10/15/2021
This is a difficult update to share with you all.
As some of you know, my River has been ill for the past 4 weeks struggling to get better from an attack of vestibular syndrome. Some dogs can recover from an episode almost completely but with a slight head tilt, while others struggle more. It is so common in geriatric dogs that they call it "old dog syndrome." The cause is often undetermined, as it was for River. If you are unfamiliar with it, I will relay some of our experience with it below.
I took River to the local Pet E.R. as soon as I knew something was wrong early that morning when I woke up to find him struggling to stand with panicked eyes darting left to right nonstop causing him severe nausea and stress, so much so that he vomited several times and lost control of his bladder and bowels before we could get to the clinic. He responded well to the anti-nausea medication which was great, but the main advice was to wait it out because the worst of it typically passes within 72 hours. I medicated River and fed him what he could stand to keep down via oral syringe for several days until it seemed his eyes had stopped shifting.
River's appetite still was practically nonexistent, so I checked in with the vet to see what else we could do. More anti-nausea medication was prescribed to stamp out any lingering motion sickness and hope his appetite return to normal. River had no interest in any regular food, but always had some room for plain freshly boiled chicken. So he mostly lived on that for two weeks and seemed stable with some days being better than others.
After our last vet visit was good and bad - we received more anti-nausea medication to help him feel like the world was more stable since he still had lingering eye shifting, and we received appetite stimulants to help him eat on his own. But the outing did absolutely exhaust and stress him. And a hard talk was had with his vet.
River's last day on earth brought him his first walk outside in a month, leisurely laying in the grass watching the world go by, waffles, sausage, and pizza. River passed away peacefully at home surrounded by love on Wednesday October 13th.
River was an adult already when we became family 9 years ago and his history was murky, so his age was the vet's best guess and 14 years is not at all a short life for a large dog. I am so grateful for the many years we had together.
I have mourned every companion animal my clients have lost over the years, River would tell you, but River was my very first dog. He was special.
Please give your animals some extra love and treats from me today.
💙💙💙
