Maly

Thank you everyone so much for all of your thoughts and condolences - it's 4 days on and my heart still aches but she is resting now and no longer in pain. She doesn't have to get older and suffer from anything that comes with older age-she went at a point in her life when she still had quality of life. The vet said she didnt suffer, that she would have felt like she had a bad hangover... i'm so thankful that i had her in my life... she has left a huge footprint on my heart. I went for a walk through the park last night and came across a beautiful big four year old Maly boy... i explained to the owner what happened to my girl and we had a good chat which helped me to reminicise on my girls attributes, qualities and personality... they're such a beautiful breed and i'm truly thankful for having had my girl in my life.

Thank you everybody for your thoughts and condolences... I'm missing her so much right now! she helped me through some of the lowest times of my life and all she asked for in return was a pat and my love... I went to the vets this morning to get the blood test results - i needed to know what happened. It turns out that it was a kidney infection which had resulted in pacreatitis and acute renal failure. Some of her enzymes were through the roof... she had a serious infection. I'm a microbiologist by trade and i cultured a urine sample the other day - i only got the results today - normal value should be 0cfu/100ml and she had 111,000cfu/100mL. The vet said there was no way of detecting it or knowing how severe it was as she wasnt exhibiting many symptoms until she got the bloat - the vet believes the bloat may have been secondary to the pancreas failing. If she had survived her quality of life wouldnt have been what it was - she would have been on a low/no protein diet and may have had kidney damage and potential neurological damage from the toxins. I find comfort in the fact that she isnt in pain, that she left me at a point in her life where she still had quality of life, and that she didnt have to get older and suffer from any old age related problems and then be in a situation where i had to make the decision that it was time for her to leave me... I just wish she was with me and well... Does anybody know of any Malamute specific poetry anywhere? I found a nice poem online which is so true: My Faithful Dog I turn and I feel she sits As usual, by my side, My faithful devoted friend For me, she'll never die. For I'll ever hear her gentle breathing Her step upon the stair, My heart will never lose the image Of all her loving care. If I hear a rustle in the garden I still see her lunging at the chase, That convoluted wagging tail Tearing out the gate. For a scent upon the wind Is hiding in the trees, Dog will sniff it out as usual A crunchy treat to seize. She knew if I felt alone When friends had gone once more, She'd rest his chin upon my knee Her tail thumping on the floor. When it was time to check the mail My dog, obedient 'stayed' But she knew when she was allowed To walk on sunny days. When I got all dressed up With things I had to do, She'd lay sadly at the door My loyal dog so true. Maybe she didn't win a medal For a coat that I could show, But she sure stole my heart This.... is all I know.

Thanks Everybody for your replies - it's pretty hard - she was with me through the best and worst times of my life over the past 13 years since the age of 16 - the thing is, no matter how down i would feel, she always knew exactly what to do to cheer me up. Nine times out of ten it involved me pampering her in some way - usually through her rolling around on the floor demanding a pat and vocalising with me if she wasnt getting what she wanted she had such an amazing big and beautiful personality and she used to always strut around like she was a princess. All my friends when they came over to see me would tell me she was a spoilt diva and she was - but she was also my best friend who i did, and would do, anything for... i believe she waited until i had left the vets to let go - she didnt have the energy to keep fighting and she just needed to let go. We had a nice cuddle before i left the vet - she always showed that she trusted me by the way she let her head rest in my hand. I'm going to miss her so much... I feel like i let her down a little by not being by her side when she needed me though

Hello, I just wanted to give everybody an update - my beautiful Maly passed away today at 4:00pm aged 13 years. The vet believes it was a cardiac arrest associated with a kidney infection... i just finished burying my best friend

Thanks Everybody - if anybody has any experience with either the symptoms or the preliminary diagnosis i'd love to hear from you...

