Had a Scare Today... - UPDATE: RIP Hannah Girl

[Jessika]

My in-law's dog Hannah was acting weird yesterday and kept falling over. She's around nine years old, so without looking at her I'd assumed it had something to do with her joints, moreso her hips, since Shepherd-X's are prone to having bad hips as they age. After watching her, her front right leg was the one that would collapse. She just seemed really sluggish and lethargic, so I felt her leg and found a lump around the area where she'd had a tumor removed a few years prior. I told them they needed to take her to the vet as soon as possible.

So today I get up and go to school and hubby calls and says that Hannah is not doing very good at all, she's just lying there and won't get up or walk around. I told him to tell his parents they NEED to get her to the vet IMMEDIATELY as my parents' dog Perdy had displayed some of the same signs and passed away very quickly, and worst-case scenario if there was nothing they could do at least take her to have her euthanized because I can't think of anything more traumatic than his youngest brother coming home from school and seeing her after she'd passed away. Not to mention if she was in pain or something.

So they brought her in and turns out she has really low blood sugar, like 36. They gave her some sugar water and the vet said she needs more carbs in her diet as there may be a problem with her pancreas. She's on steroids from now until the rest of her life, and she gets to pretty much eat table scraps... well high-carb food like pasta, bread, etc. The doc also said she may have a tumor on her pancreas which could be causing these problems.

Hubby doesn't know this yet but he also estimated she only has a year or two left, and I'm not sure I want to tell him just yet, and neither do his parents. Apparently he was really freaking out today, because sure we have Charlie and Jamie, but this is Hannah, this is his childhood dog that he grew up with. She'd even survived Parvo as a pup!

So please keep her in your prayers and thoughts that she lives out the rest of her life worry and pain free

UPDATE from post #9: Bloodwork results came back and it looks as though she may have cancer... I want to say liver cancer but I can't remember what they said. I know hubby doesn't like talking about it because it upsets him so I may talk to his parents later to clarify (I just forgot ) but he now knows she only has a year or two left at most, but they're going to make them her best years yet!

Update 04/07/2008 post #12

I would copy and paste but it's pretty long... two seizures today in the span of an hour.... please keep her in your prayers... I fear the worst...

UPDATE 04/08/08 post #17

The difficult decision was made to put her down this morning. Hannah, you put up a good fight against your cancer. May you RIP.

[Catlady711]

Sorry to hear about Hannah.

I know tumors on pancreases can cause all kinds of havoc with the glucose because my one uncle just had a cyst removed from his pancreas and before the surgery his glucose was all over the board, it's been fine since the surgery though.

Once things settle down a bit and your hubby is calmer maybe let him know about Hannah so he can enjoy what time she has left with him? I guess it would depend on if you thought he'd be angry if someone didn't tell him.

Hopefully the meds and higher carbs makes Hannah feel better and enjoy whatever time she has left with the family.

[Freedom]

Good for you, insisting they get her in to see the vet! At least for now, she is comfortable again.

Prayers for Hannah, from RI.

[Jessika]

Good for you, insisting they get her in to see the vet! At least for now, she is comfortable again.

Prayers for Hannah, from RI.

Not that they wouldn't have taken her, they just weren't sure of what to do, or perhaps how serious it was. I know Sunday they for sure were going to take her Monday; they waited only because it was a weekend and her symptoms were alarming but not severe. But today they were severe, and they did take her to the vet ASAP.

Thank you, guys. She's back to her "normal" self, even jumped up on me for a nice rub!

[ramanth]

Prayers for Hannah!

[pitc9]

Thank you, guys. She's back to her "normal" self, even jumped up on me for a nice rub!

Great news!!!

[Jessika]

Thank you all so much... she's doing better today even compared to yesterday... in fact I think this is the most energy I've seen her have in weeks, if not months! It's like she's young again!

[Karen]

It's amazing how much good a trip to the vet can do, isn't it? Give her a good belly-rub for me!

[Jessika]

Bloodwork results came back and it looks as though she may have cancer... I want to say liver cancer but I can't remember what they said. I know hubby doesn't like talking about it because it upsets him so I may talk to his parents later to clarify (I just forgot ) but he now knows she only has a year or two left at most, but they're going to make them her best years yet!

[kallisto4529]

I am so very sorry to hear about Hannah, she and your family will be in my prayers for her to have what is left for her a pain free and happy life. I totally get where your hubby is coming from, when we loose our furkids as adults it is very hard, but there is something different when it is your childhood dog, its like the last part of your childhood that was left remaining is disappearing and a part of you with it, they are your best friends in the whole world, nothing compares to them. My heart goes out to him, Im sure many of us know what this is like.

[Jessika]

I am so very sorry to hear about Hannah, she and your family will be in my prayers for her to have what is left for her a pain free and happy life. I totally get where your hubby is coming from, when we loose our furkids as adults it is very hard, but there is something different when it is your childhood dog, its like the last part of your childhood that was left remaining is disappearing and a part of you with it, they are your best friends in the whole world, nothing compares to them. My heart goes out to him, Im sure many of us know what this is like.

Thank you so much, it means a lot to us

[Jessika]

Hannah isn't doing so good... she had last weekend what my friend Mark and I assumed to be

OK I was beginning to type this when it just happened again. She's had two seizures tonight in the span of an hour and I'm really afraid she isn't going to make it through the night. I am not certain but I do know if her condition does not get better by tomorrow, they will be taking her to the vet to... be... humanely euthanized. They are taking her to the vet tomorrow though regardless, but I fear the worst.

HJ doesn't know; he's away at band practice right now and I want to call him and tell him to come home so badly because I know if she passes away and he isn't here and we didn't tell him he will be so upset, but I know his dad said he would rather him not be here because he knows how upset he will be...

Plus the tumor has grown considerably... you can see it when she lays on her side... her entire abdomen is swollen...

Please keep her in your prayers, you guys... just pray that she passes peacefully.

I do have a question, though, to ease my mother in law, when it happens, she starts yelping and howling and obviously twitching uncontrollably. Is she in any pain, or is she just freaking out because she doesn't know what's going on? As SOON As we get there and start talking to her it seems she calms down immediately. So she isn't yelping because she is in pain, correct, just because she is scared?

Thank you guys so much... I'm so afraid for tomorrow... heh it's even mine and my father-in-law's birthdays... I don't want this as a birthday present... I don't want to see my family torn up...

[Karen]

Oh dear, it doesn't sound good. You'll all be in our prayers. Poor Hannah. Have your mom-in-law give her a kiss for me, okay?

[Freedom]

Prayers for all of you.

[Ginger's Mom]

I am so sorry. Prayers going out for Hannah. She may only be yelping because she is scared, I know when my first dog got hiccups she would growl (it made me laugh ).