Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Sick as a Dog

Dixie was sick this morning. Fine last night, roaring around, instigating, chasing Belle, all in all fine and healthy. This morning when I went to unhook her to let her out she was tangled in her lead. When I lifted her paw to untangle her she howled like I was killing her. Her stomach was hard and she would howl if you pressed it even lightly. She was listless, did not want to be on the walk particularly. She could not jump up on the couch without howling or whining. You'd have thought she was dying.

She ate her breakfast but with not the same relish that she normally puts into it. She beat Belle in the race that eating has become but not by her usual margin. So something was wrong but it was not fatal. I went to work. I called the emergency vet from the office. I described the symptoms and they said bring her in. They sounded pretty concerned so I asked my boss for the morning off to deal with the poor sick dog. I have lots of vacation time left so it was no problem.

I came home and she was eager to get outside. I thought it was because it was nice out. But I was wrong. Now, I had not seen her poop since Saturday night (Having to pick up after her you keep an eye out for those things.) It is now Tuesday morning. She has been eating healthy for the last 2 days. And now as I am waiting on her to take her to the vet she starts to go. And go, and go. And when she is done she seemed to be perked up. So I put off going to the vet to see if she gets better on her own. Her belly is not distended anymore and also not tender. I can pick her up and she doesn't howl. So it seems that her problem was.. well, she was just full of it. Now I grant you it was dump that probably made her pants fit better but I gave up half a day of vacation to watch the dog take a dump.

Bags and pooper scooper at the ready...

Randy