Re: [pyrnet] Help! Scary neurological incident

[Julie Johnston <raven4luck@adelphia.net>]

>I tell people all the time that one of the "problems" with this
> breed is that they never do you the plain common courtesy of simply dying.
> You almost always have to make that choice.  And it is a dreadfully painful
> choice.

It's such a hard choice but given the alternative of not being with my
beloved pet when she/he dies would be worse for me.  I've held two dogs
while they've been euthanized and such a peaceful presence went right
through my soul.  

Julie
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Well, don't that beat the mousy band.
 "The Green Mile"

 http://homepage.mac.com/raven4luck/




> From: "Linda Weisser" <lmweisser@attbi.com>
> Reply-To: pyrnet-l@pyrnet.org
> Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 07:54:49 -0800
> To: <pyrnet-l@pyrnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [pyrnet] Help! Scary neurological incident
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <SovreignPyrs@aol.com>
> 
> Given the number of old Pyrs I hear about who seem to die
> quietly in their sleep, I have to wonder if a yearly thyroid panel would
> have
> shown something that would have prevented it.>>
> 
> I'm not arguing with Sharon directly, but in 30+ years in the breed and lots
> and lots of Pyrs, I have never had a dog "die quietly in its sleep" no
> matter how old.  The only dog I ever found dead was the one who had the
> "stroke".  Every dog I have ever lost (from 8 years to 14 years) I have had
> to euthanize or they have died in some clear stress situation.  This is also
> the experience of nearly everyone I know well in the breed--particularly in
> my area.  I tell people all the time that one of the "problems" with this
> breed is that they never do you the plain common courtesy of simply dying.
> You almost always have to make that choice.  And it is a dreadfully painful
> choice.
> 
> I have also seldom had a thyroid problem Pyr and I also think that, as a
> breed, they tend to run to the very low end of "normal" and some dogs might
> benefit from being treated.  I would hazard a guess that the vast majority
> of what look like seizures *are* seizures.  Barb does make a very good point
> about vestibular problems, particularly in older dogs who seldom begin
> exhibiting idiopathic seizure behavior at those ages.
> 
> And I think that we need to consider "average" length of life which seems to
> vary a bit between lines.  Selection for longevity in good health is
> something that breeders should always do in my opinion.  A long healthy life
> is more valuable than any ribbon or record.
> 
> Linda