ArbDogs? Pics!

[David Cropper]

8 hours ago, Big J said:

My 11 year old collie Katie is very sick at the moment. 

 

On Sunday, she was just was fit as normal, racing up and down a steep hill on Exmoor. Monday, she seemed a little tired, and only had breakfast (didn't touch dinner). That's not entirely unusual because she's a fussy eater and in repairing the forwarder on Monday, we didn't do much mileage, which usually dictates her appetite.

 

Monday evening I did notice that she was just a little bit jittery, which concerned me a little. Tuesday morning, her breathing was rather shallow, rapid and raspy. So we took her to the vets in Minehead (where I'm presently working) and they've had her since then.

 

She had a pretty epic fever on arrival (40.8c) which was brought down over 24hrs. She's had a little bit of food, brought it back up again but kept the latest batch down. She's had blood tests and X-rays and the vets are fairly sure it's endocarditis. She has a heart murmur, enlarged heart and apparent bacterial growth in her heart. She doesn't appear to be in any pain though and being a wonderful dog, has been entirely cooperative throughout all the testing and treatment (hasn't even needed sedation for the x-rays). 

 

The prognosis is uncertain at this stage, but isn't brilliant. If they can get the heart infection under control, it's likely she'll have at least some scarring. If they can't, then it's the end of the road. 

 

I've been getting regular updates from the vets (2-3 times a day) and after a long conversation with my wife after a long conversation with the vet (where I just about held it together), I'll admit that I found myself in the strange position of sitting half way up a hill in the forwarder, weeping. You spend 10 years with your dog, each and every day, watch your children grow up with them and even the notion of losing them wrecks you.

I really, really hope that this isn't it for her. She's been doing 50-150 miles a week of running with the machine all year and was until the weekend as fit as a flea. Maybe if she was a little older it would be easier to accept but she's only 11.

She's in the best place she can be now. The veterinary team seem to be really caring and attentive, and I'm hoping tomorrow brings some better news.

So sorry to hear this J. Doesn't matter how old they are, its bloody heartbreaking when something like this happens. I just hope all turns out well.

[roboted]

44 minutes ago, Stubby said:

I have everything crossed for you both here Jonathan .

Same here.

[gary112]

8 hours ago, Big J said:

My 11 year old collie Katie is very sick at the moment. 

 

On Sunday, she was just was fit as normal, racing up and down a steep hill on Exmoor. Monday, she seemed a little tired, and only had breakfast (didn't touch dinner). That's not entirely unusual because she's a fussy eater and in repairing the forwarder on Monday, we didn't do much mileage, which usually dictates her appetite.

 

Monday evening I did notice that she was just a little bit jittery, which concerned me a little. Tuesday morning, her breathing was rather shallow, rapid and raspy. So we took her to the vets in Minehead (where I'm presently working) and they've had her since then.

 

She had a pretty epic fever on arrival (40.8c) which was brought down over 24hrs. She's had a little bit of food, brought it back up again but kept the latest batch down. She's had blood tests and X-rays and the vets are fairly sure it's endocarditis. She has a heart murmur, enlarged heart and apparent bacterial growth in her heart. She doesn't appear to be in any pain though and being a wonderful dog, has been entirely cooperative throughout all the testing and treatment (hasn't even needed sedation for the x-rays). 

 

The prognosis is uncertain at this stage, but isn't brilliant. If they can get the heart infection under control, it's likely she'll have at least some scarring. If they can't, then it's the end of the road. 

 

I've been getting regular updates from the vets (2-3 times a day) and after a long conversation with my wife after a long conversation with the vet (where I just about held it together), I'll admit that I found myself in the strange position of sitting half way up a hill in the forwarder, weeping. You spend 10 years with your dog, each and every day, watch your children grow up with them and even the notion of losing them wrecks you.

I really, really hope that this isn't it for her. She's been doing 50-150 miles a week of running with the machine all year and was until the weekend as fit as a flea. Maybe if she was a little older it would be easier to accept but she's only 11.

She's in the best place she can be now. The veterinary team seem to be really caring and attentive, and I'm hoping tomorrow brings some better news.

Ah J this is crap news,i know how your feeling mate,as you no with Betty a few mths back,as you say she,s in the best place by the sounds of it and lets just pray they can get on top of things and she can get back to work with you soon.As for sitting in your forwarder and weeping,you wouldn,t be human mate if you didn,t,i did plenty times when Betty was struggling,got our fingers crossed here and lets hope you can update with better news very soon

[Andrew McEwan]

Hope she can pull through J

[Big J]

Thanks for all the warm wishes guys. It means a lot. So many of us here have companion dogs that we see more of than our partners, children, friends or indeed anyone else. Nobody goes into dog ownership blind - we nearly always outlive them, but it doesn't make the prospect of that end point any less traumatic.

