# Update on Maya (loss mentioned)



## tricializ (Jun 1, 2010)

Hi all:
I just got off the phone with the vet from K State with the necropsy results. It apparently shows results consistent with head trauma. I am absolutely distraught. I have wracked my brain for over a week now trying to look for, think of etc. ways that she could have been injured and I am at a loss. The only unknown is that she was at the kennel in the days leading up to her death. But I picked her up on a Monday afternoon and she acted FINE. She was fine on Wednesday night; granted I wasn't staring at her. But she was acting normal, eating normally, playing, barking, pooping/peeing, and sitting on my lap. If there was some major swelling and trauma wouldn't I have seen it? I am so upset with this news as I feel like she was obviously severely injured and I didn't even know. And I didn't protect her. My heart truly is broken over this and while I was doing well, not so much now. 

How does a dog act completely normal at 11:30 at night and be gone the next morning? The penned off area she is in has a bed, food, water and a gate that is only two feet high maximum. She would jump up but was never a climber or risky. She was a careful dog. Would you all call the kennel and ask if anything happened? Or is it pointless? If she wasn't in her pen area, she was in the kitchen on the couch with me or out and about with me. This is so hard to deal with because I feel so responsible.


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## cprcheetah (May 4, 2009)

Personally I would be for calling the kennel to find out what if anything happened. She might have been dropped or something, sometimes it can take a few days for the brain to swell/cause problems. They might not own up to it either though, but I would call for my peace of mind. We had a case where a poodle was thrown against the wall by ex-husband, the dog was fine initially after the incident, then 3 days later it collapsed and died.


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## tricializ (Jun 1, 2010)

cprcheetah said:


> Personally I would be for calling the kennel to find out what if anything happened. She might have been dropped or something, sometimes it can take a few days for the brain to swell/cause problems. They might not own up to it either though, but I would call for my peace of mind. We had a case where a poodle was thrown against the wall by ex-husband, the dog was fine initially after the incident, then 3 days later it collapsed and died.


Thanks. I doubt they would ever say anything but it makes me physically ill to think that anyone hurt her; on accident or on purpose. I'm just beside myself.


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## woodard2009 (Aug 4, 2010)

You can call the kennel just to see what they say, but I doubt they'll say anything if it did happen & there really is no way of knowing unless someone noticed the incident. She might have bumped her head at home or something. You probably will never know. She's in a good place now & she knows you loved her very much. Unfortunately, things like this happen & there's nothing we can do. You ARE NOT responsible! You did the best you could! Don't dwell on the what if; remember the good times & be happy for your other chi & your children.


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## foggy (Oct 12, 2009)

I'm so sorry, sweetheart.  I can only imagine how distraught you must be, but please try not to beat yourself up over it, you had no idea and there is absolutely nothing you could have done differently. I agree with Heather though, I would call the kennel to see if there was some sort of accident. I am so sorry this is what it turned out to be. (((HUGS)))


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## Deme (Aug 18, 2009)

Even if an accident occured at the kennels they won't admit to it. I really feel for you and would hate to be going through the anguish that your experiencing. it is so obvious how much you loved her and to loose her like this is heart breaking.

IMO, let her rest, keep the happy memories and be happy that you give her a beautiful life. She is looking down on you from Rainbow Bridge playing happily fit and healthy with other dogs.

Hugs from me and my boys

Deme x


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## MChis (Oct 13, 2009)

I know this probably wasn't the result you were hoping for as it can cause so much guilt. But if there was something you could have done differently to change the outcome--we all know, Maya knows & YOU know you would have done it. I definitely agree that sometimes after a head trauma it can take a few days for swelling to present if there had been an injury. 

But you betcha that I'd be calling the kennel and asking & I wouldn't be leaving my pups there again. If they don't know what happened, perhaps one of the workers is to blame for being abusive? (not pointing fingers but it's a possibility) In this case the kennel would more than likely be able to see a pattern with a certain employee if animals kept getting injured. So it's best to call & inform them. It's a bad thought & I hope it's not the case but we all know sometimes the wrong people work with animals & children. 

Sending hugs your way...


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## 18453 (Feb 6, 2010)

Oh it's not your fault try not to beat yourself up

I would call the kennel but not mention she has passed as they will automatically say no!! Do they have CCTV there I dunno what regs are like in the us but I would hope they would have an incident book!! I don't think they will say there was an injury but you never know!! 

I really hope you can find closure to allow yourself to heal


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## foggy (Oct 12, 2009)

MChis said:


> But you betcha that I'd be calling the kennel and asking & I wouldn't be leaving my pups there again. If they don't know what happened, perhaps one of the workers is to blame for being abusive? (not pointing fingers but it's a possibility) In this case the kennel would more than likely be able to see a pattern with a certain employee if animals kept getting injured. So it's best to call & inform them.


