The fluids escaping is a normal thing. This happened wen my father passed and he was not moved. This is a part of life and I would not miss being there for hiim just because it made it hard for me. Our thoughts must be with our loved ones, not ourselves, no matter how hard it is. Knowing that they did not suffer alone, that they knew someone cared and loved them is more important to me. It is important to me that their last memories are that someone loved them enough. ---- Diane Rosenfeldt <drosenfe...@wi.rr.com> wrote: > Natalie, I have never had this experience either when one of my furbabies > has passed -- but I haven't picked them up or moved them around, perhaps > this is just a gravity issue. I work for the county Medical Examiner, and I > can attest that more often than not, there is some sort of fluid that > escapes when a person dies. Could be mucus, urine, whatever might seek its > own level when all the muscles relax. In Dexter's case, I'm guessing it was > fluid that was building up somewhere, but that doesn't necessarily mean it > was making him suffer. I'm sorry that was the last thing you saw happen with > him and it bothered you, but please don't let it make you feel guilty. It's > natural. > > Diane R. > > -----Original Message----- > From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org > [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Natalie > Sent: Wednesday, July 06, 2011 5:47 PM > To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Dexter > > 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: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org > [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of MaiMaiPG > Sent: Wednesday, July 06, 2011 6:05 PM > To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > 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 > > <longhornf...@verizon.net > > >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" > >> <drsiebl...@gmail.com > >> > > >> To: <felvtalk@felineleukemia.org> > >> 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 > >>> Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > >>> http://felineleukemia.org/**mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_** > >>> > felineleukemia.org<http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felin > eleukemia.org > >>> > > >>> > >>> > >> > >> > >> ______________________________**_________________ > >> Felvtalk mailing list > >> Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > >> > http://felineleukemia.org/**mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_**felineleukemia.org > >> <http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.o > >> rg > >> > > >> > > _______________________________________________ > > Felvtalk mailing list > > Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > > http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org > > > _______________________________________________ > Felvtalk mailing list > Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org > > > > _______________________________________________ > Felvtalk mailing list > Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org > > > _______________________________________________ > Felvtalk mailing list > Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
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