Walking the paranoia line


We have earned the right to be paranoid. Really, we have. In one year’s time we have lost dogs to osteosarcoma, old age, DIC, pneumonia and old age. We’ve had two soft tissue sarcomas, cluster seizures, pannus and now cardiac disease run through the household, and yes that too has been in the last year.

I lovingly joke that our vet clinic is actually our vacation home.

So, I watch the dogs like a hawk. Are their eyes clear, are they breathing funny, what’s that lump, why didn’t you eat? I question everything and then I wonder if we can still play by the 24 hour rule… wait and see if it goes away.

Friday night, Minnie was just off. There was not one thing I could pin point, she just wasn’t her usual self. Panic stricken, I worried all night long and what was I going to say to the vet when I saw her?

“Minnie is just off. She’s eating normally, she’s doing what she always does, but she is just off. Fix her doctor.”

When I got up Saturday morning,  suddenly remembered back when the pannus was diagnosed that they discovered a bladder infection with her urine tests. It occurred to me that perhaps if could have reoccurred. So there I was, first thing following her around with a ziplock baggie to collect a specimen and run it in for testing before I took her over without anything concrete.

Sure enough, there were little bacteria buddies swimming in her urine.

So, I guess the moral of the story is that I just need to trust my instincts. After 12 hours on antibiotics, Minnie is back to her old self.

5 Replies to “Walking the paranoia line”

  1. Sometimes, being a little off is all that is obvious. And it is great if you have a vet who trusts that you know your dog enough to tell when something is off and spend some time searching for the reason behind it! Glad it was just a bladder infection, and I hope it clears up quickly. Koira just got over one of those last month, but it took two rounds of different antibiotics to kick it. I learned that even if the dog is acting fine, when you finish the antibiotics, get the urine retested to make absolutely sure the infection is totally gone, rather than just a bit better.

  2. I understand totally how you are paranoid. I lost my girl very suddenly, so now with my second Grey the slightest thing makes me worry.

    I hope Minnie is soon 100%.

    Hope you have a good week.

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