Oh, Dear . . . .

Things are going from bad to worse to "Oh #%^@!!"  

 

Hubby and I have been totally obsessed with Luci’s health this week.  It’s not getting any better.  We think we’re making progress and then we realize that we aren’t.  The meds seemed to be helping and she was breathing a little better.  But she was very reluctant to eat . . . and we all know that’s just not our Luci.  Called the vet Saturday afternoon and he said it was still a little early in the process.  He was concerned but nothing we were describing sounded like an emergency, so he asked me to call Monday morning and get a follow-up appointment for Luci.

 

Follow-up appointment consisted of another x-ray of her chest – there was some improvement with the lungs but not as much as they would have hoped.  The not eating baffled everyone until they checked her gums . . . both the upper and lower gums were red and inflamed.  But only the molars and not the teeth in the front.  Could be a drug reaction.  Could be a sign of an auto-immune disease.  But none of Luci’s symptoms fit the classic patterns of either of these problems.  Sooo, Luci got a shot of some steroids to help with the allergic reaction, we had to stop the heart med but continue with the water pill, and add a med to help with the allergic reaction.  Got lots of suggestions on stuff to feed a picky eater – again something I have no experience with! – and was told to follow up with the doctor in a day or two.  

 

Fast forward to today.  Still extremely reluctant to eat ANYTHING.  Stuff that she would eat one day, she won’t eat the next.  The med for the allergic reaction made her a little dopey so we have to cut that back.  Since she’s not eating anything, I have to shove her pills down her throat.  Not something I enjoy doing at all.  Still having these strange episodes of "shivers" that we can’t explain.  She’s getting up every two hours during the night to potty.  Between that and the worrying, Hubby and I aren’t getting any sleep.  Called the vet to update her and she’s completely baffled.  As a matter of fact, Luci has baffled the entire staff at the vet’s office . . . . and there are three (yes THREE) doctors working on her case.  So we were referred to a specialist . . . . yes, we’re going to see a doggie cardiologist tomorrow afternoon.  She’s a referral only private practice internal medicine vet that specializes in cardiology.  

 

Okay, now I’m officially worried . . . .

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OMG!!

I just realized that it’s been a while since I posted. . . .

 

We had a stretch of nice weather here in Ohio and I was taking advantage of it.  Walking the dogs, working in the yard to clean up some of the mess from the winter (read – extreme potty patrol!!)

 

Helping Hubby get MIL’s house ready for the renter that will be movning in on May 1.  We haven’t had any offers on from anybody to buy the house so we decided to rent it.  Of course, I realize that now that we’ve found a renter is when we will get someone interested in buying the house. 

 

Some medical drama with the Evil One . . . it started with Miss Luci finding something in the yard that was very yummy but not very healthy for her.  (Hence, the extreme potty patrol).  Whatever it was gave her a nice case of colitis.  Trip to the vet, shots, meds to take for a couple of weeks.  Just when we thought we were turning a corner with the colitis, we noticed she was having some problems breathing.  Panicked trip to the vet and we learned that Luci has congestive heart failure and pulmonary edema.  Yes, my lovely 4 year old lab has a serious health problem.  She spent the night at the vet hospital to get IV meds to help with the immediate problem and she seems to be responding to the meds.  We have meds to give her at home and and a follow-up visit with the vet in two weeks.  So now we wait and see if the meds will work long term . . .

This I Gotta See

Okay, I’m up early because Luci has to go potty.  They’re on a schedule, ya know, and they don’t know or care that it’s Sunday morning and Mommy wants to sleep in.

 

So while I’m waiting for them to finish their breakfast and go potty, I see this article about the Iditarod dog race.  I’m all about dogs, so I click on the article.  OMG, there’s a Jamaican dog sled team!!  And his sponsor is Jimmy Buffett?  Man, I gotta see this!!

 

You can bet I’ll be following the race this year!

This I Gotta See

Okay, I’m up early because Luci has to go potty.  They’re on a schedule, ya know, and they don’t know or care that it’s Sunday morning and Mommy wants to sleep in.

 

So while I’m waiting for them to finish their breakfast and go potty, I see this article about the Iditarod dog race.  I’m all about dogs, so I click on the article.  OMG, there’s a Jamaican dog sled team!!  And his sponsor is Jimmy Buffett?  Man, I gotta see this!!

 

You can bet I’ll be following the race this year!