- Joined
- 4/12/14
- Messages
- 4,706
- Real Name
- Heather
Thank you all for all of the hugs, kind words and heartfelt empathy! It means so much that you all know how attached we are to our furry and feathered babies. Patch has literally lived his entire life with us. He was born in this house has always been our 3rd child. Spoiled beyond belief. Hubs had a "no dogs at the kitchen table" rule that applied to all dogs prior to Patch. Patch was allowed to lay next to the table and look adorable without any reprimand or commands to lay on his bed. He got away with a few things that his mother and "aunts" were not allowed to do.
I have been lurking the past 24 hours, but not really reading or comprehending anything. I occupied myself at work today with the mundane because I could not concentrate on the technicalities. I have cried and cried and there are very few tears left. I think I am breaking out in hives from the shock and stress of the last 3 days.
The records were sent to my vet as well as myself. I have googled symptoms and words I am unfamiliar with. Wrote them all down for Dr. R's call. When the vet called a little bit ago, she also mentioned the hemangiosarcoma as well as a ruptured chordae tendineae. Neither of these can be diagnosed without an ultrasound (for the spleen) or an echocardiogram for the rupture in the heart. Neither of those were in the report, nor were the actual x-rays. They told us they did an ultrasound and we saw the shaved areas on Patch, but there is no mention of it in the report. My vet wants to see everything, so I will be calling them in the morning to pick them up.
The conclusion of the ER was, and I quote "Hypovolemic shock - differentials include electric shock, rodenticide toxicity, other toxicity, anaphylaxis of unknown origin, pulmonary thromboembolism, etc."
Dr. R stated flat out that it is NOT poisoning of any kind because the hematocrits are too high. Poisoning would cause them to be much lower. This is very much a relief, as we had treated the attic for mice over the winter and Hubs was afraid he had missed some in the cleanup and it was his fault for Patch's passing.
We know he was not electrocuted. He was with us all day and there would have been burns on him.
Pulmonary embolism and anaphylaxis are still possibilities, but Dr R wants all of the imaging to narrow it down some more. I will be calling in the morning to get them.
I will say that I am highly disappointed. One of the top Vet schools in the country and they could not find, or at least narrow down, a cause. The report they sent to Dr. R stated we decided to euthanize for financial reasons! Very much the opposite of what really happened! They told us his prognosis was poor. He may have 2 days or 2 weeks, but would have to remain on oxygen to make it that long. When asked if we could take some home to let him pass at home, they said it was not something they could provide. He basically would have suffocated slowly and painfully. Not something we would have wanted for anyone! Human or animal!
Thank you again for all of your kind words and for letting me vent and get it out of my system. This forum is so much more than just advice. It is an entire support system of like minded individuals through thick and thin, good times and bad!
I have been lurking the past 24 hours, but not really reading or comprehending anything. I occupied myself at work today with the mundane because I could not concentrate on the technicalities. I have cried and cried and there are very few tears left. I think I am breaking out in hives from the shock and stress of the last 3 days.
The records were sent to my vet as well as myself. I have googled symptoms and words I am unfamiliar with. Wrote them all down for Dr. R's call. When the vet called a little bit ago, she also mentioned the hemangiosarcoma as well as a ruptured chordae tendineae. Neither of these can be diagnosed without an ultrasound (for the spleen) or an echocardiogram for the rupture in the heart. Neither of those were in the report, nor were the actual x-rays. They told us they did an ultrasound and we saw the shaved areas on Patch, but there is no mention of it in the report. My vet wants to see everything, so I will be calling them in the morning to pick them up.
The conclusion of the ER was, and I quote "Hypovolemic shock - differentials include electric shock, rodenticide toxicity, other toxicity, anaphylaxis of unknown origin, pulmonary thromboembolism, etc."
Dr. R stated flat out that it is NOT poisoning of any kind because the hematocrits are too high. Poisoning would cause them to be much lower. This is very much a relief, as we had treated the attic for mice over the winter and Hubs was afraid he had missed some in the cleanup and it was his fault for Patch's passing.
We know he was not electrocuted. He was with us all day and there would have been burns on him.
Pulmonary embolism and anaphylaxis are still possibilities, but Dr R wants all of the imaging to narrow it down some more. I will be calling in the morning to get them.
I will say that I am highly disappointed. One of the top Vet schools in the country and they could not find, or at least narrow down, a cause. The report they sent to Dr. R stated we decided to euthanize for financial reasons! Very much the opposite of what really happened! They told us his prognosis was poor. He may have 2 days or 2 weeks, but would have to remain on oxygen to make it that long. When asked if we could take some home to let him pass at home, they said it was not something they could provide. He basically would have suffocated slowly and painfully. Not something we would have wanted for anyone! Human or animal!
Thank you again for all of your kind words and for letting me vent and get it out of my system. This forum is so much more than just advice. It is an entire support system of like minded individuals through thick and thin, good times and bad!