# my buddy keeps nudging his bowl, whines, then barks?



## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Besides feeding him something better than that cwappy grocery store brand, you need to raise his bowl up. These dogs with arthritis have a hard time bending over to eat. It hurts. My Danny and Sammy would lay down to eat, but if your dog isn't comfortable doing that you need to get a raised platform for the bowl.


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## Maddie'sMom2011 (Apr 26, 2011)

I can't believe that you don't know what he's telling you...he doesn't like his food. He doesn't like his food!


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## Finn's Fan (Dec 22, 2007)

Two things. Your elderly dog probably isn't being lazy, but he may very well need some pain medication for his arthritis. Please speak with your vet asap and see what he/she recommends. Buy your dog a nutritious, palatable food. He's very clearly telling you that what you're currently feeding is unhealthy, unappetizing junk....which it is. You don't have to break the bank to get a much higher quality food. You can get sample small bags from most reputable pet food stores and see which one he likes.


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

i got it from a 100% organic store and it was really expensive.. kind of figured it would've been the most healthiest to give him. i'll shop around today and look for something. the vet gave us ramidyl but she told us she needed to do x-rays for him and blood work which costed about 400 and i don't have it because im only part-time working and full time in school. its been about a month since the ramidyl ran out and he's not at his worst, but i can tell hes bothered.

i love this dog so much but i just kept reading different things online that keep contradicting alot of my theories. i'll try to get a cash advance this week to get him in there because i can't stand to think hes hurting this bad ;(


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

If you don't want him to be on rimadyl long term, talk to your vet about milder alternatives that do not need as much oversight. 

Our two old dogs were on tramadol and aspirin. And we made various alterations in our home to help them out. Thicker bedding on the floor for them since they couldn't get up on the beds and couches. And in the case of your dog, I'd suggest raising that bowl up for him. 

Beneful is one of those foods that I keep getting alarming "DON'T EVER FEED" posts on my facebook from my instructors and fellow dog people. Honestly, at his age I'd feed what he enjoys eating. You don't want to switch to something crazy if it is going to upset his stomach. I wouldn't personally feed Beneful though. 

Other things you can do.... Phycox - is pretty expensive a joint supplement, but many of my friends with elderly dogs swear by it. I've never given it to my dog, but it's something I've kept in mind later on down the road when my Jacks is an old man.There are other joint supplements as well that may help at least alleviate his joints locking up and so forth. 

Good luck - and considering his old age, I am sure you have been taking great care of him if this has just been a recent development with the food.


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## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

With a dog that age, when something is amiss and he has a change in behavior or appetite , I'd be off to the vet for a check up. Could be simple like not wanting that food but could be serious like hemangio sarcoma of the spleen, etc. Get a check up and bloodwork! 


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

I hate being the first to bring this up, but your old guy may be dealing with some end-of-life issues. 14 y.o. is a very senior Golden. It's difficult to find a food they will eat but not upset their delicate system. He isn't being lazy, he may be hurting or just not have the energy to be active. He may have a bad tooth or just losing interest in food. Is he still drinking plenty of water?

Personally, I'm not in favor of blood work for such a senior dog, I feel we should leave them in peace and not be stuck and prodded. The tests may give you and the vet some insight as to what is going on but probably change the outcome. JMO

Hugs to your "sugar face".


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Cameron*

Cameron

I completely agree he needs Rimadyl or some type of pain med that the vet can give him. I think he doesn't want to eat and it could be because he's in pain.
I also agree he needs bloodwork to determine what is wrong. When they are older, we can't afford to wait!


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

i called the vet's office today and spoke to a secretary, told her that i wanted another bottle of the rimadyl because his symptoms are returning. she is going to talk to the vet then give me a call back. if she says no, i'll find a way to get him in there. something i had noticed while he was on the rimadyl was that he was smashing his food (eating a LOT more often), and his hips gained weight again (probably muscle). when the perscription was all done, he was good for about a month. buddy's energy increased and he could actually get up the stairs on his own. he doesn't whine or bark ever, only when he goes in his dish. 

can anyone recommend a food that their elderly golden loves? i'll go out and buy it right now if i can find it 

just wanted to share the cuteness below lol


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Buddy*

* I would also buy him the RAISED DISHES, as it's hard for them to bend WHEN THEY ARE OLDER.
My dogs eat Purina Pro Plan Shredded Chicken Senior*-it has glucosamine in it and they love it.

I agree with the person that said at 14 you could be dealing with something more serious. I would ask the vet about doing bloodwork.


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## vrmueller (Jun 14, 2008)

Your Buddy is so handsome! Hoping you find some yummy food & he starts feeling better.


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## dborgers (Dec 7, 2011)

Aw, what a beautiful boy  We put our boy's dish on a small foot stool to raise it to a comfortable level.

You could always mix in some chicken, turkey, broccoli, and other goodies as a topping. They get bored eating the same thing day after day ... as we would. A little beef and chicken broth also adds flavor. You can buy that at Kroger in cardboard cartons. Keep it refrigerated.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

CarolinaCasey said:


> With a dog that age, when something is amiss and he has a change in behavior or appetite , I'd be off to the vet for a check up. Could be simple like not wanting that food but could be serious like hemangio sarcoma of the spleen, etc. Get a check up and bloodwork!
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using PG Free


I had that thought too... but having gone through the whole spleen thing twice, there would be other symptoms as well. Our guys stopped eating everything. They certainly didn't whine or squeak at the dog food bowls. They ignored them completely. I hope it's just arthritis bothering him. 

Good luck with your vet!

Our two old guys ate Nutro Natural Choice pretty much all their lives. The only difference was the one was on a senior bag, but the other had to stay on adult (he lost too much weight eating senior kibble). 

Any of your mid-range type foods should be fine. Just be careful throwing too much crazy stuff (raw coatings, etc) at him. Again, going by the video and pictures, he looks like he's been well-cared for.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

My senior girl would only eat Pedigree canned food. I know it's probably not the greatest food, but it was all she would eat for the last few months. We tried all that expensive good food, but Pedigree was all she would have. It smelled really strong compared with other food. One thing I learned about senior dogs, don't buy a lot of any one kind of food. Buy a little bit of each, that way if they don't like something, you aren't left with a case of something that you will never use. I think finding a food he will eat and pain killers are about all you can do for him now. So spend time with him and enjoy him while you can.


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## CarlosW9FE (Jul 17, 2012)

Our 14 year old Rhett started doing the same thing during his last year with us, with the exception of the whining and we would switch his food to something else that he liked. He would enjoy the change for a little awhile and then would do the same thing again. 

After several food changes over the course of several months, we finally raised his food bowl and we noticed he didn't do it any longer however we also noticed his health had really started to decline as well as his appetite. He did develop hemangio of the spleen and liver and could have been related affecting his appetite as my wife eventually had to start feeding him by hand to take any food at all. At the age of 14, I would have your vet check him out to make sure nothing else is going on.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

We also switched to hand feeding our old girl. It worked really well. Maybe your boy may go for that too.


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

He actually threw up this morning from drinking too much water, it made me feel like hell! I was thinking that since he wasn't eating food, he'd feel full or something by drinking water?

But anyways, I went to the vet and got another 14 doses of rimadyl which should hopefully get him up to speed and feel a little better till I can get the money for some blood work+xrays.

I'm off to go food shopping for him tonight. thanks for the responses everyone!