My thoughts exactly. You should definitely let them know, Tricia. It's so hard because we try our best to protect our pets, but some things are unfortunately out of our control. Even when they are left at the vet's you just don't know what can happen. I'm just so sorry this happen to Maya.


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## Dazy Mae (Aug 10, 2008)

I am so sorry to hear this heartbreaking news. 
I would immediately go down and talk with the people that were there and see if you can get any information. It might be something that happened there or at home just by accident....not anyones fault or lack of supervision, just a mishap that she had. Something simple as a quick bump to the head coming around a corner running, turning around quickly and bumping into something (my Dazy has done this before) or running and playing and bumping her head on the furniture. Chi's have such a sensitive little spot on their head that it could be she just bumped it in that area.
I know with time your heart will heal....we send hugs your way and special thoughts...
Darlene


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## SweetSymphony (Sep 5, 2010)

I agree, I would go to the kennel instead of call, that way you can judge their reaction. Even then you may never know for sure, they could still lie so you can't bring any action against them (not saying you would but some people might try). I worked at a kennel one summer and after playtime we were required to record anything the dog did or happened, so maybe during playtime something happened. I had a husky that ended up having a seizure while outside. 

Knowing may help a little while not knowing lets you imagine the worst and feel guilty, but like others have said it's not your fault. Some things are out of our control. Horrible things happen with little to no apparent reason. Know that you loved her and Maya loved you and you had a happy life together and now she is safe and happy, and you will see her again. Take each day slowly and while the pain won't go away completely it will lessen and the memories won't hurt so much to remember.


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## tricializ (Jun 1, 2010)

Dazy Mae said:


> I am so sorry to hear this heartbreaking news.
> I would immediately go down and talk with the people that were there and see if you can get any information. It might be something that happened there or at home just by accident....not anyones fault or lack of supervision, just a mishap that she had. Something simple as a quick bump to the head coming around a corner running, turning around quickly and bumping into something (my Dazy has done this before) or running and playing and bumping her head on the furniture. Chi's have such a sensitive little spot on their head that it could be she just bumped it in that area.
> I know with time your heart will heal....we send hugs your way and special thoughts...
> Darlene


Thank you all. They did say that there was a blood clot as well and I wonder if it was there and a small bump just set it off. I don't know. I'm just at a loss and truly this is the worst thing to imagine that Maya was in pain. Although she was happy and fine all day and evening, I can't imagine it was comfortable. On the good side, I do think that K State provided her excellent care and am happy they gave her pain medicine so she was comfortable. The Vet Student on her case made a donation in her name to their memorial library which I thought was really sweet. So, although I wasn't there, I feel like she was treated well and with much care.  I'm just really sad. I also got her ashes yesterday and looking at that little box is very hard today . Time helps and I know I will be ok, and putting it behind me is the best course. For now though I am just sad.


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## foggy (Oct 12, 2009)

tricializ said:


> The Vet Student on her case made a donation in her name to their memorial library which I thought was really sweet.


Aw that really is so sweet. I'm so glad she was treated so well there.


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## Brodysmom (Jan 8, 2009)

Oh Tricia. This is soooooooo hard. I am so sad for you. Please don't blame yourself. Accidents happen. Perhaps she was leaping about in her pen, fell wrong and bonked her head? 

You may remember when Brody had his eye problems a year ago. He was only 7 or 8 months old and in perfect health and one day I let him outside to potty... was standing on the deck watching him and he walked into the fence! Then starts his swinging his head around when he hears me yell his name but it was obvious he couldn't SEE. I pick him up and both his pupils were blown all the way out. I freaked out. Off to the emergency vet we went and to make a long story short..... he had detached retina's in both eyes. The vets we spoke to said that is due to trauma. But what?! I had been with him the whole entire time! Did he bonk his head when I wasn't watching??????? The guilt was awful.

He did eventually recover with help from a canine opthamologist over several months and I was worried sick. It was determined once the swelling subsided in his eyeballs that his left eye lacked an optic nerve and was blind since birth. We just didn't know it until his right eye went out. 

I wracked my brain trying to think WHEN that trauma could have happened!!!! I never did pinpoint it, although he did 'play' with my brothers bernese mountain dog and maybe he knocked his head when they were playing????

They are so little. And they are fragile. I don't think you should blame yourself or feel responsible. Sometimes things happen. It's awful and horrible and UNFAIR. But I don't think there was anything you could have done differently. You got her to the best vet school in the nation! You didn't waste any time! She was treated as soon as possible by some of the best veterinarians in the world. If they could have saved her - they would have. 

Hugs to you. Just rest knowing that she knew she was loved up until the end. She had a wonderful life with you. NO dog could ask for more than that.


