Thoughts on quality over quantity (of life)
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antithesis
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Posted 5:47 pm, 12/04/2024
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I hope she continues to improve! Please keep us posted...
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JC
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Posted 1:30 pm, 12/04/2024
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@antithesis , I think that you might be on to something! Katy seemed significantly better last night, so I opted NOT to increase her dosage yet. This morning she seemed pretty close to normal, too!
She's still not wanting to eat her meals, but if I keep fluffing it with a spoon then she'll eat.
Refusing to eat is ALWAYS a bad sign, but if it's just nausea from withdrawal then that's different.
Her vet isn't in the office today, but based on this I'm thinking to give it a week and see what happens.
@gascon , you're exactly right. I made the mistake of waiting too long with my first pet as an adult, and I've always regretted it  We're not quite at that point with Katy yet, but based on her liver numbers I think that she might have a month (or two) if I increase her Prednisone.
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gascon
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Posted 11:46 am, 12/04/2024
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The right vet will help, the wrong vet will make matters worse.
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gascon
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Posted 11:41 am, 12/04/2024
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I always let the vet end the suffering. Thats the sad part about our pets, we out live them. I've known friends and family that couldn't do it. It always end badly for both owner and pets. If I upset you posting this, I'm sorrry. Good luck with the choice you make.
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bif14
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Posted 9:51 am, 12/04/2024
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I am sorry for your pet but at 14 they are past old age and are fully elderly. Your choice is to let nature take it's course (hospice) or take all medical means to prolong life. As a previous pet owner I know what I have done, but can not tell you what to do. It does all end in death and at 14 years old and to have an owner who cares this much the pet has had a blessed life.
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Old Dixie Dog
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Posted 8:46 am, 12/04/2024
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There is no choice! Give the dog the drug.
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antithesis
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Posted 1:22 am, 12/04/2024
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the pain came back, and the lethargy came back. And very little desire to eat.
I don't know about animals, but... in humans, these are all symptoms of prednisone withdrawal. Which can last anywhere from a few days to several months.
Listen to the vet because they know you and your dog best, but just from what I'm reading I think that you should give it a little more time to see if the symptoms go away.
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the dog's butler
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Posted 8:18 pm, 12/03/2024
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It's a tough choice. Perhaps there are other treatments that can help with the pain.
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JC
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Posted 8:17 pm, 12/03/2024
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She was diagnosed with chronic bronchitis in March, with a ton of inflammation in her lungs. We put her on antibiotics and 10mg of Prednisone daily.
We've been tapering her off of the Prednisone slowly. Back in August we took her down to 2.5mg daily, but her cough came back and she was very lethargic, obviously in pain. So at her next checkup in October, we bumped her back up to 2.5mg twice daily with the plan of decreasing it again on December 1.
Her coughing decreased, her pain decreased, and her energy increased, but along with that came diarrhea and, of course, high liver numbers.
We decreased it again on December 1, but almost immediately the cough came back, the pain came back, and the lethargy came back. And very little desire to eat.
So it looks like the better quality of life is with the Prednisone, but at the risk of eminent liver and/or kidney failure 
That's the decision I have to make: coughing, obvious arthritis pain, hardly able to stand, but lives longer, versus energy and less pain but knowing that it will eventually kill her.
Right now in my life, I can say that if I were in those shoes then I would choose quality over quantity. But would I feel different at 80? I honestly don't know.
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1goddess
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Posted 7:57 pm, 12/03/2024
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true that, however, the dog suffers with arthritis or possibly drops dead in a matter of days????
The dog doesn't benefit either way.
More info on the drug is needed or if possible an alternative treatment??
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Old School 1951
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Posted 7:53 pm, 12/03/2024
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You got to make a decision on who benefits most. You or the dog
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1goddess
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Posted 7:51 pm, 12/03/2024
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I would find more info and or opinions about the drug. You've been told it could be months to days, there's gotta be more info available regarding the drug, unless it is a chemotherapy type drug, that I could understand.
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SmellySucks
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Posted 7:09 pm, 12/03/2024
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My opinion, more energy and less pain.
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JC
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Posted 7:05 pm, 12/03/2024
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Thinking about my dog, Katy. She's about to be 14, and I'm at a crossroads.
I can give her a drug that will help her quality of life, making her more energetic and with less arthritis pain, but it will also inevitably lead to liver and/or kidney failure. Probably within a few months, but it could be days. Or years. Nobody knows.
OR
I can not give her the drug, she'll (probably) live longer, but with a lot less energy and a lot more pain.
Which is the kindest choice?
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