Willow52 said:


> I hate being the first to bring this up, but your old guy may be dealing with some end-of-life issues. 14 y.o. is a very senior Golden. It's difficult to find a food they will eat but not upset their delicate system. He isn't being lazy, he may be hurting or just not have the energy to be active. He may have a bad tooth or just losing interest in food. Is he still drinking plenty of water?
> 
> Personally, I'm not in favor of blood work for such a senior dog, I feel we should leave them in peace and not be stuck and prodded. The tests may give you and the vet some insight as to what is going on but probably change the outcome. JMO
> 
> Hugs to your "sugar face".


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## Maddie'sMom2011 (Apr 26, 2011)

Your Buddy is a very handsome boy. Thank you for the pictures so we can appreciate his beautiful sugar face. We do what we can for our babies & try to give them good lives. It looks like Buddy's been enjoying a great one!


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## dborgers (Dec 7, 2011)

CAMERON

Our boy takes Tramadol - a pain reliever - and it works well. Also inexpensive. He can't take Rimidyl because of the prednisone in his chemo protocol. 

All the best to you two


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

Love your Buddy, such a sweet old gold.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Cameron*

Cameron

How is Buddy doing? My girl Smooch also liked Pedigree canned food.

Did you get him some raised bowls?


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

Your boy is beautiful:smooch:. I love those sugar faces and miss Copper so much.

Can you talk to your vet and ask what he/she recommends for Buddy that is affordable? some are more willing to take that into consideration than others I know. for example, copper was about 65 pounds and was taking 50mg of rimadyl a day so my vet prescribed the 100mg tablets and would cut them in half for me. Surprisingly that made quite a difference in the cost.

Copper took rimadyl for a few months as a senior, but it gradually became not enough to handle his arthritis and spondylosis. He got quite dizzy and disoriented from tramadol, but as Andy's dad said, that does help a lot of dogs with their pain and it is inexpensive.

Copper's mobility and level of pain gradually increased his last year. We had used supplements with good results at first (Duralactin was the best for him), then rimadyl and finally predisone. Although the prednisone could shorten his life (as his ortho specialist said), I felt that a shorter life while feeling good was preferrable to a longer life with so much pain.

Raising his food bowl might help a lot. I know copper had a very hard time reaching the floor since his neck was painful. You could possibly find a stool or use a cement block to keep his bowl higher. shelf liner underneath it will help keep it from slipping.

I also used an electric massager on Copper which he loved although another srnior on here would have none of it. Cold packs and also a heating pad helped when placed along his spine. He would go to sleep while having his "treatments" in the kitchen floor.

the last few months I took him to a holistic vet for acupuncture and laser therapy which made a huge difference in his mobility and quality of life. Not cheap though I know. It might be worth checking into though since some of the seniors on here did quite well with just monthly visits although copper went much more frequently

adding some gravy or broth to his food and letting it soak or even warming it might help encourage his appetitie. Just don't add too much at first since it might cause stomach upset and you surely don't need that!

good luck with your boy. He sure makes me smile and I wish I could offer even more advice, although I've written you a tome.


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## GoldenMum (Mar 15, 2010)

My senior boy Clyde has arthritis quite bad. He is 12, and was just recently put on tramadol, and rimadyl. I too bought the 100mg tabs, and I cut them into quarters. He has been weaned off the tramadol, and is taking 25mg. of rimadyl after beakfast and dinner. He also gets fish oil, a joint supplement daily, and an adequan injection monthly. It has had amazing results for him, he can prance like a pup again. It has been so worth doing it!


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

really quick heres whats going on so far:

we got a dell computer box and put it on its side and threw his bowl on it. i think it brought it maybe 65% closer to him, its definately a help. aside from that, i got some prime cut canned chicken food and he's been digging at it alot more than the other stuff we had but a few times I still saw him do the whine. it is an improvement though as to before he would starve himself and I would be forced to give him table scraps. he actually refused a little spaghetti the other day.. it must be his stomach.

=======================
The rimadyl situation: (sorry for the length)

he was living at my dad's house when he initally had rimadyl. this maybe was 2 months ago. he lived in a cold part of the basement and they went to work all day so he basically had nobody around. my dad's girlfriend called me and said to check on him because he wasn't moving much... he was very very tired, laying around, he couldn't stand at all and when he did, he was limping like crazy. i brought him to the vet, got rimadyl, and returned to my dads house. they gave him the rimadyl and he actually had gotten better.

about 2 weeks after buddy finishing the rimadyl script, my brother moved out of my dad's and in with me. it was against the lease to have dogs here. another week went by we talked about him not getting any love at our dad's so we took him to our place anyway. when the landlord comes i just say hes here for the day because my dad's coming back from vacation usually.

it has seemed like the effects are slowly returning to him. a few days ago i obtained more rimadyl from the vet. when he was given rimadyl the first time, i didn't see his reaction because i didnt live with my dad. i gave him 50mg's that night. almost within the first couple hours i noticed he was acting strange.. his tail was wagging and it seemed like he was happier, but he was panting excessively and hyperactive. he wouldn't leave me or my brother alone. i don't think it was playfulness at all, i felt a vibe like it was kind of like 'help me whats wrong!'. i was so sad, so the second day, i gave him 25mgs in the morning, 25mgs in the evening. it still made him hyper and seem like he was off the wall. running around, not sitting down, he just couldnt be still.

so i went out to the grocery store around 6pm and came back at 8pm and i was scared to death... he was tired like I had never seen him before tired. he was sleeping to the point where I was calling him, petting him, trying to tickle him, and he just wouldn't budge. he would open his eyes for a sec, lift his head from the floor and look at me, then boom right back into deep sleep.

i was so afraid that i'd wakeup and witness the most awful thing ;( i slept maybe 3 hours just looking over the side of my bed to make sure he was still breatheing. the signs looked kind of like liver failure (google's answer). 

---

i am talking to my brother today to see what the hell we can do as far as getting him in there for an official diagnosis... this is really hard to watch as to its made me break down a couple nights and tear up. i've been through some crazy things in my life but this dog really is a part of me forever. it is my intention to get him in there today or tomorrow.

ill keep posting when things develop! thanks everyone for the compliments, if he knew what wonderful comments everyone stated, i know he'd be licking everyones faces


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

Thanks for the update. Sending prayers for sweet Buddy to feel better.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Cameron*

Cameron

Praying for sweet Buddy and for you. I would take Buddy to the vet right away, so they can figure out what is wrong.
Have they done xrays for Buddy?
It could be something very serious!


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

You and Buddy are in my thoughts and prayers.

I've never seen that kind of reaction to Rimadyl, but I suppose it could happen. I hope you find a treatment to keep your lovely boy with for some more quality time.

Give him some hugs and kisses from me!


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## Mac'sdad (Dec 5, 2009)

Frozen Brocolli,carrots and cauliflower comes in one package at Stop & Shop ... I microwave them to soften them ! mixed with ghicken parts (gizzards,livers,hearts) also at Stop & Shop are pretty inexpensive and good for him as well .... mix with a scoop of quality kibble ! I think he will love it along with raising his dish !!!!


