Good Bye my Blacki Baby. Rest In Peace.

Finally it happened.
After week of treating my baby Blackie with IV fluids,Lasix,Rantac,Dextran,Sucralfate. We felt that he is improving. His tongue was regaining pink colour. He was weak but could move around in the room. we were force feeding him and he was retaining it. He was passing good quantity of Urine. Stools were of normal colour. His Blood values were not increasing. He would recognize us and would wag his tail. we were getting hopeful. it was taking heavy toll on me. Giving just 400 cc. in 3 hrs to a dog is real effort and to do it twice a day , more so. we had to lift him and take him down so that he could pass urine. If he cant then I had to Catheterize him.
I had started his Iv drip and gave Inj. Lasix. after 100 cc he got up and started making cooing sound to indicate he wants to eat something. He drank about 300cc Water mixed with electral solution. We were overjoyed. His Iv drip was discontinued. He was taken downstairs where he passed good amount of Urine. We put him in his room and with much releif sat down to watch 'Main Hoon Na' on cable. After an hour or so he walked out of his room and came to his usual place in Drawing room. He stood there swaying a little. I took him back to his room and made him to sit in dog position.
After the picture was over K wanted to sit there for a while. We were feeling at ease. Blacki has started taking feed and passing urine on his own so now things should get better.There was glimmer of hope.We sat there for an hour or so,planning for Diwali.Before going to sleep K went to see Blacki. He was standing and his breathing was fast. She called me. i tried to make him sit. I was wondering whether i should get oxygen cylinder to ease his breathing.
Suddenly he ambled towards K. put his head on her lap. She started patting and baby talking to him.I was stroking his back and could feel the very rapid breathing and fast heart rate.He sat down and K called out to me that he is going, i felt that breathing had stopped and heart was going into Fibrillation(Flutter). He slowly lied down, Took 2-3 gasps and it was all over. I felt more pain and sorrow than ever before. More than what I had felt when my parents,close relatives died. There were no thoughts about what future holds for me-thoughts I had when my parents died. There was only sense of very very deep loss. He had demanded/wanted nothing from me but always gave me lots of love. No conditions were attached to that love. i didnt have to reciprocate. His love, affection and joy on meeting me were always there.Everyday,every hour,every minute. This memory of unconditional love will always remain with me. we will always miss him and remember him.
Good Bye my Blacki baby. Have a nice higher life. Rest in peace.

Pet Problem

For a month now I am busy with my Pet Blackie's treatment. He is 12 yrs old Pom, and in these 12 yrs I never had to visit Vet except for his Vaccination and occasional check ups. Two yrs ago he developed a Cystic Lump below Anus. It was not troubling him and Vet was not sure about the origin of the lump- it was not Malignant tumor. Last May the cyst burst but healed on its own. Last month the Cyst burst and there was lot of bleeding. Vet advised that the cyst be removed. So Blackie was admitted in Parel Vet.Hospital. At his age there were risks and we were worried. His Blood reports were normal but Heart was enlarged. His operation went off without any problem and next day he was moving about, eating milk and bis.,passing Urine and stools. But his stools were Black and Sticky. His recovery was fast and on 4th day Vet at Parel gave permission to bring him home. We found him little weak, wouldnt go for his daily rounds in Soct. and stools were still Black. we suspected that this is altered Blood and he may be Bleeding in Intestines due to Operation stress Ulcers. Now he had developed cough and would sit down after walking a short distance and had stopped taking feeds. We took him to Vet in Juhu(near Pratiksha) and he felt that it was 'Kennel Cough'. Blackie was treated with usual mix of dext-Saline,Antibiotics,etc. He was going down. We could see that he was getting weaker by the day but his Vet or Vets. at Parel Hospital couldnt diagnose the cause . They continued to treat it as Chest infection-Bronchitis- and we gave Nebulisation,Asthalin,Higher Antibiotics and IV fluid.Our repeted suggestion that this cough can be due to LVF ( Left Ventricular Failure) were ignored. By this time he had stopped eating completely so we started force feeding him with milk. Then we realized that his Tongue had become very pale. He was loosing Blood somewhere( Most likely from Ulcers in Stomach or Intestines). We were desperate. My baby was very very sick and these Vets cant even diagnose the cause. We decided to go for Blood Tests and new Vet. Blackie was taken to Vet. Swali and he felt that Blacki is in Renal Failure.Urgent Blood Tests confirmed this. His Haemoglobin was just 4 Gms(30%) S. Creatinine was 9 mgs and BUN 63mgs.
He was still passing Black stools. he was put on Sucralfate (which covers the ulcers and stops bleeding), Inj. Rantac,Lasix and Iv fluids. He had Post Op. Acute Tubular Necrosis or Low GFR due to Anaemia and LVF. At last we knew what was wrong with him and can now focus on treating the cause rather than just shooting in the dark.Now we are giving him IV fluids and Lasix and hope to get his Creatinine down,stimulate the Renal function. Luckily he doesnt have Pain. He is not breathless. His stools have become normal.He still not taking feeds and we are force feeding him. But prognosis is not very good.We are late by some 10 days. Had his Vet. diagnosed the problem earlier,Vets at Parel Hospital( who are teachers/Proffessors at Vet College) listened to us and been more proactive than he would have had better chance of recovery.We can only pray for his recovery and treat him and give support so that he can give his best shot at recovery.
I feel sorry, when I Google Searched his problem I find that we are so much behind the West in treating our Pets.We dont have decent hospital or equipments.Our knowledge is inadequate and most important there is feeling of Deja Vu.Its just a Dog! When humans are not getting proper treatment who can advocate better treatments for Pets? Even commercial interest is not stimulating better facilities for Pets. Huge stray population has increased the negligent attitude of Vets and ordinary people. ---PK