We have had more than our fair share of doggie heart ache in less than two months.
To start at the beginning..
Our Everett (3 in April) got sick from rawhide poisoning. No, we don't normally give rawhides, so let's please not go there. Anyway, when we took him to the vet on a Wednesday morning, sweet Charlie (3 in June) was desperately trying to get into the pick up because they hate being separated. In the process, Charlie got his tongue cut.
So Everett started feeling better, but Charlie's mouth continued bleeding, more, and more, and more. Until Saturday, blood was POURING out of his mouth and when he started becoming lethargic we called our vet. He said it sounded like his blood wasn't clotting (rat poison) and to get him in ASAP. So we packed up in the car that night and went in. Sweet Charlie rode the whole way with his head on my 1 year old's lap.
Sure enough, when we got there, Charlie started peeing blood. Vitamin K shots and pills and sent home. Sunday we thought we were going to lose him. He was not in control of his bladder and was dripping blood from his penis.
But by Monday he was so much better! Both dogs were playful again!
Then, a few days later, Everett started acting lethargic. And we realized, before we knew what was wrong with Charlie, Ev had been tending to his brother and licking up all of that contaminated blood! Vit k treatments for Everett, and he was doing better too.
Then, less than 2 weeks later, Charlie started acting lethargic again. I was so scared, so I wanted to get him checked out immediately. Unfortunately, my normal vet was out of town so I brought him Friday morning to a different one. I told this vet I thought it was rat poison (I have NO IDEA where he'd be finding this! We don't have ANYHING- rat poison, asprin, anti-freeze, NOTHING for them to get into!). Anyway, this vet did blood work and Charlie's blood levels were fine (not bleeding out), so he said he didn't know what was wrong, sent me home and told me to monitor him over the weekend.
Saturday morning, Charlie had a seizure and I called the vet back. He still said he didn't know what was wrong and to continue to monitor him.
Saturday night, Charlie refused to move. I rolled him over and noticed his leg was all swollen, and found bright red bruising on his stomach. He was bleeding out. I called the ER vet and rushed him in. They gave him vit k IV and injections and sent me home with pills, but said "if he doesn't make it, we can give y ou a refund on the pills." Not very hopeful.
All through the night we had to listen to my sweet boy wail and thrash. We wanted so badly for the vit k to kick in, but didn't know if we needed to put him out of his misery. It was HORRIBLE. Sunday morning we were going to put him down, and just as we were going to carry him outside, he passed away. My sweet baby. His stomach was disdended and dark purple. Everything must have burst and bled out. Makes me sick. My poor boy.
Now, less than 2 weeks later, we had another vet appointment for Everett. He's been limping since all of this began, and it's been looking worse and worse- like all of his legs are sore. We brought him in and his joints are all swollen. Best case scenario- he has arthritis. We're trying anti-inflamatories. But if that doesn't help, we'll need to check for bone cancer. I got the impression that's what my vet thinks is wrong.
I can't take this!! I am in shell shock. What is going on with my puppies? Why is all this happening?? We've spent way more than we can afford already. What are we going to do if he has cancer? He's my puppy! I am just crushed and feel like an awful doggy-mommy but don't know what's going on. I want to just crawl into a hole and shut the world out.
To start at the beginning..
Our Everett (3 in April) got sick from rawhide poisoning. No, we don't normally give rawhides, so let's please not go there. Anyway, when we took him to the vet on a Wednesday morning, sweet Charlie (3 in June) was desperately trying to get into the pick up because they hate being separated. In the process, Charlie got his tongue cut.
So Everett started feeling better, but Charlie's mouth continued bleeding, more, and more, and more. Until Saturday, blood was POURING out of his mouth and when he started becoming lethargic we called our vet. He said it sounded like his blood wasn't clotting (rat poison) and to get him in ASAP. So we packed up in the car that night and went in. Sweet Charlie rode the whole way with his head on my 1 year old's lap.
Sure enough, when we got there, Charlie started peeing blood. Vitamin K shots and pills and sent home. Sunday we thought we were going to lose him. He was not in control of his bladder and was dripping blood from his penis.
But by Monday he was so much better! Both dogs were playful again!
Then, a few days later, Everett started acting lethargic. And we realized, before we knew what was wrong with Charlie, Ev had been tending to his brother and licking up all of that contaminated blood! Vit k treatments for Everett, and he was doing better too.
Then, less than 2 weeks later, Charlie started acting lethargic again. I was so scared, so I wanted to get him checked out immediately. Unfortunately, my normal vet was out of town so I brought him Friday morning to a different one. I told this vet I thought it was rat poison (I have NO IDEA where he'd be finding this! We don't have ANYHING- rat poison, asprin, anti-freeze, NOTHING for them to get into!). Anyway, this vet did blood work and Charlie's blood levels were fine (not bleeding out), so he said he didn't know what was wrong, sent me home and told me to monitor him over the weekend.
Saturday morning, Charlie had a seizure and I called the vet back. He still said he didn't know what was wrong and to continue to monitor him.
Saturday night, Charlie refused to move. I rolled him over and noticed his leg was all swollen, and found bright red bruising on his stomach. He was bleeding out. I called the ER vet and rushed him in. They gave him vit k IV and injections and sent me home with pills, but said "if he doesn't make it, we can give y ou a refund on the pills." Not very hopeful.
All through the night we had to listen to my sweet boy wail and thrash. We wanted so badly for the vit k to kick in, but didn't know if we needed to put him out of his misery. It was HORRIBLE. Sunday morning we were going to put him down, and just as we were going to carry him outside, he passed away. My sweet baby. His stomach was disdended and dark purple. Everything must have burst and bled out. Makes me sick. My poor boy.
Now, less than 2 weeks later, we had another vet appointment for Everett. He's been limping since all of this began, and it's been looking worse and worse- like all of his legs are sore. We brought him in and his joints are all swollen. Best case scenario- he has arthritis. We're trying anti-inflamatories. But if that doesn't help, we'll need to check for bone cancer. I got the impression that's what my vet thinks is wrong.
I can't take this!! I am in shell shock. What is going on with my puppies? Why is all this happening?? We've spent way more than we can afford already. What are we going to do if he has cancer? He's my puppy! I am just crushed and feel like an awful doggy-mommy but don't know what's going on. I want to just crawl into a hole and shut the world out.