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

so this is what happend lastnight:

i got him so new food and he began to eat it which was nice for a change. then i saw him do the whine/nudge/bark again! so now im like aww man what the hell do i do now.. and i think i read somewhere on here about handfeeding him. so i scooped the sloppy gravy chicken stuff into my hand an held it out to him and he loved it! he ate up the whole bowl.. im so surprised i never thought of it myself to just do that! i wonder if since he didnt like what was in the bowl, he didn't know what was in there when i changed it since he is old and might not be able to smell as good as he used to.

lastnight around 1am i wokeup to use the bathroom and i saw him fidgeting around trying to rub his snout on the floor, then he took both his paws and pressed them against his nose really hard. i was trying to call for him and no response, he wouldnt look at me or anything. i began to walk around him and then he spring up and was doing circles around me. eventually he clung to me literally and kept pressing his body against mine. i walked into another room and he followed and i saw his front paw cross infront of his other one, like his coordination was messed up. i talked to him for awhile and tried to calm him down. maybe a couple minutes after trying to reassure him he was gonna be alright he went to a corner of my room (seemed like trying to hide), and pressed his right side of his snout against the wall. i tried to separate his head from the wall and he didn't want me to. when i did, i left my hand infront of his face and he kept putting the right side of his face (next to his eye socket) into my hand in an effort to apply pressure. i am worried to hell maybe it was a seizure or some brain problems 

i am going to the vet @ 4:10pm for blood work+xrays


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

That sounds frightening.... I'm so glad you are going to the vet. All my prayers...


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

just returned from the vet's office. i had blood taken from him and will get results soon. didn't have the cash for an xray though but blood is better first anyhow i guess.

he has one enlarged testicle and it is very firm, she said it is possibly testicle cancer 
she found a growth on the right side of his mouth on his bottom jawline, she said its the least of her worries.
thirdly, he has very bad arthritis, she could feel it in his rear hips.
lastly, something is wrong with his liver and/or spleen. could be connected to the testicle problem but not completely sure. could be mass as well.

hopefully i get results monday. awwwwww..


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

I'm so sorry your Buddy is struggling. I hope the vet will have some answers for you soon.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Cameron*

Cameron

So glad you had Buddy at the vet and praying he is o.k. over the weekend.
Do they think he is in pain-did they give you anything for his pain?
someone on here mentioned Tramadol. You can call and ask the vet if they didn't give you anything.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Darn... darn.  

The sounds of the growth on his jaw concerns me especially since he seemed to indicate pain. The enlarged testicle... is concerning as well. With these dogs their testicles are supposed to shrink/shrivel up with age. 

I'm so sorry there's so much going on with him.


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

she didn't give us anything. i asked if once the blood work comes back indicating anything is wrong with his organs if she could give him something for pain and she told me absolutely. hopefully i get a call tomorrow, if not, then its monday.

she said best case scenario, give anti-inflammatory for the arthritis, remove the testicles, and hopefully he gets better. she said the mass in his liver or spleen would need surgery and suggested with his age it just is too costly and not worth it.

he had a nose bleed maybe three weeks ago too which i asked about. she said something about platelets in his blood could be the reason due to possibly organ failure liver/or spleen i forgot which one she mentioned.

i can get human tramadol 50mg without aspirin in it.. i don't even know if i want to gamble with it but i think its less toxic on the liver than rimaydl. im going to keep my eye on him until she gives me something and just chill around the house.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Cameron*

Cameron

I would call the vet and ask what is safe to give him. I wouldn't give anything without checking with them.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*cAMERON*

CAMERON

IT would be best to give Buddy soft food, since he has a growth on his jaw. It must really hurt him to chew.


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

since the change from beneful over to the canned stuff, its basically chunks of meat with some kind of gravy. its definately soft stuff he's been digging into it wayyy more than the harder pebble type food.

they closed at 6pm, i will talk to her in the morning when i get a chance to. i have a feeling she might just say nothing until its confirmed that he has a problem in his blood.


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## BajaOklahoma (Sep 27, 2009)

Your vet wants to make sure the liver and kidney function can handle the pain meds. Poor function can mean the medication builds up in the blood and can cause an overdose.

Fingers crossed for good reports on everything. I am sorry you are both going through this.


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## Maddie'sMom2011 (Apr 26, 2011)

I'm so sorry you guys are going through this. Buddy is a very handsome boy. He doesn't know he's sick. Keep hand feeding him if that's how he'll eat. 

My thoughts & prayers are with you!


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Cameron*



BajaOklahoma said:


> Your vet wants to make sure the liver and kidney function can handle the pain meds. Poor function can mean the medication builds up in the blood and can cause an overdose.
> 
> Fingers crossed for good reports on everything. I am sorry you are both going through this.


I agree with Baja-talk to the vet in the morning. Praying for Buddy and you.


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## dborgers (Dec 7, 2011)

Cameron

Go with the Tramadol. Inexpensive at WalMart pharmacy. Our boy can't take Rimidyl because he's on long term chemo, but he does take Tramadol and it works well for him. The low dose of Prednisone he takes as part of his chemo (20mg a day) is an anti-inflammatory.

I wish you all the best. It's so hard when our boys and girls get older. You'll do what's best for Buddy.


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

thanks so much everyone.. i've had a real tough life but the very fact that hes suffering just kills me emotionally. i'm doing everything i can and thats the only thing holding me together at this point. i can just see it in him hurting


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

I am very sorry for your Bud boy, sending healing vibes and prayers.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Buddy*

Cameron

Praying very hard for Buddy and you. Call the vet this morning and tell him/her that you feel Buddy is in pain and ask for pain medication.
Read what dborgers said above.


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

i'm going to give the vet a call around 3pm just to give her time to call me maybe if the results had came in. he's definately going downhill very gradually.. i just brought him for a morning walk about an hour ago and he was walking very very slow. he hasn't touched his bowl at all even by hand feeding 

i did give him a piece of sliced turkey and a piece of cheese. he ate that right away lol. do i have to goto a pharmacy for the tramadol or do they just give us it? i want to get him that since its supposed to not be as bad on the liver as the rimadyl. maybe i can just try an alternative to rimadyl also too.


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## vrmueller (Jun 14, 2008)

Such a sweet picture of your Buddy. My thoughts are with you and hope he can get some relief.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Cameron*

Cameron

How is Buddy doing? What did the vet say?


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Buddy*

I love Buddy's picture-praying for him and you!


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## gold4me (Mar 12, 2006)

Buddy is such a handsome boy. My thoughts and prayers are with both of you as I know this is a terrible time for you.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Buddy*

Praying for Buddy and you during this difficult time!


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

Sending healing vibes and prayers for sweet Buddy and you.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Buddy*

Buddy is in my thoughts and prayers!!


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

i called and asked a couple more questions about the blood work on friday. i guess she said that the blood stuff is to check up on his organs and to see if anything is failing or not up to speed. she did mention something about if his liver isn't working that medication for pain might not be good right now because it could stress his liver. i just left it at that and i've been giving him so much attention so he feels super loved.

i've been keeping the a/c on about 65 so he doesn't get too hot or anything. i got some treats called happy hips which has glucosamine in it. it has definately been helping. over the last few days i've seen him wag his tail more often and he's getting up slightly easier than normal. 

i don't know why he does this but i've seen him isolate himself when i've left the room or if i wakeup from a nap. he will lay down and face the corner of the room :/ its kind of odd, but once i get his attention he comes right back to me. sometimes when he lays down beside my bed, he sticks his head under the bed. i wonder if this is a sign of pain.. maybe he's trying to hide it... i really hope that he can get something tomorrow.

the vet called me today and left a voicemail saying the results came in and needed to follow up with me tomorrow about them because today was a holiday. i tried to call back and it went to a message about being closed for columbus day. tomorrow i'll get the results for sure.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Cameron*



cameron said:


> i called and asked a couple more questions about the blood work on friday. i guess she said that the blood stuff is to check up on his organs and to see if anything is failing or not up to speed. she did mention something about if his liver isn't working that medication for pain might not be good right now because it could stress his liver. i just left it at that and i've been giving him so much attention so he feels super loved.
> 
> i've been keeping the a/c on about 65 so he doesn't get too hot or anything. i got some treats called happy hips which has glucosamine in it. it has definately been helping. over the last few days i've seen him wag his tail more often and he's getting up slightly easier than normal.
> 
> ...


