My Sasha has kidney failure AND liver cancer

[Smithburn]

Sasha is my 17 year old Belgian Shepherd Mix. I adopted her as a support dog for me when I was very ill. She was diagnosed with kidney failure four months ago and has now been diagnosed with liver cancer, just yesterday. Her ALP is 1,114. The highest of the ALP range is 150. It's off the charts. I've watched her health rapidly decline within the past few weeks. She's not eating much, she has diarrhea, she's either constantly pacing and panting or she's sleeping. She's up most of the night needing me to let her outside. She urinates a lot. Drinks a lot of water. She's on sub-q fluids plus some other meds to help her.

Just within the past couple of hours, she'd wake up, look at me, I'd pet her and then she would move because she didn't want to be touched. There are occasions where she'll be happy and still likes to go for her short walks and loves her attention. I'm so terrified. My vet told me to mark on a calendar which days are good and which days are bad for her. My vet also said this is when we need to really be concerned about her quality of life. I understand when you look in your pets eyes you can just tell they are ready to go. This happened to me six months ago with my 18 year old cat. It's like she told me through her eyes.

I'm a wreck. I worry about her all day long. I barely leave her side and I'm lucky to work from home. When I do need to leave the house I try really hard to only be gone for two hours.

Has anybody gone through something like this? Any idea what I might be looking at for life expectancy? I would be so grateful if I could get some feedback. This is so painful. I'm watching my baby die.

[ginger899]

I truly feel for you. You have to get your head and Heart around the concept that you are providing "Hospice care at home" for her right now. I know realising that won't make it any easier in many ways, and won't take away any discomforts she is feeling, but it might help you to accept.
Acceptance can help because it becomes not so much about fear, as about "what is the next move I need to make, with compassion and love"?
If she still has decent life quality despite her decline, then it's good to pace things alongside her, but watch carefully for any sudden changes, or any sense you get that she is enduring on-going pain just because she wants to hang on.
Your vet sounds sensitive and intelligent. Does your girl have all the palliative treatments prescribed, which may make her last weeks/ days more comfortable?
That would be sub-q fluids, perhaps an anti-nausea medication, and painkillers, apart from any others which might be needed for additional symptoms such as diarrhea or constipation. Remember, narcotic analgesics -which work as well for dogs in terminal illness as humans -are constipating.

My heart goes out to you and your dear dog. Keep a close eye on her. Things can change at any time and decisions can 'turn on a dime' as the saying goes.

Bless her Soul, and she has someone who loves her very much....YOU.

[Smithburn]

Thank you so much for responding, ginger889. Making me aware that I am providing hospice care at home does help relieve some anxiety. She is on all the right meds to keep her from pain and to make her days more comfortable. She was excited, as usual, to go for a short walk yesterday. It was definitely the slowest walk we've ever done but she enjoyed it. And then we played a little when we got home. I'm so grateful you responded! Thank you!