# It's been a bad year...R.I.P Tobie



## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

So I've sorta gone poof lately. Not really posting as much as I used to, or with as much patience and will to even bother posting. But right now, I just need a place to vent all that's been happening so far...

Anyways, a few of you may remember that I was going to Hong Kong for the month of Aug. We had found people to look after all our animals, we found an AWESOME dog boarding place for our bigger white one(who had a few aggressive special needs) where it's actually their own home. There are NO kennels, all dogs go inside their home to sleep. They DO have crates for those who are crate trained and such, but the entire property is very nice. So anyone in the Hamilton/Oakville/Georgetown, etc etc area and you ever need a place to take your dog, send me a pm. She even does pickups at your own home, or more convenient locations, as she is located in Dundalk. Got my friend to take in my hedgie, and she was really good with him. She is VERY meticulous when it comes to animal care, so my boy was in good hands. As for my cat and my 2 smaller dogs, my mom's friend was going to stay at our house for the month, which worked out great because their granddaughter just had a baby, and she lives near us, while they lived over an hour away.

So, a few weeks before we leave for HK, my chihuahua, Max, got a lump near his left armpit. Got that looked at, and fine needled. Vet didn't really see anything major going on, but going to run more tests. Within 2 weeks, the lump doubles in size, and he needed immediate surgery and he was squeezed into their schedule.... 5 days before we left for HK. That gets taken care of, and we planned it so that if the people taking care of him were uncomfortable, they will board him at the vet clinic until he got his stitches out. 

This brings us to... The day before we return back to Canada. Everyone had been doing really really well. But that night, Max just collapsed while he was outside, so he was rushed to the emergency clinic, but he died on the way there. It turned out that his cancer was very aggressive, and there probably wasn't much we could do...

And now, all of a sudden, my cat Tobie is suffering from kidney failure. He had started going off his food last week, and so I started feeding him canned stuff. But over the weekend, his health just plummeted and I bought him KMR. He was able to keep some of it down, but he also refused to drink any more later on in the evening. I'd fed him at 2pm, then went to offer him some again at 7pm, and he just wouldn't drink it anymore. So I got those large medicine droppers and started force feeding him, because he was just so weak and dehydrated. 

This morning, we rushed him to the vet, and 30min later, they got the blood results back and turned out his kidneys were failing. They immediately put him on IV, and gave him some pain killers and anti nausea meds. I picked him up today at 7:30pm so I could transfer him down to the emergency clinic. This way, he could be kept on the high concentrated fluids and he will be checked on constantly, rather than being alone at our vet clinic. 

I just feel sooo bad for not noticing earlier. All last week, he was still perky, and begging for table scraps. Always "talking" and telling us exactly when dinner time is. And then boom, he went to hide and completely stopped eating. I don't even know WHAT he may have eaten that could have poisoned him. Or if the kidney failure was something natural. Nothing has changed with him or anything lately, and so right now, everything just sucks. I've been crying non-stop for the past few days, and I'm feeling slightly better now because when he went to pick him up to take him to the emerg clinic, he was actually looking perky. He was annoyed with me and glaring at me. But he was responsive to things, and was actually attempting to move around. I just hope that he pulls through. Scratch that... He's MY cat and he WILL be fine, cause I say so.... 

But ya...things are just sucking right now. And he is my first real pet I called my own. I was there when his mother was giving birth to him. I held him while he was still wet, as I transfered him from dirty, dusty hayloft floor to a blanket........


/end vent
Thanks for reading...


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## LyzziFall (Oct 2, 2009)

*Re: It's been a bad year...*

I am so sorry, I wish there were words of comfort I could offer, but I know little can help ease your distress. Know that my thoughts, prayers and love are with you and Tobie. HOping for the best.

Love,
Liz


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

*Re: It's been a bad year...*

*hugs lots* I'm sorry for all you're going through with your pets right now...Lily and I will definitely be keeping Tobie in our thoughts for the next few days. He sounds like a strong boy and sounds like he's already feeling a bit better! And I'm very sorry about Max.  But I'm sure he's at peace now, and he knows he was well-loved during his life with you. I really hope things all get better soon! *hugs more*


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

*Re: It's been a bad year...*

Sorry to hear about what you are going through. I'll be sending good thoughts your way and hope he pulls through and makes a great recovery.


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

*Re: It's been a bad year...*

So sorry.  God bless you and your loved ones yall have been through so much.
RIP Max.

Hugs,Larry


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## EryBee (May 23, 2010)

*Re: It's been a bad year...*

I'm so sorry you lost your dog all of a sudden. That's such a terrible feeling, even if the vet tells you there was nothing you could have done. I hope your kitty makes a full recovery and goes back to meowing, chowing, and cuddling. Also, I just wanted to let you know that as a first time hedgie owner I have really appreciated your helpful and informative posts. Thanks so much!


