It's been a rough 36 hours, but somehow we survived it. About 4 AM on Wednesday morning, I was awakened to Bogie, my "baby boy", 300 LB Great Dane was retching in his bed. I immediately jumped up and cared for him creating the need to do an immediate load of laundry. It never stopped all day and I thought certainly his time had come. I called my vet, but she was off for the day and wouldn't return my call. I've only known this lady for 10 plus years and referred a gazillion people to her. I felt abandoned and alone. My poor baby was suffering and I couldn't do a thing about it. As the day progressed, Bogie got noticeably worse and would only lay there as I laid on the floor next to him, gently stroking him and telling him he'd be okay, although I was doubtful of that.
I seem to have a hard time asking for help sometimes and this was one of those times. Finally, I called a friend from the other side of the tracks to come over and be moral support for me, as I was frankly in a quandary. She pulled up in her lowered Toyota, rap music blasting and came in and truly took charge. She first grabbed my laptop that the Lovely Jules gave me for Christmas and researched what might be wrong with poor Bogie. She seemed to think it was his pancreas. (I never would have thought of that). The Internet said to withhold any food or water and let the pancreas have a chance to shrink from it's swollen state. She also researched a list of Vets in my area that might be more accommodating for the future, whatever our needs are. Then, as quickly as she arrived, she was gone. She was playing her accordion in a rap music festival this weekend and had to go to a rehearsal. I could hear the music from her Toyota blasting a good 2 blocks away when she left. I stayed with poor Bogie and cared for him, once again feeling at a loss. Come bedtime, Bogie was too weak to even get up, so we camped in the family room on the couch all night. He seemed to sleep peacefully, as I didn't. Zoie, the bitch he lives with, seemed pretty perturbed about the fact that her routine was disturbed. She's so materialistic and seldom thinks about anyone but herself.
Around 6 AM Bogie got up and went to the door to be let out. I could have danced I was so happy. He went outside, watered about 2 bushes and was eager to come back inside. He surveyed his food dish and looked at me as to say, "It's time for breakfast isn't it"? I assured him it was just the middle of the night and we headed to the waiting beds in our room. I was never so happy to see a bed.
At 7:30 my vet called and told me she'd be there all day and she'd be pretty busy, but would try to work Bogie in to put him to sleep. How sensitive... She never mentioned examining him, just putting him down. I'd like to put her down!
I called another friend of mine that used to be a dietitian and currently works for our government as a tax collector in a South Phoenix ghetto. I was able to reach her on her cell phone. She was at the projects trying to collect money from a man that drives a Cadillac and has a stable of women working for him, but thinks he's above paying taxes. She suggested I give Bogie a couple of scrambled eggs for a starter. Bogie wolfed that down in about 3 seconds and then looked up at me as to say, "You've got to be kidding"! I fought him off all day and he played and barked at the windows and played tug-o-war with a towel with Zoie and more or less convinced me that he had truly rallied! He doesn't know how close he came to being just a loving memory. I called my dietitian friend again tonight and she suggested mac and cheese for dinner. He loved it, but it didn't hold him long. He's threatened my life 11 different times and all over dog cookies! Welcome back Bogie!
Mel
9/4/08
I seem to have a hard time asking for help sometimes and this was one of those times. Finally, I called a friend from the other side of the tracks to come over and be moral support for me, as I was frankly in a quandary. She pulled up in her lowered Toyota, rap music blasting and came in and truly took charge. She first grabbed my laptop that the Lovely Jules gave me for Christmas and researched what might be wrong with poor Bogie. She seemed to think it was his pancreas. (I never would have thought of that). The Internet said to withhold any food or water and let the pancreas have a chance to shrink from it's swollen state. She also researched a list of Vets in my area that might be more accommodating for the future, whatever our needs are. Then, as quickly as she arrived, she was gone. She was playing her accordion in a rap music festival this weekend and had to go to a rehearsal. I could hear the music from her Toyota blasting a good 2 blocks away when she left. I stayed with poor Bogie and cared for him, once again feeling at a loss. Come bedtime, Bogie was too weak to even get up, so we camped in the family room on the couch all night. He seemed to sleep peacefully, as I didn't. Zoie, the bitch he lives with, seemed pretty perturbed about the fact that her routine was disturbed. She's so materialistic and seldom thinks about anyone but herself.
Around 6 AM Bogie got up and went to the door to be let out. I could have danced I was so happy. He went outside, watered about 2 bushes and was eager to come back inside. He surveyed his food dish and looked at me as to say, "It's time for breakfast isn't it"? I assured him it was just the middle of the night and we headed to the waiting beds in our room. I was never so happy to see a bed.
At 7:30 my vet called and told me she'd be there all day and she'd be pretty busy, but would try to work Bogie in to put him to sleep. How sensitive... She never mentioned examining him, just putting him down. I'd like to put her down!
I called another friend of mine that used to be a dietitian and currently works for our government as a tax collector in a South Phoenix ghetto. I was able to reach her on her cell phone. She was at the projects trying to collect money from a man that drives a Cadillac and has a stable of women working for him, but thinks he's above paying taxes. She suggested I give Bogie a couple of scrambled eggs for a starter. Bogie wolfed that down in about 3 seconds and then looked up at me as to say, "You've got to be kidding"! I fought him off all day and he played and barked at the windows and played tug-o-war with a towel with Zoie and more or less convinced me that he had truly rallied! He doesn't know how close he came to being just a loving memory. I called my dietitian friend again tonight and she suggested mac and cheese for dinner. He loved it, but it didn't hold him long. He's threatened my life 11 different times and all over dog cookies! Welcome back Bogie!
Mel
9/4/08
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