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Re: Gladys' necropsy [Re: ] #7020
06/02/03 07:51 AM
06/02/03 07:51 AM

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Lucy,

I am sorry for your loss. When you said that you kissed her and then she passes away. I felt my heart break. May your heart heal with time. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/heartpump.gif" alt="" />

Re: Gladys' necropsy [Re: ] #7021
06/02/03 08:45 AM
06/02/03 08:45 AM

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Lucy, I feel so badly for your loss. We all get so attached our little families of critters. I know very well how painful it is to lose one. You did everything you could, and far more than many would have to save Gladys. Please feel better soon! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/heartpump.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/gliderangel.gif" alt="" />

Gladys' Pathology Report [Re: ] #7022
06/05/03 12:49 PM
06/05/03 12:49 PM
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 7,354
Lexington, KY
Lucy Offline OP
Serious Glideritis
Lucy  Offline OP
Serious Glideritis

Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 7,354
Lexington, KY
We received Gladys' pathology report today.

First, it doesn't seem that last summer's giardiasis had anything to do with her death. And most likely, neither did her liver.

What looked like pneumonia was most likely pulmonary edema, a buildup of fluid around the heart because the heart isn't pumping well. As is true in many deaths, multiple organs were involved, but the most significant damage appears to have been the heart itself, and the heart damage most likely caused other organs to begin to shut down. Portions of the heart had died and weakened and mineralized.

While that COULD have been caused by diet, most likely it wasn't, as it wasn't diffuse through all the organs, which would be expected. Most likely, it was a disease process called myocarditis. This is similar to what you sometimes hear happening to people who get a viral or bacterial infection in their heart muscle after having the flu -- in the vernacular, I've sometimes heard it referred to as "heart flu"; This could have resulted from a cold, or a bacterial or viral infection. While it could have been caused by protozoa like giardia, none were found, and this would have been more recent than last summer's illness.

Anyway, myocarditis would have seriously weakened the heart. As the condition continued, the lungs stopped pumping well, and then fluid built up in the lungs and abdomen, eventually caused the kidneys to stop functioning well, and finally, death. The liver showed some abnormalities, but whether this was a result of this process or was a separate condition is not clear yet, but does not appear to have been involved in her death. This surprised me, as I expected the liver to have the predominant damage. My guess is that the sallow color which ebbed and flowed may have been a pulmonary flow problem related to the heart condition - or it might have been secondary, related to the damaged liver. Nobody's told me that. That's just my guess.

We still want two pathologists -- Dr. Ross and a pathologist at Texas A&M -- to look at the slides for verification, but it appears that heart damage caused Gladys' death.

My big question was, "Did she suffer?" and especially, "Had she been in pain since last summer's encounter with giardia?" I'm not sure I could have lived with myself if I had kept her alive all this time and all the time she was suffering. Apparently that wasn't the case. The diseased heart would have not caused her pain until the respiratory distress at the end, when breathing was hard. This is the big news I was waiting for. And it doesn't seem like I could have done anything to either know it was going on nor stop it. That helps some, I guess.

I wanted you all to know. If the other pathologists find different findings from the slides, I'll post again.

So there you have it.

Rest in peace, Gladys, my friend.



Re: Gladys' Pathology Report [Re: ] #7023
06/05/03 01:21 PM
06/05/03 01:21 PM

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So very sorry for your loss...Thank you so much for posting all you knew of her condition and findings in the pathology report. It may help someone in the future. I know it must be hard to write all of this about your beloved Gladys. Cindi

Re: Gladys' necropsy [Re: ] #7024
06/05/03 01:25 PM
06/05/03 01:25 PM

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I'm so sorry Lucy <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crying.gif" alt="" />

Re: Gladys' necropsy [Re: ] #7025
06/05/03 02:08 PM
06/05/03 02:08 PM

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To Lucy, our glidin' friend:

We know you are sad at the loss of our dear cousin. We feel sad with you. Mom wants you to know that we have a brand new baby girl glider if you would like to have her! We are going to be there on the 15th... and you know Grinch... he'll announce our arrival to everyone!

From: Grinch, Ms. Martha May, Max, Chloe, Cindy Lou Who, Dusty Who, Mr. & Mrs. Who's Leo?, The Who's Brothers - Emmett and Ollie, Long Looie Boowho, Millie Boowho, Pretty Whodwink, Trixie Sue Who, The Whozit twins - Ivan T.T and Ebony, and Ms. Hope Daffodil and of course, the new baby girl!!!

From Mom: Lucy my heart cries for you and Reepicheep... if there's anything we can do please let us know. This baby is ready for a new home... perhaps you would consider her.... I can't think of a better home for her!

See you soon!

Re: Gladys' necropsy [Re: ] #7026
06/05/03 02:20 PM
06/05/03 02:20 PM

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Lucy - I'm so glad you were able to get a little bit of peace of mind - I know that is important <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/heartpump.gif" alt="" /> Gladys will always be with you and watching for you to join her.... Carry her memories with you and your heart will be able to heal <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/gliderangel.gif" alt="" />

Re: Gladys' Pathology Report [Re: ] #7027
06/05/03 05:21 PM
06/05/03 05:21 PM

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Lucy: I am so sorry about Gladys. What you describe sounds very similar to what caused Tia's death: CHF (congestive heart failure) which ultimately caused severe fluid buildup in Tia's lungs causing them to collapse inward so that Tia basically drowned D/T the fluid buildup. My vet indicated the condition could have been either congenital in nature or due to a bacterial/viral infection which attacked the heart muscle causing the CHF to begin. Either way, Tia never exhibited symptoms prior to her death. The vet and I believe the BML diet boosted her immune system giving her an extra 16 months of life. On the last night of her life, Tia was out running around and eatting at 11:30 PM. Two hours later, I found her lifeless body at the bottom of the cage. She had suffered an acute CHF episode which her heart & lungs were unable to handle.

As for Gladys, I suspect that she didn't suffer any actual physical pain between last summer and the time of her final heart/lung episode. What happens in these cases is that the person's/animal's activity level ever so gradually slows because the heart can no longer handle a normal activity level. Then at the end (usually very quickly), the respiratory distress/failure occurs causing death.

Please know that you did everything you could medically to help Gladys between last summer and her death 5/28/03. Your vet also did the right things by providing oxygen and Lasix therapy in an effort to ease breathing/reduce fluid buildup but sometimes even the best of efforts are not enough. You cannot and should not blame yourself for Gladys' death. She knew her time was almost up and that is why she wanted to be with you: to share as much love as she could with you at the end and to thank you for allowing her to have almost an extra year of life/love that would have been denied her if not for you. So think of all the good times & love the two of you shared and know that Gladys is smiling down on you and waiting for that day when the two of you will be reunited.

Re: Gladys' Pathology Report [Re: ] #7028
06/05/03 06:58 PM
06/05/03 06:58 PM

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Lucy, I couldn't have said it any better than anyone else already has. I know this has been very hard on you and you are still in my thoughts and prayers.

Re: Gladys' Pathology Report [Re: ] #7029
06/05/03 07:05 PM
06/05/03 07:05 PM

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I'm so sorry about your loss. Many good vibes to you. Feel better.

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