Bravo was born in Temecula,CA. He came from a 4 brothers and sisters family. The first time I met him,he greeted me at the door and ran to hide under the table and observed...Hmmmm why are you here...We picked him up kissed him and promised his parent that we will take a good care of him.
14 years with Bravo has been more than privilege. He has been nothing but the best baby boy that anyone could ask for. He traveled everywhere with us CA,MD,TX,Japan,Thailand and OR.
8 Months before he passed away we noticed that he slept a lot and he did not greet us a the door when we come home from work..he was sleeping. We thought..our boy is old but he is healthy, still barking at squirrels and other dogs. Then the first week of October, he began to have digestive problem,on October 11, he looked tired but he still wanted a long walk, he has been eating rice and boiled chicken breast for dinner and pacing all night.
October 12, he did not look well in the AM but we thought he needed a rest. I can felt something wrong with him.
October 13, he had an X-Ray at Petsmart and we were told he could have cancer or tumor or he ate sock and it stuck in his intestine and he needs to be operated. October 15, we took him for Ultrasound at Northwest Specialist in Clackamas, OR. The doctor said, not sure either tumor or cancer but it block his digestive systems and needs to operate him. Again we repeatedly asked is this the only option. She said yes and she said her 9 yrs old dog had the same problem, she removed the portion of the intestine and her dog has lived just fine. Still we asked are there other options since we realize Bravo is 14 years old. She said no...we need to remove the cancer so he could live longer and to consult the vet. We went to see Specialists at NW Specialist in Clackamas spoke with the soft tissue specialist. Again, she said not guarantee but Bravo is healthy just removed the bad tissue and he will be fine. 45 minutes spoke with her she made us felt like it's a piece of cake and if we don't do anything Bravo is suffering. Again, we asked are there other options, we were at lost worried that the intestine would explode and Bravo would die...don't know how long can we wait. The doctor was pushing the issue that Bravo is in pain and there was water in his stomach because the intestines caused all organs around to be upset. We were so scared for Bravo and we decided that if that was 3 doctors told us then that must be it the only options to Operate him to SAVE him. We were hopeful.
October 16 Bravo supposed to be the 1st or the 2nd in line for the surgery and he got pushed off to be the last his surgery took placed at 3:30PM PT. I was afraid the doctor would be so tired and would not do a good job on him unlike the 1st or the 2nd clients. But at 6:30PM she called and said operation went well Bravo is rested but she will be on vacation next week and other doctors would take care of him. She did not tell us who would that be.
October 17 10am I was called by some stupid vet tech said that the tube came out and Bravo did not get any fluid or medication and they need to put the tube on him. I told them to please take good care of my boy. Then 11AM I called the doctor she did not admit anything she said it is normal for the dog to pull the tube off and he was without only from 5am to 11am. However noone knows for sure of how long Bravo my 14 yrs dog was without the medication and fluid. I was told that it is not effect anything your dog is OLD. Well should she be telling me that before the surgery. October 18, we went to visit Bravo he was drug out, could not eat on his own and he could not even remember who we are. He was so in pain. I asked do you think my dog is going to die..the new vet said I don't foresee it.
October 19 Sunday we went to visit Bravo he looked better he ate on his own in the AM so we thought we could take him home tomorrow on Monday.
October 20 Monday I went to visit him, another vet did not want to let Bravo go home but he looked better and we believed that he wanted to come home. Not to mention it went way over our budget 3 times. We took him home on Monday night, he looked excited he walked all over the places. But when we gave him water he drank a lot and then he threw up some..and when I fed him the Codine it made him panting so bad. Oh, I called the vet at NW Specialists they do not want to help me, they cannot help me with what should I do to make Bravo stop panting.
October 21, I took him back to the vet the next AM. They said he rested peacefully he seems better his blood work was fine. Then I visited him in the evening before I went home he licked my nose and he looked really good. I thought I could take him home the next day. I went home smiling and readily to take my boy home. October 22, the vet did not call me in the AM so I thought Bravo must do well last night so I am getting ready to bring him home in the evening I called the vet and I was told" Bravo is not doing so well" I rushed to the hospital right away seeing him lying down in the cage with bunch of wires and tube on his neck. I kissed him and told him to fight this, he can do this I cannot live without him and I don't want to. He opened his eyes a bit. The vet told me that do not know the biopsy result yet but in an hour will call me. She called me in 30mins and said the fluid in his stomach is the lymphoma cancer spread all over his cell and the intestine has Hemangiosarcoma cancer which is not curable the only way is to put him to sleep. They did ultrasound and they did not find it how could it be how could that possible. They just want to operate him and let him died anyway why would they do that instead of telling us Yes another option you have is to do nothing take him home give him lots of love and here is some pain medication for him. But they did not provided us the option they chose to operate him and hurt him even more than help.
It has been a year and a half, I hope your story would at least help some dogs' owner who might be in the similar situation and who might think of using NW Specialist Clinic in Clackamas, OR.
I miss Bravo everyday, I ask you to forgive me everyday. If I can redo this, I will take days off from work and spend time holding you Bravo..telling you stories that we've been through together the first swimming at the Spanish Landing...the trip to Thailand...Most of all how much I appreciate you. Then I will let you go...in peace not in pain.
