The Girl is home now and recovering. She had a rough couple of days, which required spending some time in hospital.
I noticed last Thursday that she seemed off. She didn’t eat her breakfast, which is not completely unusual, but relative rare. Then while I was in a meeting, she vomited some grass she had eaten. Again, that was not completely unusual, if relatively rare. (She is a grazer and usually just passes the grass.)
Friday she again acted oddly, not wanting her breakfast although we had a nice walk. I noticed that she didn’t seem interested in food or water as well. I worried over her much of the night and she asked to go out several times.
Saturday morning she seemed lethargic and uninterested in much. When offered a walk, we went part way (just a hundred yards or so) before she expelled a very watery stool. She refused water when I offered it, licking a little from my fingers but refusing to drink.
I called the vet and took her in to the urgent care clinic. He checked her over, found nothing obvious, and recommended supportive care and some testing.
I left her in his care. When he called later in the day, he reported that she had an ileus with a lot of inflammation and bloating. He would continue supportive care, hoping the hydration would reduce the inflammation and restore some of the function of her gastrointestinal tract. I could tell he was really concerned for her.
Sunday he called with news that there was some improvement, but that she was still not eating, lethargic, and not interested in water (of course not, with the hydration). That evening I called and he reported that she had eaten a little, the inflammation was down quite a lot, and there was no physical blockage.
Monday she was much improved, eating a little and happy. By the afternoon he indicated that supportive care was no longer needed and that she should come home. That made me very happy. So I retrieved the Girl and brought her home.
But I learned she was still very sick. I coaxed her into drinking water by adding a little juice from a can of chicken to it. I also convinced her to eat a little by adding some canned food to her kibbles (or rather, some kibbles to canned food) and adding a little chicken juice to that). She slept the rest of the day and much of Tuesday.
But Tuesday evening she asked for food and I noticed that she had taken water from her bowl. So I fed her (sweetening the kibbles again) and refilled her water bowl. Tuesday night she wanted to sleep with me again. But OMG was she noxious! Whatever was disturbing her system made some very nasty gas!
And then this morning she acted much better. She again asked for food and to go out. After I fed myself, she asked to go walk. So I took her out to Riverview Park for a walk. The park is still in rough condition, but it’s walkable. There is less risk of her picking up some toxin out there, at least in my opinion.
I think there is a good chance she picked up a toxin while we walked here in town. Perhaps one of the lawns was treated with pesticide or herbicide. Perhaps another animal was sick. But my suspicion is that she picked up something on our walks. Therefore, I’m going to be more careful with where we go and what she nibbles on.
Dave, I’m glad Kai is feeling better. Very scary.
Thanks, Pat. Yes, it was quite worrisome for a couple of days. But she’s acting more like herself now. Life is good.
Sorry about Kai, David. Had to take Abby in for her rabies shot and a general checkup recently……she was way past due because of me being in treatments. When the vet weighed her, she had lost 13 lbs. Although Abby has problems with her hips and back legs, the vet couldn’t really find anything else wrong with her and told me that she probably lost most of the weight because of me and my illness. I feel so bad. So I am doing like you and adding things to her food to get her to eat all the time and maybe a little extra. Also giving her a few extra treats. And of course, loving all over her!! Animals are so amazing!! And such a blessing!! Even on my worst days she can make me smile and often laugh. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by, Love! You’ve been on my heart the last couple of weeks, but I don’t care for FB all that much.
The Girl stood by Wife all those months, offering her love and energy when Wife needed it from all of us. There were so many times she would curl up next to Wife and just be there.
She’s been there for me all those times too. Some of my friends think I’m nuts for spending so much money on “just a dog,” but what else could I do? So I just don’t care. She is far more important to me than most anything else.
I hope you’re doing well, or as well as can be expected. I’m hopeful to get to Rolla some time later this year. I’ll come see you if I do. I want to make it more than a couple day stop over like I usually do. I’ll send a PM via FB when I know more.
Ha! Know what you mean about our fur babies wanting to be close…other than trying to sit in my lap, Abby will lay next to me or lean on me. Ha! She gets pretty heavy and when I move, will cock her head, like saying “What is the problem?” Ha!
I am recuperating from the treatments and the docs are “watching” me……both to see if the cancer spreads more and/or continues to grow in sites that have already been identified. Terribly frustrated in the communication I am/am not getting. Too often I feel like a number.
Hope you have time to visit when you come back to Missouri. Would love to see you!
The Girl rarely wants to lay on me, but will sometimes put her head on my leg or drape a paw over me. Most of the time she just wants to touch, so there will be a side, or a shoulder, or a hip touching me. When it’s cold, she’ll ask to slip under the cover and snuggle.
But she loves to be touched. The side-stroke is one of her favorite touches.
I’m pleased to hear you’re recuperating from treatment. I’m not very impressed with western medicine in many ways. Recent developments in health care have not made it better, at least in my opinion.
But it is what it is. I know you’re tough and will hang in there, and that’s the best thing I can say to you.
When I get to Missouri next, I’ll make time. You have my promise on that.