Boxer Breed Dog Forums banner

boxers and Kidney disease

20K views 17 replies 7 participants last post by  Alihandra 
#1 ·
my 8 year old boxer has been diagnosed with renal failure. after the initial shock and crying, I have decided I need to be proactive for him and his health to do the most I can for him. His labs are bad. BUN is 182 and Creatine is 9.1. He has been given fluids 2 times and some medications to help increase his appetite. While I know that I cannot make him better, I want to make him comfortable and make sure that he has the best life he can have. I want him around as long as is possible. the thought of losing him makes me so sad. What can I do to help him more? I have purchased some food for him, but he won't eat much at a time. The vet has agreed to let me give him fluids at home if that makes him feel better. what else can I do to help him? Are there any medications that I should talk to the vet about? Any specific therapies that will help improve his quality of life.

 
See less See more
1
#2 ·
My mom's dog was diagnosed with renal failure in June, he started losing weight, had no appetite at all and was lethargic, he would just lie there and have accidents on himself. (He was a mix and was also 16yrs young). The prognosis wasn't good, she was spoon feeding him and would have to squirt water in his mouth,the vet suggested he stay at an animal hospital which they tested his levels and they were very bad, he had IV treatments. They wanted to keep him another night for big $$$$$$, I asked about what would happen when he came home, they said we could continue to do IV treatments several times a week at home, when I asked for how long they said maybe for 2 weeks! It seems like this came on sudden, we had to put him down that evening. It was the hardest thing I have ever done, my mother couldn't even look at him, he had not been eating for 2 weeks and would barely drink. Not to be grim but this is not reversible, we were very upset by the false hope the doctors gave us. Maybe you could start IV theraphy???? I am soooo sorry but the quality of life was lost soooo incredibly fast for us, I hope this is not the case with your dog.
 
#3 ·
I hope so too. He does have an IV catheter in his leg still and the vet said I could give him fluids at home if I wanted to do that. I have been able to get him to eat a little can food mixed with rice and chicken broth. Not much, but at least something. I take him back in the morning to check his blood levels again. I want him to be happy and not to suffer. I just pray that I am doing the right thing. He looks at me and is so sad looking, but will still give me that boxer wag.
 
#4 ·
It was very hard for us, I had my dog since I was in middle school, we left him with my mom when we moved out and I've been married for about 10 years, so this was devastating we just thought he was gonna live forever I guess, my mom was staying home from work with him, and when she had to go home she would leave lunch meat beside his chin, (I noticed the cheese in your photo),it would still be there when she came home. The IV treatments are all you can do, are they giving him anything for pain? Im sure he feels awful. When we went to the hospital we knew he had given up, he did not come out of their kennel, and he let them wrap him in a blanket and push him in a cart, we knew if he did not want this he would've gave us some sort of sign atleast tried, his nose was soooo dry, poor thing.It seemed at that point whatever we were doing would just be selfish and just prolonging his misery. We just took comfort in the almost 17 years we had with him,thats all you can do. It's good that he is still atleast trying to eat, mine was not. Just stay strong for your buddy he needs you to, I really think mine was hanging on just for my mom. :boxr: Thoughts and prayers.
 
#5 ·
thank you. I do think he may be hanging on just for me. He seems so miserable to me. I just sat with him for a while and talked with him and told him that I would do anything he wanted me to do, but if he felt that it was his time to go, then I would miss him dearly, but I would understand. He seems to understand what I was saying. He let me snuggle with him for a while, then he laid down to rest. It's in his hands. If he wants me to fight for him, I TOTALLY will do it. If he is ready to pass the bridge, as hard as it is for me to say it, I will help him. The biggest thing is that he not ever for one minute suffer.
 
#8 ·
#11 ·
My dogs levels decreased with the iv also but they will continue to do go back up and of course slight improvement after the iv,is the iv just fluid? We asked if ours was able to have any type of nutrtion this way and they said no,? I was wondering if they couldn't give him some since he hadn't eaten in aweek,not just a day or so ya know.?but they did not.Is he drinking on his own? Still going out? How many ivs is he getting a week?
 
#12 ·
well, he was just diagnosed. He has had fluids all weekend. I go back this morning to see where we are with the numbers. He is eating a little and will drink some on his own. Not a lot, but he will drink about a small bowl or so a day of water. He has more energy than he has had in a while. I am actually having a hard time keeping him still. He wants to get up and walk around and follow me. He does still go out to the bathroom and seems to be going pretty normal. I'll update this morning after the trip to the vet what things are looking like.
 
#14 ·
well, his numbers are still the same. 7.2 creat ad 128 BUN. I can get him to drink water pretty well, but not eat anything. we are not doing the IV's anymore since I can get him to drink. Any idea on what I can try to get him to eat. Just anything at all at this point. I have tried yogurt, cheese, rice, chicken broth, hot dogs (I know not the best but really I am desperate)
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top