As most of you know about 6 months ago when I took Haley in for her yearly shots thye diagnosed her in renal failure. Although I was shocked, I was not that surprised. She has always been OBSESSED with water and I always just thought that it was the fact that she was deprived water when she was a puppy before I got her. She has also always had a bedwetting problem. She would have accidents while she was sound asleep. They contributed it to her being fixed and the muscles not being strong enught to hold the urine in when she is relaxed and asleep. So she was on medicine to help make those muscles stronger.
Well 6 months ago when I took her for her shots she had lost some weight. Alex was about three weeks old and so I contributed it to that (her weight has always fluctuated, especially at stressfull times like after Kyle and I got married) I reluctantly agreed to run the bloodwork. The vet called me that evening and told me I needed to bring her back for fluids because she was in renal failure. I took her back and they gave her the fluids with no improvement. An ultrasound of her kidnes was done and the vet discovered that she basically had empty kidneys. The midle of the kidney is where all the filtering happens and hers had no filtration system. The vet told us the IV fluids would not help and that we could spend thousands of dollars to keep her alive for about a year or she would have 3-6 months to live, but that thye were surprised she had lived this long with as bad as her kidneys were. So we decided to bring her home, love on her and pray. And that we did.
We started her on special kidney food that broke the bank. Offered her as much water as she wanted and she seemed to improve, she put on some weight and seemed to have more energy. This went on for about 5 months and then she took a turn down hill. SHe started losing weight and had no energy. SHe celebrated her 4th birthday on the 27th with a chicken and rice dinner (her favorite) and lots of loving. The next day she was having a hard time walking and was not eating or drinking. I made the decision last night that it was time because she couldn't get up so that I could change out the blanket on her bed.
So this morning my mom came over and watched Alex while Kyle and I took her to the vet. They had a hard time getting an IV because she was so dehydrated. After that it was quick. The vet came in and gave her the medicine and she went to sleep, I felt her heart stop beating and knew she was gone. The vet listened to confirm. We kissed her and told her we loved her and left.
Kyle is off tomorrow so he is going to go pick her up and take her to the lake and bury her there. This was one of her favorite places and I know she will rest peacefully there.
This was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make but I know she is better off, I told her to go find Oliver (my dog that I had for 16 years before haley) and I am sure they are up there playing together!
Hope everyone is having a good week.
Katie