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## hedgielover (Oct 30, 2008)

*Re: It's been a bad year...*

I'm so sorry all of this is happening all at once. I know how hard it is to loose a pet, and then to have another become sick so soon. Well you shouldn't have to go through it all at once.

My first cat died from kidney failure. He was sick with kidney stones, crystals and urinary track infections basically as long as I can remember (my parents had him before I was born). When I was about 11 he started getting worse. Not eating not drinking. He was 16. Eventually there was very little we could do for him and we decided to help him pass. I hope it doesn't come to that with your guy. It sounds like he is a generally healthy cat while mine was sick for years at the end.

A little more than three years ago now my dog passed away too. She was my first pet. I'd had her since I was 7. There are no words to describe that pain and none that can make it better. Eventually though the numbness goes away and you stop crying, first for an hour, then for a day. Remember that this feeling is temporary and you just have to get through it. The funny thing about time is that it keeps moving with no effort on our part. You'll feel crappy and time will do it's thing and without even knowing how, you'll start to feel better. I hope that makes some sense.

If you ever need to talk send me a PM.


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

*Re: It's been a bad year...*

I'm so sorry you're having such a hard time lately. I'm sorry you lost your dear Max & hope that everything will be OK with Tobie. I'll be thinking about you.


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## shetland (Sep 2, 2008)

*Re: It's been a bad year...*

There is nothing I can say but that I do understand your pain. We are always here to listen.


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

*Re: It's been a bad year...*

Thanks everyone. It was just getting so.... overwhelming I just had to vent somewhere.

We picked him up this morning from the emergency vet, there wasn't much change. He still won't eat, but at least he's not looking so dehydrated anymore. Still much more perky than when we had first brought him to the vet, but seemed more drowsy than he did last night. Though considering he's a cat that loves to sleep 20 hours of the day unless there was food, I'm hoping it's just because he gets woken up every few hours to get everything checked over to make sure he was handling the fluids fine.

I told my mom after this, that we are going to have 1 pet at a time getting old. No more of this getting old together...

And bah, I just went downstairs and I wanted to cry again. Tobie is ALWAYS there to say "hi" or "morning". Same with every time I walk in the front door, I expect him to be there while I say "Tobie! We're home!" and then he'll give a loud meow in answer... *sigh*


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

*Re: It's been a bad year...*

Aww, I'm so sorry to hear about all the stuff you're dealing with right now. ((hugs))


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## Tasha (Feb 24, 2009)

*Re: It's been a bad year...*

Just wanted to send lots of hugs and wishes and hope he's better very soon. xxxxxx


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

*Re: It's been a bad year...*

Good news is... He was MUCH perkier today when we picked him up from the emergency vet. We brought him home while we were waiting for our vet to open and he actually meowed and showed interest in stuff. His tail was actually wagging, and it seemed like he wanted to purr. He showed a reaction to the dogs getting fed, but still won't actually eat. But some sort of reaction is better than none.

Bad news... He has pancreatitis on top of the kidney failure....

Now... I am just sitting here waiting for the vet to call, because they're doing another blood test to see if his kidneys are any better after being on IV for 2 days.


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

*Re: It's been a bad year...*

So glad to hear he's doing a bit better!


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

*Re: It's been a bad year...*

Today, I decided that enough was enough. The numbers DID drop, but not significantly enough for me to really want to prolong his suffering. He was still refusing to eat, and he was exhibiting signs of paralysis in his hind end. So after 4 days and nights of ferrying back and forth between our vet and the emergency vet, he was still just far too sick.

So now he has gone off to be with Max, to be with his adoptive mother Pizza, and to be watched over by our old dog Mimi. He will also get to play with my chinchillas, Lily and Roxy again, and bother them and swat at their tails. He will get to chase my budgies, Meeko and Meeka, and pull at their tail feathers.

Goodbye Tobie, I love you always.


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## susanaproenca (Aug 14, 2010)

*Re: It's been a bad year...*

I'm sorry to hear about Tobie, yet I do believe you made the right decision. A few years ago we had a dog named Tobie as well (hia real name was actually Tobias, Tobie was his nickname) and we put him down after months of dealing with his epilepsy. At the time, I remember I would have gone farther, but it wasn't fair to prolong his suffering just to keep him by our side. It's never an easy decision, but many times, the most wise and selfless thing to do.

Hugs to you.


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

I'm so sorry.


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

<3


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## EryBee (May 23, 2010)

I can tell you are a wonderful owner because you think of what is best for your animal and not what is just easiest. I'm sure Tobie had a wonderful life with you! You are so lucky to have such a wonderful pet touch your life.


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