Expert: Jannie Balliett - 6/16/2010

Question
I am very sad that I had to put down my almost 7 yr old boxer, named Bosley yesterday. I am heartbroken!! Last Wednesday morning early he had his first seizure. We first thought he was choking. He had another one 12 hrs. later and then my husband took him to the vet. They said he tested positive for lyme disease and started him on Doxycillin. They also brought up the possibility of a brain tumor if seizures continued. The next day he had two more seizures and I called the vet again. He told me to bring him in and he would give Bosley valium until the blood work came back to say his liver was ok if he started on Phenobarbital. That was the last time Bosley was able to walk on his own. He was given valium and became very hungry and hyper for a short time and then he could not even walk. He had a small seizure that evening but then during the night he had several long seizures.The vet had given me an emergency dose of valium if Bosley was having seizures. I gave it to him and then he was calm but he never recovered from all the seizures. My husband called the vet again and I am so upset they did not advice us to take Bosley to the hospital. Later that day the vet called and said he could take the phenobarbital. As a nurse I wanted to give the medication a chance to work. Bosley was pretty lethargic over the weekend but we were told with the seizures and valium and now phenobarbital being given this lethargy was not unusual. On Sunday evening we knew he was not bouncing back. We took him to Tufts hospital and he was in rough shape. The doctor said he was in guarded condition but they would do their best. Early Monday morning I got a call and they told me my Bosley was not responding to treatment and we would have to put him down. His brain was swelling and he most likely had a tumor. I feel we were ill adviced by the vet. We lost a small window to help Bosley. Am I wrong to feel this way? Would it have made a difference if he was treated with phenobarbital soon after the first few seizures? I understand that if it was a tumor he would not last long but I am very upset that the vet was pointing us in the direction of lyme disease causing the seizures and not pushing treating the seizures????
We are heart sick over the loss of our beautiful and precious Bosley

Answer
I am so sorry that Bosley went through this, and that you have lost your beloved boy.

We can second guess ourselves all day and night long, and never know what could have been different.

Personally, I would not use that vet again. Find a new one. Talk to family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, church members; everyone, about their vets. Pick one that you feel will be a good fit for you and your family pets.

A Boxer-savvy vet is essential.

You will never know if you had done something different would have made a difference, but he had lyme disease that sounded like went unnoticed too long and was more than likely past the treatment stages. There was already irreversible damage.

When you are better healed and the mourning process is past you more, pick your spirits up and go pick out a brand new baby Boxer to love and cherish and make new memories for years to come. That, or rescue a poor Boxer that needs a loving home and has been denied one in his or her life.

I am sorry for your loss.