As a pet owner, no one ever wants to think about having to take your pet to an animal hospital for any kind of emergency. It's nerve wracking and unbelievably stressful.
Earlier this year, we lost our beloved senior husky, Koda. Although I was thankful for everything our veterinary did for us, it scarred me. So when Echo got sick, I panicked. I knew something was wrong, but my mommy brain was in full blown panic mode and I took him to the ER. He had been having some serious diarrhea and I know that puppies usually have soft stool in general, but this was bad. It had been a few days too and when I one day decided to look at his stool, I noticed little white specks. Of course, my mommy brain once again kicked in and I immediately Googled it. Prepare to be seriously grossed out if you choose to Google something that has to do with your pups poop.
The end decision was to take Echo to the animal hospital (his actual vet too) and when I parked in the same spot that I parked in the day we took Koda to the ER before losing him... I broke. It sounds pathetic, but I wasn't in my right mind. I was already emotional from panicking about Echo, but to also bring back those heartbreaking memories just heightened my stress. Thankfully my mom and best friend calmed me down and reminded me that this was no where near the same situation and it was ok to feel heartbroken, but I needed to focus on Echo and his wellbeing.
The first thing they wanted to do was test Echo for Parvo because of the diarrhea and thankfully it had come back negative. He had also come back negative for any type of parasite and by the time the vet told me this, I had started feeling silly. And then the moment came when he returned with his X-ray and asked if Echo had swallowed any bones. Uh, what? No... why would he swallow a bone?! First, we dont' ever give him bones, so that would be weird. I asked if it was rocks because unfortunately Echo is a rock eater, but he said no. Then I remembered that for the first time we were trying a bully stick to ease his teething. When he got down to the last couple of inches... he apparently had swallowed the dang thing WHOLE. So it was blocking his colon and causing the diarrhea 😲
The vet didn't want to give him an anti-diarrhea because he wanted Echo to naturally pass the chunk of bully stick. Needless to say... it was a rough few days while that happened and in the end, I probably didn't need to take him to the ER. (thank god for pet insurance) The scarring from losing Koda and my mommy panicked Googling brain drove me to spend a little more money than we actually wanted to.
So I tell you this... if you think your pup is sick... step back, take a deep breath, Google if you need to, but CALL YOUR VET. Tell them the whole story, every detail you can think of, they will be honest (hopefully) and tell you whether or not you should wait it out or bring them in immediately. Trust the professionals, people!
Until next time!
Jana
(follow us on Instagram for daily pictures! @hearts_4paws)
*All posts by this blog are my personal opinions and experiences. Please consult with a Veterinary or Trainer when it comes to professional advice.
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