Dear Heidi and Shelby,
it seems like the perpetual black cloud that has been hanging over our head is still there...and it stretches on. Heidi, you saw the surgeon on Wednesday, and we found out that fortunately, you did not blow out your knee. The Dr. thought that your cruciate was fine, and and the possibility of tearing your meniscus without blowing the cruciate too was very unlikely...possible, but unlikely. She thought it could be another ligament that was irritated, as the swelling in the knee was more medial (inside), or a bursa. Either way, the instructions were the same-icing, range of motion exercises, PT, and rest. We have a follow up next Wednesday to check on your progress.
Well, the good news is, is that there is progress to report.You're now weight bearing on the leg, and able to get around better. You actually went on a short walk around the neighborhood tonight, and hardly limped, or even paced at all. GREAT NEWS! We came back and I iced your leg, and you even jumped up onto the couch on your own (while you were unsupervised!) The gabapentin that the Dr. gave you also seems to be helping. Not enough to make you loopy or forget that you have some pain (which slows you down), but enough to dull it.
The only other problem, is that on tonight's walk, you decided you needed to potty. When I went to go scoop, it was fairly loose-I guess not giving you your flagyl this morning made a difference. I didn't give it, because when you went poop for the first time the other night, it was completely solid and formed. So, I gave it to you tonight. I also have been mixing kibble in with your chicken/rice/baby food mixture so that might have made a difference as well. I want to make sure we take care of this bug all the way. I'm a little concerned about this, but hoping that a few more days of flagyl and bland diet goodness will help.
Now, onto my little Shelby. You my dear, have decided that you do not like that your sister has been getting more of her fair share of attention. So you had to do something to get some too. Yeah...the way in which you did it though...no a good idea. Granted, it wasn't your fault. It was an accident. You were standing close to the book shelf while I was feeding the fish, and one of the cats knocked over a knick-nack. It hit you, but I didn't see where. You squeeked and ran away under the table. When you came out, I thought it had hit you in the foot. But a little while later, when you jumped on the bed, I saw you squinting and your nictating membrane was up. I grabbed an ice pack and held it on your eye, but it didn't seem to alleviate the pain.
I called the vet AGAIN, and we went in to see the opthamalogist, Dr. Marrion as she really loves you guys. She stained your eye and found a scratch on your cornea. GREAT =0( She gave us some meds and said hopefully that these would work on your eye to help heal the scratch and prevent it from turning into an ulcer. She also gave you tramadol for your pain. She said to see her next week for a recheck. Great. Now you and Heidi have appointments on the same day. At least I can save on the gas driving down there...yeah. Theres the silver lining. The real good news will be that your scratch has healed, instead of it turning into an ulcer and needing surgery. Now THAT will be a silver lining.
So that's where we stand now, girls. Waiting to see how your rechecks go next week. Lets hope that Heidi's leg, and Shelbys eye, have healed. Lets hope this black cloud has some light behind it...
I love you girls,
and will always take care of you,
xoxo
Friday, October 5, 2012
Monday, October 1, 2012
Sick Puppy
Dear Heidi,
You're scaring me. You have been vomiting and had diarrhea for about 4 days now. Nothing I have done seemed to help-not fasting, not a bland diet, not slippery elm. So finally, before you got too dehydrated, I decided to bring you into the hospital. I called and made the appointment yesterday, after I had shown you some food (boiled chicken and rice) and you promptly threw up just at its smell. I made the appointment for 10:30 this morning with a different doctor than you usually see, because she was at a CE lecture in CA.
But this morning, you decided to make me worry just a bit more! I put all 4 of you out, and when you came in, you immediately lie down. When I called you up, you had an extremely hard time getting up, were wobbbly when standing, and then revealed that you were standing on only 3 legs. You were non-weight bearing on your right rear leg. I feel terrible that I don't know what happened, because I wasn't watching you. Did you slip on the wet leaves on the deck? Slip on the stairs? What happened?
So, you rested with me the rest of the morning, and then I got you up to go to the vet. When we got there, I wrapped you in a blanket and carried you in. The room tech, and then the dr. asked me all kinds of questions regarding your GI upset, and your lameness. I don't think I did a good job explaining...I felt like a neglectful mother. But the dr. was able to decipher what I was trying to remember and tell them.
She wanted to do some bloodwork, give you fluids and some injections. Unfortunately, the two issues do not help each other...they cant give you pain meds, because of your upset tummy, and the fact that your NSAID intolerant (they put you into renal failure). So the plan is to try and get your GI tract back in shape, and then deal with your sore leg.