Cameron: Try to follow-up with the Doc as soon as you can and let us know. 
I am not a vet, but I think some of the behavior you are describing could be a sign of PAIN? Hopefully, someone else here might be able to shed some light on it. Praying for Buddy!!


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## vrmueller (Jun 14, 2008)

Thinking of Buddy.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Buddy*

Praying for sweet Buddy and you!


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

the vet didn't give me a copy of the blood work... but here it goes. everything came back ok... except for his kidneys. i think the way she put it was something called his creatinine levels were not optimal. his white/red blood cells as well were not normal levels and she said he is anemic.

as a result, he was given tramadol for pain and an antibiotic to hopefully rid of a kidney infection if that is what it is. he is also supposed to be on some k/d diet i think its called to delay kidney failure to the most...

i asked about rimadyl since his liver was fine but i guess the kidney has something to do with it as well. i think this explains his reaction to it when i gave him it last time. he was extremely hyperactive, breathing/panting heavily and for long periods of time, drinking too much then vomitting, frequent urination too. makes me think it taxed his kidneys then caused his anemia to hit harder. when the rimadyl wore off he was stuck... like he would just lay and look at me, then pass out into a deep sleep which i couldn't even wake him up from. he looked so weak that day, im so happy it didnt end my doggys life 

so because his kidneys are failing, he cant be put under anesthetics because he can die on the table. she recommended an abdomen ultrasound to get a second look at them to see if maybe they looked good enough to the point that she would think he'd make it. the ultrasound though is very costly and i just about used most of my savings at this point from the last couple months so i've done all that i can for him.

she said that if i had the funds, i'd have to consider his age too. a possible solution would be to neuter him to rid of the testicle cancer, remove the growth in his mouth, and then hopefully the kidneys would be able to come back to stability. but thats just a best case scenario. she also had felt a mass in his liver she thought initally, but his liver is fine. it must be his spleen... and we can't remove it again, because he can't be sedated.

i love my buddy, my dad is taking him for the night and i will have him back tomorrow. i told him the situation and he just wanted to make sure he could have one full day to be with buddy because i took him from my dad's house awhile ago.

i'll update on his progress. i feel its good to share information because it can help others. one thing i learned so far, is don't play a guessing game if you see your dog acting odd, the vet is the best and only solution. a trip to the vet and blood work will early will keep your doggy around for a little longer... he would probably still be fine if i had him neutered years ago.. i do feel kind of guilty 

my brother is 2 years younger than me and thought he was fine and told me not to waste my money and i told him i didn't agree with him. im glad i went against his judgement and went to the vet.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Cameron*

Cameron

Thanks for the update. So your Dad wants to spend a night with Buddy and you will get him back tomorrow? God Bless him and you-praying for him!!!GLAD YOU are keeping Buddy as comfortable as possible and loving him.


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

thanks again karen!!

my dad's girlfriend texted me and told me that he seems very very excited. he's been out in their yard most of the day playing and everything i guess. i want to see this so bad for myself! i am going over there tomorrow to get him back, i already miss him and its only been several hours  

once i get my point of view on him and the meds ill share


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Cameron*

Cameron

Glad you will be getting Buddy back. Hope he is not playing too much, I don't know if that's good for him.


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

Sendign good vibes and prayers for your Buddy.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Buddy*

Praying for Buddy!


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

Sending prayers and love to sweet Buddy.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Buddy*

Holding Buddy in my thoughts and prayers-hoping he is back home with you!


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

ugh i went by my dad's lastname only for my dad to tell me he isn't giving him the tramadol because he feels that he doesn't need it. so i told him what the hell he has three possible cancers how do you know he doesn't hurt? i then go into saying how hes energetic only in the morning because he hasn't done anything all night and it shouldn't be NORMAL for him to be laying down most of the day because he is 'old'.

he has been taking anti-biotics for the last couple days on a positive note. there was kind of like a round-feeling mass near his spleen that i *think* has gone down when i tried to feel for it. im going by there today while everyone is at work to see how he is. i might just have to hijack him and bring him back. he shouldn't have to be sleeping in their basement.


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

If I may ask, did you post couple weeks ago under another user name? 
Sending prayers for Buddy, hope he is doing well.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

He definitely needs to be with someone who will give him his medication. Does he stay in the basement 24/7?


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Cameron*

CAMERON

Oh, I hope you bring Buddy home with you. He doesn't belong in the basement and I bet he needs his pain meds!


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Cameron*

Cameron

Worrying so much! Praying for Buddy!
Did you bring him home with you?


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Buddy*

Praying that Buddy is home with you. Very worried we haven't heard!


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

Praying for Buddy.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Buddy*

Praying for Buddy and you!!


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

hey all! i've been so tied up with class and some other personal problems hence my absence from the board. 

so my dad originally wanted to hang with buddy for a little bit and asked if he could. i said yeah i guess since i stole him for a couple months. at first they were not giving him the tramadol and i said *** come on he possibly has 3 types of cancer how do you expect him to not be hurting? so i think maybe nobody over at his place realized that dogs dont express pain as humans do, and i believe that they infact WANT to hide it from their master.

anywho, i got a copy of the vet's report, i will upload the results here next time i come online. i have since convinced my dad to start giving him the tramadol and he takes it now. i haven;t been by in a few days but am going to see him today. he has been on antibiotics for a possible kidney infection (although it very well could be cancer). there was some mass under his belly near his liver/or spleen that i had noticed as well as the vet, and a couple days ago i felt it and it seemed to had gone down a little but it is still there.

the antibiotics are definately helping, and today ill see how the tramadol is working. i want to get him more blood work hopefully in 2 more weeks to see if he can be sedated to be neutered so they can get rid of the testicle cancer. i love this dog, i dont care if he is 14 

also, he has been getting extra attention at my dads. although i do not think its the perfect place, they got him a nice soft bed thingy to lay on which he absolutely loves. its a renovated basement by the way not some run down old shack. and the stairs connect to the door (its a ranch house i think is what its called or something). 

i think im going to try snatching buddy up for a couple weekdays then bring him there on weekends only. on the weekend there are 3 people home all the time and on the weekdays i can be with him much more.

ill update soon, so far nothing bad coming


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

Buddy's mom forever said:


> If I may ask, did you post couple weeks ago under another user name?
> Sending prayers for Buddy, hope he is doing well.


my brother had actually made a post about taking him from our dad's house maybe a month ago. he mentioned something about the basement and nobody paying attention to him.

since i told my dad about the cancer stuff and showed him paperwork, i think he realized that he's not gonna be around forever, if not much longer. i personally think he has alot more life in him compared to posts ive seen regarding other peoples goldens and cancer, but still.. i know its there 

while he is over there, he doesn't stay in the basement 24/7. they have a really really big yard and this wire that runs from the house all the way to a tree at the very edge. my dad usually jus hooks him up to it and he can roam pretty far. he is there most of the evening though maybe 7pm till the early morning maybe 6am. he is let out around 7 for a little bit then around 6/7am. when he was at my apartment, i know he would lay down on the floor beside my bed or my brothers bed. it kind of bothers me thinking that he has nobody to lay next to. should i be concerned about that or am i just too caring?


