More about Dante

Days later he is about the same. His stomach hurts him unless he is on pain medication. Eventually this will bloom into a real colic and he will need to be put down.

This is different from Sunny's case. Sunny was fine and healthy with occasional stomach pain and then one day just went down. Dante has chronic stomach ulcers from too much bute--a pain reliever that has helped him with his joints. He's in a catch-22 now; if I don't give him some kind of pain medication he is in too much pain and if I give him pain medicine then his condition gets worse.

The only thing that could help him would be a very expensive druge ($1000 for a one-month course). Even a trial of this drug would cost $250. The vet wants to scope him to see what's actually going on in his gut.

Dante is dying. A thousand dollars might keep him alive and then IF his joints are not painful he might have a good life. If his joints are painful then we will not be able to give him anything for the pain.

Two vets say this is the end of the road. I haven't talked to the third. I need to do put in a call to him.