Dog days aren't good

[Guest guest]

Today is not going well for me, but fortunately my pancreas is

behaving for once! Two weeks ago our 13 year old black lab

Zeke took ill suddenly and was unable to move his hind legs. It

was a Saturday evening, and no one was here to help me with

him. I went to the fire department and coaxed them into coming

to my house , to help me lift him into my jeep. Our regular vet

was on vacation, so I had to drive him to Hilton Head to another

vet who was on call and came in for the emergency.

As soon as we got Zeke on the examining table, he had a

massive seizure. After all the bloodwork and tests were done we

learned that he had a tumor in his pancreas and his blood sugar

was only 30. The vet kept pumping in more glucose to raise it,

and it would just as quickly fall. She said if I could drive him

immediately to an animal clinic in ton, they " may " be able

to operate, but the surgery was difficult, over $1,000 and may

only extend his life a matter of a couple months. They didn't have

the equipment they would need to keep him on life support at the

vet's facility, and a decision had to be made as to what to do. I

came home and researched on the internet the surgery and the

prognosis for a tumor of the pancreas. Not good at all, even for a

young, healthy dog. He was an old dog and had lead an active

life until a few years ago. It was after midnight when the vet

consulted me on this. With much regret I told her to put him to

sleep.

Last night, our 3 year old black lab, , was hit by a car. My

neighbor heard the car hit her, and drive off, and then heard

crying as she ran off into the woods. We found her, and she was

able to move well and even able to jump into my jeep, so I

brought her home and into the house to check her for any

injuries. I couldn't find a thing, except she was acting depressed

and mopey, and not eating or drinking. All she wanted to do was

lie down by my side of the bed, so I kept her there all night. She

slept like the dead and I had to force her to get up this a.m. so I

could take her to the vet before my 9:30 dental appointment for

this aching tooth which has been bothering me all weekend. I

wanted the vet to x-ray her to check for any internal injuries.

I went to the dentist and found out that the tooth is abcessed and

that I need to have a root canal. I don't do dentists well. I told

him I needed to have sedation, since I'm the biggest chicken

when it comes to dental work, and I understand that root canals

can be very painful. He can't do it until Friday, and my husband

won't be home until then anyway, to drive me home afterward, so

I'm on penicillan right now and such a minute dose of Vicodan

that it doesn't touch the pain. Luckily I have my own Percocet,

and my dosage for the CP is more than twice the amount that the

dentist prescribed......so I'll be using it for a different purpose this

week.

For those of you that are animal lovers, please say a prayer for

. I'm supposed to call in an hour to see if they found any

internal injuries. We would be absolutely miserable to lose

another dog so soon.

With hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina

SC & SE Regional Rep.

PAI, Intl.

Note: All comments and advice are personal opinion only, and

should

not be

should be substituted for a professional medical consultation.

> Hello Heidi,

> Thank you for another fascinating insight into a very special

> Christmas experience. I always appreciate your posts whether

they

> are useful advice and info or " tales of the unexpected " . Always

so

> worth reading!

> I hope you're feeling better and Christmassy. We bought our

trees to-

> day. As my husband has just retired he will do all the hard work

and

> messy jobs while I'm at school, just leaving me to decorate

them!

> Take care, Heidi, and thank you for everything. Your posts have

> helped to keep me going during several hard, painful and

worrying

> months this year and you'll be in my prayers in a special way

this

> Christmas. It's been a tough period of adjustment.

> Best wishes and do take care.

> Fliss