Hansky Mum

I suppose I thought heartworm was everywhere too because there's lots of dicussion on its prevention in Australia and the States. Its carried by mosquitoes so in addition to your prevention keep the mossies down too - use citronella and if you have any water in ponds or containers outside put fish in the ponds or empy old containers - pots etc. You'll never stop all the mozzies but the fewer the better - FOR EVERYONE!!

I suppose I thought heartworm was everywhere too because there's lots of dicussion on its prevention in Australia and the States. Its carried by mosquitoes so in addition to your prevention keep the mossies down too - use citronella and if you have any water in ponds or containers outside put fish in the ponds or empy old containers - pots etc. You'll never stop all the mozzies but the fewer the better - FOR EVERYONE!!

I so hope you're right. Its been 21 weeks tomorrow since I lost my Hans and 23 weeks on Sunday since I lost my boo. Next week I'll be saying the same just add one to the weeks. You can't get over it if you loved them and if they are your children as mine are, the sadness has to be their forever. If I really knew they were up there some where I'd PTS tomorrow to be with them and to say sorry. God is supposed to seee even the tiniest sparrow fall but he missed my two. Didn't even get to say good bye to my little Boo. How hard is that to live with!

I have two 7 month old pups and am giving the chews each month. Then I have to make a decision about the annual injection when they have their next vaccinations. I had two older girls who I lost 12 days apart just before Christmas. They died of a hemolytic anemia - very nasty and very quick. Heartwom medication is linked to this as a cause as are many other things. My big girls were on the annual injection for quite a few years. I don't know if it contributed or not. Its certainly convenient. The horrible thing about looking after our pets is that there are so many nasties we have to treat with vaccines and prevention pills and these along with a lot of other things they are exposed to can cause equally horrible things. I didn't find the cost of the injection more expensive than the chews because I would have it done at vaccination time and probably saved a consultation fee by having two girls instead of 1. In any case. if you've ever seen a heart worm at your vets clinic - use something - what a horrible parasite!

I'm having my two mini schnauzer girls desexed tomorrow. 7 months old. I'm really scared because I read of a boy pup recently dying in surgery when he was being desexed. I lost my two big gilrs, 11 and 9 years just before christmas, on edied after surgey (not desexing) and I'm scared it could happen again. I also don't want them to be sick afterwards, my memories (many years ago) was that it is quite straight forward and they recover quickly???? Keep me up to date with what the vet thinks the problem is.

Kimmy I lost two girls, mini schnauzers 22 weeks and 20 weeks ago, Both died of a horrible hemolytic anemia. The first one, Boo was on Rymadyl for 10 days and it killed her. She died in hospital. I would not take this drug under any circumstances. My second girl, Hans, was PTS. Get another opinion. 11.7 isn't old. Ask a new vet about hemolitic anemia it affects the liver and can be caused by rymadyl. If the time does come, you'll know. It will not be easy but I have to say having experienced both death in hospital without being there and being with my Hans when she was PTS, I would choose any day to hold their hand, kiss them and help them through the hardest moment of their life. It is a very peaceful thing. Its only when you leave that the real pain starts.

Hemoytic Anemias cause internal hemoraging. These can be controlled by cortisone if caught early. There are various different types and they happen in many animals and humans. If you remeber toxic shock syndrome and the children who died in SA from Salami poisonong they had a similar thing. Hemolytic anemia is quite a general term and different forms have different consequences. Causes can be anything from onions, drugs such as Rymadyl, hereditary, E Coli (watch Barf Diets), other unknown toxins, and scary but they can just happen. In the US they believe that vaccinations and heart worm prevention can cause it as well. Symptoms are loss of appetite, anemia (pale gums), lethargy, rapid breathing, vomiting and diarea then leading to kidney and liver failure. But these don't have to happen all at once and my girls got some symptoms in different stages. Watch out for enlaged spleens. All can be signs of hemolytic anemia and DIC (which is basically massive explosins of the red blood cells in all vital organs and .......... This works very quickly and one day you'll have a happy bouncy little girl and then before you know it .......... You do not want anyone you know to go through this. It is treatable but a very high mortality rate. If your dog has any of these symptoms and you vet doesn't take it seriously get another opinion. Mine would be alive today if I did.

Hannie and Boo Boo Its 5 months today since I lost you my Boo and 20 weeks since I lost you my Hans. I know you are together and looking after each other with Ciele and Angus. Not an hour goes by when I don't think of you my darling children and not a second goes by when I think of the horrible last weeks you had. I hope you can think of our happy times together and still love me when I come to see you again. Its only natural that it hurts so much, its a reflection of how much I love you. Your untimely deaths will not be in vain. Love as always Mummy Hans and Boo - mother and daughter - died on 29 November 2004 (Boo) and 12 December 2004 (Hans) from an unknown caused hemolytic anemia. They were 11 and 9 years old. The vets misdiagnosed. Boo died in terrible pain and suffering in the hospital without me. Hans was PTS. Their deaths were not peaceful or graceful and I am now having the five vets involved investigated for misconduct. They will most likely get a tap on the wrist. As a legacy to both beautifual girls I will now be fighting for better representation for pets in vet care, better information to mums and dads about their rights with vets and better information about the causes of hemolytic anemias - of which there are many about your house.

Thanks Sue I've been looking for a forum where people actually care about "dogs". Mine were my children. My friends and my husband think thats cute but they don't understand what it means to me and what it meant to Hans and Boo. (These are only their nick names becasue five vets from the hospital are now under investigation for "misconduct" read for that negligence, so I want to keep anonymous from them at this stage - hopefully in the next few months I can post their photo so everyone can see how beautiful they are). I am ready to talk now to anyone who has lost their baby or who may face the terrible decision. I agree with an earlier post that the decision should never be based on selfishness - we are only here to give the best to our best friends. And sometimes we fail as I did. I have two new babes - Clover and Alice, sucessors to Hansky and Boo, who give me reason to live. Oh and of course - a new vet! And I have learned a lot. regards Hansky Mum

I've just read your post and its the 29th of April. I hope for everyone's sake he's okay. 5 months ago today I lost my little girl, mini schnauzer, Boo. Her legs had a little stumble so I took her to my vet. Said it was back pain and prescribed her rymadyl. 14 days later she was dead on 29 November. She DID NOT have back pain. She had a hemolytic anemia. Rymadyl exacerbates the problem. Hemolytic anemias cause kidney failure, hence the weeing and annorexia. hence the weight loss. have a blood test immediately - it is treatable but vets aren't looking for it. Its a hrorible thing to get. 12 days later I lost her mum, same disease, but the vets didn't believe she had a problem. My only advice to all mums and dads is to get a second opinion. The pain of loss does not get any better and today, 5 months after Boo died and 20 weeks after Hans, I am more sad and lonely than the day they died. I wasn't with Boo when she died in hospital. That is probably the worse thing. I was able to be there with Hans. I can't get to the happy memories because the horrible memories prevail. I have two boxes of ashes.