Crissy

Crissy

I have a sick dog. A very sick dog. I am not sure she is going to live through the weekend but I am hopeful.

It started earlier this week with some diarrhea. Something that is pretty normal for this particular dog since she tends to eat all kinds of crazy things when we are out. When I came home from work on Wednesday, there was some diarrhea on the floor. I cleaned it up but wasnt particularly worried. I wasnt even worried all Wednesday night when she woke me up a few times during the night.

On Thursday morning, I was a bit worried because I had a lunch appointment so I knew I couldnt come home. I papered an entire room with old towels, news paper and puppy pads. She chose another room. When I got home from work Thursday night, it was like there had been a diarrhea explosion. She even somehow managed to poo down a heating vent which meant I had to unscrew the vent cover to get down there to clean it up. She woke me up more during the night Thursday night than she did the previous night and in the morning, she really didnt look too good.

I had to go to work this morning anyways but I went in an hour late and took her outside and made sure she had ample time out there. She seemed ok when I left for work and I was back to check on her in just over two hours due to an early lunch. One small bit of diarrhea but nothing like yesterday. But the dog just didnt look good. I took her outside and she collapsed in the yard. I had to carry her back in. I left her in the kitchen and went back to work.

Once there, I just couldnt concentrate. I talked my boss into letting me go home early without penalty which was very very nice of him to do. I know I have bitched a lot about work lately but I really appreciate that I was allowed to leave today.

I came home and found her shaking and lying right where I left her...in a puddle of liquid diarrhea. It was clear that she had tried to get up but couldnt. I cleaned her up and checked her temperature (normal, thank goodness) and checked her skin. She was really really dehydrated.

I know I should have picked her up right then and rushed to the veterinarian’s office but I just couldnt. I guess I was afraid that they would want to keep her overnight and the last time I did that with a pet, the pet died alone at the vet’s office. I just couldnt bear the thought of that. So I got some chicken broth and put it in a dish and told myself that if she drank it, I would keep her here and if she didnt, I would take her to the vet.

She drank it! A whole bowl. So I got her another and she drank that too. So I got her a bowl of plain water and she drank that too and then another. She drank about a quart of liquid and started looking a lot better immediately. I got her to stand up and led her over to her bed which I had already covered in puppy pads. She settled in and has been sleeping ever since. She looks comfortable now but hasnt tried to stand up so I am not sure if she will be able to.

I went to the grocery store and bought several more cans of chicken broth and some beef broth too. I got her some plain rice and some gravy to put on it later if she can tolerate the rice. My plan is to keep giving her broth and water tonight. My vet is open on Saturday mornings so if she doesnt improve a lot more by morning, I will take her in. I have decided that I wont leave her there though. I am going to stay home all weekend and make sure she is drinking enough. I think she was so weak because she was dehydrated. I suspect that she was dehydrated because she has trained herself over the years not to drink much water when I am not home and I wasnt home. She is drinking now though and her skin is springing back so I think she has rehydrated significantly

It is funny too because even though she is really old and I have kind of been preparing myself for her death, when I actually thought about that earlier today I still got really sad. I know it has to happen and probably soon but I really don’t want it to be now. She is currently snoring loudly in her bed and it is the most delicious sound I have heard all day.