Hector at the vets!

Red-1

Red-1

I used to be decisive, now I'm not so sure...
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Had a tottering morning.

For anyone who remembers Hekkie, who we found on the street in 2014... He was insanely thin, had pancreatitis and almost died and since then has been the absolute apple of our eye.

He does get frequent ear irritations, which we get wash and drops for, and usually they are here and gone in a day or two.

Not this time. He was soo poorley last night, he just zoned out. I was at the vets 8.30 this morning, they have been fab with a rather emotional mother!

Such good service, because of his history he has had blood tests, urine tests, temp - all normal.

He was still so depressed and not eaten since yesterday lunchtime, but his ears were clear (although they have been troublesome for a few days) other than for slight redness right in the canal. He was, however, dehydrated.

He was also obviously in a lot of pain. The vet thinks it is an inner ear infection.

So, they have injected antibiotics and pain killers (with tablets to start tomorrow to follow up), given us electrolytes to syringe in every hour (if it were a week day he wold have been in on a drip for the day). He goes back on Monday for a check up to see where we are at.

Such a pathetic little scrap of a dog, with a big heart. I can't say how worried we are. His past history means he is insanely vulnerable.

He is laid here looking very sad for himself. Like he is concentrating on the pain.
 
Thank you both. It does not help that we don't know if he is 8 years old or 11 years old, and that he had been in such poor shape previously.

He is a funny little dog, and has well and truly wormed his way into our hearts. So vulnerable, so small.
 
Poor sweetie. I feel your pain. Zak used to have his head on the floor with ear infections. (Worked out it was the grain free treats the neighbour gave him). I’m a big fan of Thornit, it seems to work miracles.

Hope your little lad is better soon.
 
Thank you all. I can't tell you how stressful a poorly Hekkie is. I knew people here would understand.

We have managed to syringe some water/electrolytes in. He is head down and miserable still.

At least he has had the vet tell us that it is not the pancreatitis again. I think that would finish him off this time.

As an aside what wonderful value our dog vet is.

I turned up just 2 minutes after OH got them on the phone at opening time, they were still locked up when I knock on the door, Hector in my arms.

Straight into the exam room, instant blood and urine tests, proper discussion about treatment. Out again 40 minutes later with injections done for antibiotics and anti inflammatories, a bag with 3 sachets of electrolyte, bag with antibiotic follow up tablets, box of follow up pain killer, follow up appointment made for Monday morning, all for under £200 and at the drop of a hat.

I wish people could be treated so well, fast and economically.
 
Thank you again. We have both decided to Hekkie sit today and do nothing else. He has managed a few dog biscuits (the only thing he is allowed is Pancreatitis friendly biscuits) as long as we fed them by hand. He is taking the syringes of water/electrolyte well too.

He is now dozing and breathing deeply, that is a first; last night and since he was breathing so shallowly we could not actually see him breathe.

Dogs. What a worry when they are ill!
 
Poor old Hekkie and poor you!

I bet he would prefer to be at home having his meds than in the vet's on a drip all day. Ear infections are horribly painful, they do make you feel lousy. Fingers crossed here that he makes a good recovery.
 
Thank you. He was brighter once the antibiotics and pain killer kicked in.

We have been given 500ml of solution to try to get down him by oral syringe every 24 hours (3 packets of 500ml), which seems an awful lot for a small dog. I am also surprised as I could see it would be easy to overwhelm him and end up with some liquid in his lungs, which would be awful. However, we have got some in (not all of it!) and he has also drunk some, and it must be working as he had me up at 3.30 to have a pee, a syringe of liquid, some hand fed biscuits and some ear drops.

Next challenge at 9.30 is to get 2 huge tablets of penicillin, a syringe of pain killer and food, as he must have food with the medication.

I know he is feeling better as a few years ago I cut my eyebrow, and it was quite bad, and Heck was most upset that I was injured. Every time he greets me he checks my eyebrows to make sure they are OK. This morning he greeted me as usual, left eyebrow, OK. Right eyebrow is scarred so usually gets a lick better. Bless the little dog, taking care of his mum.
 
