Mira, 7yr old Husky - Cushings ruled out; liver cancer (Mira has passed)

Mira is home with us for right now.

You must be exhausted. I hope you and the pups are able to get some rest.

Hugs,
Addy

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Altira

They are suggesting surgery for Kira. Any comments on that?

Mira..... Pale gums. Might be bleeding her liver. There running tests$$$$ for what I'm not sure. May need a transfusion. Might give her another day. Another week. Another week of what? Bud said do it. Bud who hates pending money.

They are both staying here for at least eight hours. More when we get home.

---

Not sure how to comment on Kira because I don't know what surgery they are suggesting?

Glad you are all home. Update us when you have the strength. We understand. Still sending warm thoughts and best wishes. Kim

Exhausted yes. I slept in the doggie pillows. Mira actully seems very good. No panting. She just had some chicken and a fist full of treats. Bud has gone off to get Kira. He wants to go atv riding with a freind. Leaving sunday and gone a couple days. I don't think he wants to be here when she goes. Great :(. I don't want her to go with a ruptured liver. They said it would be instantaneous. But might be a little bit of a struggle. Good God. Damn me to he'll if I let that happen. I was thinking maybe Monday or Tuesday I'd make an apointment for her and let her go. Shit! I pray we have a good non terrifying weekend but not too good. I have to let her go. I hope god has that much pitty on me.please stay with me.

Kira : dexamethasone suppress 1pre/2 post 1
Dexamethasone injection 2nd/ml
Urinalysis IDEXX
Urine culture and MIC (cal micro)

Whatever that means - this is what they did today.

I asked them to do whatever was the best tests and would give us the fastest results. She said one test had to go to michagin and would take a week. The other will take a couple days. I recorded our conversation. I'll listen to it soon but I'm pretty sure the opperation would be to remove the one gland over her left kidney. The right side looks fine.

A lady was putting her pet to sleep in the room next to us today. I remember when we put our Sasha to sleep a horrible sound was coming out of my mouth. I couldn't stop it. I went to see her after she was gone. Finally 14 1/2 year old Sasha was at peace. She had suffered for months. Mira just 7 years old.... Who was running as fast as she could in the house and doing her patty cake like nut just weeks ago hasn't suffered so much. I don't want to remember her dead. I want to remember her alive and hopefully living the rest of her life running free alive and happy. You know?

I'm so tired.

Are they talking about removing an adrenal gland? The moderators will be along soon to comment. I believe if it is a tumor on an adrenal gland and they are able to remove it the dog no longer has Cushings. We have members who have had that procedure.

Sometimes some cannot be present when our pups have their final day. That does not mean the person loved their dog any less.

I am sorry you only had seven years to share. I sometimes feel robbed too, I have had my Zoe 3 years, we got her from animal control. She has been sick most of that time and now diagnosed with Cushings. I wonder why alot.

Grief is a strange process, first denial, then anger then acceptance. Anticipitory grief goes through the same stages.

We are here for you. I saw you were on line and i did not want you to feel alone.

Love,
Addy

Thank you Addy

I managed to do a search here on surgery and found there has been some success with adrenal surgery. That was encouraging since I read elsewhere where it said it was the most difficult surgery they do on dogs and the survival rate wasnt so great. Lots of horrible things could happen post surgery. They did say that the other side looked ok. And the Cushings specialist seemed very confident. But I can't help feeling that they are just out for their Ginny pigs. They get to test out new things on our pets and it doesn't cost them a thing. I can't tell you how greatful I am for this forum. I hate to think how I'd be feeling right now with out you guys.

Mira laying beside me now. ( Kira unfortunately out in the rain.) I was hoping to get Mira to eat. She ate a few treats ant that's it. I've been so upset that I messed up her medications. I was trying to make an adjustment. The predasone was making her pant so much so I was trying to cut back as had been suggested anyway now. But I went too long inbetwwenn I think. Mira is starting to limp. So I quick gave her the pred and here came the heavy panting. At ACC they said that she was breathing fine so imnot so worried about the panting. But damn I didn't want to see the limp. The cancer doctor said she was doing that to compensate for the pain from thecancer. I haven't seen her walk since talking it.

The Tramadol dopes her up so much to me she looks like she's dying right in front of me.

I better let Kira in and dry her off. Miras not going to eat right now.

"Grief is a strange process, first denial, then anger then acceptance. Anticipitory grief goes through the same stages."

Yes I keep thinking this is a mistake that it is another misdiagnosis. No something is horribly wrong. Her middle has grown an inch in just a few days. Then I feel so angry I just want to brake things. Then for a moment when I see her laying there panting looking miserable I tell her it won't be long now. But you forget the biggest killer of all right now, hope. Hope for a few more good moments. Hope whenyou see her licking up the peanut butter and now she's not limping. Now I fail. I was going to call and make that appointment. Awhile ago I told myself ok Monday, now it's Tuesday. No now it's I can't even pick up the phone.

Mornin' Janis,

It sounds like tests are indicating adrenal dependent hyperadrenocortisim (ADH). In simple terms this means there is a tumor on one of Kira's adrenal glands that is causing the Cushing's. Removal of the tumor means a cure just about every time! ;):D

It is a serious surgery but one that has been performed many, many times with success. Some pups have had both glands removed and do just fine with meds. Make sure the surgeon is Board Certified and that he has done this type surgery many times before with positive results.

I am so sorry Bud is running off and leaving you to face Mira's situation alone. :(:mad::( But then, some guys just don't want anyone to know just how badly things like this affect them, so they run away from the situation and do something "manly" hoping no one can see their pain. ;) If we were closer, I would be with you in person. Just know that I, and many others here, are with you in spirit every minute.

Love your sweet Mira every way you can, make every moment one she enjoys as much as she can, talk to her about the good days before she was sick so your memories of those times will be fresh in your mind. Write them down, make them tangible, if it helps you.

You don't have to be with Mira in those final moments if it is too much for you to watch. If that is not the image you want as your last one of her, then don't put yourself through it. There is no shame if you cannot be with her; I know Mira would understand.

And, Janis, above all else, keep this one thought at the forefront of all you do and think over the next few days. This unbearable step you are called on to take, the decision that will rip your heart out and leave you devastated...this is the greatest gift you could ever give Mira. There is no greater gift of love than this.

Many hugs,
Leslie and the girls - always

Bud never wanted dogs. But we have had them our inter married life. I don't ask I just bring them home and he falls in love with them to. But he pretends he doesnt. These too, especaily Kira has really gotten to him. In the last few years he has alowed them to go places with us and is so very tolerant of my overly protective nature of them. No we can't stop here it's to hot to leave the dogs in the car. No we can't go there but we could go here instead where it's cooler. No I can't leave the dogs but you can go. I'm just so horrible that way. Sometimes I insist he goes with me to the vets and he does. Or like last night I asked him to go get Kira from ACC. I didn't want Mira bouncing around in the car. And there was no I would leave her... This man who never wanted dogs goes and gets our Kira. This man who knows there will always be dogs. My mom and my sister have offered to go with me but the only person I would want tobe there is bud. But i can forgive him this.

Have you ever heard of a liver rupturing and causing instant death? That's what they told me could happen. I've tried looking that up but didn't see anything to suggest instant death. I would just die if that happened.