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My darling boy, feel so guilty


Lostandtired

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I lost my beautiful dog three weeks ago. He was 14, and reasonably perky, still going on walks and eating and full of love and fun. My other dog was found to have kidney problems a while ago so I looked at kidney diets for him and found the best, accredited, approved raw food I could find and chose their diet for kidney problems which also said it was suitable for seniors and low fat. I emailed the company and asked if both dogs could have it and they said it was great for them both. I spoke to breeders and dog mums and “experts” and I moved them both to this food. I also gave one different type of their meals to my non-kidney boy (who turned out to have worse kidneys!) 

So they were both great on the food, enjoyed it and nice poos and still active (I should say the surviving dog had a couple of hunger vomits because raw goes through quicker but I took advice and fed him later and that cleared up). Then 2 weeks later my boy just had awful tummy pain and diarrhoea, the vets said it was just a grumble and gave me omeprazole and probiotics and sent us home. He just got worse and had a pancreatitis positive screen and acute renal failure, eventually I had to have him put to sleep. On that same morning (2 weeks and 3 days after food change) my other dog had diarrhoea and was admitted for 5 days on fluids (home at nights) and painkillers with a pancreatitis positive screen. He’s ok now thank goodness. I just feel desperately upset and guilty that I meddled with the food. I also used new dog toothpaste on them, quite strong stuff and they would drink right after it, I was thinking it mustn’t be good for their tummies. I don’t know if it was the food, the  toothpaste or a combination or if they just got an infection on their walks like they have before and he was too old and his undiagnosed poorly kidneys too ill to cope (he had been weeing a lot in the house but I just thought he was getting old). But in my mind it’s the food and I can’t bear it, my beautiful boy, he was wonderful 😞

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I am so sorry for your loss.  My last dog had acute chronic colitis and I had to cook for him his whole life.  I had people tout raw food to me too but no way could he tolerate it, it took me trial and error to find what worked and I stuck to that, his veterinary was no earthly help.  I searched on line and talked to others going through digestive issues with their dog.  But in the end, cancer got him, the vet didn't catch it in time to treat it, he even got a clean bill of health at his exam two weeks prior to diagnosis.  I go to a different vet now with my puppy.

To me, if anyone let him down, it was the vet, who is educated and trained to know, but obviously didn't give you adequate guidance.  Boy can I relate to that!  We pay them for their knowledge!  Not all dogs can tolerate raw, systems vary.

I'm diabetic and belong to a diabetic group (am a moderator there) and what I have learned is that our DNA, our very gut, determines what works for us, they have the capability of testing us and telling us what foods to eat but they don't do it...it'll probably be years away before they utilize this information.  So it's up to us to figure out, the doctors usually tell us wrong information, as a result it was 11 years before I learned what helped me and what a life changer that was!

I am so sorry that your dog and my dog suffered because of the vets not knowing or telling us correctly.  I do know that kidneys can shut down quickly as my 25 year old Kitty's did, just 4 1/2 months after losing Arlie, so did her liver, there is no treatment once that happens.

I hope these links and short video are of help to you!  Please don't apply blame to yourself, you are the one that did everything you knew to do for your dog.
 

 
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To be fair to the vets, they sent me commercial food recommendations which must have gone into my junk and then I went down the raw route because everyone was raving about it. When I told the vet they just said it might not be balanced but I bought the best balanced complete meals I could find. I’m not fully convinced it was that because he thrived on it in between but the timing is tough to take. 

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Yes it is very hard, my sister's dog died from pancreatitis, the vets did everything they could but she couldn't be saved.  I don't wish this on any of us.

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8 hours ago, coffeeandcream said:

I put my 15 year old down on Saturday. She had a bout of pancreatitis in February (in addition to heart failure). It's so painful to watch them experience it. Sending you hugs and comfort during this tough time.

Thank you, I’m so sorry for your loss, it’s heartbreaking. Sending hugs back to you from one sad dog mum to another x

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  • 7 months later...

my baby boy was just admitted for acute kidney issues. they were 3 times the normal level. i had his kidney bloodwork done in september and everything looked good. i am so upset and questioning what went wrong. he was so energetic and playful, and then i wake up to him being ill with vomit and diarrhea. i am so worried because i want him to be comfortable. i hate kidney disease so much. i am trying to learn to cope. he’s my baby, and he’s been my best boy for almost half of my life. i am so sad right now. 

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My cat's kidneys shut down, no warning (she was 25 though) so we had to put her to sleep, I hope there's something can be done for him and it's not too far gone.  Her liver also shut down.

Does he have Diabetes? Praying...

I am so sorry you and your boy are going through this. :wub:

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So so glad to hear his update and I love that the veterinary redubbed him Jumping Bean!!! :wub:  Wonderful terrific update!

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