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Cameron*

Cameron

Thanks for the update on Buddy and so glad he is not being IGNORED AND ALL ALONE!!

Please keep us posted!!


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Cameron*

Cameron

I think Buddy would rather be near to someone.
If you are able to care for him, I think being with you sounds much better.
Don't think him being OUTSIDE all night is GOOD for him-something terrible could happen-he could be attacked by an animal!


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

Sending prayers for sweet Buddy. I am glad on some way your dad realized that Buddy wont be there forever. I know you love your Buddy so much and you are doing the best you can and really appreciate that.


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

he doesn't stay outside all day long that would be neglect and its the last thing he needs. so i went to check on him and my little brother stole him and brought him to his girlfriends for a few days. my dad said that he was actually starting to gain weight and boppin around like he used to back when he was a young doggy. whatever antibiotic hes on i guess was really working.

i went back to see him as my brother brought him back to my dads and he looked very exhausted. i think he brought him on a walk too long or something so i talked some sh** to him and told him not to do that anymore because hes old and needs to just needs enough exercise for himself to be happy, not bringing him up hiking with him!

he seemed like he was in good spirits though, and he is definately coming back. i have noticed he gained some weight around his arthritic hips and he is now able to eat his k/d diet food, he actually loves it! for some reason he will eat it from a spoon and not any other way. i fed him a can of the wet/soft diet food all by spoon and all with his tail wagging.

so far so good i guess. once my landlord comes by tomorrow im going to keep him with me fora couple days because i cant have pets here or i violate the lease.


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

Thanks for the update. You guys are doing the best you can. Sending hugs to sweet Buddy and many prayers for him.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Cameron*



cameron said:


> he doesn't stay outside all day long that would be neglect and its the last thing he needs. so i went to check on him and my little brother stole him and brought him to his girlfriends for a few days. my dad said that he was actually starting to gain weight and boppin around like he used to back when he was a young doggy. whatever antibiotic hes on i guess was really working.
> 
> i went back to see him as my brother brought him back to my dads and he looked very exhausted. i think he brought him on a walk too long or something so i talked some sh** to him and told him not to do that anymore because hes old and needs to just needs enough exercise for himself to be happy, not bringing him up hiking with him!
> 
> ...


Cameron

You are doing the best you can-had no idea that pets weren't allowed where you live.
You are SURE RIGHT that your brother shouldn't take him on a LONG WALK. So glad to hear that Buddy has gained some weight. Who feeds him at your dad's?


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Buddy*

Checking in on Buddy!


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

Sending prayers and love for sweet Buddy.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Buddy*

Praying for sweet Buddy!


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## coffenut (Jan 3, 2012)

Check with your vet for alternatives. I also could not afford Rimadyl for Mazlon. My vet put her on Metacam as an alternative which you can get (with a prescription) from 1800PetMeds cheaper than from the vet.

Swimming is also a wonderful way of exercising an arthritic dog.


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

so he has now been through a complete script of antibiotics and tramadol. i had his tramadol refilled today, im going to go out in hurricane sandy to pick it up lol.

he has dramatically improved. i can't believe it, i went to see him a couple days ago and his wag was like he was a year old again! it was so rapid and fast, he grabbed this little stuffed santa doll on the ground with his mouth and ran over to me with it. it looked so cute!! 

i brought him for a walk and he literally was almost dragging me because he was so strong. it is UNBELIEVABLE what a difference this is. he eventually started running so i jogged up with him. he still gets tired but the tramadol seems to have got him through a lot. i am going to keep him on the k/d diet, i also got some azodyl. my goal is to hopefully do what i can to get his kidney levels as close to normal with the azodyl then have him neutered if possible.

i got a lot of family support financial wise, everybody was in denial about him being hurt until they saw the change in his behavior. now all of a sudden everyone is saying 'oh my god'.

im glad i can let him live again.


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

tramadol+antibiotic+k/d diet equals this

Golden Retriever after Tramadol and Anti-biotics! - YouTube

This is so phenominal, this was just the other day!


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Cameron*

Cameron

Be sure to see Coffenut's post about affording prescriptions.
So glad Buddy has improved. Have you told the vet how spunky he is?
So glad your family is helping you.
Please give Buddy big kisses and hugs.


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

I'm leaving my house now to get his tramadol, she said it was only $10 dollars so thats a lot nicer. I am going to also bring him back to the vet in 2 weeks for another round of bloodwork to see if anything is improving or disproving.

I did ask the first time I went though about anti-inflammatory and she said he cannot take any of them because of his kidneys 

Hopefully... just hopefully, if I can get his levels up to optimal strength, I could possibly get him on them. I could only imagine how wonderful he would feel with it if he's feeling like this on just the tramadol!


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Cameron*

Cameron

Every day is a gift for all of us and our dogs!
Praying for Buddy and you!


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

Thanks for a great update. I watched your video smiling, so good to see sweet Bud running again.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Cameron*

Cameron

Checking in on Buddy!


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

Love Buddy. Sending positive vibes, prayers and hugs to sweet Buddy.


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## jimla (Oct 9, 2008)

Buddy sure looked like he was enjoying his walk!


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Buddy*

Praying for Buddy and you!


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

it is phenominal... im just glad i was able to convince my family that he had issues. my dad especially didn't really pay that much attention to him nor did his girlfriend and now they're all over him. 

a really strange thing too, the k/d diet food we get in a can, initally he HATED it. he would not touch it for the life of him. so my dads girlfriend tried one day to feed him with a spoon and oh my god he loves it! there is something odd about buddy and the interaction and/or the "spoon" itself. now he loves it! when im opening the can he already knows whats in it and he just wags like crazy for it!! i think that its really easy on his system compared to the regular food which i think was making him vomit. now, he doesn't vomit at all, he's running, wagging, playful, its the old him all over again!

here is a link to a picture of him, i wanna frame this hahaha

Image - TinyPic - Free Image Hosting, Photo Sharing & Video Hosting


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

some more:

☼ this is a picture of him at my brother's girlfriends house. he's there about 3 days of the week
http://i48.tinypic.com/2crx82t.jpg

☼ infront of my car!
http://i45.tinypic.com/2mxmtko.jpg

☼ i left my car door open, walked in the house, then out, and saw this!
http://i46.tinypic.com/dqhblv.jpg

I have azodyl for him now, if anyone knows about it, please give me a shout! the next thing is to find a way to give him it. the capsules cant open up from what i read. i also was told about 'pill pockets'. i need to buy these asap


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Cameron*

CAMERON

I would think any pet store near you, like Petsmart, Petco, Pet Supplies plus, would carry the pill pockets!!

Looks like Buddy is making himself comfy, wherever he goes!!


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*You should frame this*

You definitely should frame this picture of Buddy-
they are all wonderful!!


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Petsmart in Boston, MA*

*Petsmart in Boston, MA*

*petsmart locations in Boston - Google Search*

Here are some Greenies Pill Pockets for dogs at Petsmart, Braintree, MA
*Petsmart.com*

Your vet should know where you can buy them.


