My dog needs your help...please

Aloha TC'ers.

I'm asking everyone for some help in the way of positive thinking and hopefully some good mana will flow our way.

Our dog, Guinness, the one who saved our lives & house last year when we had the fire, is in a bad way. She got lyme disease last year, and we went through the 4 weeks of antibiotics and thought we had it beat.

Starting this past weekend however, she started having trouble moving & got lethargic. We took her to the vet and sure enough, the lyme disease was back. They put her back on the antibiotics, as well as a painkiller/anti-inflamitory to help her mobility.

Then yesterday, rather than improving, she had a few full blown seizures that were absolutely horrifying to watch. We rushed her to the Vet ER, and after running a bunch more tests, we've found today that her kidneys are failing.

Unfortunately, the Nephritis is pretty advanced and I've been told that the prognosis is not good.

She's currently on an IV full of meds to stop her seizures and hopefully kick-start her kidneys back into working order. If after 2 days her toxin levels aren't down, they never will be.

Its a long shot that it will work, but she's only 9, and after saving my life, I figure she deserved the long shot.

My post here is not to look for sympathy; I know alot of us are pet owners and know what its like when our family members get ill. I know your thoughts are with me.

What I'm hoping is that with enough positive thoughts, prayers, and energy flowing her way, somehow the forces at work will help her to respond to this treatment.

So I ask that you raise a glass, say a prayer, do a ritualistic dance, play a song, sacrifice a watermellon, whatever you can to send some positive energy her way. Thanks.

Sully

Trader Pup and I send our love and healing wishes to your pup..
get well, Guinness Girl.. everyone needs you.

Sully,
Sending you lots of strong positive energy from the west coast to Guinness. Our dog, Hogan, is the closest we will get to having kids, and we have had some close calls with him too. I sincerely understand what you are going thru! Today is a special day being the Summer solstice, so the energy we are sending along is power packed. Hang in there Guinness! Tiki Central Ohana-mana is as strong as you can get!!

Best of everything to you.
Aloha,
Myke

Bargoyle & Jess (I know she's listening)

Lot's of positive power of prayer from this New England pal... I've heard she's a very special dog and a lifesaver too. Guinness be well!

Tikisgrl (Beth)

My cat Bubba went through a bad spell a few years ago, but I stuck with him, and he's still here, putting up with all my mugs!

Our thoughts are with you and your pup!

Anyone know a dog prayer? I favor Christian but I've been known to practice ancestor worship and Elvish too.
I'll wing it. You KNOW I'm thinking of her tonight.

Guinness,
Sending you some mana and hope you are resting! Lots of prayers/positive vibes your way!

~Cyndee

Also sending good Mana your way for your dog....I'm a fellow dog lover and I'd be crushed if my dog was in this situation.

My thoughts are with you and I'll play something happy to put some good vibes out. I hope the pup is doing better.

Cheers,
David

Thank you everyone for the well wishes & good mana.

I just got back from a lunchtime trip to the vet hospital, and was able to visit with Guinness.

She looks like hell, but was quite alert & very excited to see me. She's gone a full 24 hours with no seizures, and appears to be responding to the liquid therapy well. We wont know for sure if it worked until they do some blood & urine tests tmrw, but seeing her today gave me alot more hope.

The doctors yesterday told me she had about a 10% of making it through. Today they give her 50/50.

Now, I'm not the most spiritual guy, but I honestly believe the outpouring of love & support directed at her had to have something to do with it.

Keep the good vibes comming! And thanks once again.

Guinness - hang in there buddy, we're rootin' for ya on the west coast.

-Jim and his 4 legged best friend Matilda

thanks for the update Sully ~ we'll keep the good thoughts for Guiness, and you ~ stay strong.
Trader Pup & elicia

The Mrs. and I are pulling for you! Hang in there!

Keep up the good healing, Guinness! Sending some more strength and virtual belly-rubs your way... get fully well and back home to your people soon!

I just found this thread, and I send my best wishes over to Guinness too!
..sb

Best of luck from me, Mrs. Kahuna, the little Kahunas & Midnight the Gerbil.

ALoha all,

Just a quick update. They did the tests on Guinness' blood today, and unfortunately her levels have not changed. In addition, we've found that she's losing alot of proteins through her urine that are supposed to stay in the bloodstream.

This makes flushing her out a double edged sword. She needs the liquids to help her kidneys, but at the same time, its depleating alot of the protiens she needs in her blood.

