Thank you all. Jewel was a very special dog, like Janet said, and so very close to my heart. I miss her so much. I missed her right away.
Jewel has had problems with her lungs since November. She was developing bullas (sp) (blister like anomalies in the lung that fill with air/and or fluid). When they burst, they cause a pneumothorax. She had a spontaneous pneumothorax in November, and she was at the emergency vet for 4 days with a chest tube and she healed. 4 days later she went back, and had a very large bulla filled with air and fluid that hadn't ruptured. She had surgery and had 2 lung lobes removed - 25% of her lung. The chance of recurrence was very low. 2 weeks later - the day after her staples were removed - she developed what I think was another pneumothorax. The xrays weren't conclusive and we treated with antibiotics in the hopes it was just an infection, but based on her symptoms I believe it was a pneumothorax. She recovered at home, although the first night I wasn't sure she was going to make it. A couple of weeks ago, she had another pneumothorax and x-rays showed 2 more bulla - one on the left the size of an egg and one on the right the size of a nickle. The one on the right had ruptured. They tapped her chest and got 1200mL of air out. She recovered at home.
I had resigned myself that this was just going to be something she goes through. I wasn't willing to put her through another surgery, as it is a very hard surgery and recovery - they crack the chest. And there is only so much lung they can take. I felt like anymore surgery would be torture. Information that I read online - although it was in reference to people - said that once it happens once, it's more likely to happen again, and most of the time the patients are sent to recover at home. It gave me hope.
Last night, it was obvious that she had another pneumothorax. However, her breathing wasn't as bad as the last one and her gums weren't pale, so I wasn't horribly worried - not beyond the normal worry you have when your baby is sick. I was planning on taking her to the vet this morning and having her chest tapped to relieve discomfort.
She suddenly went downhill very quickly. I called the vet and left a message on the emergency line. Jewel died in my arms while I was on the phone with the vet. From the time I called the vet til the vet called me back and Jewel died was no more than 5 minutes. Her lungs collapsed. Either that larger bulla burst, or she had developed more. I'm so glad I was home. Jewel was panicked. It was horrible. I'm glad she went quickly.
I was at my mom's last night and was planning on hanging out for a bit, when I suddenly felt the need to go home. I told my mom that I had to leave because Jewel was alone. She was fine when we got home, but started the pneumothorax symptoms within an hour or two after.
It's always hard when you lose a furbaby, but Jewel was even more special. She was my constant companion and my best friend. She never knew a stranger and she loved us so much. I ache. It hurts so much. I miss her so much. I sat with her body for a long time last night, stroking her.
difficult child is devastated. What makes it even worse is she was having a good day yesterday - a day where she was enjoying things. Something that hasn't happened for quite a long time. Then this.
We are taking her today to have her cremated. My stepfather does woodturning and has made some pet urns. My mom is bringing one up.
It will be a long time before the house feels right again. It feels empty.
I'm so sorry for your loss.
