Whydiss

Why do animals get sick when it is a public holiday?

Jessy our new puppy started vomiting this morning and my gut felt bad about her feeling unwell and imagined the worst. How can our poochy be sick, she is full of energy even when vomiting? My head said, stay calm she has eaten a lot of left overs.

My brain rallied against my gut instinct. It was only something she ate. I got the kids to check her for ticks. They said she had none. My gut was wrong, she will be fine.

After cleaning up from breakfast, coupled with cleaning up from the previous day, I kept an eye on the pooch and she kept running around the back yard, playing with the kids and occasionally vomiting. My head and gut were talking to each other but none was winning the argument.

By lunch time my gut had won the arguement and I took our puppy to the closest animal hospital. My heart wants total professional care and only the best for the pup. Except my bank account will be completely empty if I do that and my head starts calculating how much professional care I can pay for and how much can I administer at home – at no cost.

The Vet and I dance the dance of professional care verses my home nursing skills. The vets are happy I care enough to seek assistance and will part with hundreds and possible more $$$$ and they are prepared to work with my limited funds and dedication to acting as full time vet nurse for the next 5-9 days.

Did I wait too long before seeking help? When I hear that the worst place for a dog to get bitten by a paralysis tick is the throat, I feel sad because that is where I found the tick on Jessy. The kids and I had missed the tiny black speck in Jessy’s dense fur.

There is a scale for sick dogs from tick bites and Jessy was a 3C. When 1A is good and 5D is very bad with little chance of recovery. Then Jessy has 75% chance of surviving, if she doesn’t get a secondary lung infection then it is only 50% survival rate.

Looks we will be holidaying at home and living lean. Jessy is totally worth it 🙂