Dear Vet.

I'm devastated and the worse has happened to my today. My vet recommended to put my baby to sleep. I might accept this, but how on earth is this possible???

About 5 weeks ago, my Foxterier, 3 years of age, female, was diagnosed to some parasite, eating up her cells, I'm not sure if its white or red blood cells.

Actually, she (Fox) was doing just fine. She did not really has symptoms, except that I senses that she is not the same as she used to be. So, after being in hospital for about 10 days and after quite a heavy bill, which is okay with me (numerous tests done to find the cause) I got her back. So since them, Fox was really doing perfect.

I took her once a week for a checkup, where blood was taken and sent to the lab to see if she did improved. And she did, everytime. Last week, I took her for het weekly checkup, and this morning my vet emailed me. This is a short version of the email(s)


I have just received Fox's latest blood results and am very sorry to report that things are not looking good and she has deteriorated again. The fact that she is not eating or drinking is also very worrying. I think you are seeing patches of blood as she is haemorhaging again because she is not making enough platelets (which clot the blood)  as the disease is affecting her bone marrow. We hoped that the steroids (white tablets) would counter the disease in her bone marrow and stimulate her to make more platelets and white blood cells, however the treatment is not working and both counts have fallen dramatically since her last tests. We can try increasing the dose of steroids however I no longer think that this will be in Fox's best interests as the prognosis for full recovery is now very poor and although it is heart breaking it may be kindest to have her euthanased. I have spoken to a specialist at a referal centre about her disease progression and they agree that we have treated her correctly and done everything we could for her but sadly on some occasions when the disease is effecting the bone marrow then recovery is not always possible.    I do understand that this is a shock to you especially as she has seemed to respond so well to treatment initially but her white blood cell count never reached a normal level back from the first diagnosis (the other cells did seem to repond at fisrt) and I think she has completely depleted her reserves now and the fact that her bone marrow is not producing any more cells is the cause of her deterioration-in simple terms she has run out of white blood cells and can't make any more as her bone marrow is so badly damaged.


I'd liketo say that I have the world's respect for my vet, and I am really happy with her, and I do not doubt her diagnoses at all. But Fox is eating now, and she's getting quite a balanced meal, and some Kentucky in the afternoon. It seems that she's actually improving. The blood patches was probably just a rash or something, because it dissapeared after I treated her skin with Curatex Emulsion.

The medication I got from the vet was Doxy Dog (antibiotics) and Predrusolone 5mg. I ran out of the Doxy Dog tables about 10 days ago, but the vet said that I dod not have to give Fox more of that, anymore, just the Predrusolone 5mg, twice a day. So in fact, as I understand, Fox wasn't getting any antibiotics anymore.

Nevertheless.

Right now Fox is okay. 2 Days ago, her right front paw, was quite reddish. Yesterday I could see that its really painful, but she sort of used all paws to walk. Today, she cant step on this paw, and its quite swollen. Actually, its just the one toe, which is red, but I can not touch any part of her right front leg, because its hurting too much.

I know miracles does happen, and I can't see how its possible that Fox wont recover. Dear Vet, please, please, please, there must be something to be done. Technoligy and medici is so advanced today, what is the problem? There must be something to cure her.

Please, please. Please shed some light. I really can't loose her. I can't loose her.

She had enough exercise eveyday. Well now she's just hopping around, and most of the time laying on the couch because its too painfull to try to walk or hop around.

Please, what can I do, and whats wrong with her?