From a quick Google because I couldn’t stand the lack of explaining the acronym.
GOLPP stands for geriatric onset laryngeal paralysis and polyneuropathy, which is a slowly progressive condition that affects many nerves in the body.
[QUOTE=pezk;8317449]
As far as the dog collapsing and turning blue, the dog doesn’t know and it sounds from your description that the dog just collapsed and would have died comfortably if you hadn’t intervened. True? [/QUOTE]
Not at all. Dying from a laryngeal paralysis episode is like slowly being strangled. The dogs are panicked, their breathing worsens because of the panic, which makes them panic more, and their breathing becomes worse, around and around and around. It’s an absolutely horrible death. They are aware and awake during the whole struggle, becoming more and more frightened.
The FIRST thing we do for a dog having a Lar Par attack when they get to the clinic is IV sedation and are prepared to intubate them.
Surgery is an option, but you need to really weigh the pros and cons. Yes, it fixes the breathing problems for good, but it does come with a new set of risks. I would either do the surgery or euthanize sooner rather than later. Because there’s no way to predict which attack will be the one to send you racing to the ER with a gasping struggling dog and wishing you’d done it yesterday.
Thanks all.
It’s really gotten worse in the last week. He’s now had three episodes in a week that left him looking cyanotic. Without intervention, he basically stands there and just hoarks like he’s trying to clear his throat. His hind end weakness has progressed rapidly too. This last week, there have been a couple of occasions where I had to help him get upstairs from his “lair” in the basement where he likes to rest. (it’s cool, dark, and quiet)
Even when he’s having difficulty, he doesn’t seem anxious. My neighbor witnessed one yesterday–she’s a physician, not a vet–but also a dog person–and she said “I’m anxious watching this, but he doesn’t seem alarmed.” And he doesn’t. He just stops, stands, and within a minute or two, recovers. I think my mouth to mouth thing was not that helpful, it was just my reaction after working in vet med and seeing a purple tongue. He probably would’ve been fine w/o me. But it was the first time it had happened.
I emailed the GOLPP study group at MSU about recommendations because even the last awesome vet we saw about this is kind of at a loss giving me an answer about how to properly gauge “quality of life” in order to make a decision. I think she is afraid to tell me what I think I know…that it’s not a matter of if, but when. I think she was maybe hoping that the hind end issues would outrun the breathing issues.
The things that get him excited or distressed are:
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doorbell rings. I’m going to disable the damned thing. The only people who ring my doorbell are door to door whatevers–not people we know.
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strange dogs in our yard when he’s out–we live on kind of a busy walking route and there are a lot of people who let their dogs off leash. So they end up in our yard and want to play and my dog wants to play and voila! I can’t put up a physical fence as this is a rental. I have invisible fence so that keeps mine in but not the strange dogs out. He’s never out if I’m not home so if I see someone coming I take him inside. But sometimes, I’m caught off guard.
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Heat and humidity: We moved back to MI from VA this spring so we’ve actually had a pretty good summer–it was initially an improvement. I keep the house cool and have a dehumidifier running. And he can hang out in the yard a bit like he enjoys without being badly affected since it’s so much milder here.
I’ve seen 4 veterinarians in 18 mos for the breathing issues and no one seemed to think he was a good candidate for tie back-shoot, no one even wants to scope him to determine what we’re dealing with. I would really hate to have him die on the table or from aspirating after the fact. I’d honestly rather euth him on a good day.
But I hate to snuff him out before it’s really time.
This is my “first” dog. First dog of my own. We’ve been through a lot of other “crisis” before and come out strong. I’m super thankful that I’ve had 13 years with him and can’t imagine my home and my life without him. But that’s selfish. So I’m just trying to gauge where we are on the trajectory so I can make a plan. If I can make a plan with some metrics, I’d feel more comfortable.
He’s sleeping at my feet right now, had his peanut butter bones this morning, and is generally doing great. But…I know it’s not going to improve.
Maybe this will help BuddyRoo. I’m sorry for what you’re going through right now. Believe me I understand.
[QUOTE=Horsegal984;8324902]
Maybe this will help BuddyRoo. I’m sorry for what you’re going through right now. Believe me I understand.
http://vetsocialwork.utk.edu/docs/Quality%20of%20Life.pdf[/QUOTE]
Thank you! The thing is, from this, we’re like AWESOME! But I still suspect that we’re not. Really. But from most of that on the chart, we’re doing great.
Yeah LP doesn’t really fit well on that chart. But I do wonder why everybody is so hesitant to be willing to suggest surgery? Or to even do anesthesia to confirm? Sure there are risks when going down/waking up but I know you understand them better than most. A good skilled anesthesia tech will negate risks as much as possible, and with the right premeds and intubation/extubation aspiration is much less likely.
So sorrry for what you are going through…stupid question I know but do they ever keep such dogs on a low dose of something to keep them mellowed out or is that definitely counter indicated …?
I’m sorry. I just went through ‘making the call’ with my lab (unrelated issue - you can see the thread somewhere here) and it is never easy.
My biggest fear with your guy would be what if he is on his own? You don’t want him to die alone and in pain. Can you monitor him constantly, and intervene or get to a vet quick enough to manage him?
We were having the same struggle because when she was fine, she was TOTALLY fine. And to walk a waggy happy dog into the vet to be euthanized just didn’t seem right. But when the bad days start to add up, it becomes more important to critically evaluate their quality of life.
We were lucky that she was supervised, and when she crashed (and she definitely crashed versus a long slow decline), we could get her taken care of within minutes.