 

So to update - she's doing a lot better today. Much perkier, and she's somehow managed the convince the (obviously easily manipulated ) nurses that she only eats gravy bones. Her temperature is stable. Her heart murmur persists and her breathing is a bit laboured still, but it's a positive step and we can take her home tomorrow morning. With a bucketful of meds (to quote the vet).

 

I don't think that she's out of the woods, but she'll hopefully recuperate better at home. There will be lasting damage to her heart with the endocarditis and the recovery from that is 4-6 months usually. It'll require her to have a change of pace in life, but hopefully she's on the road to recovery.

 

 

[roboted]

Good news !

Everything  still crossed though. 

 

[gary112]

39 minutes ago, Big J said:

Thanks for all the warm wishes guys. It means a lot. So many of us here have companion dogs that we see more of than our partners, children, friends or indeed anyone else. Nobody goes into dog ownership blind - we nearly always outlive them, but it doesn't make the prospect of that end point any less traumatic.

 

So to update - she's doing a lot better today. Much perkier, and she's somehow managed the convince the (obviously easily manipulated ) nurses that she only eats gravy bones. Her temperature is stable. Her heart murmur persists and her breathing is a bit laboured still, but it's a positive step and we can take her home tomorrow morning. With a bucketful of meds (to quote the vet).

 

I don't think that she's out of the woods, but she'll hopefully recuperate better at home. There will be lasting damage to her heart with the endocarditis and the recovery from that is 4-6 months usually. It'll require her to have a change of pace in life, but hopefully she's on the road to recovery.

 

 

That,s good news J fingers crossed she keeps going in the right direction

[David Cropper]

54 minutes ago, Big J said:

Thanks for all the warm wishes guys. It means a lot. So many of us here have companion dogs that we see more of than our partners, children, friends or indeed anyone else. Nobody goes into dog ownership blind - we nearly always outlive them, but it doesn't make the prospect of that end point any less traumatic.

 

So to update - she's doing a lot better today. Much perkier, and she's somehow managed the convince the (obviously easily manipulated ) nurses that she only eats gravy bones. Her temperature is stable. Her heart murmur persists and her breathing is a bit laboured still, but it's a positive step and we can take her home tomorrow morning. With a bucketful of meds (to quote the vet).

 

I don't think that she's out of the woods, but she'll hopefully recuperate better at home. There will be lasting damage to her heart with the endocarditis and the recovery from that is 4-6 months usually. It'll require her to have a change of pace in life, but hopefully she's on the road to recovery.

 

 

Excellent bit of news! Big relief for you mate.

[Stubby]

2 hours ago, Big J said:

Thanks for all the warm wishes guys. It means a lot. So many of us here have companion dogs that we see more of than our partners, children, friends or indeed anyone else. Nobody goes into dog ownership blind - we nearly always outlive them, but it doesn't make the prospect of that end point any less traumatic.

 

So to update - she's doing a lot better today. Much perkier, and she's somehow managed the convince the (obviously easily manipulated ) nurses that she only eats gravy bones. Her temperature is stable. Her heart murmur persists and her breathing is a bit laboured still, but it's a positive step and we can take her home tomorrow morning. With a bucketful of meds (to quote the vet).

 

I don't think that she's out of the woods, but she'll hopefully recuperate better at home. There will be lasting damage to her heart with the endocarditis and the recovery from that is 4-6 months usually. It'll require her to have a change of pace in life, but hopefully she's on the road to recovery.

 

 

Nice one J  ! 👍

[Doug Tait]

4 hours ago, Big J said:

Thanks for all the warm wishes guys. It means a lot. So many of us here have companion dogs that we see more of than our partners, children, friends or indeed anyone else. Nobody goes into dog ownership blind - we nearly always outlive them, but it doesn't make the prospect of that end point any less traumatic.

 

So to update - she's doing a lot better today. Much perkier, and she's somehow managed the convince the (obviously easily manipulated ) nurses that she only eats gravy bones. Her temperature is stable. Her heart murmur persists and her breathing is a bit laboured still, but it's a positive step and we can take her home tomorrow morning. With a bucketful of meds (to quote the vet).

 

I don't think that she's out of the woods, but she'll hopefully recuperate better at home. There will be lasting damage to her heart with the endocarditis and the recovery from that is 4-6 months usually. It'll require her to have a change of pace in life, but hopefully she's on the road to recovery.

 

 

Been thinking about her today, was dreading signing in but that's very positive news for you 👍