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

so now he no longer is at my dad's house, no more basement for him! i got into a crazy argument with his girlfriend because they didnt feed him the tramadol for two whole days!!!! i literally freaked out and screamed at her telling her how could you neglect him, if you had cancer and no pain meds you'd be feeling so ill you'd not want to live. so she kept yelling and i just had it and took him out. i brought him to my house for the day then my brother got today. so he's hangin out in a nice big house with carpets and theres another female golden there he can hangout with whos old and like him.

i am going to visit him there even though its a 30 minute drive. my brother loves that dog a lot too, way more than my dad which is a fact. there are no stairs there either which is good as i had to carry him from the 3rd floor to let him out.

this week i am going to try to buy him one of those orthopedic beds and bring it to him so he can snuggle on it. the carpet is better than a horrible cement floor.

i asked my lil bro how he was doing and he said hes cool. he told me that he did a lot of yard work and he just let buddy out in the backyard and as he worked bud just followed him around as he went to clean stuff up. i love these dogs, no matter what they just love being around you, and they will always love you unconditionally. man's best friend is a golden retriever! and somebody just told me the other day too that dog is god spelt backwards!

we've been putting the tramadol in a hotdog and he eats it that way. we're going to see if we can somehow put the azodyl capsule in one too first. and if no-go, pill pockets it is!


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## jimla (Oct 9, 2008)

So glad to hear that Buddy can stay at your brother's house.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Cameron*

Cameron

So glad to hear that Buddy is at your brother's house and you will visit him.
You can TELL HOW MUCH you love Buddy, by everything you say about him.-I'm sure he WOULD LOVE THE BED!!!
I 'm sure he loves you, too, and glad to hear he'll take the pill in a hot dog!


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

You are taking good care of your Buddy, doing the best you can. Praying for sweet Buddy.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Buddy*

Bumping up for prayers for Buddy and Cameron.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Cameron*

Cameron

How is Buddy?


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

Sending prayers for sweet Buddy, hope he has a good weekend.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Buddy*

Praying for Buddy!


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

these days so busy with school 4x a week, have been studying hard!

my retriever is doing remarkable. he made the local newspaper where my brother lives now! EastBayRI.com « Photos: Sandy’s moon tidal surge floods Bristol

there are i think 2 or 3 pictures of my cute golden haha! i went to see him about two days ago. i need to get him a bed of his own which i plan to get this week because their kitchen which he likes to lay on a lot is tile. he must like the coolness or something. 

he has had spunk, his wag is definately there too as well as by brother's girlfriends female retriever Lea. she's kind of a chub, really fat because thyroid or something, but they just chill together. i get the feeling that its good he's around another of his kind, just some sense of a friend or something on top of my brother being there most of the day.

he's back on eating the diet food and his tramadol. i think in a week or a little over i will bring him back for blood work. my brother forgot to take the azodyl so next time he comes here i need to give him it for buddy.

for some reason i have high hopes...i know the tramadol is just a pain reliever and doesn't fix the problem causing pain. it is def making him happy and act like his old puppy energetic self!


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

You are doing your best for your Buddy. He is not alone in the house and has a friend of his own. Hope he continues to do so well, those photos are great. Pain free, surrounded with love and care, your Buddy knows you love him and understands that you are busy at school. Keep up good work. Sending hugs to sweet Buddy.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Cameron*

Cameron

Thinking of you and Buddy!


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Buddy*

Praying Buddy is doing well.


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

Just to give an update on buddy, he is doing pretty wonderful. He is living with my brother who has an overweight female golden as well because of her thyroid. I think its a good idea to be around her just so he has some company when people go to work, etc.

He has been bought a bed and he is allowed to roam through the entire house. As far as his health is concerned, the tramadol really makes his wag come back like it used to be when he was a lil pup. My brother gives him the meds morning and night, although he was half a day late telling me that he had ran out. I guess when he ran out, he noticed buddy was hiding (going under the bed, isolating himself in corners with his nose facing the wall, etc.). As soon as he told me I got tramadols on the street within hours then called the vet for a refill. I guess he can take human ones too, they work fine. I made sure there was no aspirin in them as well by looking the imprint online.

He has been taking the azodyl for about a week, I don't see him enough to notice a change. Once a few more weeks go by, I want to bring him back to the vet for more blood work so I can see if his kidney levels went up or down. I hope they get better, I know he's 14, but for his age I really think he's doing better than I've seen others..

His shoulders are thinning though...and his hips are too. It seems like he is getting so skinny but his diet does not allow a lot of protein. He isn't fat at all, pretty lean. I'll get some new photos when I can go see him this week. Its gotta be the arthritis. The tramadol won't fix the problem, but it will make it seem like it isn't bothering him. Thats my only worry... there is no way to reverse it for him.

Its my dream that his kidneys come back and I can get him on metacam or something. I love him ;(


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

Thanks for the update, hugs to sweet Buddy.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Cameron*

Thanks so much for the update on Buddy and so glad that Buddy is living inside with your brother and has a female friend!!

I wouldn't take or give any pill you bought on the street! How dangerous!

Praying for Buddy as always!! You can tell how much you love him!!


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)




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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Buddy*

How is Buddy?
Praying for him!!


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

my brother sent me this yesterday, this is the canned stuff that he has to eat for his kidneys. he LOVES this stuff its funny, and there is something strange about the spoon, he loves being spoon fed idk why. more-so then being handfeld lol


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

he reminds me of an old man 

i'm thankful that he is still here, and without the tramadol, i don't think he'd even be around anymore. he gets so much love, and he's in a good place where he's been at. whenever my brother leaves the house, he still has the other female retriever Lea who is there with him. when my car gets fixed i'm going to try to take some videos.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

Cameron that is a beautiful picture of your boy. I'm so glad he is in a good place and getting the care he needs.


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

Those pictures you posted are great, thanks for sharing. Hugs to sweet Buddy.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Buddy*



cameron said:


> he reminds me of an old man
> 
> i'm thankful that he is still here, and without the tramadol, i don't think he'd even be around anymore. he gets so much love, and he's in a good place where he's been at. whenever my brother leaves the house, he still has the other female retriever Lea who is there with him. when my car gets fixed i'm going to try to take some videos.


Buddy looks so beautiful and I am SO HAPPY for him that he has Lea and that your brother is taking such loving care of him!! It would be great if you can take videos some time, or pics are just fine, too. Your love for Buddy is SO SPECIAL and I know he feels it!!


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

well im kind of stuck right now about something, my brother texted me just now to tell me "i think buddy is messed up", i said what happend and he says "i had him groomed and he can't move".

im absolutely furious right now, for one i have no clue why he would just "drop" this dog off being the condition he is in and that he has a tumor on his testicle and some mass near his tummy/liver! all i keep thinking is the groomer didn't know this and probably applied pressure there.. oh god im feeling sad 

im waiting for him to tell me when i can go see him . i told him to give him an extra half tramadol if he seems like hes in a load of pain. i just don't get why why why he says he loves him but forgets the most obvious!


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Buddy*

Oh, please, Let us know how BUDDY is!


