oblivion Posted March 15, 2012 Author Share Posted March 15, 2012 A sign of excellent parenting - Happy Meal toys . . . . I'm kind of surprised Anya didn't go after it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malikah Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 I'll bet I could rummage around Neil's room and still find some happy meal toys. Keeping my fingers crossed for Anya having good test results next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oblivion Posted March 15, 2012 Author Share Posted March 15, 2012 The good thing is that since the toys are arguably 'kid safe,' they could get handed down to the birds, too. Well, at least the ones without batteries/noise makers. Thanks for the well-wishes. It's funny how liberating losing one of the meds is. Only one in the a.m. and 2 in the p.m. now. It's the little things. I think for next week, they're planning on another blood panel, a Lupron shot, and another radiograph to see how her suspected calcified shell gland is doing. Good thing I planted that money tree. It should be blooming any day now. Any day . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katana600 Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 Sorry but the money tree can't bloom when we pick off the buds every day. I look back at your picture with big and tough next to tiny white fragile little Anya, then the tiny little hands of your daughter giving her attention and I can't say which one is more precious. Anya may have health difficulties but she sure isn't lacking in loving care. It is such a blessing for you to be so involved in the family, pets and home life. It sounds like you have a great team going there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oblivion Posted March 16, 2012 Author Share Posted March 16, 2012 Thank you so much for saying so. Of course I put my best face forward here, but my kid likes me and my wife puts up with me, so I think I'm doing OK. Thanks again, that was very nice to read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest candismalli Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 (edited) so glad your fid is doing better, hope she continues that way. This thread has shown me how much I need to sock away for my "rainy day" vet fund. I need to start that right now minus what I will now pay to get a scale. I thought maybe I didn't need it, but I will now get one! Edited April 3, 2012 by candismalli Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xSarahx Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 I hope anya is getting along even better now?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jocelyn Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 Hope your bird is feeling even better... our cat got very sick right before our wedding and cost us 1200 out of the wedding fund, but she never got better, it sounds like your ending is happier. My moms dog just got pancreatits cost us 600 out of the down payment fund but I suppose she is eventually paying us back. I wish I had a rainy day fund, mastercard is my rainy day fund, that and my down payment... I have to stop spending that though. Mastercard balance is low though, and the zoo is healthy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xSarahx Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 I suppose were lucky over here,If like us you are on a low income we have this special vets called PDSA , which you can go to free and get all medicens free.They do ask for a donation towards all this but you dont have to pay anything,i always pay what i can afford which 90% of the time is the whole bill, the only things they charge you for is vacinations,spade and castration,but even these are half the price of a normal vet This is only for `domestic` animals,not birds,but we have been looking at insurance for our birds as it will cost us £100.00 just to see a vet as apposed to £20 a month to insure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 It's been almost a month since your last update, Mark. How is Anya doing? When our previous golden retriever got so sick, the vet found her spleen was cancerous. He said it would cost $1500 to remove it and it would only give her, at the most, three or four months. But we didn't even hesitate. How could we? (My poor wife - I was away on business at the time, and even with mobile phone and email contact, she was essentially dealing with it on her own.) We only got an extra six weeks out of poor Barley, but I couldn't NOT do everything I could... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oblivion Posted April 30, 2012 Author Share Posted April 30, 2012 (edited) I think I've missed two vet updates here - thanks so much for checking in on her. In March, her uric acid level was finally down to 12, the top end of 'normal,' but in April, they had regressed to 12.5 so in March we upped one of the meds and in April she was prescribed Roudy Bush's Renal AK diet. Sad to say, Roudy Bush is a VERY slow company to deal with - at least for prescription meds - and though I THINK I placed an order, I still haven't gotten confirmation on that. Appearance and weight-wise, she's doing well. Still doing one med twice a day and the other once a day, and I stop her enzyme powder this week. She's gotten Lupron shots each month, too, but there's hope that since breeding behavior has ceased and we're getting out of early Spring, we might be able to skip a month or two of that. We'll see. The ~$150/month vet visits are adding up, that's for sure. And now prescription food . . .. Like I and others have said before - can't NOT do it - but that doesn't make the reality of the bills any easier to swallow. Edited April 30, 2012 by oblivion typos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted April 30, 2012 Share Posted April 30, 2012 Thanks for the update on Anya and you might want to check into pet insurance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malikah Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 Thanks for the update Mark, I hope she continues to improve and is eventually able to get off the meds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oblivion Posted May 1, 2012 Author Share Posted May 1, 2012 Judy, I've looked into insurance, but it's been a while. For her, that horse is already out of the barn. Malikah, She'll never be completely off the kidney meds, but the Lupron (hormonal regulation) is $50 (plus an exam charge) a shot, so just getting that less than monthly would help a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katana600 Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 Mark, thanks for checking in with us to update on Anya. I hope she can at least get off the Lupron and give you a little break. I really admire how much you will do for your little girl. You have had great suggestions that have been helpful with Gilbert and it is good to see you online when you have time. