Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Good Thoughts are Needed

I've been up since 3:45 this morning. What woke me I couldn't tell you. All I know is I sat straight up in bed, wide awake and saw my husband getting dressed and little boy Scrat was on the bed (a BIG no-no in our house) waiting for him.

Turns out Scrat woke Hubby up crying. Scrat's been throwing up lately among other things, but then he just keeps on going. I switched his food and we kept an eye on him.

We thought it might be a reaction to the shots he got last week (Lepto, Rabies and Distemper), but his energy level was fine. He horked dinner again last night and we decided to call our vet this morning to see if she wanted to see him.

Then this morning, as stated, he woke Ken up crying around 3 am. Ken took him out to the office to see if he would settle, but he just kept wandering around the office and crying at random intervals then horked again.
So Ken brought him back in to get dressed and take him to the emergency vet that is just around the corner.

I, of course, went with. On the way over, he was in Ken's lap and started crying again. :-( They took him back and couldn't find anything through touch. Gave the vet the history. She gave us some options. We know he will eat anything he can get in his mouth, so she recommended an XRay.

Sure enough, the little bugger has a good sized rock in his small intestine. We don't know if it is stuck, or if it might pass on its own. It is maybe about the size of a robin's egg (not huge, but not small). They have him on fluids and pain meds right now to rehydrate him and to see if it moves any.

We suspect they will probably decide to operate after we talk to them again at 10.

Think good thoughts please. We love the little bugger and would like him back in one piece.

FYI - www.carecredit.com is a lifeline given what we are going to have to drop to pay for this. Approved quickly for more than I asked for, so one less thing to worry about.

::EDIT::

He's OKAY! No surgery. I called at 10 and they said they would do the next X-Ray at noon and then call me.

Pins and needles let me tell you. It had moved but they were not really sure where it still was in the intestinal tract, small intestine or colon. At this point we start to worry about abrasion and possible puncture and subsequent infection, but his blood work as fine.

We made the decision to take the doc's recommendation and inflate the little bugger (poor guy) and take another XRay (he's gonna glow in the dark tonight) to see if they thought it could move further before deciding to cut him open. That was all happening at 12:30 and I went to lunch.

2:30 still no call. Start hounding hubby to call them. He's of the no news is good news. Not she who is hyped on an AMP drink to stay awake (evil stuff stay away from it). So he caved and called them for me.

The rock came out on its own! He is MUCH happier. Hopefully Ken will get to go get him soon. They may monitor him for infection for a little while longer.

I got the little bugger a muzzle at lunch time, so we don't have to go through this again. He's outside unsupervised, he's in the muzzle. Period. First chicken bones (don't ask - they know us well at this place), now this.

And I'm keeping that rock. It cost me about $1000. It's mine.

8 comments:

(formerly) no-blog-rachel said...

Sending healing thoughts and love Scrat's way!

Michelle said...

Poot Scrat! Callie had a bladder stone a few years ago. The morning she was scheduled for surgery the vet did another x-ray and found that she had managed to pass it on her own so no surgery was needed. I still can't believe how lucky we got. I hope this all goes well for him. The Beasts and I will be thinking of you all!

Cookie said...

Oh no! Poor Scrat. I hope you've gotten some good news by now.

Sending cat hair covered love and healing thoughts.

Alison said...

I feel for him, and for the sleep deprivation for you guys. Glad it's out of there.

--AlisonH at spindyeknit.com

Susan aka Chicken Mama said...

Poor Scrat! I am so happy to hear he is better!!!

When our dog swallowed his first large object, a rock, and it was lodged, we visited the very same emergency and he had surgery. That was $1,600 eight years ago. The walnut came out on its own.

(formerly) no-blog-rachel said...

Just read the update - phew! I'm so glad to hear he's ok. The little bugger owes you a grand-worth of good behavior!

DK said...

Oh! Scrat! Baby! Awww.....

Dude, you need to wire his jaw shut (no, not really. I'm just sayin'). Maggie can get out of her muzzle like Houdini with a pair of party-store handcuffs.

Wait...June 10...that was the same day Maggie broke her foot. I think they really were seperated at birth...Spooky.

Tiny Tyrant said...

Kate, if not then he and Maxine were, they look alike.