It started with Sam last Saturday, and his Monday night ER stay. Of course, we’re still watching Casey as he recovers; he’s gone back to work and tends to overdo, so when he does, we worry. He sent me a text message around 5:00 on Friday evening that said:
Please call as soon as you can. I think our dog is dying.
He’d come home after work with Sam to find Takumi barely breathing and lying in his crate in bloody stool. He’d tried to call, but I was in another part of the house, and by the time I got to my phone, there were several missed calls and messages as the family coordinated dog saving efforts. That would be all of the family but ME, helpless at home.
The husband was commuting between job locations in Houston, and made a Friday evening rush hour U-turn. #2 (the former future vet tech) and her boyfriend headed to Casey’s house. Taylor’s mother headed to Casey’s house. Casey and the boyfriend picked up Takumi, blanket and all, and set out for the animal hospital fearing the dog had been poisoned. #2 stayed with Sam until Taylor’s mother arrived, then followed. The husband was next to get there with his checkbook. Taylor was the last to arrive from work.
Takumi had not ingested poison. He had HGE, hemorrhagic gastroenteritis. Everyone left the hospital feeling his prognosis was good, but Saturday things weren’t so certain. Physically, he was doing much better, but neurologically, not so much. He was scared and confused, violent with the staff, and in pain – not to mention he’d almost bled to death. The husband did get him to respond, as did Taylor, though it was still touch and go.
When the husband went by on Sunday, he decided it was time to bring him home. There was nothing the hospital could do at this point that we couldn’t since he no longer needed the IV fluids and injected meds. We knew healing at home and resting in a happy comfortable environment would be so much better for his spirits. Since I’m the only one not punching a clock weekdays and able to let him in and out for the breaks he needs, and to give him his food and antiobiotics and Pepto-Bismol, heh, we brought him here.
He was all smiles when he got out of the car, and walked inside like a drunken sailor. After quenching his thirst, he was not happy to be put in Snickers’ crate (and she wasn’t happy to be watching all of this through the patio door), but he settled down, napped, then went out to do business and ate a bite before we locked him up again. So far so good, though this looks to be another high maintenance week coming up! Wish me luck!
(And I’ll post all of last week’s winners later today!)