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

been very busy with holidays. i like updating this because the thread has almost turned into a journal of my doggys health lol.

he was messed up from a groomer last week. after his er visit, the ultrasound confirmed that he had no internal bleeding which was great news. they did his blood work and faxed it to my local vet. my brother has been in contact with them and i should be seeing him tomorrow to hear if anything changed. they said something about kidney something is 25 percent and should be 35 percent, or maybe they said in reverse he told me a couple days ago.

he seems to function the same now, his muscles were just very sore. all i could think was the groomer was mean to him or something. bud's 15 years old he has to be taken care of!

he hasn't been displaying any signs of additional pain. on xmas eve i guess he ran out of medication and nobody had done anything about it so i bought some human tramadol off the street for him and got him a refill the next day. he was walking around and like, his back legs were misaligned. he couldn't walk straight.. all i could think was oh my god hes in withdrawal. we had the food out on the table and everyone keeps saying "oh he is such a good dog, hes not begging for food.".. i clearly could tell something was wrong because he was NOT at the table as he always was. he was just laying on the floor eyes wide open and kept shifting positions.

i feel he is growing tolerant to the medication. within the next few weeks i want to have another follow-up exam done at the regular vet and see if anything new has came up. i still do need to find out about the recent blood work that was drawn at the ER.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Cameron*

Cameron

Thanks for the update on Buddy. What happened to him at the Groomer?
I would never buy any drugs off the street. Always get them from his vet.


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

Sending hugs and prayers for sweet Buddy.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Buddy*

Praying that Buddy and you, Cameron, are doing good.


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

well... since the start of this thread, buddy was originally abour 70 pounds. we brought him in to the vet yesterday because his weight has been dropping so rapidly.. he is now 60lbs.

his condition has not seemed to have phased him mentally, but the vet said that the renal failure is taking control. he was talking about some level being at 67, and that he will eventually start vomitting more often and sleeping. the next stage after that is he'd experience seizures then eventually slip into a coma and die.

it was really hard to hear this, but at this point he's made is to 15 years old. i can't believe hes been around this long to begin with! i really wish i knew where his kids were so I could buy one after he goes because they'd look just like him 

i'm going to get some more azodyl overnighted and just hope for the best. like i said it doesn't seem to even phase buddy, he's still wagging his tail and walking around.

its so hard to know he's going to go soon. the vet didn't give us an eta either.. i will take some photos of him before and after when i get the chance, you can definiately see the weight loss


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Cameron*

Cameron

Sent you a private message and praying for Buddy and you.


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

i contracted an upper respiratory viral infection within the last week, still getting better. my brother sent me this picture of him. he was blinking because of the flash so his eyes looking shut isnt because of anything bad.










my brother gives him another supplement in addition to the azodyl now, it begins with an e, when i can check i will make another post about what it is. i do know that we are both doing what we can for him at best. if he gets worse to the point of what the vet was saying... or if he starts telling us he is hurting, then we will do the right thing and allow him to go.

i am due to go see him in a couple days since i won't be sick anymore. the last time i saw buddy was about 2 weeks ago and something i noticed was for a few seconds he almost didn't know who i was and i was like oh my god.. then boom the wag started and he got excited 

on another sad note though, Lea that lives with him too (whom is a 9yr old female golden) was just diagnosed with cancer throughout her whole body.. i wish retrievers could live 
forever, they so deserve it.

--

i added this after: i cant remember if i mentioned anything about the groomer situation, but he basically was sore as hell. the vet provided gabapentin and it just sedated him and kept making him sleep so buddy only took it once or twice. he came back to his normal self in a couple days and was moving around again thank god!


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

if anyone cannot see latest photo of him, its here : http://i45.tinypic.com/2wqzfqq.jpg


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

Yes, I can see sweet Buddy now, sending hugs and prayers. How is he doing? And I am sorry for Lea.


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

I haven't seen him in maybe over a week myself. I started school this week and was sick most of last week, I am going to set it up to go check him out tomorrow over the weekend. I just went back to the first page of this and the picture of him laying on the carpet made me so sad because I know he was hurting so much then 

my brother's exact words when I just asked about bud was "he's thinning... but he still chuggin along and can walk with me. he isn't doing too well in the very cold weather though..".


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

He is such a sweet boy and I love his name. I hope and pray he has lots of time with you.


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

thanks so much! i'll give him a hug for everyone when I see him this weekend. I'm going to try to get a video of me sneaking up on him. I wanna see his waggy tail haha!

the name buddy is so common, but I feel like its unique in its own way. when I was younger, I'd be mean to him, if he humped my leg i'd kick him away. not beat him, but like, push him really hard. one thing about him is that he's always loved me and my lil brother no matter what happend. i remember when i lost my best friend to an accident in high school, he'd just come over and sniff away and wag. i really hope all dogs goto heaven, even if it sounds somewhat immature. i could never ever even yell at my buddy now, even if he was living with me still and had gone in the house.

when he was in my apartment, he'd vomit up water during onto my carpet and he'd just look up at me all innocently sorry and probably think i was going to yell at him. i'd clean it up and run up to him and just run up to him and hug him sayin how much i loved him and hoped he was ok. i could never ever yell at this poor guy. buddys so amazing, all buddies are!


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

Name is common but they are all unique and wonderful. And I too do believe they go to heaven. They are amazing dogs. My Buddy went to heaven more than 20 months ago I hope he is happy there, young and healthy again. Give your sweet Buddy lots of hugs and belly rubs from me.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Buddy*



cameron said:


> thanks so much! i'll give him a hug for everyone when I see him this weekend. I'm going to try to get a video of me sneaking up on him. I wanna see his waggy tail haha!
> 
> the name buddy is so common, but I feel like its unique in its own way. when I was younger, I'd be mean to him, if he humped my leg i'd kick him away. not beat him, but like, push him really hard. one thing about him is that he's always loved me and my lil brother no matter what happend. i remember when i lost my best friend to an accident in high school, he'd just come over and sniff away and wag. i really hope all dogs goto heaven, even if it sounds somewhat immature. i could never ever even yell at my buddy now, even if he was living with me still and had gone in the house.
> 
> when he was in my apartment, he'd vomit up water during onto my carpet and he'd just look up at me all innocently sorry and probably think i was going to yell at him. i'd clean it up and run up to him and just run up to him and hug him sayin how much i loved him and hoped he was ok. i could never ever yell at this poor guy. buddys so amazing, all buddies are!


I've always LOVED THE NAME BUDDY!! Please give him some big kisses and hugs when you see him. I believe all dogs go to heaven!

So sorry about Lea's diagnosis. Hug her, too!!


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

i was able to see bud last week. i definately had noticed that he has consistently been losing weight due to his kidneys/arthritis.. my brother said that he has been eating but not as much. if he eats an entire can of the k/d food, he barfs it up. i think he said that he is able to eat about half a can at a time still, and he has been drinking which is good.

he is able to still walk as well. after i was there for almost an hour, he just sat down, then he had laid down on his side. i thought he was sleeping but his eyes were wide open just looking at the wall.. i don't know if this is good or bad, my gut tells me something is bothering him. his tramadol dose was upped by the vet, from 1 pill to 1 and a half morning and night. i wondered if maybe he was laying down because of tolerance? maybe the drug wears off in the middle of the day or something. 

i told my brother to try and give him half of one around late noonish and see if it picks him up whenever he does this laying down thing. 

photos:









for the past month, i guess randomly he has been propping himself up on the couch! my brother would simply go upstairs 5 minutes then come down and see him up there. they have hard wood floors and some carpets he got to help him so he wouldn't slip so much. he sleeps beside my brothers bed every night on a really big cushiony thing. he loves that! the couch thing also has me kind of curious though, he must be very uncomfortable to want to get up on the couch like that. he's never done that his entire life. i told him that his joints may be bothering him and to make sure he's warm since he's lost weight. you can see in the picture he looks pretty tiny.

couch pic:










and another pic:












direct links to photos if viewing problems:

http://i50.tinypic.com/rjikgw.jpg
http://i45.tinypic.com/2uyrds4.jpg
http://i45.tinypic.com/7315ap.jpg

on the brighter side of things, he still is showing signs of happiness! when i first went there he came over wagging and kept sniffing around me! he does walk outside here and there, but only when its warmer out since its been as low as 9degrees. when he does walk, it isn't for as long as he used to as a precaution so he doesn't get overworked.

i love this guy! i'll see him most likely this weekend as well and keep checking on him.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Cameron*

Cameron

Thanks so much for the pictures and updates on Buddy. What a sweet looking baby. I would check with the vet and see how much tramadol is SAFE to give him. Also, do you notice if he is breathing o.k.? I'm wondering if he is having trouble breathing? Are his gums pink?
Please let us know how he is!!
Give Buddy some big kisses and hugs from me!!


