Re: [pyrnet] [PyrNet-L] Zuni is Gone

[lhasalady <lhasalady@earthlink.net>]

I'm so sorry to hear that Zuni is gone. But she is at peace now and we send you wishes that you find heart peace soon as well.

Ginger Schiffer

-----Original Message-----
From: D3melza@aol.com
Sent: Oct 12, 2003 12:02 PM
To: pyrnet-l@pyrnet.org
Subject: [pyrnet] [PyrNet-L] Zuni is Gone

Hello All,

?? Stefan and I had to put Zuni down this morning. It was quick and horrible. 
She was fine last night, was playing in the yard, and really enjoyed the 
frozen Buffalo bone I gave her. At 2:00am I woke up to a crash and found her 
having some sort of crisis on the floor of the kitchen. She had kicked over a pot 
in the process, which was what woke me up, thank goodness. She was unresponsive 
for a few minutes and was all stiff, frothing at the mouth, and had been 
incontinent. We hurried to take her to the Referral Center ER and by the time we 
got going she was alert again and walking. They said most likely she had brain 
metastasis from her bone cancer, which was causing her to have seizures. She 
appeared OK and some quick blood work didn't tell us much else, so we opted to 
bring her home for the night and watch her until we could speak with her 
oncologist. She slept on her couch, was fine at 7:00am and went out to pee with 
Belle (her littermate) and came in fine. At 8:00 she had another, more violent 
seizure. After that, she ate her breakfast just fine. While trying to decide 
what to do again, they kept happening more frequently. Sometimes they would just 
be small, all in her face, and other times she would just crash down and 
thrash her limbs uncontrollably. It was terrifying to watch and it was clear she 
was suffering. We couldn't get ahold of her doctor, but by this point it was 
painfully obvious that there wasn't anything we could do for her but put and end 
to it. She was starting to act like she didn't even know where she was at 
home, and I'm not sure she knew I was with her. Bellie came and they touched noses 
before we left. Everyone at the Referral Center was wonderful. The worst part 
was that they had a terrible time trying to get a catheter into her leg for 
the drugs. She kept seizing and had very low blood pressure. They finally gave 
her valium and got her stable so we could say goodbye. At this point I felt 
like she was already partway gone. I looked into her eyes, but I didn't see her 
familiar love and recognition anymore. She just looked lost and vacant. So we 
held her, I kissed her muzzle, and the rest was blessedly fast and peaceful. 
We're just devastated. We knew it was coming, but I never considered it would 
be like this or so soon. I feel relief at least that everything is over for her 
and that she was comfortable and happy up until today. She's whole again and 
happy, I hope, at the bridge. Now we're the ones who have to heal... Thanks 
for listening.

Emily
Denver, CO
D3melza@aol.com