Harry
About four weeks ago, Harry started acting weird at obedience class - it was like he was tiring very easily, but he still wanted to work, so we worked.
Then, two weeks ago, he had stomach issues and visible cramping, so I took him to the vet - not my usual vet, but the one who was available on short notice. She gave him pain killers and said to put him on a bland diet. So we did and he got better. Then, last week, he started leaving parts of his meals behind. So we went back to the vet, and this time we saw the one who had done his surgery. And I felt stupid, because there wasn't anything clearly wrong, except that Harry not eating is WRONG. So he suggested a diet change and ordered a blood panel and an ultrasound. Those both came back negative, but the diet change caused diarrhea.
Friday, on my way to take Harry to aqua therapy (where he swam for a good 8 minutes), I dropped off a stool sample and asked if my regular vet were available on Saturday. While I was there, D himself came out and asked how I was and how the boys were. So I told him Harry had been having trouble and he said "I'll just give you metronidazole right now and if he's better, you can cancel your appointment tomorrow."
Saturday morning we woke to find that Harry had peed himself over night. It was freezing cold and we didn't want to take him to the vet wet, so we wiped him up as best we could and went off to see the vet. D was shocked. "You didn't tell me he was this sick!" Well, he hadn't been that sick on Friday. It's like he crashed overnight. So D. took xrays and urine and stool. He didn't like the xrays, so he sent them off to a specialist, told us to continue the medication, feed him whatever he would eat and come back Wednesday.
So. Harry has continued to pee himself. Xray consult came back Wednesday as we were meeting with the vet. That leg? The one that wasn't cancerous? Yeah, that one - was apparently the primary site for what appear to be metastatic lesions on his lungs. Which doesn't explain the bladder. So D. did another set of xrays, this time on the lower spine, looking for a mass. But there isn't one. The spine looks fine. While Harry was being xrayed, DWH and I decided that if there was a mass, we would have him PTS right here. But there isn't one. So D. said it *could* be an infection in the spinal cord and suggested we give him antibiotics and come back next Wednesday.
But he's not getting any better. He's still peeing himself and now has to be helped down the stairs to go out. And if he gets better, there are still the lesions on the lungs to come bite him in the ass later.... Barring a miraculous recovery, Wednesday will be a one way trip. I totally dread it. DWH is so sick and he's so not ready to lose his dog. Luckily, Harry doesn't appear to be in any pain or discomfort at the moment, so we can let DWH assimilate the idea.
Somebody tell me this isn't happening like this....
Then, two weeks ago, he had stomach issues and visible cramping, so I took him to the vet - not my usual vet, but the one who was available on short notice. She gave him pain killers and said to put him on a bland diet. So we did and he got better. Then, last week, he started leaving parts of his meals behind. So we went back to the vet, and this time we saw the one who had done his surgery. And I felt stupid, because there wasn't anything clearly wrong, except that Harry not eating is WRONG. So he suggested a diet change and ordered a blood panel and an ultrasound. Those both came back negative, but the diet change caused diarrhea.
Friday, on my way to take Harry to aqua therapy (where he swam for a good 8 minutes), I dropped off a stool sample and asked if my regular vet were available on Saturday. While I was there, D himself came out and asked how I was and how the boys were. So I told him Harry had been having trouble and he said "I'll just give you metronidazole right now and if he's better, you can cancel your appointment tomorrow."
Saturday morning we woke to find that Harry had peed himself over night. It was freezing cold and we didn't want to take him to the vet wet, so we wiped him up as best we could and went off to see the vet. D was shocked. "You didn't tell me he was this sick!" Well, he hadn't been that sick on Friday. It's like he crashed overnight. So D. took xrays and urine and stool. He didn't like the xrays, so he sent them off to a specialist, told us to continue the medication, feed him whatever he would eat and come back Wednesday.
So. Harry has continued to pee himself. Xray consult came back Wednesday as we were meeting with the vet. That leg? The one that wasn't cancerous? Yeah, that one - was apparently the primary site for what appear to be metastatic lesions on his lungs. Which doesn't explain the bladder. So D. did another set of xrays, this time on the lower spine, looking for a mass. But there isn't one. The spine looks fine. While Harry was being xrayed, DWH and I decided that if there was a mass, we would have him PTS right here. But there isn't one. So D. said it *could* be an infection in the spinal cord and suggested we give him antibiotics and come back next Wednesday.
But he's not getting any better. He's still peeing himself and now has to be helped down the stairs to go out. And if he gets better, there are still the lesions on the lungs to come bite him in the ass later.... Barring a miraculous recovery, Wednesday will be a one way trip. I totally dread it. DWH is so sick and he's so not ready to lose his dog. Luckily, Harry doesn't appear to be in any pain or discomfort at the moment, so we can let DWH assimilate the idea.
Somebody tell me this isn't happening like this....