MaryK
Honored Member
I haven't posted earlier as I did not want to cause a stir, but my beautiful boy Rakins is a sick laddie.
Just to bring everyone up to speed. It all started a couple of weeks ago when my partner took him for a night walk. I had food poisoning and wasn't feel too chipper. Apparently, I wasn't told at the time, Rakins ate 'something' which my partner thought was Rat Poison (how I found out was while searching for a sent email and saw one to his mother where he said Ra Kismet had eaten what he thought was Rat Poison but had vomited it up immediately - no I don't normally read other people's emails but.......). Anyway, I was furious to say the least, as Rakins had been vomiting a lot, which may have been due also to the fact that partner bought some dog food I NEVER normally give the boys. The vomiting and diarhea did stop when I put Rakins on a diet of cooked (I steam it) organic Chicken Mince. However, he wasn't himself, so a trip to the vets was the order of the day. He was also due for his annual injections, which to date he hasn't had, due to his sickness.
On this visit, he'd lost a little weight, his normal weight is 21.7 kilos, perfect 3 but was down to 21.6. Not enough to cause alarm, but his temp was up, just below the danger level of high. Partner did say he ate 'something' - not the truth and I didn't know it at that time - but the vet, not his normal vet who went over to Scotland, said he thought Rakins had a tummy bug, nothing serious. But to watch him, and all being well, back for his injections the following week. Also this vet hasn't met Rakins before, but did accept it when I said he wasn't his normal bright, energetic self, who just LOVED the vets and would normally give them all big doggy kisses and huge tail wags, he thought he was just a very well mannered dog - well he is but........ he's also a very enthusiastic well mannered boy.
All has not, sadly, been well for my boy. His back legs are giving trouble, he's lost his 'mojo' and doesn't want to trick or train. Everyone who knows my boy and has seen his videos knows just how much he LOVES tricking and training, even the boring tricks like 'sit pretty' but the fast ones, boy his tail goes like a whirlwind.
So booked him for a visit tonight. And, there is a God, his 'old' vet Kylie, who had the awful task of assisting Tiger Lily across the Bridge and has only met Rakins a couple of times when he was a wee puppy, is back from her overseas trip!!!!!! Happy Days on that score, as she's the sweetest lady, funny, kind, loving, caring and a seriously good vet. Plus of course, she knows my boy and remembers how he normally greets them all. Hugs all round this time, and boy I needed that hug.
Well, she was concerned over his weight lost, down now to 20.95 means he is a tad under weight, plus the leg problems. The good news, yes there is always good news, is that she has ruled out Rat Poisoning still being in his system. She said if it were he would be dead by now - take heed partner!!!!!!!!!
But his loss of 'mojo' and also, on a rectum examination (the boy was soooooooooooooo good) found there is a soft mass/lump high in the rectal area. She did an immediate xray, bless him he was again such a perfect gentleman and trotted off for his xray with total dignity, no pulling or silly stuff. We weren't, as Kylie sadly said allowed in with him totally understandable, as she said she would have allowed us in but 'rules are rules'.
Nothing has shown on the xray, which apparently are not good for showing up what a soft mass can be, more for your hard obstructions, which she doesn't think it is. So, due to the fact it's a long weekend, she couldn't get an ultra sound at 7.p.m. on a Friday night.
He has to go back on Tuesday at 11.30.a.m. where she will see if the lump has gone, it just may be poo, if it hasn't gone then ultra sound and see what that shows up. If the mass has gone, then we discuss what our next steps are going to be. Probably a blood test, which she didn't do this time as she's more concerned about the mass and a blood test, at this point anyway, wouldn't tell her what that was.
She also feels his leg problems could well be related. His reflexes are perfect, so that rules out, thank goodness, Myolopathy and she was also quick to reassure that she definitely doesn't think the mass is cancer. It may turn out to be he's eaten something soft and it's lodged in the high bowel area, no tea towels have been devoured though, but well, he just may have eaten something inappropriate which I haven't spotted.
Kylie was also very pleased I (not my partner who tried to claim the honor) had put Rakins on a bland diet, said I had done just the right thing.
So, it's a long wait, with strict instructions that if he deteriorates to ring their other two clinics immediately, as they are open longer hours over the week end, if not back on Tuesday.
She surprised me though when she said how I had picked up so quickly that all was not right with Rakins, saying that most people do not pick up on the small, insignificant changes in their dogs and only pick up somethings wrong when whatever the cause is is well advanced. I thought everyone would know their dogs, after all, they're like children. Or is that just me??? I am sure others here are the same anyway.
Please everyone, send thoughts, prays, whatever is your way, for my boy. It's breaking me up seeing my lively energizer bunny dog so quiet and lacking his 'mojo'. Going to have a good cry, sorry I just need one right now, probably nothing seriously wrong I know, but well...... I do know everyone here understands, so good to have D.T.A. Thank you all.
