For the last few days, Sally has been acting out of sorts. Tuesday night, she didn't eat dinner. By Wednesday, she was shivering almost all the time (normally in the winter, she shivers frequently but not incessantly). She ate breakfast but, again, no dinner. MW and I both noticed that she was very clingy if you picked her up, atypical behavior, as she usually gets a bit squirmy after one kiss. Sometimes she'd stare blankly into space. I then began to think I hadn't heard her take even a sip of water in quite a while; though she was still peeing when we went out. Every once in a while, she'd let out a whimper when putting her down, like something on her body was tender. She seemed less active and bratty than usual.
So I took her to the vet today. At 4-1/2 years of age, it was the first time to the vet due to illness, so she's a pretty healthy pup overall. She hadn't lost any weight. The vet couldn't find any joint sensitivity. Her temp was normal. She wasn't dehydrated. Of course, when I put her on the vet's table, she stopped shivering. So, the vet drew some blood to test her for Lyme disease and all manner of other vile options, such as liver and kidney ailments. She sent me home with a deworming pill, which I gave to Sally earlier this afternoon. Tomorrow, we hear blood test results.
Heartened to know she's not dehydrated, which was my biggest concern, I have been able to look at the situation with a little less alarm. I am looking at the blood tests primarily as a means to assure ourselves that nothing serious is going on. I now suspect she strained something jumping and her shivering, clinginess and blank staring are due to that. If this is the case, then she'll probably be this way for a bit while she heals then slowly return to the happy go lucky, trouble-making Sally we all love.
Right now, Sally is snugged up against me on the couch, with Ruby on the other side of her. I've got her covered with a throw. She's asleep and the shivering is currently at bay. Skip wants me to get up and serve dinner, but I hate to leave Sally, because I know she'll follow me into the kitchen, plop on the dog bed out there and instantly begin to shiver again. I love the love and loyalty of dogs, following their humans around, but sometimes I wish she'd just stay in one spot and heal!
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7 comments:
The zoomdoggies hope that Sally is back to her old self soon. Which reminds me, old Burger Butt needs to get his latest set of stitches out.
Positive thoughts that Sally is just out of sorts. Catfish does that sometimes shakes acts all forlorn it usually when looking back comes at a time when something has upset his world.
The world according to Catfish of course.
Waiting to hear test results sent Catfish and Annie's love to Sally
Jan
Sally is better today than yesterday, though not 100%. Heard from the vet, all the test have come back normal; only Lyme disease test hasn't come back.
Keeping my fingers crossed that it is just the stress of changes in the daily routines, and nothing worse. Dogs tend to reflect the stress levels of the pack leader. [Did I really watch the entire Dog Whisperer marathon?]
Good that Sally is doing better.
Steve - Skip really got into the Dog Whisperer while she was in rehab. I confess that I saw some episodes when visiting. The guy seemed to really understand what makes dogs tick and was able to help the humans understand how to work with them on their behavior problems.
Jan - thanks for checking back.
Hi Cranky,
Hope you and Skip have a good day today.
Keep warm and cheerful.
Love,
herrad
ps
Hope Sally is better.
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