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oblivion Posted May 16, 2012 Author Share Posted May 16, 2012 Just had another checkup and, sadly, we're on a big backslide. Despite the change to low-protein/renal care Roudybush and an increase in meds, her uric acid levels are back to 12.5 - "high" is 8. The vet doubled her med dosage, but it honestly feels like desperation to me and I'm pretty well resolved to the notion that the end is likely near. Thanks for checking in and for all the good thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acappella Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 I checked in hoping for better news. Hugs to you and Anya. Hold every moment you have with her in your heart and know we're here for you whatever happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 Hang in there and keep positive thoughts when around Anya, they know your true feelings. She is a fighter and you just never know until the battle is over one way or the other. My thoughts and prayers for you both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 I don't believe the end is near! You have a bird, that needs to drink! Push the fluids. I get the uric acid, and the results. Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oblivion Posted July 10, 2012 Author Share Posted July 10, 2012 I am very sad to say that the day I have been expecting with heavy heart has come and gone. Anya flew to the Rainbow Bridge on July 5th or 6th, 2012. She was about 12 and a half years old as far as we know, and held on just over 5 months since her initial diagnosis with kidney disease. As usual, she traveled with us for our 4th of July trip up to my parents' house. She was fine on the drive up, but seemed a bit 'off' the next two days. On Thursday night, I gave her her meds, kissed her, and put her in her cage for the last time. The next morning, I got up early, ahead of everyone but the dogs and my mom, and headed out for a wonderful sunrise motorcycle ride through Wisconsin's farm and lake country. When I got back, the birds were still covered and as I caught the tail end of breakfast, I hurriedly sat down to a plate of waffles. Just before I took my first bite, my dad walked by the cages and said, shocked, "Your bird is dead!" She was on the bottom of the cage, wings folded in, eyes misty, crest fully up and incredibly 'majestic' - my wife and I both commented on it. We each held her one last time, put her in a shoe box with a dandelion my daughter picked on the way out to the family pet cemetery, and buried her with many other beloved pets, including our old budgie Nimue and bunny Harrison. On the last couple check-ups, her uric acid levels continued to climb despite being more aggressive with the meds and changing to a prescription diet. I had initially feared that she had aspirated some of her medication on her last night and that I had in inadvertently killed her. However upon cleaning out her cage, I realized that all 4 of her Nutraberries - her favorite food in the world - were still in her bowl from the morning before, so I'm confident that she was well into her decline and there was really nothing else I could have done for her at the time (vacation on a lake being what it is, I, of course, was not watching her as closely as I might have at home). Spencer had only known her a bit over 2 years and they never directly interacted, but he seems to be missing her. We got home last night and settled back into The Pet Room (where I REALLY lost it), but he was constantly calling, and my replies weren't enough. He usually stays quiet after we cover him unless there's a big noise, but he took over an hour to finally give up. he's going to be really lonely in there today since his other roommate, our Maggie bunny, isn't home yet. I'm just hoping this doesn't trigger a plucking episode from him. On the walk out to the woods, my Em asked, "Can we get another bird?" "Not yet, hon, not yet. But when the right one finds us, like Spencer did, we'll be ready." Thanks, in advance, for any/all well wishes and happy thoughts past and future. I knew this day was coming, but I'm not sure yet if that has made it any easier or harder. It certainly hit worse than I expected it to. But I got 5 'bonus' months with her, and I can tell you, I did not take them for granted. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 What very sad news. You did all you could and provided a wonderful environment the time she had with you.You have my condolences and prayers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 I'm so sorry, the spirit knows your love Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLB Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Tears in my eyes as I read this post. I am so sorry for your loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 I am so sorry for your loss of Anya, she was well loved and taken care of and her last days were spent in the company of those who cherished her most, she is free now but will always be remembered fondly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 PLEASE stop kicking yourself! I just can only rely on my nursing experience, and can say, birds are more sensitive to dehydration, and health issues, but they doooo bounce back! I suspect, the high " uric acid", is from dehydration. Hydration, bolsing of fluids, can make a huge difference. Kidney failure, can easily be reversed. Once hydration issue is resolved. bird is stable, the underlying cause gets addressed. Don't feel guilty, or question yourself, " how did I miss that?" Focus on getting your baby better! You are a GREAT parrent, and will do, whatever you need to do, to get your baby better. We are all here to support you. Nancy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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