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

Thanks for the update. I am glad you were able to make time and go see your Buddy. Hugs to sweet Buddy boy.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Buddy*

Praying for Buddy and you!


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

today... we had to let our dog go...

about a week ago, my brother's girlfriend had to put her down Leah down who was another golden living in the home.. she had cancer and one of her legs had swelled up so much that it popped when they woke up the next day. ever since, Buddy was not the same.. almost the next day his appetite was almost gone, he wouldn't eat the entire can of the food, he would eat like half of one.. a few days later, he wouldn't eat it at all so my brother put some bbq sauce on it and then he started eating again. on wed or thursday he called me and told me that something was wrong... really wrong with him. he was becomming VERY lethargic, he would have spurts of what we considered normal, then just feel out of it and lay down looking like he wanted to sleep but his eyes would just stay open and he has this look like he was uneasy (

to help him in the last days, we tried to feed him some human food. he ate some steak fat when he started not wanting to eat anything at all which brought him back for a couple hours.. then again he was just stuck in this mode of not being able to do anything. on friday morning, bud was able to walk on his own but not for very long. by the end of the day.. it had gotten so much worse and his gums began to turn pale. in the process of his decline, he would randomly vomit yellow bile.. probably because he would not eat or drink. we found out that he would eat snow though.. but it wasn't enough to save him.

i woke up to a text from my brother who he lives with saying that we need to bring him to the vet immediately. when he brought him by my house... he was in bad shape. it broke me more than anything, it felt like my soul shattered to a million pieces. when he first was here he actually wagged his tail for about 10 seconds when he saw me ad my dad, but it was the last time he wagged 

bud laid on the floor an we all hugged him, talked to him, told stories, cried, sobbed, everything.. we stayed with him at the house for a little more than an hour until we had to be at the vet to allow him to rest from all his pain.

he went very softly.. i was holding his paw as he went to sleep and literally felt the life drift away.. i collapsed into tears as everyone else who came to be with him at his last moment.

he had not eaten anything for over 24 hours and almost everything was tried.. i feel so terrible, but i know that he had a long life and we did the most we could.. loving him with every moment.

he was unable to walk, and when he tried, he was putting one leg in front of the other, his paws would curl up too.. i love him, i wanted another dog but i can't bear to see this ever happen again. at the same time, i'd feel bad for thinking i could replace him.. i told him right before he went that he was the best dog i could ever have and i loved him. this is hard oh my god...

the last
this is the last photo I have of him, i called his name and he looked up. it was within his last hour 








Buddy
December 1st 1998 to February 23rd 2013

i love this guy..... i truely feel for everyone who has gone through this. there is something different about losing a pet that loves you unconditionally.. he was the miracle of my life. thank you to everyone on here, especially the 5k people who viewed my thread, the ones that replied, the suggestions, the ones that offered comfort, the one that offered the rimadyl, just everyone. thanks thanks thanks, and thanks from him too!


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## Cari (Sep 19, 2012)

So sorry to hear this but it sounds like Bud had a great long life with you!


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## Maddie'sMom2011 (Apr 26, 2011)

I am so very sorry for your loss. It hurts so much to say goodbye to our babies.


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## 2tired (Oct 19, 2011)

I am so sorry to read this. (((Hugs))) to you and your family.

Godspeed, Buddy.


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

I am very sorry to read your post, tears are falling down I know how much hurts losing the best friend. You loved and cared for him so much, I am glad you were able to be there and give him that last hug. Your Buddy will live in your heart forever. Hugs.
Go sweet Buddy find my Buddy and run, run fast and strong.


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

some videos i uploaded are at: woofbuddy - YouTube

the feb 23rd video was us going into the vet yesterday. it was the last bit of energy he had in him


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Cameron*

Cameron

I am so very sorry about Buddy, but he knew how much you loved him.
You were with him at the end and I know how important that was to him.
My Smooch and Snobear will keep him company until we all meet at the Rainbow Bridge!!
Love his picture!

I added Buddy to the 2013 Rainbow Bridge List.
http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...f-goldens-passed-2013-list-6.html#post2237122


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## elly (Nov 21, 2010)

Im so terribly sorry.You loved him so much and he you in return. I too know the pain of losing a much loved Golden like so many here on the board and hope we can all provide you with some sort of comfort and support during this very difficult time. 
Run free gorgeous boy, rest well and find our angels at the bridge x


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## Michele4 (Oct 28, 2012)

So sorry for your loss. So sad to hear.


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## Vinnie's Mom (Jun 9, 2012)

I'm so sorry for the loss of your buddy. I'm crying for you.


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

I'm sorry about your loss of Buddy, you were a wonderful parent to him.


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

thanks thanks thanks so much all! when I woke up today, I didn't feel immediately sad... but the thought lingers and it still eats me up. this is harder than losing my best friend.. I went through the photos on his thread, and most of them seem kind of sad, but the point of the thread originally was to talk about his problems in order to find positive support and ideas. here are some good photos of him which were taken from different time periods. I will stop posting in this thread hence it is probably way off topic and maybe start one about my experience with his renal failure so I can give guidance to those who face this problem with their woof woofs.

buddy<3

December 31, 2012









January 1, 2004









December 12, 2012 (LOL this is kind of funny)










Jan 14th, 2013










Jan 17, 2013









Leah is in that picture, she passed roughly a week before buddy.

Another one Jan 24, 2013 so cute!








--------

Sometime in... 2004-2006 at house me and my brother grew up in:









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From April 16, 2007


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Buddy*

What beautiful pictures of Buddy and Leah. It would be great if you could put some pointers about how you cared for Buddy in his renal failure here on the forum!


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## cameron (Oct 1, 2012)

I want to definately start working on a thread about the renal failure 100%. I have spring break coming up I think in two weeks from class which should be a perfect time for it. I have so many pictures during his decline which may help a lot of people. I remember my thread beginning as something so unrelated to thinking he had all these meidcal problems.. what started as me thinking he simply didn't like his food, was actually something much more serious.

these dogs are so mentally and physically tough.. I really felt that buddy up until the end fought to hide all signs of pain and stress from my brother and I.. I'm sure we all wish we could prevent the inevitable, but they all go to a better place.

Anyway, I might actually be able to start working on it prior to spring break. I'll keep the community posted!


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

Just checking in, please let us know how are you doing. Your Buddy was beautiful and you loved him so much as he loved you and your brother. He is your sweet angel now watching over you two.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Cameron*

Cameron

That will be a beautiful tribute to Buddy, your helping someone else.
Let us know how you are doing!


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