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## Chiboymom (Jul 8, 2009)

Oh Tricia, this was NOT your fault...it could have been anything...Draco sometimes runs crazy in the house shaking his toys close to tables...if he was to hit his head, I wouldn't even know. It could have been a simple little tumble taken while playing with the other dogs. I would think the kennel would have mentioned a severe incident, but she could have been injured in play with some of the other dogs. I think it was just a tragic accident that nobody could have prevented. You are a great pet mom and Maya had a special life with you.


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## flippedstars (Dec 16, 2009)

Oh Tricia I can't even imagine how you feel with that news. You have to know though that it wasn't your fault and there was nothing you could have done. She could have easily been trying to climb out of her pen/jump and just simply fallen and hit her head. My Oakley just was injured from hopping over something (baby gate) and I shudder to think she could have knocked her head on the tile rather than her knee...maybe you could have somehow prevented Maya hitting her head that one time, you never know, you simply can't beat yourself up about it. We all know how much you miss her and how much you loved her...accidents happen. I would say the most likely thing is she was trying to get out of her pen and hit her head, causing the swelling in her brain...I wouldn't think she would be able to run around like she was fine for several days without you noticing something was off


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## tricializ (Jun 1, 2010)

Thanks all:
I talked to my regular vet and he is about as in denial as I am. He is anxious to see the report in writing especially since there was some sort of blood clot too. He really thinks it was more of an aneurysm or something. But I guess I will never completely know and that is frustrating. I just hope she didn't suffer too long before I found her. That makes me sad. She was in her bed when I found her.  
Thanks all for your kind words.


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## Ivy's mom (Feb 15, 2008)

I would call just to let them get wind that something must have happen while they had her. I had a rabbit for years and had to get her spayed, because of a tumor. She was perfect before hand, but when I picked her up she was paralized. They played it off like it was prolly the meds, and she would recover jus fine. Whenever did!! but I know in my heart that some idiot tech that didn't know how to handle rabbits correctly dropped her and broke her back. Never could get any answers. Needless to say I never went back there!

Lori


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## Amandarose531 (Aug 9, 2010)

Oh honey don't beat yourself up over it, Maya knows you are a fantastic momma! While she misses you very much there is nothing you could have done to prevent it, it could have been anything hun, she could have had a clot for months and months and just some silly bonk set it off. It's a horrible thing but don't let yourself focus on the down, Maya is home now, you did everything right.

I would call the kennel like Sarah said not mentioning her passing, and just see. You might save another pups life, even if it wasn't the case.

Dawn is right, she's up playing on the rainbow bridge as we speak :]


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## KayC (May 3, 2005)

OH Tricia, I am so sorry ((((HUGS))))) to you......Please don't blame your self.


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## MakNLFi (Jun 8, 2010)

Oh Tricia I am so very sorry to hear this news. This is not your fault - you are a GREAT Chi Mommy. This was probably just a freak accident - Maya could have just bumped her head while playing - I know my two get really rough at playing at times and even when they get the zoomies things can happen and they can crash - you just never know. You did everything you could to help her and she knows this and loves you very much. (((HUGS)))


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## AC/DC Fan (Sep 15, 2010)

I'm sorry you didn't really get the definitive answer you were looking for. It is scary to think about but I don't think it would take much of a blow to the wrong place on top of their head to cause something like this. It's conceivable to me she could have fallen and hit her head wrong in her pen that last evening. Maybe the two were playing and she was knocked over backward...or she rolled off the bed and landed on her head...there's just no way to know for sure but I worry all the time about mine hitting their heads.
You can't be omnipresent and you did everything you could. You have nothing to feel guilty about. I hope you feel better soon.


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## Deme (Aug 18, 2009)

I guess visiting the kennel and making them aware may get them to up their proceedures. As for admitting liability I would say you won't get that, otherwise they would have mentioned something when you picked her up and they never. They aren't going to admit anything now... there is a possibilty she knocked herself and no one even knew, maybe during the night or something.. 

Talk to them, raise your concerns and as the conversation closes then mention (if you decide you want to) that she has passed over.

As mentioned it may save another dogs life...

(((Hugs)))

Deme, Jake and Red x x x x x x


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## Yoshismom (Jul 6, 2005)

I havent read through this but I was going to mention what first came to mind when you originally posted about her death. Because you said that there was nothing around her that could hurt her, I wondered immediately if she had ran into your other Chi, maybe playing and head butted or just was hyper and head butted and it happen to hit her soft spot? I have heard of this happening and it could definately cause swelling on the brain and then death. This would make more sense as she showed no symptoms.

I am so sorry that this has happened and I cant even imagine.


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## chi's R me (Jun 30, 2009)

Just want to say I too am so sorry for your loss. I doubt anything will make you feel better right now. Hugs.


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