Just to bring everyone up to speed. It all started a couple of weeks ago when my partner took him for a night walk. I had food poisoning and wasn't feel too chipper. Apparently, I wasn't told at the time, Rakins ate 'something' which my partner thought was Rat Poison (how I found out was while searching for a sent email and saw one to his mother where he said Ra Kismet had eaten what he thought was Rat Poison but had vomited it up immediately - no I don't normally read other people's emails but.......). Anyway, I was furious to say the least, as Rakins had been vomiting a lot, which may have been due also to the fact that partner bought some dog food I NEVER normally give the boys. The vomiting and diarhea did stop when I put Rakins on a diet of cooked (I steam it) organic Chicken Mince. However, he wasn't himself, so a trip to the vets was the order of the day. He was also due for his annual injections, which to date he hasn't had, due to his sickness.
On this visit, he'd lost a little weight, his normal weight is 21.7 kilos, perfect 3 but was down to 21.6. Not enough to cause alarm, but his temp was up, just below the danger level of high. Partner did say he ate 'something' - not the truth and I didn't know it at that time - but the vet, not his normal vet who went over to Scotland, said he thought Rakins had a tummy bug, nothing serious. But to watch him, and all being well, back for his injections the following week. Also this vet hasn't met Rakins before, but did accept it when I said he wasn't his normal bright, energetic self, who just LOVED the vets and would normally give them all big doggy kisses and huge tail wags, he thought he was just a very well mannered dog - well he is but........ he's also a very enthusiastic well mannered boy.
All has not, sadly, been well for my boy. His back legs are giving trouble, he's lost his 'mojo' and doesn't want to trick or train. Everyone who knows my boy and has seen his videos knows just how much he LOVES tricking and training, even the boring tricks like 'sit pretty' but the fast ones, boy his tail goes like a whirlwind.
So booked him for a visit tonight. And, there is a God, his 'old' vet Kylie, who had the awful task of assisting Tiger Lily across the Bridge and has only met Rakins a couple of times when he was a wee puppy, is back from her overseas trip!!!!!! Happy Days on that score, as she's the sweetest lady, funny, kind, loving, caring and a seriously good vet. Plus of course, she knows my boy and remembers how he normally greets them all. Hugs all round this time, and boy I needed that hug.
Well, she was concerned over his weight lost, down now to 20.95 means he is a tad under weight, plus the leg problems. The good news, yes there is always good news, is that she has ruled out Rat Poisoning still being in his system. She said if it were he would be dead by now - take heed partner!!!!!!!!!
But his loss of 'mojo' and also, on a rectum examination (the boy was soooooooooooooo good) found there is a soft mass/lump high in the rectal area. She did an immediate xray, bless him he was again such a perfect gentleman and trotted off for his xray with total dignity, no pulling or silly stuff. We weren't, as Kylie sadly said allowed in with him totally understandable, as she said she would have allowed us in but 'rules are rules'.
Nothing has shown on the xray, which apparently are not good for showing up what a soft mass can be, more for your hard obstructions, which she doesn't think it is. So, due to the fact it's a long weekend, she couldn't get an ultra sound at 7.p.m. on a Friday night.
He has to go back on Tuesday at 11.30.a.m. where she will see if the lump has gone, it just may be poo, if it hasn't gone then ultra sound and see what that shows up. If the mass has gone, then we discuss what our next steps are going to be. Probably a blood test, which she didn't do this time as she's more concerned about the mass and a blood test, at this point anyway, wouldn't tell her what that was.
She also feels his leg problems could well be related. His reflexes are perfect, so that rules out, thank goodness, Myolopathy and she was also quick to reassure that she definitely doesn't think the mass is cancer. It may turn out to be he's eaten something soft and it's lodged in the high bowel area, no tea towels have been devoured though, but well, he just may have eaten something inappropriate which I haven't spotted.
Kylie was also very pleased I (not my partner who tried to claim the honor) had put Rakins on a bland diet, said I had done just the right thing.
So, it's a long wait, with strict instructions that if he deteriorates to ring their other two clinics immediately, as they are open longer hours over the week end, if not back on Tuesday.
She surprised me though when she said how I had picked up so quickly that all was not right with Rakins, saying that most people do not pick up on the small, insignificant changes in their dogs and only pick up somethings wrong when whatever the cause is is well advanced. I thought everyone would know their dogs, after all, they're like children. Or is that just me??? I am sure others here are the same anyway.
Please everyone, send thoughts, prays, whatever is your way, for my boy. It's breaking me up seeing my lively energizer bunny dog so quiet and lacking his 'mojo'. Going to have a good cry, sorry I just need one right now, probably nothing seriously wrong I know, but well...... I do know everyone here understands, so good to have D.T.A. Thank you all.
