Thanks so much, everyone. It's been a really hard day for us and I'm haunted by seeing Dexter this morning struggling so hard to live. You've all been so wonderful and your kind comments have really helped today - if anything, we are realizing even more now just how much we love that little boy. He was so special to us.
If I may, I have a question regarding Euthanasia for those of you who have been through this before - for those of you who are squeamish, please just skip this one: Dexter passed peacefully when Dr. Cantrell administered the euthanasia this morning. He let out a small sigh when the initial sedative was injected and silently slipped away when the final injection was made. A few minutes later, as we were still petting him, a fair amount of yellow, clear liquid came out of his mouth and nose. I assume this was fluid that had started to collect in his lungs, perhaps part of the jaundice from his liver? I don't know - I just can't stand the idea that he was in severe pain for a while there and that, perhaps, we put him through it. He had a chest X-ray on sunday night and no fluid was visible. Or, maybe it was missed. Sorry for the awkward question. On Wed, Jul 6, 2011 at 12:46 PM, Lynda Wilson <longhornf...@verizon.net>wrote: > My heart is breaking after reading your story! I'm truly sorry Dexter is > gone, but he will live within your heart now. > > You did so much for him and he fought the battle as much as he could. > > My thoughts are with you at this difficult time. > > Lynda > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ben Williams" <drsiebl...@gmail.com> > To: <felvtalk@felineleukemia.org> > Sent: Wednesday, July 06, 2011 9:46 AM > Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Dexter > > > I'd like to start off this message by thanking all of you for your kind >> words regarding Dexter over the past few days - - my wife and I have >> shared >> and appreciated every one of the emails - it's meant a lot to us. >> Unfortunately, this morning has proven to be heartbreaking to us both - we >> received a call first thing this morning from East Dallas Animal Clinic's >> Dr. Ken Cantrell that Dexter's condition had worsened over the course of >> the >> night. After picking Dex up from the Emergency clinic yesterday morning, >> we >> immediately took him to Dr. Wright at Lakewood Vet Center. Dr. Wright has >> been on vacation since last week and we were told that he would be back >> yesterday morning - but he hadn't yet returned. I took Dexter to see him >> on >> three occasions last week for his lymphocyte T-Cell Immunomodulator >> injections, but was only able to see him that Monday. When we took Dex in >> on Friday when the swelling of his feet and face had begun, we were given >> no >> advice by his staff who were unable to do anything other than give Dex his >> shot and usher us out the door. They are all very caring people and I >> don't >> blame them for anything, but I feel that any vet who runs a practice where >> he is the only doctor on staff, should do a bit more to keep his patients >> informed about his availability - that way precious minutes or hours or >> days >> aren't wasted waiting for him to return. Fortunately, several weeks ago, >> when trying to convince Dr. Wright to order the LTCI treatment (which took >> him over a week to do) I was referred to the East Dallas Animal Clinic by >> the LTCI folks - they had used the medication before. East Dallas Animal >> Clinic is a wonderful place. We've worked with Dr. Ellsworth and Dr. >> Cantrell there - - they are both compassionate and make a point of taking >> calls from concerned pet owners. They have both been wonderful to work >> with >> and have been open to taking every conceivable avenue with Dex's >> treatment. >> I only wish we had been seeing them from the start. We rushed Dex to them >> yesterday morning as soon as it became clear that Dr. Wright wouldn't be >> returning. Again, I don't blame Dr. Wright, but when we took Dexter in >> for >> his checkup three weeks ago and Dr. Wright informed us that anemia had set >> in, his advice was to "take him home and make him comfortable." A week >> passed as I researched and tried to communicate with him about alternate >> treatments and off-label meds. When you factor in that week and the week >> he >> took to order the LTCI meds, that's two out of the last three weeks where >> Dex had little treatment. Again, why the difficulty in getting anything >> done for Dex? East Dallas, however, fit Dex in on the first day we spoke >> with him and started him on Acemannan injections. They had two remaining >> doses remaining of that drug; a drug that was very beneficial to Dex last >> year when he was first diagnosed. they sacrificed those 2 doses for Dex >> without question - had I gone to them earlier, perhaps it would have had >> more effect on him. Regardless, Dex seemed to make improvements while on >> Immunoregulin, LCTI and the acemannan. FeLV and FIV are horrible >> diseases, >> though, and I felt like there was something always sneaking up on Dex >> while >> we treated him. We seemed to reverse the anemia, but his Lymph nodes were >> swelling. Some days they would go down, other days, they would blow up. >> When the mystery feet and face swelling started last week, he even >> responded >> well with benadryl. That thing sneaking up on Dexter? Full blown cancer >> - >> it wasn't just in his lymph nodes, it was in his liver and spleen - it had >> probably made his heart swell. His breathing was becoming more and more >> labored and we struggled with the decision of when Dexter was in too much >> pain to continue. Yesterday, Dr. Cantrell started chemotherapy on Dex, as >> well as steroids. He seemed to tolerate the meds well, but over the >> course >> of the night, he became more jaundiced and vomited, while his body >> temperature dropped to 94 degrees. His little body had given out as this >> terrible disease had taken almost everything from him. I say almost >> everything, because when we arrived at East Dallas Animal Clinic this >> morning, even though he was being hand fed oxygen while under a warming >> pad, >> little Dexter still had a playful wag of the tail when we placed our hands >> on him and told him how much we love him. Dexter died at 8 this morning. >> We are heartbroken that our sweet boy is gone and that he was only with us >> for a year and a half. He was such a wonderful, sweet and special kitty - >> we will miss him terribly. He was a huge part of our family - not some >> "pet" or animal. We have four other wonderful kitties at home who are not >> FelV or FIV positive. They have been wonderful as our attention has been >> so >> focused on Dex for the last month and we owe them some serious one on one >> time right now. While all of the kitties get along well, Dex was the one >> cat in the house that all the other cats adored. He was never involved in >> spats with any of them and they all took turns cleaning him and looking >> after him. Dex was special to everyone. In the end, I wish there was >> more >> I could have done for Dex - I look back at the timing of everything and >> how >> the last three weeks have gone for him. Could the outcome have been >> different? I'll never know, of course, but I'm not done fighting this >> fight >> with FeLV and FIV. These diseases took our boy from us and I will not >> stop >> until they are both a thing of the past. Its the very least I can do in >> honor of Dexter - a wonderful boy who fought with dignity and calm, and >> above all else, the special brand of sweetness that only he had. >> >> Thanks, everyone. >> ______________________________**_________________ >> >> Felvtalk mailing list >> Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org >> http://felineleukemia.org/**mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_** >> felineleukemia.org<http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org> >> >> > > > ______________________________**_________________ > Felvtalk mailing list > Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > http://felineleukemia.org/**mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_**felineleukemia.org<http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org> > _______________________________________________ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
