Pets and Platitudes
Boomer is stressing me out.
Edrie
11/19/20243 min read
Boomer is stressing me out. The more research I do, the more I think he has Cushing's Disease for dogs. It's a pituitary hormone problem that comes on in later years. It often affects terriers. He's mostly chihuahua, but he's got Jack Russell in him, and so it's a good possibility. Chihuahuas can live anywhere from 11-20 years. 20 if they're very well maintained and cared for, 14 for the norm. Boomer is 11.
He's always been very active and very spunky. Always good at maintaining his own weight as we've free fed him his whole life. He is definitely a foodie and likes ALL kinds of funny things for dogs. Most recently a favorite food of his is lettuce. He has a very well rounded diet, between kibble, carrots, blueberries, lettuce, apples, chicken, rice, steak, and treats thrown in here and there if he earns them.
He's always been a tad bit THICC, but never alarmingly overweight.
His little pot belly is what really made me take another look at potential illnesses, because it came on so quickly. The way he's carrying his weight is very atypical of a chihuahua his age. And while he doesn't have any skin conditions, thankfully, that pot belly, mildly increased thirst, increased urination, increased appetite, but thankfully no lethargy. He's still as happy and spunky as ever, albeit slower than normal.
The biggest problem is money. The bane of my existence. I even looked up pet insurance to see if it would help at all, and evidently, Cushing's Disease is considered a pre-existing condition. Even if it was undiagnosed, and before he even gets seen by a vet. If I were to even get pet insurance now, at the highest costing plans, they still wouldn't cover it. Every insurance in the state. I reviewed all 18 available plans. This illness costs thousands to treat.
It's curable with a surgery. That is the best treatment, and the most expensive. But I'd have my heart dog for another 9 years potentially.
That surgery is so far out of my grasp it's almost laughable to even think about. The blood tests to even confirm Cushing's are out of my grasp financially. If I were to somehow manage to get a full time job, today, and start saving, I would have to work a full 3 months to afford the surgery itself. The reason it would take that long is that, I would lose my health insurance, and I'd need to pay into whatever was offered by work, if any, or upgrade the state insurance to the paid plan that covers less.
All I want to help my boy be healthy, and I feel like a failed pet parent. I've had him since he was a puppy, and he's never been sick more than a cold because I've watched him so tirelessly. Watched his food. Watched his activity levels. Paid attention to the types of toys he's played with. Gotten his shots and check ups when needed. This dog found me right at the start of my wildest journey in life, and has been with me through countless panic attacks, sick days, and joys. He use to make a point to sleep on my neck while I had a cold to keep me warm. He brings me his babies when he knows I'm sad. Calms me down when I'm mad.
I am just so profoundly sad that this is how it is going to end. A completely treatable and curable thing. Because of money.
