Kirislin Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 (edited) I fear today might be Kibahs last day and it's come on suddenly. She will be 14 years old on 1st March and has always been an incredibly healthy little whippet. Last week sometime I picked her up and heard one of her vertabrae click. It was a bit of an Ewwww! moment, but because she didn't flinch or react in any way that indicated it hurt her, I put it down to either the gradual beginning of her spine deteriorating as she is aging or just a click like our own joints often do. On Wed. or Thurs. I noticed she was holding her front leg up and thought she must have hurt it. I took them all up the park and she wanted to go as usual and she wasn't noticably limping so I thought she'd walked it off. Friday she didn't want her brekky which is unusual for her, but all the dogs occasionally dont want breakfast so I didn't make the connection. I was out for most of Friday and Saturday and when I got home they were all happy to see me and all ate with gusto. Yesterday I had planned on being out again but this time decided to take her with me because she seemed a bit off. She was sometimes, but not always holding her leg and her spine was clicking but in more places than before. Again though, I gently pressed it and she showed no indication that it hurt her. She didn't duck away when I touched her back, but she did overall look uncomfortable. When we got home she happily gobbled up her dinner and licked the other girls bowls clean too. When I went to bed she jumped up on the bed and I'd just started dozing off when I heard her cry. She looked like something was hurting her and she was all hunched up. I picked her up and she swung her head as if to bite me and her spine was clicking like crazy. It's as if it's become unstable. I put her in a crate I have in my bedroom and settled her in there and she was quiet for a couple of hours but cried again when she tried to move. At 1.45 I gave her half a valium and as far as I know she hasn't cried since and she's resting now. I will ring the vet shortly to ask if I can have the first appointment but I fear what he is going to find. Does anyone know of a condition where the spine suddenly becomes unstable, not including an injury. A couple of weeks ago I posted about one of my whippet injuring herself and I thought she'd broken her back, but it isn't this girl, that was her daughter. Edited February 20, 2014 by Kirislin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted February 16, 2014 Author Share Posted February 16, 2014 Appointment 8.20 think good thoughts for my girl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Crossing fingers she's just needing a chiro appointment... Hugs to you and Kibah... T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harley Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 it's nothing too serious Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBL Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Thinking if you and Kibah. Hope it is just an easy solved issue and she is ok Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HazyWal Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Thinking of you both Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandiandwe Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Thinking of you today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Thinking of you this morning ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gretel Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Positive thoughts headed your way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted February 16, 2014 Author Share Posted February 16, 2014 (edited) Kibah is at the vets doped up on pain relief but the news and options aren't great. Basically I was given 3 options. Euthanase immediately. Take her home on strong pain relief and keep confined to see if it settles down. or investigate with xrays etc with a view to surgery depending on what he finds. I just wasn't able to say put her down then and there, I need more time to get my head around it. I have asked him to take xrays to see what's going on with her neck and spine. Common sense tells me she wont be around much longer as she is an old dog. I am not going to keep her medicated if she is in severe pain, it's no life for her and I am not prepared to put her through surgery either but I just want to be sure that letting her go now is the right thing to do. he pretty much told me I was wasting my money on the xrays and it would be better spent on pain relief, but I have to be sure. Edited February 16, 2014 by Kirislin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allerzeit Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Thinking of you and Kibah, and sending positive thoughts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Oh, bugga.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HazyWal Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 I would be doing exactly what you are Kirislin, at least with the x-rays you will know what you are up against. Huge hugs to you both Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliwake Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 I think you've done the right thing re the x-rays - if you don't know what's wrong, you'd always be wondering if you did the right thing, and it will be hard enough to let her go without second guessing yourself. I'm not sure what to hope for, but I'm thinking of you... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 You will know what to do and the time to do it. Huge hugs Kirislin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Sorry to read this. I have no advice, just positive thoughts - even if they only extend as far as having a clear option to take. With my poodle boy with IVDD, valium works better than pain killers. I hope she is comfortable at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkycat Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Hugs to you -I would have done the same - x-rays and then you know what is going on and you will feel better if you have to make to hard decision. I did this with my old Fugly cat last year when he was diagnosed with bone cancer - after I saw the x-rays I knew that PTS was the kindest and best option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gretel Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 I think you've done the right thing re the x-rays - if you don't know what's wrong, you'd always be wondering if you did the right thing, and it will be hard enough to let her go without second guessing yourself. I'm not sure what to hope for, but I'm thinking of you... Yes just what I was thinking. Poor girl and poor you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sash Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 So sorry to hear this. Thinking of you and your lovely whippet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverStar-Aura Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Oh how horrible for you Kirislin; poor Kibah. I too feel you've done the right thing in getting X-rays done -- there's no way I'd just PTS without knowing what's wrong. You, like any of us here, needs to make an informed decision which you can't do without answers. My thoughts are with you today and I hope the X-rays help by giving you the answers you need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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