From this recent experience (a week ago, and the first time putting down my own pet) I can say that after the fact it was a relief that she died without prolonged suffering. And that brings me comfort even though it’s hard without her.
Sending hugs.
I just spoke to vet in my practice and she advises scheduled euth. I just half cried through a convo. But I think she is likely right The breathing issues are only part of it. The other neuro issues are big too. I mean, he struggles to take a poop. And struggles to get from one floor to the other in our house.
This vet was so kind and kind of cried with me. I’ve done so much for this dog over the years. It’s hard to let it go now. I just don’t want to let go.
That’s on me.
And i’m the one that wrote “This It Be Right”. I know…better a week too soon than a moment too late. But damn. It’s hard.
I am so sorry. I know this dog means the world to you.
It is tough. We euthanized our 12 year old Chesapeake Bay Retriever a couple of months ago. She was healthy until summer, except had a few UTIs and some hind end weakness that I assumed was arthritis. I started her on Previcox. One day, she seemed very weak in her hind legs while having her daily swim. The next day, she was incontinent and couldn’t get up.
It was hard to decide to euthanize a totally alert, aware, wonderful, dog. However, she wasn’t going to get better. My daughter’s comment was that she couldn’t fix her. She might be able to make her a bit better, but fixing an old, neurological dog usually isn’t possible. Euthanasia was not easy, but it was the right decision. The future was not going to be good.
I’m sorry you and your dog are going through this.
So sorry! Is this the dog with the diarrhea issue a while back? I remember how much you cared about him and left no stone un-turned to find an answer to his problem. It is so hard to let go of the ones we have fought so hard for, even when we know it is for the best.
If there is any chance he could have an episode when you are not home, I would follow the vet’s recommendation.
[QUOTE=csaper58;8325753]
So sorry! Is this the dog with the diarrhea issue a while back? I remember how much you cared about him and left no stone un-turned to find an answer to his problem. It is so hard to let go of the ones we have fought so hard for, even when we know it is for the best.
If there is any chance he could have an episode when you are not home, I would follow the vet’s recommendation.[/QUOTE]
Yes. After his anastomosis being redone in 2012 from a window to a point to point. So this is my million dollar dog. LOL
I guess I just kind of had it in my mind that he’d live forever–if I tried hard enough. Sigh.
BUt he’s super happy and tail waggy and doesn’t seem stressed at all. For that I am thankful.
I’m assuming you’ve seen this BuddyRoo? I think he’s exactly the kind of dog who deserves this kind of last fairwell.
http://www.robynarouty.com/i-died-today/
(For anyone who hasn’t seen it, have tissues ready!)
I hope you can have a few awesome enjoyable days with him before you have to do the hardest thing. For what it’s worth, I really from my heart of hearts believe that you’re doing the right thing. Having gone through the alternative, having seen countless dogs have the surgery, I would make the same decision. Hugs!!
[QUOTE=Horsegal984;8325977]
I’m assuming you’ve seen this BuddyRoo? I think he’s exactly the kind of dog who deserves this kind of last fairwell.
http://www.robynarouty.com/i-died-today/
(For anyone who hasn’t seen it, have tissues ready!)
“Better a week too soon than a moment too late, they say” —need to listen to my own words. So much easier when lying those on others than to accept them myself.
I hope you can have a few awesome enjoyable days with him before you have to do the hardest thing. For what it’s worth, I really from my heart of hearts believe that you’re doing the right thing. Having gone through the alternative, having seen countless dogs have the surgery, I would make the same decision. Hugs!![/QUOTE]
Okay, you suck. Officially. Yes, I’ve seen that before but I read it again and just…tears. Sigh.
You don’t suck, really. it’s just that I’m not really ready and I feel like I have to get there fast.
ya know…I don’t want to go to bed TONIGHT because I don’t want it to be the last night that he pops onto the bed with me for just 20 min til he gets too hot and moves to his bed like he’s done for THIRTEEN YEARS. I don’t want it to be the last night after i say “Time for bed!”
I don’t want tomorrow morning to be the last morning that he hops back into bed to snuggle for 10 min after the alarm goes off. Like he’s done for THIRTEEN YEARS.
I don’t want tomorrow to be the last day that he asks for a peanut butter bone, or stares at me wanting to go outside.
But tomorrow could be the last day. Or maybe Wednesday. I dunno. I feel like I just have to pick a random day. I know I have to do it alone because my husband is gone. All the time. I know he’s MY dog. I know it’s MY thing to do.
But he’s happy tonight. It’s so hard when they’re so happy. But that’s probably the best time, isn’t it? When they’re happy.
Enjoy the happy, enjoy each other. You are there with him and can judge his needs best.
Scheduled for Saturday morning when my DH can be home. If it gets worse before then, I’ll do it sooner.
I’m worried about our other pup. He had never known a home without the Giais monster in it.
He’s only 5 now. But he’s really smart and will figure it out.
Anyway, they’re coming to the house. We’ll do it here. It’s going to suck but it will be the best it can be.
I’m so very sorry. I have a 15 yr old germ shep/boxer that is having muscle wastage in hind end that I know I will be facing euthanized in the near future. It’s awful. Sending hugs to you. It’s rally hard when mentally they are all there and seem happy.
Thinking good thoughts for you, that you have beautiful weather to make happy memories the next few days.
Thinking of you this morning, I know you weren’t positive today would be the day from your other thread, so just sending peace and comfort vibes your way.
