Silly dog.
A touch of context, before getting into the breakdown of My Poor Dog; she has a damaged elbow, and she has been on an anti-inflammatory/painkiller (Metacam) to help manage this for a few weeks as we arranged X-rays and tried to get the surgery scheduled. Tuesday we took her in for a consult with the surgeon, talked about options, and arranged for surgery to happen Thursday morning.
That was the first time she was at the vet this week.
Right. So. Night before last, Piper burst an abscess and started dripping bloody goop on the kitchen floor. We took her to the after-hours vet, where she got given a cone of shame, put on antibiotics for the infection, and the surgery for her elbow was rescheduled.
Yesterday, she was off her food, and pretty clearly unhappy, and last night she started throwing up, being very lethargic, and refusing food. Since this is possibly the most un-Piper-like behaviour ever, and since this meant we could not give her her antibiotics, we headed out to the vet again, just as the snow was really starting to hit.
(I had to lift her into the car. I never have to lift her into the car.)
She perked up when we got to the vet, and was actually willing to eat a pet treat from the jar on the counter (after it was offered repeatedly). They were very nice about waiving the emergency fee and listing the appointment as a recheck, and we decided to have her stay there overnight.
This morning she hadn't been eating, but by afternoon she'd kept a little food down. When we went to pick her up, she was pretty clearly in pain. We gave her a painkiller dose before we left, and it seemed to help a bit. Her new medication combination is a bit involved--she's on four different medicines, on either an eight-, twelve-, or twenty-four-hour schedule.
She's also off the Metacam for a couple of days while her stomach settles, which means she's no longer getting the anti-inflammatory benefits. Despite the painkillers, she's pretty clearly uncomfortable putting weight on her bad elbow, and I had to move her water dish onto a box for her, because she can't bend down far enough to drink from it when it's on the floor.
She's come to lie unhappily in the room with us.
We're supposed to be able to start the Metacam in a couple of days, and really, I cannot wait. Once the abscess heals, we'll look at scheduling the surgery, and then we can deal with another few weeks in the cone of shame, and rehab, and keeping her from spending too much time on the stairs.
And that is why we have been at the 24-hour vet's every day this week except Monday, and why I am a bit distracted and stressed.
(Please understand if I am slow to respond to comments, and if I've forgotten to get back in touch with you about something, do let me know?)
(This post has been crossposted from DreamWidth)
That was the first time she was at the vet this week.
Right. So. Night before last, Piper burst an abscess and started dripping bloody goop on the kitchen floor. We took her to the after-hours vet, where she got given a cone of shame, put on antibiotics for the infection, and the surgery for her elbow was rescheduled.
Yesterday, she was off her food, and pretty clearly unhappy, and last night she started throwing up, being very lethargic, and refusing food. Since this is possibly the most un-Piper-like behaviour ever, and since this meant we could not give her her antibiotics, we headed out to the vet again, just as the snow was really starting to hit.
(I had to lift her into the car. I never have to lift her into the car.)
She perked up when we got to the vet, and was actually willing to eat a pet treat from the jar on the counter (after it was offered repeatedly). They were very nice about waiving the emergency fee and listing the appointment as a recheck, and we decided to have her stay there overnight.
This morning she hadn't been eating, but by afternoon she'd kept a little food down. When we went to pick her up, she was pretty clearly in pain. We gave her a painkiller dose before we left, and it seemed to help a bit. Her new medication combination is a bit involved--she's on four different medicines, on either an eight-, twelve-, or twenty-four-hour schedule.
She's also off the Metacam for a couple of days while her stomach settles, which means she's no longer getting the anti-inflammatory benefits. Despite the painkillers, she's pretty clearly uncomfortable putting weight on her bad elbow, and I had to move her water dish onto a box for her, because she can't bend down far enough to drink from it when it's on the floor.
She's come to lie unhappily in the room with us.
We're supposed to be able to start the Metacam in a couple of days, and really, I cannot wait. Once the abscess heals, we'll look at scheduling the surgery, and then we can deal with another few weeks in the cone of shame, and rehab, and keeping her from spending too much time on the stairs.
And that is why we have been at the 24-hour vet's every day this week except Monday, and why I am a bit distracted and stressed.
(Please understand if I am slow to respond to comments, and if I've forgotten to get back in touch with you about something, do let me know?)
(This post has been crossposted from DreamWidth)