Is it time to say goodbye? Please help!

Status
Not open for further replies.
Mel & Monkey

Mel & Monkey

Member Since 2017
My little girl monkey has had diabetes since 2016 (she's 14) and over the weekend we had to take her to the emergency vet during the night. Her whole hind end just tipped over when she stood up. Since then she's been wobbly and they told us it is likely from diabetic neuropathy. While she was at the vet,they found her breathing fast and with a very fast heart rate...beyond what is expected from stress. She also has an arrythmia. They also found her bowels and bladder were distended and they think that is from neuropathy also. She got some meds to help pee and poop and she has been going OK. What makes me think.it might be time is that I noticed she is still breathing kind of fast at home even if she's sleeping. I also noticed she is wide awake and goes through these episodes where her face and eyes twitch. I am so afraid that she will have a cardiac episode and we are an hour away from the emergency vet and just the stress of cat rides could kill her. She hasn't been herself since last week. She eats and isn't hiding but I just feel like she's still not feeling well and I've waited too long to decide to euthanize past fur babies and I deeply regret that. I'm phoning a mobile vet as soon as they open today to ask if they could come to the house to euthanize. I'm so conflicted though because in so many ways she seems ok. It feels like no matter what I do, my decision will be wrong. Any advice or words of wisdom are more than welcome.
 
Only you know what it is time for you cats. It varies with the cat and your specific circumstances. For Monkey it may be time now/in near future when you can conveniently get it done.

I "lost:" two cats this year. For the first one, Moxie I did not have to make a decision. In the morning whe was fine for her and she ate normally. Later that day I had to give her her Adequan shot and she was in her bed stiff and cold. The next one was Mia. She was not eating much for a while even with meds. A vet visit showed a large intestinal tumor. She was euthanized during that visit.
 
There's a condition that can mimic severe neuropathy but is actually a blood clot. I can't remember what it's called but it is treatable it caught early.
 
Hi, this post makes me cry because one of my cats in the rainbow bridge is called Monkey too.

As Larry said, only you in this world know what it is time for your cats.

My word of wisdom is, to see euthanasia as the last gift for your kitties. I am a pro-euthanasia because I think euthanasia can eliminate the risk of sudden excruciating death such as organ failure. And you are well-informed enough to know that it is very unlikely to avoid the departure in a not very long frame of time. In that sense, there is no "too early", because the risk of sudden painful death cannot be estimated, which means high risk.

I believe animals only live in the present, which means unlike humans they may not have the capacity to care "it is better to live longer, even only a few months longer". And your Monkey has lived for 14 years, with good care he already lives his life to his fullest, adding extra few more months may not be that different for him.

On the other hand, from a mental health perspective, if the kitties end up having sudden painful death, we (cat-owner) may be haunted by the scene of their horrifying death for our whole life. And the guilt of not pulling the trigger of euthanasia early enough.

My actionable advice is to be with Monkey and love him as hard as you can, express all the words you want to say to him, and make sure you can have emergency euthanasia ready when you make the decision. (preferably getting it under 30 minutes)

If you have time you can read the departure story of my Monkey here:
https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/monkey-went-to-rainbow-bridge-24-hours-ago.252104/
 
I waited too long once and it is an awful feeling. We've also made the decision within an hour of a definite diagnosis, a long weekend was coming and he would not have survived the long drive to an emergency clinic. Be realistic but listen to your heart and maybe talk to your cat, they can tell you a lot. :bighug:
 
Thank you all so much for your replies.

We talked with our regular vet who actually thought her heart gallop, mildly elevated liver enzymes and T4 could be hyperthyroidism. Given that monkey looks comfortable for the most part, we're going to try tapazole and see if that helps. Unfortunately her hind end being wobbly from the diabetic neuropathy is chronic and could progress, but at the moment she's managing. I'm still in panic mode all day long, I haven't really been able to really eat or sleep, it's always so hard because they can't tell us what's happening.
 
Mel & Monkey said:
My little girl monkey has had diabetes since 2016 (she's 14) and over the weekend we had to take her to the emergency vet during the night. Her whole hind end just tipped over when she stood up. Since then she's been wobbly and they told us it is likely from diabetic neuropathy. While she was at the vet,they found her breathing fast and with a very fast heart rate...beyond what is expected from stress. She also has an arrythmia. They also found her bowels and bladder were distended and they think that is from neuropathy also. She got some meds to help pee and poop and she has been going OK. What makes me think.it might be time is that I noticed she is still breathing kind of fast at home even if she's sleeping. I also noticed she is wide awake and goes through these episodes where her face and eyes twitch. I am so afraid that she will have a cardiac episode and we are an hour away from the emergency vet and just the stress of cat rides could kill her. She hasn't been herself since last week. She eats and isn't hiding but I just feel like she's still not feeling well and I've waited too long to decide to euthanize past fur babies and I deeply regret that. I'm phoning a mobile vet as soon as they open today to ask if they could come to the house to euthanize. I'm so conflicted though because in so many ways she seems ok. It feels like no matter what I do, my decision will be wrong. Any advice or words of wisdom are more than welcome.
Click to expand...
Im so sorry to hear about Monkey. Its such a painful decision to make, but we should all be so lucky to have someone looking out for us as you are looking out for Monkey. Sending you well wishes
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top