I brought my dog Joey 13 yr old standard pom. 17 lbs to have his teeth cleaned last year they pulled almost all of his teeth ,when they did the bloodwork they found renal failure i was in denial. Doctor was right he slowly declined over the next year it started with frequent urination, excessive thirst drinking a lot, then peeing inside the house 2-3 times per day, abnormal weight loss, weakness in muscles not wanting to go for walks anymore this went on for one year until he crashed , one week before his death he stopped eating, could not walk anymore, fecal incontinence, vomiting, disorientation staring off into the blue, walking into things as if blind brought him to the vet when he could no longer walk or sit on his hind legs, have him a shower he laid on his side too weak to sit or stand while bathing, Sep 3 bloodwork showed end stage renal failure both kidneys faileddoctor said he is dying so they recommend ed end to suffering euthanasia. You will know your dog will be listless, depressed, not respond, unable to move or get up, unable to eat, vomiting everyday, and so thin only skin and bones.
My dog lived almost 5 years after kidney failure diagnosis. We started her on medication to lower blood pressure and control stomach acid. She had a great quality of life until a few days before she died. Why on earth would you deprive her of living?
When we learned of Whitney’s renal disease, we were prepared to do everything possible. “Everything” turned out to buy three months. During this time, she received IVs, and then subcutaneous injections for hydration three times weekly.
She received prescriptions for vomiting, diarrhea, high blood pressure, and stomach ulcers; to increase calcium and to reduce phosphorus.
We fed and dosed her, monitored, cleaned up, and gave her support.
And, she had a low-protein prescription diet. It took experimentation to learn what she would eat on any given day. Later, she would eat only our food. And then, nothing. She went from over 50 pounds to under 30.
To decide how much time she had, we used two approaches. The first was based on the vet’s blood work readings and assessments for Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, and phosphorus. The second involved OUR assessment of her behavioral symptoms of decline. Areas of decline were:
1. Not eating / not drinking
2. Unable to walk or stand
3. Vomiting
4. Lethargic or disoriented
5. Pain/distress signs
6. Bowel/bladder control
7. Weight loss
For almost two months, her readings and behaviors remained stable. Then her readings slipped significantly. In the last month, her symptoms deteriorated by 80%. But we didn’t need numbers to see where this was going. Just one look…
But, with all we went through, we would do it again to buy her one more good day.
My dog passed away on Wednesday from kidney disease. We spent thousands of $$$ on her care at the local vets. There is nothing that can be done once they are in that final phase. She was healthy and happy last week and seemed to be back to normal. Then on wed she just crashed. Of course it was out of vet hours and the emergency clinic is miles away. She struggled for an hour to breath then finally had a heart attack on our living room floor. It was a nightmare. I now wish that I had gotten her euthanized at first diagnosis back in Dec. They will not get better once they have this. It is a kindness to them to put them to sleep. She was having trouble walking in the end. Her back legs were very weak. She was eating up a storm until the final day. Sad way for her to go, fighting for her life. I would recommend euthanasia.
My dog passed away on Wednesday from kidney disease. We spent thousands of $$$ on her care at the local vets. There is nothing that can be done once they are in that final phase. She was healthy and happy last week and seemed to be back to normal. Then on wed she just crashed. Of course it was out of vet hours and the emergency clinic is miles away. She struggled for an hour to breath then finally had a heart attack on our living room floor. It was a nightmare. I now wish that I had gotten her euthanized at first diagnosis back in Dec. They will not get better once they have this. It is a kindness to them to put them to sleep. She was having trouble walking in the end. Her back legs were very weak. She was eating up a storm until the final day. Sad way for her to go, fighting for her life. I would recommend euthanasia.
My bichon has lost a lot of weight and now just lies in her bed although she is eating and drinking. Had her bloods done yesterday and vet said today she has very bad kidney failure. She is staying in vets overnight on iv drip. This ever happen to anyone and what was outcome? She perked up a little today so I just can't give in to euthanise her
My dog is currently going through this. We are doing everything to bring her back but she still won't eat. We're guess in a week if the vet says her kidneys are still too bad we're gonna put her down. It's unbearable but I don't want her to suffer.
Just lost my 18 year old Maltipoo to Kidney failure. He stopped eating and lost a lot of weight within 1-2 weeks. Also his back legs where very weak. I tried to feed him by hand but he wouldn't eat. I took him to the vet and the blood work was bad. His BUN levels where extremely high and he had Kidney failure. I had him at the vet on IV for 2 separate days. I could tell he was dying but was hoping I could save him. I fed him with a oral syringe but it wasn't enough. He slept most of the time and had no energy. Could barely walk. I wish I put him to sleep sooner but I didn't know he had Kidney failure. He didn't show he was in pain but dogs don't show it. He then had a seizure 2 days after he was diagnosed. It was difficult to see him like this. A few hours later we put him to sleep because I couldn't let him suffer anymore. This just happened and I am extremely sad but am relieved he is not in pain anymore. I miss him so much. His last week of life was poor and I reget not doing it sooner to save him from pain but I didn't know. Also, it was just so hard to make that decision. I just hope that other dogs don't suffer because it only gets worse so it is better to help them transition sooner then later.
I had a pedigree silver Persian cat that had renal failure. He did not last too long after the diagnosis.
My cat was not able to use his back legs and was very "not with it" and in a very poor state toward the end, so we decided it was time to end his suffering. When we took him to the vet, we had been given some pain relief for him, but were told not to wait too long before deciding to put him to sleep. We had him for 15 years from a kitten.
It is very hard to let them go, but it is kinder to the animal if there is no prospect of a remedy and when they start to deteriorate. Your vet should give you an idea regarding the time span left before your doggy starts to deteriorate, so that you can make the decision when euthanize her.
Best wishes.
Here's a link that may help you with your decisions......Good luck & God Bless You & Her.......Karla
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Dogs/4th-stage-renal-failure-in-my-dog/show/425814?page=1
thank you bluecrystal for your info it is much appreciated.
she is still up and around not suffering much.
Sure. I worked for a vet 8 years. It is hard for owners who love their furbabies to know when 'it's time'. It is time when your dog begins to suffer, and is no longer 'happy' being alive. You know your dog best. Trust me when I say that your gut will tell you when it's time to go. It happens to me every time i have had to euthanize a pet: I look at the pet, and it hits me like a ton of bricks to GO NOW. I hate that feeling, and it hurts terribly. But it is the last and most loving thing we can do for our pets. Take the time now to show your dog all the love you can muster. Then, afterwards, know you did the right thing, and enjoy the good memories you have made with your dog. Blessings for you and your dog - Blu