Dex update
Jan. 15th, 2009 04:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tacit\o/
In brief: he's still asymptomatic, and it's looking pretty good that he'll be ok.
The longer version:
The vet called at 9 this morning to update me - Dex was still asymptomatic, so I asked about walking him and the (very nice) vet said that was fine, come any time. It was a huge relief - partly because I wanted to see him and see how he was for myself. Partly because my secondary worry - after the kidney failure/liver failure/DEATH - was that he'd despise being shut up for 2 days, and maybe even have a personality shift. He's the most trusting, friendly, enthusiastic little guy I've ever known, but he does get stressed when he's shut up and when people aren't in earshot. So, I went over straight away, and took him out for an hour. He was pretty crazed - moreso than is normal for him at that time of day. His attention span was about 2 seconds, he pulled on the lead as we walked (which is something I've pretty much trained out of him), and he didn't want affection, he just wanted to run. I was happy to oblige him, and I think we both felt much better after an hour. I stuck around to wait while he came down from his walk-high, and to talk with the nurse.
Something that's been really wonderful about my local vets is how much they like their patients. As a Brit, my only medical experience before I had animals was the NHS, where they are too busy for human emotions such as affection, or even for vague grunts of interest. The vets? Love the animals. Dex isn't at my local vets anymore - the doggy hospital is about 45 minutes from my house - but they love their patients there, too. And Dex loves everyone, so that works. I was ok with handing him back to them, whereas yesterday giving up the lead felt shit.
I zoomed back to Nottingham in time to pick up the geriatrics and take them to Derby for our pre-arranged lunch with Claire. Then, I zoomed back to Nottingham to take them home, and then zoomed back to the doggy hospital for another walk with Dex before sunset. And this time he was his usual self - he walked nicely, he sought me out for petting, he came to me instantly every time I called. He ran round in circles, but in a less crazed way than this morning. And ok, he's crapping charcoal, and ok, he wants to chew where the catheter is in his leg, but really, he was great. \o/
He's getting his blood tests in the morning, and I'll take him out for another walk, and then hopefully I should be able to bring him home tomorrow afternoon. ThankyouGod luck!
Oh, and then I had to take the cat to get her stitches out, which was my 11th trip to the vets in 10 days. It's a good job I love my vets. I want to be friends with one of the nurses there. As she sorted out the cat, she was giving me the detailed low-down on Dex's puke from yesterday morning, and how it was the most impressive puke she's ever seen. She claims she's never seen that many raisins in her life. And.. well, half a kilo of dried raisins is a lot. Once they've swollen with digestive juices? Apparently it's legendary.
So it's been educational, anyway. I have to keep reminding myself that it takes up to 72 hours for kidney damage to show and it's only been, like, 30 so far, but I'm feeling pretty confident that he'll be ok. ♥
---
Also, Heanor - the town where the veterinary hospital is located - has the cutest street signs. Like 'Cullen Street. Home to the Cullen family from 1712 to 1944'. Cooper-May Street, home to the Coopers from 1642 to 1857 and the Mays from 1702 to 1904'. It was so evokative of the place's history, which is something I tend to take for granted. I love that they did their research and honoured it. Usually I get the feeling the council goes 'Oh, I can't be arsed to get creative. Let's have another Station Road and go for lunch'. So, top points for Heanor!
In brief: he's still asymptomatic, and it's looking pretty good that he'll be ok.
The longer version:
The vet called at 9 this morning to update me - Dex was still asymptomatic, so I asked about walking him and the (very nice) vet said that was fine, come any time. It was a huge relief - partly because I wanted to see him and see how he was for myself. Partly because my secondary worry - after the kidney failure/liver failure/DEATH - was that he'd despise being shut up for 2 days, and maybe even have a personality shift. He's the most trusting, friendly, enthusiastic little guy I've ever known, but he does get stressed when he's shut up and when people aren't in earshot. So, I went over straight away, and took him out for an hour. He was pretty crazed - moreso than is normal for him at that time of day. His attention span was about 2 seconds, he pulled on the lead as we walked (which is something I've pretty much trained out of him), and he didn't want affection, he just wanted to run. I was happy to oblige him, and I think we both felt much better after an hour. I stuck around to wait while he came down from his walk-high, and to talk with the nurse.
Something that's been really wonderful about my local vets is how much they like their patients. As a Brit, my only medical experience before I had animals was the NHS, where they are too busy for human emotions such as affection, or even for vague grunts of interest. The vets? Love the animals. Dex isn't at my local vets anymore - the doggy hospital is about 45 minutes from my house - but they love their patients there, too. And Dex loves everyone, so that works. I was ok with handing him back to them, whereas yesterday giving up the lead felt shit.
I zoomed back to Nottingham in time to pick up the geriatrics and take them to Derby for our pre-arranged lunch with Claire. Then, I zoomed back to Nottingham to take them home, and then zoomed back to the doggy hospital for another walk with Dex before sunset. And this time he was his usual self - he walked nicely, he sought me out for petting, he came to me instantly every time I called. He ran round in circles, but in a less crazed way than this morning. And ok, he's crapping charcoal, and ok, he wants to chew where the catheter is in his leg, but really, he was great. \o/
He's getting his blood tests in the morning, and I'll take him out for another walk, and then hopefully I should be able to bring him home tomorrow afternoon. Thankyou
Oh, and then I had to take the cat to get her stitches out, which was my 11th trip to the vets in 10 days. It's a good job I love my vets. I want to be friends with one of the nurses there. As she sorted out the cat, she was giving me the detailed low-down on Dex's puke from yesterday morning, and how it was the most impressive puke she's ever seen. She claims she's never seen that many raisins in her life. And.. well, half a kilo of dried raisins is a lot. Once they've swollen with digestive juices? Apparently it's legendary.
So it's been educational, anyway. I have to keep reminding myself that it takes up to 72 hours for kidney damage to show and it's only been, like, 30 so far, but I'm feeling pretty confident that he'll be ok. ♥
---
Also, Heanor - the town where the veterinary hospital is located - has the cutest street signs. Like 'Cullen Street. Home to the Cullen family from 1712 to 1944'. Cooper-May Street, home to the Coopers from 1642 to 1857 and the Mays from 1702 to 1904'. It was so evokative of the place's history, which is something I tend to take for granted. I love that they did their research and honoured it. Usually I get the feeling the council goes 'Oh, I can't be arsed to get creative. Let's have another Station Road and go for lunch'. So, top points for Heanor!