I know that when an animal or human being dies, this is supposed to happen - but in all the years and all the euthanasia I had to have administered, always holding the animals (cats and dogs), and then staying with them for about 15 minutes (our vet allows everyone to be alone with them) - it has NEVER happened, yet! I wonder if that's unusual? Natalie
-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of MaiMaiPG Sent: Wednesday, July 06, 2011 6:05 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Dexter It is natural for a body to release fluids and solids as the soul leaves it. This is true with animals and with people. It is not a sign of pain. It is a sign of muscle relaxation. This is one reason a vet may wrap a body in plastic. I never, ever, never have or will leave a friend to leave this world without me holding him/her and this happens. It also happens in natural deaths. Don't ask about releases when a person commits suicide or even is murdered. It can be awful if a family member discovers the body. This, again, is not a sign of pain......... On Jul 6, 2011, at 4:25 PM, Ben Williams wrote: > 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 <[email protected] > >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" <[email protected] >> > >> To: <[email protected]> >> 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 >>> [email protected] >>> http://felineleukemia.org/**mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_** >>> felineleukemia.org<http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felin eleukemia.org >>> > >>> >>> >> >> >> ______________________________**_________________ >> Felvtalk mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://felineleukemia.org/**mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_**felineleukemia.org >> <http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org >> > >> > _______________________________________________ > Felvtalk mailing list > [email protected] > http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org _______________________________________________ Felvtalk mailing list [email protected] http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org _______________________________________________ Felvtalk mailing list [email protected] http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
