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  #1  
Old August 12th, 2001, 12:51 PM
marielayne marielayne is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Lancaster, CA.
Posts: 15
Honey- my dog's death

My dog died yesterday, and I was wondering if you could give me some possible reasons that would explain her sickness.

Honey was my shih-tzu. she was almost two years old. She never had a good appetite and always drank a lot of water. An overly excessive amount of water. She would not eat dog food very much, unless she had to. Often, she would bring up this foamy green... well, it looked like bile.

When she got pregnant, they told me she had milk fever. I gave her calcium and she got better with time. That was four months ago.

A week before she died, I noticed she would not let Sugar (her female pup) play with her. She kept snapping at her, as if to tell her to 'go away'. Then she threw up that bile looking stuff, and later that night around 6pm, she threw up a brownish/dark reddish stuff. My fiance (who is a surgical tech) thinks it might have been fecies, due to a kind of necrosis.

I planned on taking her to the vet in the morning, but I found her under the bed the next day around noon... gasping for air. Her head was limp and her breath was slow. I went hysterical. As soon as she hit my arms, she took a few more breaths and gave up. We tried reviving her for 5 mins. or so, but it was too late. Her tongue was turning gray and she began to stiffen and turn cold.

She never even got to live for two years. What do you think the cause may have been? What was the stuff she was bringing up?

Marie

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  #2  
Old August 14th, 2001, 09:08 AM
ophelia ophelia is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Dallas Texas
Posts: 51
Unhappy autopsy needed

Marielayne,

I am so sorry to hear about your loss. My heart sank when i read your story.

I am engaged to a veterinary tech., according to him the only way to be sure what the problem was is to do an autopsy.
What you are describing could have been caused by various ailments or a combination of problems. Only an autopsy will show what really happened....speculation will only cause more stress.


In my opinion however i suggest you remember the good times and cherish the memories you have. You cannot bring your pet back...but you can always remember the good times.

check the cemetery page on this site. it is very tasteful and it may be useful for you to place a tribute.

again I'm deeply sorry for your loss

best of luck
ophelia
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  #3  
Old August 17th, 2001, 11:31 PM
marielayne marielayne is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Lancaster, CA.
Posts: 15
ophelia

Ophelia,
Thanks 4 your advice. I've sent pics & a story for the pet cemetary page here. I also posted a memorial on my personal web page.
I think it would have cost quite a bit for an autopsy. That's a good idea, but it's too late now. I asked a vet if he could analyze a specimen of what she was bringing up, but he said even that would cost a lot & would not do me any good since all he could test for were toxins. I just hope her pup will be ok & that it's not a hereditary thing.
Thanks once again 4 being so kind.

Marie

www.geocities.com/marielayne/main.html
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  #4  
Old August 23rd, 2001, 08:46 AM
laroi laroi is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Terrebonne, Quebec
Posts: 20
Marielayne,

So sorry to hear about Honey.

I know from the way you write that you really loved her.

I agree with ophelia though, thinking about the trauma cannot replace the warm memories you have.

I suggest putting a couple of your favorite pictures on the wall or into a photo album.....always remember the great times you had with her.

My condolences,

Best of luck!

Laroi
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  #5  
Old August 23rd, 2001, 03:04 PM
marielayne marielayne is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Lancaster, CA.
Posts: 15
pictures

Laroi,

Thank you so much for your kind and comforting words. I have put a picture on the shelf of Honey. Right beside it is Honey's favorite little toy. Pumba (from Lion King).

I posted the original post to find out some info on Honey's death. The goal was to find out what Honey could have died from. Now the goal is to protect her pup from something that could have been contageous, or worse... hereditary.

What I have found, is something I fear the most. It is very possible that she could have died from renal dysplasia. It is very common in shih tzus, as well as lhasos.

Renal Dysplasia is the failure of normal development of the kidney. Gradually increasing symptoms include excessive thirst and volume of urine, weight loss, lack of vigor, intermittent loss of appetite and eventual kidney failure often beginning at less than one year of age. VetGen has discovered a linked DNA marker to a required genetic determinant of juvenile renal dysplasia in the above 2 breeds. It is all caused froma defective gene and is believed to be passed on to offspring. I am watching Sugar very carefully. There is still a lot they don't really know about this and through donations, they will find out more. You can also order cheek swab kits to test your dog for renal dysplasia, but they are costly (at least for me right now). If anyone wants more info on this, go to vetgen.com

Marie
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