managing the end, somewhat morbid

[Bill Fosher]

I am the same way about hospitals that Solo is about vets. I go there because I am made to but the whole time I am there, I am looking for the way out. The only reason I don't bite people is that I have bad teeth and it would probably hurt me more than them. (Don't care for dentists much, either.)

 

When I had my heart attack, I went to the local ER, and after they confirmed what was going on I was shipped off to Dartmouth Hitchock Medical Center. By. Ambulance. Hospital plus claustrophobia plus wheels. I was ready to crap my pants -- I was more scared of the ambulance ride than the heart attack.

 

Then the nurse, sensing my anxiety, gave me a tranquilizer. One little pill. Atavan, I think it was. And it settled my brain, calmed my nerves and helped me to take the ride in the ambulance to the bigger, stranger hospital, more or less in stride. Of course, I have the intellectual capacity to know that what was being done was necessary and for my own good and that I was going to come out alive (although there actually was some doubt among the medical professionals, I was always certain that I was living through it).

 

Anyway, don't underestimate the power of tranquilizers. Ace, as a sedative, would be a bad choice, as it does nothing to quell fears, only sedates the animal so that it can't physically react to those fears, and in my estimation, giving it one more thing to be frightened about.

 

Managing fear was a major issue in the end of Molly's life, and Valium was effective up until her very last day. It didn't remove the fear that she felt after her seizures, but it did take the edge off it and let her relax. Something like that might help Solo.

 

But when it comes right down to it, there are exactly two humane methods to euthanize dogs: blue juice and gunshot. I don't know about you, but barring a horrific set of circumstances that I'd rather not think about, I don't think I could look down the barrel of my rifle at my dog's head and pull the trigger. And no vet is going to send you home with a dose. So you're going to have to figure out how to help him when the time comes. My guess is that it would be easier on him to deal with a stranger coming to the house than a trip to the vet, but it's really going to come down to one or the other if you have to put him down.

[bcnewe2]

Managing fear was a major issue in the end of Molly's life, and Valium was effective up until her very last day. It didn't remove the fear that she felt after her seizures, but it did take the edge off it and let her relax.

 

Hey Bill

Can you tell me more about your Molly and her nevousness with her seizures? Raven, who's somewhere around 10, has been having a few seizures as of late. The blood work that's been done so far has not given us any clues as to why. I do notice that her nervous nature has been more of an issue lately than it has since getting her at 10 months old. At that time she had never been out of her kennel, nor ever socialized with anyone or thing. She stayed a nervous girl her whole life but doable. It's getting worse as each seizure hits. I thought I was just imagining it. No one else seems to notice. But then again, I'm living alone or almost alone with just my 17yr old son so maybe there's no one to confirm what I've been seeing.

TIA

[Bill Fosher]

When she first started to have them, after each seizure Molly would pace in circles and pant. She would walk into things, and act generally disoriented. As the seizures progressed, that disorientation turned to fear. She would still seem disoriented, but she would also tremble and whine. These episodes got longer and longer, although her actual seizures didn't. We found that diazepam (Valium) really took the edge off the fearfulness, and perhaps shortened the duration of her confusion.

 

In her last few days, she had a seizure that left her more disoriented than in the past, and while she seemed unafraid, she also didn't seem to be getting any less confused. She just sort of gave in to it. She couldn't really get around on her own anymore -- she could see, but wasn't processing the information well.

 

We assume that she had a brain tumor, but didn't spend the money that would have been required to diagnose it since at age 15 we wouldn't have put her through any sort of treatment anyway.

[mbc1963]

Howdy,

 

My neighbor had an epileptic black GSD named Tommy who was extremely nervous - probably "anxious" is a more accurate term. As the disease got harder to manage, the anxiety the dog experienced got worse also. They played ping-pong with meds, trying to get some relief for both the epilepsy and the ensuing problems with nervousness. They fought a long battle. It was hard to tease out what was seizure-related and what was Tommy's original fearful wiring. Such a shame - he was a good boy.

 

Mary

[bcnewe2]

When she first started to have them, after each seizure Molly would pace in circles and pant. She would walk into things, and act generally disoriented. As the seizures progressed, that disorientation turned to fear.

 

This describes what Raven seems to go though. The weird thing is, that it's been me that sets the seizures off. I'm not blaming myself but really it's been what I've been doing to her when some of them hit.

 

Twice it came with starting to give her a bath. She's never fought a bath before, never been totally comfortable but she'd get in the tub when I ask. Still did but as soon as the water hits her she starts to siez. I thought I was again imagining it till it happened late one night when my daughter was here along with my DH.

If she wasn't a roller it'd be way easier. For now we accept her as her stinky self. I pray as the weather gets better we can go back to the hose as that seems to upset her less.

The second time she had one in the bath, I grabbed her right as she was gonig into it and lifted her out of the bath and held her tight for about 10 minutes, I could see for several hours after that she was barely haning on fighting one off, if you can possibly do that. The reaction after is the same, confused, nervous or fearfull, hungry whinning and walking in circles, . She seems so afraid after one.

She also had one on the way to the vet, she's never liked the car, put up with it, but always nervous. I'm almost sure it was her nerves that casued at least the last 3. I know it's not the reason but it is adding to the cause.

 

She's had a few at night, sleeps on the floor next the bed. Same thing after but nothing in her enviroment seemed to set those off.

 

I've switched her to raw and it seems to help a bit, but I swear I think one of her issues is thyroid. But the vet says it's normal. I know that wouldn't be the only cause of her seiz. but could it be helping the real casue along? At least her coat is looking normal again and she's eating with gusto, something she never did before.

 

It's horrible to not know what or why this is happening to her for both of us and she's only 10ish not 15 so we have a long way to go (hopefully). But I will be checking out valium if it can help her though the aftermass.

 

Yes, Mary anxious is a better word than nervous but the fear is just that, fear.

 

Thanks for your stories, I don't feel as alone with this.