartgard 2 days in a row? Both are monthly meds. 

Ketoconazole, an anti fungal has a host of side effects. Anemia being one of them. Did he have a yeast infection? Why was it prescribed? Cephalexin, an antibiotic, is fairly benign and I have never seen a reaction to it, Except an upset belly. 

Ceterizine is Zyrtec. An antihistamine. I assume then that he had a skin or itching issue going on?

Again, sorry I am an RVT. So I am very interested in stuff like this. I don't mean to be insensitive.


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## momtoduke (Sep 29, 2008)

Thank you. Nothing is going to bring our boy back and all we want is for the vet of 8 years to acknowledge that medications mixed like that can cause death or long term problems. But no they want to tell us over the phone (not even the vet she had the receptionist call us) without seeing anything from the 2nd vet that it was a tumor when we have proof he was healthy in every way with no health problems except arthritis and as well all know that is notorious for the GSD breed. All we know is we took a very healthy happy full of energy 8yr old in for minor skin irritation only to be gone 61 hours later.


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## momtoduke (Sep 29, 2008)

gsdsar said:


> Sorry. I am not trying to question anything. Your loss is palpable. And I am so sorry.
> 
> But what was the reason for dosing the Bravecto and heartgard 2 days in a row? Both are monthly meds.
> 
> ...


I'm sorry I ment for that to read bravecto and heart guard plus 3 other meds on Tuesday night and only the other 3 meds Wed morning. The citrizne is zyrtec. She said he had yeast because his hair was oily but he did not have it! He's had the antibiotic before and was fine.


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## momtoduke (Sep 29, 2008)

gsdsar said:


> Sorry. I am not trying to question anything. Your loss is palpable. And I am so sorry.
> 
> But what was the reason for dosing the Bravecto and heartgard 2 days in a row? Both are monthly meds.
> 
> ...


Also the bravecto they give out here is a 3 month dose.


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

momtoduke said:


> gsdsar said:
> 
> 
> > Sorry. I am not trying to question anything. Your loss is palpable. And I am so sorry.
> ...


Yes. It's 3 months. There are a few flea and tick pills out now and I forget which is 1 and 3 months. 

Questioning by me won't make this better. So I am again so sorry. It's hard enough losing a good dog to have a stranger question stuff can't be easy. 

Based on what I know, I bet he had a reaction to the ketoconazole. It can be pretty rough on the liver, which in turn can cause clotting and blood issues. 

But knowing doesn't help. Your awesome boy is still gone, and nothing will change that.


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## momtoduke (Sep 29, 2008)

gsdsar said:


> Yes. It's 3 months. There are a few flea and tick pills out now and I forget which is 1 and 3 months.
> 
> Questioning by me won't make this better. So I am again so sorry. It's hard enough losing a good dog to have a stranger question stuff can't be easy.
> 
> ...


Thank you and no your not being insensitive at all. That is why we are here any input anyone has we want to hear it. I would have to write a 10 page letter and start at the top for everyone to understand it more and I know they don't wanna read all of that.

Any theory, input is welcomed. We are the ones that gave him that the ones that protected him. We should have known better not to but she said it would be fine all safe with no interactions. We are numb and at this point not much anyone could say is going to hurt us. We just want to make sure this doesn't happen to someone else's beloved animal that's all we want.


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## Springbrz (Aug 13, 2013)

So sorry for your loss. My heart aches for you and your family. RIP sweet Duke.


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## kelbonc (Aug 25, 2014)

I am so very so for your loss. My heart goes out to you and your family. RIP Duke.


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## sitstay (Jan 20, 2003)

I am so sorry for your loss.
Sheilah


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

I am so sorry for your loss. My thoughts are with you at this difficult time.


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