RE: Lizzie's hanging in there.

Stacy Brown ( sbrown@mcslink.com )
Thu, 25 Feb 1999 09:04:41 -0600

You're in my thoughts and prayers John! Also, I knew a dog who had his eye
removed, and the vet gave the owner the option of either replacing it with a
glass eye or just sewing it shut. That vet said it would be more
comfortable for the animal to just sew that eye shut than to have the glass
eye. Before the surgery his bad eye had gotten SO bad his good eye had
started to take on these kind of sympathetic symptoms, almost imitating the
other eye to balance out the bad eye. Anyway, after the surgery the good
eye got better again and the dog showed obvious signs of feeling better, and
he never seemed to even notice that his other eye was sewn shut. You might
want to consider that. I hope they're able to remove the tumor. Good luck
to you!

-----Original Message-----
From: AAARPTRADEUSA@webtv.net [mailto:AAARPTRADEUSA@webtv.net]
Sent: Thursday, February 25, 1999 8:46 AM
To: felvtalk@MailingList.net
Subject: Lizzie's hanging in there.

Hi all,
I'll try the goat's milk and baby food meat and broth today Karla,
thanks. Also good info from Sue and Gabriela. One vet said he could do
a surgery and remove Lizzie's swollen right eye and put in a sterle
eyeball and then sew it closed if all the meds fail to work.

I asked if they would surgically remove the tumor behind it and treat
the cancer by surgery? He wants to wait until Saturday morning to
evaluate her and give me an answer after the ultra sound and x-ray. I
don't want to play God and take her life. Yet, I don't want her to
behave like some 1930's ladies' fox wrap all limp and lifeless, if that
time comes.

If her pain is necessary to cure her, then I'd say OK, dope her up and
get on with it. But if I'm being a vet nut and let them butcher her and
make her suffer for no common sense justification, then the logical
thing to do would be to buy her a 1st class ticket to the rainbow
bridge.

Not an easy decision to make when she's still purring when I hold her
and she can still give weak head butts. I must know if she is in any
pain now or if she is just reacting normally to the medications. She
isn't vomiting and she can still walk around slowly. I have high hopes
she will perk up by Saturday's exam. This weekend will totally suck!!

Removing the eye and the lymphoma is possible but the other vet said the
felv would still be present and maybe only extend her life by 3 months.
This I didn't want to hear. She's at my feet now. I gave her our good
morning massage and then she walked over and took a drink. I put down a
special soft food from the vet and she smelled it and tried to cover it
up with her paw on the kitchen floor. I got her message loud and clear.
"Johnny, this stuff smells like cat s___!!"

She walks about 10 feet and then lays down. At least she's behaving
better than yesterday. This has all happened so quickly it has me
stunned. This is my first and I hope last bout with this horrible felv
within my furry family.

Take care, John