I’ve been sick…. :( But now I’m all better!

Or Keep your Paws Crossed!

Hi All,

Both Mama and I have been under the weather. (Although, honestly, I’ve been sicker than Mama.) It all started with the roof!

Mama and Daddy had the roof re-done and I had to go to the doggy day care so I wouldn’t bark myself silly at all those strange guys on our roof hammering and making noise.

I went there just for the day for 4 days and one day extra when the roofers took an unscheduled holiday without telling Mama.

Now, you know I’ve got all my shots, but here’s something I’ll bet you didn’t know.

That Bordatella shot – which is supposed to be good for Kennel Cough – doesn’t always work.

Yes, you guessed it. I got kennel cough. And because of that I couldn’t do my obedience classes — Something about me being contagious.

I was fine with that. I had a irritating cough, but I also got a lot of magic cheese too (Note from Mama – antibiotic in stuffed into a piece of cheese!)

One other thing though – Mama caught me scooting just before she took me to the vet, and it seemed like I had caught something else too.

The vet said I had Giardia. Mama blames herself for that. She forgot my special water bowl when we went to the dog park the week before, and I drank out of the community bowl – the one everyone pees in. Oopsie! (Note to self – don’t drink out of pee bowl at dog park ever again!)

Anyway, the worst part of the Giardia thing me was the Vet’s examination. Let’s just say I feel for those alien abductees. Being probed is NOT fun!

The up side of all this was that I had to eat all of my food because Mama had sprinkled some magic powder on it to get rid of my pesky parasites. To make certain that I ate every bite, she broiled me some hamburgers mixed it in with my kibble. Boy Howdy… delicious. I licked the bowl clean!

I finished all my magic cheese and magic powder and for 2 weeks I was seemingly illness free.

Unfortunately, Mama wasn’t doing so hot. She was running back and forth to the doctor and getting referrals and lots of bottles and pills and things for herself.

I could tell she was stressed out. I sat with her while she read all those pharmacy drug interaction pages and did a little freaking out. It felt good to be such a comfort to her.

Then last Sunday, before Halloween, I don’t know what happened.

Something made my tummy feel funny. I started throwing up EVERYWHERE and yes, I threw up in Mama’s bed. I threw up about 5 times on one day. I felt rotten but I thought maybe it was out of my system whatever it was. Sure enough on Monday I felt lots better.

I even got to put on a Halloween costume.

I’m a dinosaur.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know it might look like the dinosaur is eating me, but I assure you I am the one wearing the costume.

 

However, on Tuesday, I don’t know what happened again. I barfed again in Mama’s bed in the morning. This time Mama called the vet and got me a vet appointment. This was hard because Mama had doctor’s appointments too. In fact, Mama’s appointment took so long that Daddy had to take me to the vet that afternoon. Mama showed up later and Dad ran off to pick up my hubrother from football practice. I should mention that I hadn’t eaten anything all day long. Even though, there was food for me.

The vet thought I had a blockage in my intestines caused by a foreign body– Mama looked at me and said, “Opie, what did you eat?”

“I didn’t eat anything I shouldn’t have – I swear on my doggy honor. ” I responded. (I may have had my paws crossed on this one. What Mama doesn’t know won’t hurt her. )

Then the doctor took me for an x-ray. I didn’t like it. I had to have a muzzle and the vet technician is a bearded guy and I don’t like bearded guys at all. I growled at him. Of course, I wasn’t feeling so hot either.

They couldn’t see everything on the x-ray so Mama had to bring me back the next day. But before I left for the day, they gave me some medicine and a funny shot that made my back all puffy. Mama says they gave me fluid and some anti gas medicine so that the gas that was blocking their view of my duodenum would dissipate.

I wasn’t allowed to eat anything all day or before x-ray. The next day Mama had to leave me at the vet for most of the day so they could do their tests on me.

The Vet gave me some nasty Barium stuff to drink. She shoved it in my mouth with a syringe – nasty, nasty!

Then after a few hours they took more x-rays.

I had to wait around a long time between x-rays so they could see what was going on inside me.

Turns out I DIDN’T have a blockage.

They decided that I had gastroenteritis – that’s fancy talk for tummy ache or inflammation of the stomach.     

I was so glad when Mama came to get me. She made me a special dinner that ALMOST made all those vet outrages worth it.

Boiled chicken and rice! Oh My Dog – it’s so yummy you wouldn’t believe it. The only problem is she gives me tiny little amounts, but I get them about 4 times a day! I can’t wait until the next one. I’m licking my bowl clean every time. I also get a special rice chicken ball near the end of the day. (½ tablet of Pepcid AC or Acid Controller ( Famotidine 10 mg) – yes the same stuff we all take for heartburn)

I am feeling much better now.

Mama’s feeling better too and has taken me on some nice long walks lately.

Mama says I’m not allowed to get sick again and that I’ve used up my quota of vet visits.

Okay, Mama – I’ll be good! ( or I will try my best – Snorkie’s Honor!)

Well fellow doggers let’s keep our paws crossed!

Barks and Licks,

Your Pal Opie

 

Note from Mama:

Total vet cost of Opie’s barfing and belly ache.

$700 + over 2 days

(Not including previous Kennel Cough and Giardia incident)

I will be researching doggy health insurance in the very, very near future!