Page 3 of 5 FirstFirst 12345 LastLast
Results 21 to 30 of 41

Thread: My sweet beagle Maia passed away last week

  1. #21
    Join Date
    Sep 2020
    Posts
    27

    Default Re: My sweet beagle Maia passed away last week

    I will say I'm a little bothered the vet hasn't sent a sympathy card. Very odd. Ah well.

  2. #22
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Georgia
    Posts
    15,292

    Default Re: My sweet beagle Maia passed away last week

    You never know, you may still get something from the vet. I hope so, because I know that would make you feel a little better. What with COVID, though, lots of things that worked smoothly in the past are now messed up, especially in terms of lines of communication. Office staffers may be absent, and only the most urgent matters may be attended to right now. But I still hope you hear from him.

    As far as NSAIDs and heart problems, I can’t speak from personal experience with dogs. But my very elderly mother suffered from bad osteoarthritis as well as known cardiac issues. She had suffered a major heart attack, and had additional known blockages. For a while, her cardiologist held off on prescribing any NSAIDs because of the anticipated risk in heart patients. But my mom was increasingly uncomfortable to the point where she was even having trouble sleeping, let alone walking. She had been a nurse, so could knowledgeably talk over the risks with him. But she told him she was really losing all quality of life and was willing to take the gamble. So he ended up prescribing the NSAID that he felt was the lowest risk for her, and it is of the same type of Cox-2 inhibitor as is meloxicam. It did help ease her pain to some extent, and although she did end up passing away from her heart issues, it was at least a year after starting the medication. I think that, pain-wise, that year would have become unbearable for her without the medication. So even if it played some part, she was at peace with the outcome.

    Of course, the gift for us was that my mom could weigh the risk and make the decision for herself. The hard part for you is that you made the decision on Maia’s behalf. You couldn’t ask her what she wanted. But from your description of her pain, I have to believe that she would have made the same choice for herself. Just like my mom did. So even if it did hasten Maia’s death, I’m betting it was a gamble she would have been willing to take.

    Grief has a way of making us question everything...it will never go away, but it will get better.
    I think Joan is so right in what she wrote above. She’s being very kind in crediting me as being helpful, and I so hope that’s true. But if so, I was just paying it forward from all the help that I received here back when my own Cushpup died. As I wrote earlier, I do fear that some of my decisions for him actually ended up making things worse. I had no way of knowing that in advance, but I’ll always carry regrets, regardless. Early on, when I was feeling the worst about everything, I tried to free my mind of the guilt for at least a while each day. I’d silently repeat these three things over and over to drive the guilt away. “We loved him dearly. He had a wonderful life. We freed him from suffering.” Even with my mistakes, I did find comfort in thinking those three things were more important, especially over the passage of time. Without any doubt in my mind, you gave Maia those three gifts, as well, and she is now at peace. But I know you’ll be missing her, always. The early days without them alongside us are just so especially hard.

    Marianne

  3. #23
    Join Date
    Sep 2020
    Posts
    27

    Default Re: My sweet beagle Maia passed away last week

    Thanks so much for the kinds words..truly appreciate it..I have been going back and forth with a vet online and they too really don't think her meds were related at all.to what happened..they said def some kind of rapid decompensation of cardiac event and or an embolism like PTE most likely caused it for sure..I did read back over her clinical summary and it did say her mucus membranes were moist AND cyanotic..and I looked up the definition and it means bluish and or grayish from lack of oxygen..I know before we rushed her to the ER clinic they were still pinkish..so she obviously really went downhill. So all in all maybe I def am looking to blame the meds but that is def wasn't them. Like I said I only found that one instance from ten years ago with that sheltie but that was it. Sometimes things are a mystery and out of our control and I'm a the type of guy that needs answers as to why they happened or are happening and the biggest struggle I have with this is I didn't want to give her an NSAID because of the possible effects they can have and I was so scared but then I realized I'm being selfish and scared if the what ifs instead of thinking about Maia's quality of life and how good it can help her. And we never know how things will react until we try it anyhow. She did live a great life for sure and there are lots of.dogs that don't get those years. A.buddy of mine had to put his german shepherd down this past June..was only 6.5 years old..had hermangiosarcoma.. aweful..poor thing didn't even live.half of Maia's life. So I need to try and put things in perspective as well. Again I'm truly grateful for finding you guys. I can always use the support and helping me get through these tough times. So depressing when this quietness keeps lingering like it does. Just so used to hearing her pant..her bark sometimes her nails clicking on the floor .. begging for our food lol you guys get it. Thanks again..I will have to report back when that vet reads over her clinical summary and looks at her xray and let you know their thoughts.

  4. #24
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Georgia
    Posts
    15,292

    Default Re: My sweet beagle Maia passed away last week

    We’ll definitely be interested to hear what the vet has to say, so do let us know when you find out.

