So I figured that Cassie was on a very short clock for her life. I called some veterinarian offices and they asked me to explain the situation to them for their own curiosity. Not a single office cared or wanted to understand the urgency and the seriousness of Cassie’s situation.
They all refused to see Cassie after I explained my concerns and they suddenly stated that they were not taking new patients.
- Wilson Animal Hospital
- Animal Health Services
- Flamboro Veterinary Services
- Hartzel Animal Hospital
So the question was why did they all even bother asking me what the problem was with Cassie if their intention from the beginning was to turn Cassie away due to the sudden no new patient rules?
These were precious minutes that I was wasting with these people, explaining to them what was going on, and all they wanted to do was fulfill their morbid curiosity before turning Cassie away claiming they are not taking new clients.
I finally decided to try Dundas Animal Hospital – dundasanimalhospital.ca
After once again explaining the situation and my concerns about Cassie’s current health situation. They asked if I could come in immediately. As I could not because I live a solid hour away and there was no way I could make it there before they closed. The staff booked me to see Dr. Middleton first thing in the morning, the very first appointment of the day.
I immediately felt like I made the right decision by calling Dundas Animal Hospital because their reaction over the phone to Cassie’s situation was one of concern and importance in seeing her. Unlike veterinarian Bassem Boctor and his St. Catharines Animal Hospital who were more concerned about getting paid without having to wait 25 minutes.
The following morning June 02, 2022, my two children and I drove about an hour and a half to Dundas Animal Hospital and waited approximately half an hour before everyone arrived and opened up earlier to allow us in.
The staff was extremely friendly and concerned for Cassie and placed Cassie and me into a room to wait for further instructions.
Dr. Middleton entered the room and immediately approached Cassie while introducing himself to me and Cassie. He was very friendly, and approachable and seemed to enjoy his career. After some discussion about Cassie, he gathered a small amount of a urine sample off the floor and tested it for blood. At that point, Dr. Middleton took Cassie to the back to examine her. Afterwards, the staff returned with Cassie and we waited for Dr. Middleton to return.
Dr. Middleton re-entered the room with a sad expression on his face. I instantly knew that things were about to get worse. He explained that at that point he took it upon himself to do an ultrasound FOR FREE to see what was going on inside Cassie.
He stated that he was not an expert at it, but was skilled and knowledgeable enough to know that Cassie had a mass in her bladder and this was what was blocking her ability to pee.
It was clear that Dr. Middleton was very knowledgeable and professional because out of the kindness of his heart and genuine concern for our Cassie. He instantly decided that he was going to explore ALL POSSIBLE causes for Cassie’s health issues and not ignorantly ASSUME he knew what was wrong without medical proof like veterinarian Bassem Boctor did.
Dr. Middleton performed a FREE ultrasound on Cassie not because he thought he could milk me for more money afterwards. Nor did Dr. Middleton try to prolong the situation by racking up more visit fees like veterinarian Bassem Boctor was trying to do.
Dr. Middleton did it because he was concerned for Cassie’s health and like a true doctor explored every avenue until he was CERTAIN he knew what the problem was, again unlike veterinarian Bassem Boctor.
After explaining to me that Cassie had a mass, he explained that we had some further options such as we could do a biopsy to gain more information about the situation. But he said “honestly, Cassie’s prognosis is looking poor.” He explained that there were some options to prolong Cassie’s life for a few extra days, but that inevitably she had no more than 3 days live.
I instantly broke down and started to cry as I was in shock and confused. I asked myself a thousand times how was it that this could have happened?
I was crushed because I could not bring “My Girl” Cassie home, only suffer for the next few days for our family’s own needs as it would be selfish and unacceptable.
At this point, I had to start trying to figure out how I was going to take Cassie outside to the children and then suddenly explain to them that we could not be bringing Cassie home with us after the appointment? That we had no other options to explore but to put her to rest.
After going outside with Cassie, my children could see on my face as I came around the corner that something was seriously wrong. I had to explain to them that Cassie would not be returning home with us today and that we need to put her to rest.
My children were devastated and extremely upset. They like myself were totally under the impression that Cassie only had a bacterial UTI and that she would only need more “strong medicine” to elevate the situation again as stated previously by veterinarian Bassem Boctor.
And now they were beside themselves and forced to accept that this was not the case and that their Cassie was not coming home with us today.
Due to Covid restrictions, we were only allowed to have 2 people in the room at the time we had to put Cassie to rest. After some long tearful discussion. The youngest of my children, my son, decided that he would rather be the one to stay outside because he said he could not handle the idea of watching his little buddy Cassie die. Cassie and my son were only 4 months apart in age and had been together since my son was only 5 months old.
At that point, everyone took their last pictures and videos with Cassie and said their final goodbyes.
My daughter and I proceed to head back into the office, both of us crying the whole time.
The staff express their condolences for what was about to happen and asked us to please follow them to room further back down the hall to give us some privacy. As we entered the room, Dr. Middleton was standing there and had placed a soft gray blanket on the floor for Cassie to come to rest on.
He politely asked if we were ready and when we gave him the okay, he took Cassie into the back for a few minutes to insert an IV into her leg.
When the returned Cassie had an IV in her leg with a cute blue bandage wrapped around it with a little red heart attached.
Dr. Middleton again asked if we were ready and once we again we okay with the situation. Dr, Middleton politely ask me to help to get Cassie to relax on the blank.
I could tell that Dr. Middleton was bothered by the situation, and yet he was so professional and reserved during this moment that you could tell that this was the part of his career that he did not enjoy and regret having to do it.
Dr. Middleton was in absolutely no rush to do it and I could see it in his face, eyes and actions.
Dr. Middleton administered the medicine that would eventually put Cassie to sleep and at rest and it happened so fast. Cassie never felt a thing and she never had any idea what was going to happen thanks to Dr. Middleton and his ability to take a horrible situation and make it as comfortable as could be possible.
And it was over!!!