Just heard from the vets: - She has been put on IV fluids and IV antibiotics and is responding well - She received a rectal flush and everything was ok - Two vets have assessed her and their diagnosis is that the UTI has ascended up the urinary tract to the kidneys giving her a kidney infection. Toxins and metabolites in her blood as a result of the kidney infection may have induced a gastric ulcer which has led to the blood that was vomited. - They're keeping her in overnight under observation and awaiting the blood test results from the pathologist

Hi Laker, thanks for your reply - no, she is complete (long story there as to why she still is). On the Tuesday (which i forgot to mention earlier) an Ultrasound was done because i posed pyometria to the vet and he has all but ruled that out... The x-ray on Sunday ruled out torsion but it doesnt mean that it isnt a possible cause which may have induced constipation... My general feeling (and i'm no vet - just a microbiologist) is that the bloating may have been from something she ate which induced the constipation, the UTI may already have been there in low levels, the fact that she has potentially been constipated for up to three days may have released toxins in to her body causing the seizures... i haven't a clue. I'm at a loss... her temperature is normal today

Thank you Helen, i really appreciate it...

Hi Everybody, I'm new to the forums - so hello. I own a Pure Bred Maly... her basic stats: Age: 13yrs Weight: 38kgs History: Spindle Cell tumour protruding from her vulva in 2005, 3 X UTI in the past 12mths, a small lump removed from above her eye in September 2008. Situation: On Sunday my girl presented with bloating, lethargy, inability to get up. Rushed to the vets where an x-ray was performed (normal), temp (normal-ish) she was given some injections (Meloxicam & Metomide) and a tube passed down her throat to reduce the bloating. At discharge her urine was incredibly concentrated, dark brown in colour and pungent odour - bloating had reduced but was still slightly present. I asked the vet to check for a UTI given her history but he suggested we leave it and see how she goes. The next day, and with no improvement, i took her to the vets again where a urine sample was taken and a UTI confirmed - her temps was 39.8oC (from memory) - bloating had reduced. She was prescribed antibiotics, given an injection for pain relief and to reduce the temperature and sent home. She was still not able to get up on her own and was incredibly unsteady on her feet. She was taking in fluids but no food. She improved slightly and was able to get up and take herself out to the toilet (urine only) and have a drink but still had an appearance of no energy and was generally unsteady on her feet. On Wednesday when i got home i had noticed that she had vomited - it was not a normal vomit - incredibly dark and not a lot of fluid. There were also small blood clots in it - the overall vomit wasnt blood but appeared to be bile. On Wednesday night i tried to give her some food - she ate a few pieces of cooked chicken (no bones) and i tried to give her some sardines and chicken necks - she licked the sardine oil and took a little nibble but nothing major. She was still taking in fluid, taking herself out to the toilet and still a little unsteady on her feet. At about 2.30am Thursday morning she collapsed and went in to a seizure - her whole body was limp but her jaw was locked closed, her breathing was incredibly light and a few times she took what i thought was her last breath - her body went cold. Her eyes were open and she couldnt blink (I called the Emergency Vet who did a phone consult). After around 5-6mins she seemed to come around and was back to the condition that she was earlier in the night: more responsive, drinking water but still lerthargic and unsteady on her feet. At about 6.30am Thursday morning she vomited again - the same as the preceeding day. Dark brown with blood clots and a little what appeared to be undigested food. I took her to the vets again this morning where they again checked temperature (normal), i also asked them to check her rectum and a lump of rock hard faeces was removed - she hasnt really eaten since sunday so it seems odd to me that she would have rock hard faeces so far down her intestine - this morning she was walking around looking as if she wanted to defacate but it didnt appear that she could. This morning bloods were taken (i believe for kidney function) and they also have her on IV fluids and i believe are going to conduct a neurological exam. The vets wanted to keep her in for observation - just prior to my leaving she looked like she wanted to go to the toilet so i took her outside where she again collapsed and had another seizure - albeit this time it was no where near as severe as last night. Has anybody experienced anything like this? I have gone around the house and looked for anything that she could possibly have ingested - she loves burying bones and eating them when they're rotten, there is also a plant or two of deadly night shade that i found. There were lilies in the backyard area where she runs around but that was over 8 weeks ago (my sister decided to put them on her dogs grave as he passed away 8 weeks ago) and there are rats around the area of which my dad has put baits out but in the roof cavity of the house so she couldnt have eaten one. I also found some containers of weed and feed which dad has left laying around (lids on-tightly sealed) My dog lives with my dad as i am not able to have her at my house yet... Any help, advice or experiences would be much appreciated - i know she is old but i dont want to have to say goodbye yet... Thanks for your time