I hope he feels better soon - I find it very worrying however this below statement - surely if he needs a drip the vets should be providing this regardless of day of the week? I'd be horrified if it were one of mine..

'if it were a week day he wold have been in on a drip for the day'
 
SusieT said:
I hope he feels better soon - I find it very worrying however this below statement - surely if he needs a drip the vets should be providing this regardless of day of the week? I'd be horrified if it were one of mine..

'if it were a week day he wold have been in on a drip for the day'
Click to expand...

Ha Ha, if only animals were so black and white in their needs! Of course, if Heck had absolutely needed a drip he would have had one. However, the vets is only open on a morning on Saturday, the vet works a 5 1/2 day week. Emergency provision is made with another larger practice, and Heck *could* have gone there... another 1/2 hour journey.

When Hekkie was extremely ill with pancreatitis he very nearly died. He was in the vets all day every day on a drip. But, against normal practice he was also at home at night. He was a street dog, and is very nervous in new places, indoors, trapped.. To be fair we have had him almost 4 years and it is only this year he is confident around cutlery!

Unlike with a car they have to balance mind and body, and at that bad time he was better actually sleeping at home at night, then re-hydrated in the day etc.

I think they made the correct decision. As this time it appears to be his ears, not as serious as pancreatitis, there were two possibilities. Either drip at the vets, another vets, or home and syringe in the mouth.

Anyway, it appears that Heck's vet knows best, he brightened up considerably after his second dose of antibiotics and pain killer, and yesterday afternoon initiated PLAY!!!! WOW!!!!

It makes you realise just how unresponsive he was, when he is more his normal self.

Back to the vet with OH this morning for an exam, but I do hope that it will just be that he must finish the course of antibiotics.

I have nothing but admiration for the vets, as I said I turned up at the drop of a hat on Saturday 8.30, within an hour they had examined, taken blood, urine, tested them, had a proper discussion of our options, treated, advised, sent us on our way with medication and instructions.
 
Red-1 said:
I know he is feeling better as a few years ago I cut my eyebrow, and it was quite bad, and Heck was most upset that I was injured. Every time he greets me he checks my eyebrows to make sure they are OK. This morning he greeted me as usual, left eyebrow, OK. Right eyebrow is scarred so usually gets a lick better. Bless the little dog, taking care of his mum.
Click to expand...

Oh, my heart! How gorgeous! What did we do to deserve dogs?

Glad Hector is feeling better.
 
Bless him, checking your eyebrows, how sweet!

I hope he’s better soon, little lamb. They’re such a worry, aren’t they?
 
cinnamontoast said:
Bless him, checking your eyebrows, how sweet!

I hope he’s better soon, little lamb. They’re such a worry, aren’t they?
Click to expand...

They are!

OH had him back at the vet today. He only has to keep on the pain killer, everything else was satisfactory. I was surprised that he does not have to finish the course of antibiotics, but then I am not a vet and it was a bit stressful to ram tablets down his throat.

I am somewhat taken aback that he could be quite so ill on Friday night/Saturday morning, and bounce back so well.

OH reports that he was embarrassed at the vet staff with him. The dog is a scruffy piece of nothing, but they love him. They remembered him form his nursing in 2015, and all came out for a cuddle. He checked eyebrows, kissed noses, held his paws out to be passed from one to another.

One of the staff, in 2015, was so enamoured with him I said something about having his £1300 bill as well, and she immediately told me she would pay the bill if she could have Heck! I am not sure why he has such a fan club, he is still not reliable in house training (stress colitis) so OH and I usually go out separately. Not always I hasten to add, but more than we used to that is for sure. Heck likes one of us to stay, if one of us looks like we are going out he goes and sits on the other!
 
He dipped a bit this morning when his pain killer was due, but bounced back and has had a very happy day barking at the postman, snugging in bed and playing with his raggy.

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