yesterday renee noticed he was falling far more frequently than usual. today he was unable to rise or walk at all unless we used a sling to hold him up and help him to mobilize.
we took him down to the vets and they xrayed...his arthritis in his joints was really bad. the joints were all filled with fluid and by then he was crying with pain.
the issue was that we have been maintaining his comfort and his mobility for almost a year on the highest doses of tramadol, elavil, and NSAIDS...there was no room left to go further. if he was in this bad shape with what he was getting, there was not much more we could do.
the vet said he could come home for a day or two and if he rested he might not hurt so badly. but there are 2 big buts to this...bibi HATED being stuck down..it really upset him and he kept trying to get up and move. and the second was...he was not going to get better...even if we got him to rest, his pain was within a few days going to get worse..just from the enforced immobility....arthritic joints HAVE to move. bibi was 15 years old..he has already survived and overcome his last major life trauma..we were not prepared to make him suffer thru another one if he wasn't going to eventually feel good.
the clinic kept him well sedated until renee and i could get down there to be with him as he passed. bibi's story in the book was "lost and found"...today we let him go before he felt lost again.
we love you bibi, rest in peace, you were a very good friend and a very beautiful boy.
I miss u Bi-Bi..... :'(