It won't be long now...edit: he's gone

fenshae · Sep 30, 2009

Two weeks ago, Ripper's hind end started to go out. First, he just didn't have full range of motion; then, he started curling his back feet. He would still dutifully stash all of his food and shred newspaper for bedding like there was no tomorrow, and seemed happily content to drag himself about. I put him on antibiotics for a URI that would keep him up wheezing at night. This morning, he attacked his syringe of baytril with gusto and happily took every last drop.

Tonight, I peeked in to check on him and he was on his side outside of his nest box, which was quite odd -- Ripper loves boxes and I never see him sleep outside of one. When I reached in to take him, he was unresisting and I noticed his front feet were clubbed. He didn't want to take some pudding from my fingertip, and that's when I knew -- never, in all his years, has Ripper *ever* turned down food. He's lying next to me on his blanket now, on his side, breathing but semi-conscious; his eyes don't close when I move my finger over them and occasionally he attempts to thrash, moving in odd, jerky spasms, or else has "hiccups".

If, somehow, he makes it to morning, I'll take him in for Dr. Cook to have him PTS; there aren't any emergency vets in town I trust to do it. But I suspicion it'll be in the next few hours.... :sad3:

Edit:
He's gone. I put him back in his cage to stay with Sweeney in the end, because I think he would have liked that. Sweeney stayed close by. I checked in a few times; this last time, Sweeney came to the bars and looked at me with such an expression of sweet confusion that I knew. It must have just happened; Ripper was still warm.

Play hard at the bridge, big guy. Sweeney's gonna miss you big time.

SQ · Sep 30, 2009

The clubbing of the front feet could indicate pt.
Very sorry ... I hope that Ripper passes peacefully without pain.

:hugs:

fenshae · Sep 30, 2009

I was wondering that myself, since his disability seemed to spread so quickly -- total paralysis in 2 weeks seemed very sudden. But it could just be normal HED working its way up, I guess. Who knows, with old guys....the vet and I both knew there was a good chance he wouldn't make it through a full course of baytril for us to try anything for the paralysis. We also discussed the possibility that his congestion was secondary to the muscles in his chest & lungs not being as strong as they once were.

I said my goodbyes and put him back in his cage with Sweeney; I think, in the end, he'll be happier being comforted by his brother than any human could make him. I'll check in later to see if he's gone.