I refuse to give up on her, so the vet is going to try a few other things today/tmrw and we'll she if she responds by Monday. The vet isnt very optomistic, but I'm still trying to remain positive. She isnt in any pain, and was still alert & playful when I was there.

Thanks again for all the well wishes.

sully

Just got home from vet. Guinness didn't make it. She went out peacefully with Jess & I petting and comforting her.

Thanks to everyone for their support over the past few days. It really meant alot to me.

[ Edited by: Bargoyle 2007-06-24 09:15 ]

i'm very sorry to hear about that. she sounds like she was well loved.

oh Sully and Jess ~ i'm so sad that Guiness passed away. she was a great dog, a lifesaver in so many ways, alerting you to the fire...and being a comfort in the time afterwards, as you all recovered. you're not alone in your grief, your tiki pals share in your loss. if theres anything i can do for you.. just call.

sending love
elicia & trader pup

My deepest condolences for your loss.

May your family find peace during this time of loss and may your beloved pet sleep with the Angels..
Please take care....
Aloha
Joe/Haole Kats

Sully, I'm really heartbroken for you. I know she's on fire watch in Doggie Heaven tonight. Here's to you, Guinness!

sucks ass - I know the feeling.

it takes some time but never give up on dogs! They're too much fun!

Sad to hear it

Sully & Jess

It's not easy to think of the right thing to say at a time like this. Just, sorry for your loss. I know that Guinness was a very special dog.

Beth

sorry to hear about your loss....

I'm so, so sorry to hear about your loss.
She was obviously very well loved and will be missed dearly.

I'm so sorry for the loss of your friend. Cheers to Guinness and to her people, who love & cared for her so well.

So sorry for the loss of your beloved pet. Many of us have been there. Once the pain subsides, you'll smile everytime you think of her. I'm sure she enriched your lives & you hers.
Take Care,
Rick

I know how difficult it can be when you have to let go of a beloved pet. Take comfort in the knowledge that you did the very best you could for Guinness... and that the pup loved you for it.

MAN, many condolences...Guiness looked like a real sweetheart.

The sad part about having a dog, is their shorter-than-human life span. I look at my dog and think "Man, I hope you live to be 50"....

Sorry for guiness's bad fortune.

R.I.P Guiness

Sully,

So sorry to hear of Guinness' passing. She catching frisbees in that big green park in the sky now. God Bless.

Matt

Our thoughts are with you

Thanks everyone for their kind thoughts.

One note to other dog owners: My vet now suggests using advantage (or front line) 12 months a year. Not just in the warm months. Especially up here in the North East where Lyme disease is at epidemic levels.

Perhaps as her final "heroic" act, her passing can save the lives of some future dogs.

Once again, Thanks everyone. You've made all this a little easier.

I'm so sorry for your loss. I just got home from work and on the way I stopped at the vet and got Frontline for my dog and my 2 cats. I've been where you are and I know it's hard. Hang in there.

"We used to be happy, we used to be"

"Such a loving couple, we used to be"

"That was before, the end of our world, that was before, the end of our world".

I am truly sorry for your loss. Not a day goes by after five years that I do not think about or miss our beautiful and kind loving dog Tucker and my deepest sympathies goes out to you in your time of need.

I know Guinness misses you as well.

Take care,

PTD

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. She was blessed to have her loved ones with her when she passed. Loosing a cherished pet is so hard, I wish you and your family tranquility and healing.

Dear Sully,

So sorry to hear about your loss. Mr. Smiley and I have made a small donation in Guiness's name at

http://www.lyme.org

to help get the word out about how terrible this can be, and to help find treatments.

If anyone is interested they also have a link on the site to sponsered internet vendors that you can sign up to have vendors make donations to this charity automatically when you shop.

If people pre-order their "Tiki Modern" from Barnes and Noble after signing up through the charity partnership link, a small donation will be made.

Inky

Mojo sent!

Wow, bummer. I am sorry.

Yes, sending my best wishes to Guinness, who sounds really great. Get better!

As someone who lost their animal companion of 14 years (my cat Lucy) just last fall, I can relate to your loss. Among the grieving processes I went through, I found it very therapeutic to write a memorial for her. I put one on the web page of the animal nutritionist who doubled her life as a testimonial. But had I not done that, I would have probably used this site to do it:
http://www.virtualpetcemetery.org/pet/index.html

Sorry I did not see this thread earlier. I would have sent some good mana along. So I will simply send it to you and your family now instead. So sorry for your loss.