# Unknown illness



## Helen Beggs (Mar 6, 2020)

Hi. I am new to this forum and desperate for help. We had to put our beautiful wonderful 5 year old Hugo to sleep this morning after he fought for his life for a week. He was completely normal, no illnesses all his life then suddenly last Thursday morning was hot, clammy and shaking. Took him straight to the vet and his temperature was 40.7. They did bloods and he had very few white blood cells or platelets. He was given intravenous antibiotics and his temperature came down. A full body scan showed no areas of infection but he started to bleed from his eyes and injection points on Sunday night and needed a blood transfusion. He had a bone marrow biopsy on Monday and results showed few cells but that it wasn't completely calcified. He got a dose of steroids yesterday and I was due to fly to london today to get some human immunoglobulin as a last resort. Sadly the vet phoned this morning to say his paws were too swollen, he couldn't eat and couldn't stand up and we had to end his suffering. It has destroyed us but he died in our arms. I am beyond devastated. They dont know why and we cant bear life without our perfect boy. Please help if anyone knows how to ease the pain or why this has happened


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

I am so very sorry for your family's loss.


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

Helen

Sometimes it just happens. I am so very, very, sorry for your loss.
The only way to get a definitive answer is to have a necropsy performed. 
These dogs burn so **** bright, that by the time you realize that something is seriously wrong, it's sometimes too late. They give so few warnings.
My first boy, Boone, only made it to 6 before lyme disease took him. This was in the very early days of lyme.
I lost amysecond boy to an auto immune disorder at 8 when his white blood cells attacked his red blood cells.
I lost both of my girls last year, and just didn't have it in me to have necropsies performed. They were 11, and 13.
In each case I doubt that I had a week before the first symptoms showed, and they eventually had to be allowed to pass. It hurts to this day. All of them.
I'm not a negelctful owner and I'm certain neither are you.We feed them the best foods we can buy, they see the vet twice a year minimum. they're with us all the time, virtually everywhere we go, but sometimes that's just not enough.
You're not a neglectful owner. Please, please, don't think that for a second. You just don't get a chance sometimes and it's awful.
Hold his memory dear and when the time is right, you get another little brown ball of energy. That will be one lucky little dog to have you as a companion.


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## Helen Beggs (Mar 6, 2020)

Thank you for your kind words. The pain is so deep. You are right, they never complain and they dont tell you if something is wrong. He was never sick and I had him in the vets for anything even tiny, like a broken toenail, I was so overprotective. He vomited a few weeks ago and the vet gave him a totally clean bill of health. It's just such a mystery. My husband is adamant we have to have another Viz. I couldn't imagine any other breed and his little brother, a collie rescue, is so lost without him. I hope in time. Thank you again.


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## fosterlisa (Jun 30, 2016)

So sorry for your loss. I can't imagine the pain right now. Please let us know if you ever find out what the cause was.


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## Gabica (Jan 20, 2018)

Very sorry for your loss. Sounds like a nervewrecking tragedy, and reminds us how fragile any life is. I agree with you, they just don’t show if they feel bad or sick, sometimes so hard to see any of their illnesses.


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