They gave you sub-q fluids, pepcid, cerenia and buprinex all by injection, and sent you home with flagyl. As soon as your belly gets better, we will start gabapentin for your leg, and if that and rest doesn't help, we'll see the surgeon. The dr. we saw had another dr. feel your leg and agreed that the knee was inflamed, but you didn't blow it out (we hope). Everyone agreed it was probably soft tissue, so as of now, xrays weren't needed. They were also not needed for your abdomen as it is unlikely you have a foreign body.
When I took you home, you were pretty out of it. The burpinex made you pretty tired and you panted all the way home, sitting beside me in the passenger seat. We had to stop at Walmart to get you some baby food and pick up my prescription. You didn't move the entire time I was in the store. When we finally got home, I carried you into the front yard, thinking you would have to pee. Instead you had more diarrhea, this time with a touch of blood. You almost couldn't walk into the house. I put my Patriots blanket onto the floor, and you lied right down. After I had gotten settled, I put you in bed with me. That's where you've been all day...sleeping. I just took you out again, and saw how much pain you are really in. You limped around, a tripod, and wouldn't do potty for me. It was hard for you to get into the position because of your leg =0(
I'm going to continue to watch you, and carry you around for as long as it takes. I want you to rest your leg, and we need to get your GI stuff under control. I'm going to try and feel you a little more later tonight, and hope that stays down...otherwise, its back to the dr.
Please get better my love...I hate seeing you in this much pain and discomfort. Your so stoic, I know you must be in a lot of pain in order to show it. I hope we can figure all of this out...
I love you,
xoxo
You're scaring me. You have been vomiting and had diarrhea for about 4 days now. Nothing I have done seemed to help-not fasting, not a bland diet, not slippery elm. So finally, before you got too dehydrated, I decided to bring you into the hospital. I called and made the appointment yesterday, after I had shown you some food (boiled chicken and rice) and you promptly threw up just at its smell. I made the appointment for 10:30 this morning with a different doctor than you usually see, because she was at a CE lecture in CA.
But this morning, you decided to make me worry just a bit more! I put all 4 of you out, and when you came in, you immediately lie down. When I called you up, you had an extremely hard time getting up, were wobbbly when standing, and then revealed that you were standing on only 3 legs. You were non-weight bearing on your right rear leg. I feel terrible that I don't know what happened, because I wasn't watching you. Did you slip on the wet leaves on the deck? Slip on the stairs? What happened?
So, you rested with me the rest of the morning, and then I got you up to go to the vet. When we got there, I wrapped you in a blanket and carried you in. The room tech, and then the dr. asked me all kinds of questions regarding your GI upset, and your lameness. I don't think I did a good job explaining...I felt like a neglectful mother. But the dr. was able to decipher what I was trying to remember and tell them.
She wanted to do some bloodwork, give you fluids and some injections. Unfortunately, the two issues do not help each other...they cant give you pain meds, because of your upset tummy, and the fact that your NSAID intolerant (they put you into renal failure). So the plan is to try and get your GI tract back in shape, and then deal with your sore leg.
They gave you sub-q fluids, pepcid, cerenia and buprinex all by injection, and sent you home with flagyl. As soon as your belly gets better, we will start gabapentin for your leg, and if that and rest doesn't help, we'll see the surgeon. The dr. we saw had another dr. feel your leg and agreed that the knee was inflamed, but you didn't blow it out (we hope). Everyone agreed it was probably soft tissue, so as of now, xrays weren't needed. They were also not needed for your abdomen as it is unlikely you have a foreign body.
When I took you home, you were pretty out of it. The burpinex made you pretty tired and you panted all the way home, sitting beside me in the passenger seat. We had to stop at Walmart to get you some baby food and pick up my prescription. You didn't move the entire time I was in the store. When we finally got home, I carried you into the front yard, thinking you would have to pee. Instead you had more diarrhea, this time with a touch of blood. You almost couldn't walk into the house. I put my Patriots blanket onto the floor, and you lied right down. After I had gotten settled, I put you in bed with me. That's where you've been all day...sleeping. I just took you out again, and saw how much pain you are really in. You limped around, a tripod, and wouldn't do potty for me. It was hard for you to get into the position because of your leg =0(
I'm going to continue to watch you, and carry you around for as long as it takes. I want you to rest your leg, and we need to get your GI stuff under control. I'm going to try and feel you a little more later tonight, and hope that stays down...otherwise, its back to the dr.
Please get better my love...I hate seeing you in this much pain and discomfort. Your so stoic, I know you must be in a lot of pain in order to show it. I hope we can figure all of this out...
I love you,
xoxo
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