Saturday, November 19, 2011






my sweet edgar has been ill. i came home from my evening with naomi last night to find edgar unwell. diarrhea that he couldn't control and couldn't get himself up and outside before there was a mess. this happened every half hour or so until 5 a.m.
although the mess was horrible, the worst part of the sleepless, stressful night was the worry about bloat. great danes often die from stomach torsion, a condition where gas and bloat cause the stomach to twist, cut off blood supply and create a gangrenous mess in their gut. all night i was checking his stomach, his color, his discomfort level. diarrhea isn't usually associated with bloat, but i'd never seen anything like this. and i didn't want him to sense my worry and stress. he didn't sleep. i didn't sleep. i called the emergency vet at 1.30 but since the hardness in his belly would come and go, i felt better waiting until my wonderful vets opened at 8 a.m. and although we showed up at 8 a.m. without an appointment, they were wonderful, bringing us right in, getting a bag of iv fluid into him, giving him an anti-gas treatment, and we were assured that he had a virus of some sort. so we are home. he is finally sleeping. heavily asleep. and i'm lying on the couch while we wash loads of laundry full of his soiled quilts and bedcovers. it sure is a sleepy house today. and relieved. happily sleepy and relieved.

10 comments:

  1. indeed, he does look poorly. Hope he is getting better

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  2. Hello Anette,

    I am so glad that Edgar is home and on the mend. Its awful, when our animals get sick. I have 4 dogs..when one is ill , i am beside myself.
    They give us such joy.
    Edgar is a beautiful dog.. he has kind eyes.
    Wish you and edgar a restful happy weekend. I am sure he will be up and bouncing in no time.

    kind regards
    val

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  3. Poor baby. I'm so sorry--for both of you.

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  4. poor edgar! and poor you! i am sorry you had to go through this twice with your lovely animals. i hope now they will bothbe healthy
    . sleep Annette. everything looks better when you are rested : )
    love from me

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  5. So sorry to hear Edgar isn't feeling well, but happy it's just a virus.

    The photos remind me of my Sasha. She didn't like the cold, and as soon as we lit the fire, I had to move her dog bed so she could lay in front of the hearth. It's been a year and a half since she's been gone. I still get overwhelmed at times with feelings of missing her.

    I hope he feels better soon, and you all get some rest.

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  6. amanda....i think a dog curled on the hearth makes the fire even cozier. i'm sorry you no longer have your sasha. it is such a vacancy in your life when you lose a dog.

    and thank you demie and jen and val and ff for your kind words. i think he's starting to feel better.

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  7. give him a hug from me. I hope he feels better soon. xx

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  8. i will, petra....
    he's feeling better....he just ate his first little bit of food since friday. he seems happy again!

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  9. oh i'm so glad Edgar is feeling better, it is so very sad and upsetting to see an animal suffering, take care of both of you, xx

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  10. I hope Edger is feeling better now. There is nothing worse than having your dog ill. I never could sleep when my dog was ill. It's as bad as having a very sick child!!

    Kris

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