~:~:~:The Doggie Thread!!:~:~:~

PJaddicted said:

Stopping by to say hello to everyone! So happy to see the new addition Piper! CONGRATS and many happy healthy years! Monty says he's in love! :-)

hello! hope all is going good! we need a picture of Monty!

:-h

Friends, I need all the prayers, chants, good vibes you can spare. My boy Django has been very sick.

At first we thought he had some kind of intestinal bug. He wouldn't eat but otherwise seemed the same. With various treats and fave foods, I coaxed him into eating a little but eventually even that wasn't working. Last Saturday, I took him to the vet who prescribed something to clear up the bug and told me that Django would be eating much better within 24 hours. It didn't happen.

Tuesday morning, the vet called to check on him and when I said he wasn't any better, they had me bring him in that afternoon. His bloodwork seemed to point to a kidney infection, so I left him there to get some fluids and antibiotics on IV. He was a little better the next day, so I let them keep him another night.

Yesterday afternoon, I got a call from one of the vets (my regular one was out). She said that while Django was improving, it was happening so slowly that we were clearly looking at kidney disease or failure, not an infection. She suggested keeping him another night and even transferring him to a 24 hour facility.

Glenn and I talked it over and decided to let him stay one more night. I vetoed transferring him to another clinic, even if it meant he'd get round the clock care. I thought it would be too stressful for him to be moved to a strange place. Part of me wishes I'd just gone ahead and brought him home. He must feel abandoned. :(

I will pick him up later today and hopefully get more information on his prognosis. I've tried to do some reading on kidney disease but it all sounds very grim when you're just reading stuff without context of the situation.

Django is 12, which is senior status for a sheltie. Other than a little arthritis, he is still very active. Whatever the outlook for this, I'm having to face the fact that one of these days I'll be saying goodbye to my buddy. =(( Right now, I miss him. I want him back home.

And maybe I'm overreacting. But I have worried myself sick the last few days. Thanks for having a place where I can come and talk about it.

You definitely are not over reacting, our pets are part our families. I hope your Django recovers and brings you joy and love for years to come. Also come here to unload/get extra support as much as you need. Hugs and all my positive thoughts are being sent your way.

So sorry, Who Princess. Thoughts and prayers coming your way from LA.

Sending good vibes to beautiful Django. Hugs to you Who princess.

I don't visit the forum much these days but want you to know I'm thinking about Django and family, Who Princess. Hope there's been a turn for the better. And hello to everyone else!

Good vibes for Django!!!

Thank you, thank you everyone for all your thoughts and good wishes. I'm overwhelmed. It means more to me than you can know. PJSiren, I'm sorry to hear about your kitty. I hate cancer. X(

I'm sorry I didn't give ya'll an update sooner. I had to work yesterday and things just kind of got away from me.

Django came home Friday. The vet tech told me that he had acted more like himself that day and ate a good breakfast. I still didn't get to talk to my regular vet but he has scheduled a phone appointment with me Monday afternoon and I guess then I'll get to ask the millions of questions I have.

Django was sent home with a bunch of prescription food for kidney disease, which supposedly he'll have to stay on permanently. I don't know how this will work, because he has already been on a low fat prescription diet since he had a bout of pancreatitis several years ago. This concerns me a lot since it seems like the 2 types of food exclude each other. He ate a small supper when he got home, then mostly took it easy although he did bark to protect us from some dangerous trick or treaters. Yesterday morning he was downright frisky when I took him outside. But he acted very tired last night and still doesn't seem to have a lot of energy. Course, I'm worn out and I'm not even the one who was hooked up to an IV for 3 days!

It's so good to have him home though. He's lying beside me right now and he follows me around the house when I'm doing things. He poked his nose in my face to wake me up this morning (as usual). So I hope that the more rest he gets, the more he'll be like his old self. I am giving him LOTS of lovey time and appreciating every moment I have with him.