Apologizing in advance as I’m about to go off topic for a hot minute.
Well, it’s been a nightmare three + weeks of trying to find out Wiggy’s mystery illness and, hopefully, I think his new doc has found it. Yes, you heard me right – NEW doctor because, quite frankly, I don’t have the patience to let vets use my dog as a pincushion or an experiment. Wiggy has the best foster mom and she had made a suggestion three weeks ago that Wiggs might have a urinary tract infection, crystals or kidney stones. The vet – they pretty much poo-poo’d the idea. Well, they are experts, I thought as I let them treat him for some sort of “infection” but there was no change and he still was having problems. So, last week after many tests, x-rays, etc. they gave me the diagnosis of degenerative disc disease and Lyme disease with bed rest for 30 days. OK – again, they are experts, I thought – however, now my spidey senses were tingling. I looked at everything that was told to me and, in my legal eagle way, researched the hell out of it. I found out that Wiggy’s meds were not a favorite of the FDA, were the subject of a class action lawsuit and, for a pug with a sensitive stomach and the tendency to be od’d by a vet with the wrong dosage amount, that set off alarms.
So, on Sunday when my dog gave Linda Blair’s character in the Exorcist a run for her money with his projectile gacking everywhere, well, there was a serious problem. Nothing would stay down – not food, water, meds, even his favorite – applesauce. “OK” I thought, “this is not good at all!” I spoke with the doc and he told me to wait to bring Wiggy in on Monday. Wiggs was back at that vet office and there was yet another doc who was brought in on the case and I was told that my dog was a “Puzzle” – so not good to hear. They took yet more X-rays, had him on an IV, gave him something to stop him from vomiting and all was quiet. I was told to take him home and take him to the ER if there was a problem overnight. I pulled his file, just in case I did have to go to a different doctor, all while making a mental note to possibly find a new vet.
Tuesday morning – same thing. He couldn’t eat, drink and was just miserable. I spoke with a tech who made mention of a notation by the consulting doctor of pancreatitis testing that might be needed and this was the FIRST I was hearing of that. I brought Wiggy back in for a new ultrasound and was hopeful for a positive outcome – oh, and I wanted him to have that daggone test for pancreatitis. I researched it online and, don’t you know – I found that his symptoms were almost exact! I get a call and was told that my dog had “growths and tumors” in his liver with fluid and I was being sent to another doctor at a different hospital to confirm the diagnosis and I needed to to be open to options (basically my dog needed to be put down) oh, and to bring my credit card. Nice, huh?
Well, Wiggy is staying at the new vet hospital for a few days and, guess what, he’s got severe pancreatitis and – wait for it – wait for it – BLADDER STONES. Apparently, my original thought was right all along. Hopefully the pug will make it through with flying colors – he’s pretty critical right now. As for me, well, someone pass the Cruzan – this gal needs a cocktail!
Hi there! I saw Wiggy's cute mug on CNC and had to come say hello. So sorry to hear he hasn't been feeling well. It's the worst feeling when they're sick and you can't immediately fix it. Glad to hear you found a new doctor and they think they've isolated the problem!
Please give him a tubby rub for me!
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