    Marianne

  5. #25
    Join Date
    Sep 2020
    Posts
    27

    Default Re: My sweet beagle Maia passed away last week

    Good morning..so I heard back from the vet online..we have actually been going back and forth. I'm a little concerned because they never made mention of the xray I shared..but I assume they saw the clinical summary as they did make mention of her heart walls being thick..in a nut shell..they still don't think the meds caused anything..and even with two doses just seems odd if it did..they also said that even if it may have contributed that I wouldn't have known because we didn't know she had a heart issue..and they still don't believe the meds would exacerbate her heart issue either..even though I have read otherwise that it can ..they said if anything with heart disease it may made the liver and or kidney side effects worse over some time. They basically said if they owned Maia they would have done the same thing with putting her on that to help ease her pain and focus on quality of life..sadly it never got to that part. ☹️�� For some reason I just don't have a warm fuzzy where I feel better to think ok yes def very very unlikely it caused anything. I don't know why I just do..I personally feel like it was jenga..yes she had cushing's and yes she apparently had heart disease to some degree..so she def was NOT well..but the meds was.the last jenga block for it all to topple over. I hate feeling this way..and I sit here again and say well what if I didn't give her those meds? She may still not be with us for that much longer with her health issues going on etc. But it all comes back to feeling guilty and the heavy burdens of the what ifs or could ifs etc. Thanks for the support as said before. Just need to get through this.and get myself in a better place. Nothing can be done at this point anyhow. Just sad ��

  6. #26
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Georgia
    Posts
    15,292

    Default Re: My sweet beagle Maia passed away last week

    I understand. Thanks for letting us know what the vet said, though. His opinion is one more piece to fit into the puzzle and maybe, over time, the overall picture may end up feeling more complete.

    In the meantime, I’m wondering if you’d like to share any stories about Maia’s earlier years? It sounds as though you two shared so many rich and loving days together. If it would make you feel worse to do that right now, of course do not! But if there are any stories that would be a comfort to remember and tell us about, we’d surely love to hear them.

    Marianne

  7. #27
    Join Date
    Sep 2020
    Posts
    27

    Default Re: My sweet beagle Maia passed away last week

    I will try and write some things about her..she was a good.dog but had her moments for sure. She hated getting her nails cut..hated having her ear cleaned out (she had recurring infections) for a little while she was battling pyoderma under her left jaw line..which is gross bacteria that would collect and get crusty. Of course I couldn't try and clean it for her..she was definitely difficult sometime to say the least. Lol bit me..my wife and my mother. Not terrible bites but good nips..I think she had a tougher life early on too though. Def good memories for sure..car rides which she liked yet would get antsy and wanted out..I think it was the anticipation of heading to her walks lol..we would bring her outside with us when we were doing yard work and she would.hang out and roll in the grass. Her favorite was.the snow..she would eat and lick it and do doggy angels in it lol end up sliding down the hill from doing them. Lol I would make a.snowball.and lightly heave it to.her..she would try.and catch it in her mouth lol. I just miss her so much..the.smell of.her..although sometimes smelly with her breath and she peed on herself a few times lately but I think it was because she was having such a hard time getting around ☹️ but just the routine like I said with me picking her up and bringing her to bed and then picking her up bringing her downstairs and making her breakfast etc..so empty and lonely now. Crushes me big time. Sorry I'm so down..I know as I said in time it will get better..just wish I could snap my fingers and have it all go away...most importantly I wish I didn't feel as if the meds may have contributed to it.. that's what I'm really struggling with. I know I sound like a broken record..my apologies. Do you know of anyone on here at all who may have used meloxicam with theirs who.had a heart issue? Jc. Thanks again for hearing my emotions and supporting me. Means alot ��

  8. #28
    Join Date
    Sep 2020
    Posts
    27

    Default Re: My sweet beagle Maia passed away last week

    So I know I sound like a broken record with wanting to blame the meds but I did read something earlier.. apparently.some guy who.had a 9year old golden retriever..was sick..went to the vets.. said something about his liver and kidney..was doing better..said he could be discharged.. apparently found arthritis in her spine.. prescribed metacam..and ended up dying pretty quickly..had two doses I guess..they blamed the vet for not letting them know the possible side effects and apparently the dog was not in any shape health wise to have been given that drug... necropsy showed it died from severe congestion and fluid in lungs. Again not saying for sure I really really believe it was the meds but I still think it could have been possible it pushed her in that direction and especially as her health wasn't the greatest with the heart issue that we didn't know about. I'm def blaming our vet at all..just sad if that was the actual case. I will never know of course what it was that happened. We know this..but I wanted to share that story..if you Google metacam and Anita I think was her name and golden retriever.

  9. #29
    Join Date
    Sep 2020
    Posts
    27

    Default Re: My sweet beagle Maia passed away last week

    So I messaged the vet online and asked them about the xray I sent and if they got it and thoughts..they did and said it looked slightly bigger...so now I sit.here.and say.. great slightly bigger may mean yes she had some heart disease but was it enough to really have taken her like that? Or perhaps the meds def pushed her into that...and she was too far gone by the time we got her help..��☹️ just pure.agony..wish I could think differently about that instead of have that deep feeling that is was the meds. Sorry I'm babbling again about it.

  10. #30
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Georgia
    Posts
    15,292

    Default Re: My sweet beagle Maia passed away last week

    No need to apologize at all -- we're here to help you sort your way through the questions, and that may take quite a while. In that vein, here's a question for you. If everything else that happened with Maia's collapse and death was left unchanged except for giving her the meds, do you think you'd be feeling differently right now? If so, how?

    Marianne

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •