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For the past few months Riggas had been having bowel trouble. I thought it was due to having too much bone in his diet so I changed it. Things seemed to get better but one day, a couple weeks ago, I noticed him REALLY having trouble. I put on my rubber gloves and went to investigate.
Riggs has a tumor just inside his anus that is growing and starting to block the exit. Took him to the vet to confirm what I feared - they don't recommend surgery (due to location). They said try to keep his stools soft and let us know when you think it's time.
Soome of our dogs have been sudden decisions. Tessa started passing blood and was gone in just two days. Neke starting having bowel trouble from her stomach tumor and was gone within the week.
And some have been easy decisions. Remi was in extreme pain from his spine when it would act up.
Riggs is going to be tough. Other than the passing stools issue he's doing fine. But that one issue is going to force us to make the decision - and sooner than we thought. The tumor has almost doubled in size.
He's only 11 and I'm not ready to lose him. His problem doesn't show on the outside and it isn't all the time so it's very difficult to come to terms with the fact that we MUST make the decision.
I'm trying to make the most of the time we have left. I'm hoping to get him out to run some sheep and maybe find a place he can go swimming. Mostly we will just dote on him.
He will be the last of my Shepherds - the ones I rasied and bred. And it will be the first time in over 15 years when we won't have a Shepherd in the house.
Riggs has a tumor just inside his anus that is growing and starting to block the exit. Took him to the vet to confirm what I feared - they don't recommend surgery (due to location). They said try to keep his stools soft and let us know when you think it's time.
Soome of our dogs have been sudden decisions. Tessa started passing blood and was gone in just two days. Neke starting having bowel trouble from her stomach tumor and was gone within the week.
And some have been easy decisions. Remi was in extreme pain from his spine when it would act up.
Riggs is going to be tough. Other than the passing stools issue he's doing fine. But that one issue is going to force us to make the decision - and sooner than we thought. The tumor has almost doubled in size.
He's only 11 and I'm not ready to lose him. His problem doesn't show on the outside and it isn't all the time so it's very difficult to come to terms with the fact that we MUST make the decision.
I'm trying to make the most of the time we have left. I'm hoping to get him out to run some sheep and maybe find a place he can go swimming. Mostly we will just dote on him.
He will be the last of my Shepherds - the ones I rasied and bred. And it will be the first time in over 15 years when we won't have a Shepherd in the house.