Friday the 13th Scare

Wow, folks, I've had a pretty scary 24 hours. (Yeah, it really has nothing to do with Friday the 13th) My eldest dog, Mai Lin, has been really sick. She was in great spirits when we arrived last Wednesday. She was prancing and bouncing around as if she were a pup, and except for the long naps she is taking as she ages, all was indeed well.

She was off her food on Monday and Tuesday, and I was worried. She acted as if she didn't feel well, was pretty lethargic. Then Tuesday night, I offered her some scrambled eggs, and she loved them. I fed her a tablespoon at a time every hour or so, and she perked up after a few feedings. She ate well by Wednesday night, still refusing dog food, but loving the eggs, and she was acting more like herself. Yesterday, Thursday, she seemed fine all day long, continuing to eat eggs throughout the day, but about 3:00 or 4:00 was the last she ate. I didn't worry a whole lot, thinking she might have had her fill of eggs.

This morning within an hour of rising, she threw up. It was just water, so I though maybe she had drunk too much, but she refused every kind of food I offered her. She threw up an hour or so later, and this time there were some undigested eggs in the water. By noon, she was throwing up the same water and eggs every few minutes, and I was seriously concerned, because the eggs were from yesterday and totally undigested. I tried to get ready to take her to the vet, but I couldn't get ready for cleaning up after her. I finally just left rather than delay. Fortunately she didn't throw up any more, but she was completely lethargic. She didn't lift her heat from the car seat during the whole 25 minute drive.

The vet wasn't in, so we had to wait a while, but when he returned, he went right to work on her. She was actually in relatively good shape, all considered. She had a lot of gas in the digestive tract, of course. He suspects she has some infection, possibly from change of water, something she ate that I didn't know about, altitude change, or even just the system malfunction that happens with older dogs. She was given a bunch of fluid to hydrate her and 4 syringes of meds in the solution, an antibiotic, something to help fight the build up of gas, something to settle the stomach and I forget what the 4th was for. I have to give her shots tonight and tomorrow morning, and there are 3 oral meds she will be taking, too. She is on a special diet for a few days, and he gave me his phone number if I need to get him. He is concerned about her, but he emphasized that her vital signs are all very good, even her aging little heart and lungs.

The fluids perked her up a bit, and she held her head up a while just before we left the office. She slept all the way home and has been asleep since we got here, but I feel so much better. I hated the $248 bill, but it was worth it to have my baby treated and feel that she stands a chance of recovery. I was really afraid that she was going to be so sick that I needed to have her put down, so I'm very relieved.

And now . . . I hope everyone has a super weekend. I will now. Whew.


PS on 10/14/06; 9:45 AM:
Puppy prayers again, everyone. Mai Lin rested well most of the night, but threw up again twice toward morning. She is pretty lethargic . If she does it again, I will call the vet. It is clear that there is still reason for concern, so your kind thoughts through the next few days will be greatly appreciated. Thanks, all.