Help! My boxer is very sick!

[LaurieD]

This is the first time I am writing although I am not a new Boxer owner. I have a fawn boxer named Heidi who is 11 years old. I have been reading Boxer Board for a few years and have found good info and such compassion in the responses to everyone's posts. My Heidi is very sick right now. She was vomiting a few weeks ago, had an x-ray and discovered a mass in her abdomen. She came home and was well for about a week. Then on Christmas Eve she collapsed. My husband and kids went to church and I just stayed with her. She was not feeling well after dinner so we took her to an emergency animal hospital. They gave her IV fluids, took another x-ray (saw the mass), she had an EKG which showed an irregular heartbeat. We brought her home the next day to see our vet. She also has very bad arthritis in her knees. It is hard to know what is going on but I think it is her heart. We have her scheduled for an ultrasound this Monday. She does not want to get up at all, my husband carries her out to the back yard to go potty, she walks back in but is then huffing. She is eating still. So - I am thinking it is CM. Have any of you been able to help this condition with meds in an older boxer. I do not want her to suffer but want her to be comfortable while she is still with us. I really would appreciate any feedback you all could give me.
My heart is breaking.

 

[LuckyB&J]

I hope all goes well

I am sorry. All I can offer is some comfort for your boxer. Mine is only 6months old and He is my first dog. My prayers are with you and your family and boxer.

 

[harleyboxer]

I would be more suspicious of the mass than her heart. Has your vet done any bloodwork?

 

[Donna1969]

my heart is breaking

Your story sounds just like my Blizzy. In NOvemeber she started vomiting alot, not acting right, then she got very pale (eyes, gums, tongue etc) and I brought her to the vet. The started IV fluids and ran tests, they did see a mass in her abdomen but since it was an XRay it was hard to tell exactly what that mass was. I brought her to the specialists my vet recommended and had her looked at. Doc heard a murmur (nothing any vet had ever heard before it was a little one 2 out of 6) and they did an ultrasound which brought totally unexpected results. My Blizzy had a very enlarged heart and she had an "ugly looking tumor" on her lymph node. She was diagnosised with lymphoma and given a couple of weeks to a couple of months. She had good days (mostly the 6 wks after dx were great days) and some very bad days where like your doggie, was huffing and puffing, didn't want to eat or drink, layed around and slept for hours and hours. Sadly Blizzy didn't win the fight, although we never expected her to, and she went to the bridge the day after Christmas. It was her heart in the end that did it. She became grey, breathing very heavily and had several small seizures which made it impossible for her to move. I couldn't take that..I told her I would not allow her to suffer..so I made a heartbreaking decision.

Please get the ultrasound done to find out what that mass is. And if its not a good diagnosis (praying for your its a good diagnosis) take a hard look at your girl. Is she living like she should be? Is she happy, and without pain? Is she wanting to be with the family or does she seek out isolation? does she have a good quality of life? If the answers are not what they should be, you need to consider putting your baby at peace. Hard as it maybe.

Sorry to sound so morbid and already giving your girl a death sentence but it just tears at my heart..you are describing what my girl went through before she left us.

I will be thinking of you and your baby. Send out hugs and prayers for you and her. Hoping all turns out for the best.

 

[LaurieD]

Yes, both my regular vet and the hospital. Believe it or not her bloodwork is all normal. They were both surprised.

 

[LaurieD]

Donna1969 Thank you so much for giving me your experience. I just need to know what I am dealing with. I promise I will not let her suffer, it kills me to see her this way, not driving me crazy with trying to get your attention and barking for treats. It does really help to listen to everyone.

 

[Donna1969]

I think I might need to apologize to you Laurie..

I wasn't thinking clearly when I wrote my post. I sounded like I have no hope for your girl. Believe me I hope and pray that Heidi is going to be fine and hope for nothing BUT good news for you. If I sounded cold or callous I do apologize, I meant no harm really.

Ok let me give you some info on what I dealt with in dealing with Blizzy's heart. First off, I didn't have her on heart meds because we thought the cancer would get her before her heart did. It was a crap shoot really. Iit wasn't a 24/7 thing with her heart. She would have many many days where she was just as she use to be, playing hard, running, jumping, tug of war etc, eating fine drinking fine..peeing/pooping like a champ till the end. But I noticed if she played too hard she payed for it. She would become very tired later on, she'd get pale, her breathing never really changed nor did she seem to be having a hard time until the very end. But she'd perk up the next day and back to normal. I think THAT was the hardest, looking at her playing like a pup but knowing she wouldn't be here much longer. I would tell my dtr to stop getting "blizzy going' with playing chase etc. But my hubby said, "if she can't have fun and you are going to make her lay quiet and not enjoy her life..why keep her alive?" He was right, I let her play as long as she felt up to it. So, if it is her heart and its not a good dx, there is hope that she will have many many great days left! Enjoy them! Again, I am truly sorry if I seemed cold to your situation.

Please keep me posted on what happens..

 

[LaurieD]

Bloodwork was normal

Yes, both my regular vet and the hospital. Believe it or not her bloodwork is all normal. They were both surprised.

Several weeks ago my vet ran blood tests and all was normal and then again at the hospital.

 

[LaurieD]

To Donna1969

I wasn't thinking clearly when I wrote my post. I sounded like I have no hope for your girl. Believe me I hope and pray that Heidi is going to be fine and hope for nothing BUT good news for you. If I sounded cold or callous I do apologize, I meant no harm really.

Ok let me give you some info on what I dealt with in dealing with Blizzy's heart. First off, I didn't have her on heart meds because we thought the cancer would get her before her heart did. It was a crap shoot really. Iit wasn't a 24/7 thing with her heart. She would have many many days where she was just as she use to be, playing hard, running, jumping, tug of war etc, eating fine drinking fine..peeing/pooping like a champ till the end. But I noticed if she played too hard she payed for it. She would become very tired later on, she'd get pale, her breathing never really changed nor did she seem to be having a hard time until the very end. But she'd perk up the next day and back to normal. I think THAT was the hardest, looking at her playing like a pup but knowing she wouldn't be here much longer. I would tell my dtr to stop getting "blizzy going' with playing chase etc. But my hubby said, "if she can't have fun and you are going to make her lay quiet and not enjoy her life..why keep her alive?" He was right, I let her play as long as she felt up to it. So, if it is her heart and its not a good dx, there is hope that she will have many many great days left! Enjoy them! Again, I am truly sorry if I seemed cold to your situation.

Please keep me posted on what happens..

You do not need to apologize at all. You were saying the truth and anyone that has true compassion for an animal knows that the hardest thing to do is let go and make that most difficult decision. I was just glad to hear back from you. I'll let you know what happens after the ultrasound.
Laurie

 

[Mama_Zookeeper]

I had a boxer named Zoe about 8 years ago who I rescued. We went through CM with her and it sounds just like what you are describing. Her blood work stayed normal for the majority of her short life (she was about 9-12 mos when we got her and just over 2 years when she went to the bridge). She was always tired and my DH had to lift her at times to go out. another thing is she was deaf and because she slept so much we and couldn't be awkoen with a call or noise we would have to stroke her awake. this would always scare me more as I took extra precautions to not startle her. How is she eating & drinking? Good Luck & keep us posted.
((((((((((~~~~~~~~~~hugs, kisses & healing vibes~~~~~~~~~~))))))))))

Dora