Wednesday, October 28, 2009

there's blood on my nose

This has been a terrible month for me. I have been dealing with very sick dogs.
Three weeks ago I had to put my darling Gunnar down during exploratory surgery. In early summer he was diagnosed with cancer in the sinus area and was given a very short time to live. Sure enough, he worsened to the point where he had trouble breathing and was continuously oozing "stuff" from a hole in his forehead. Many times he would bump his nose and have terrible nosebleeds.

Two weeks ago, Daisy had a bleeding skin growth on her belly surgically removed. The vet said it was noncancerous. hooray! She has other skin 'tags' that the vet said not to worry about. Here she is on her way to the vet's office. Not very happy, is she?
After the surgery, to keep her from chewing on the stitches, the vet suggested using an Elizabethan collar or a tee shirt. I know how much she hates wearing the huge plastic 'milk jug' collar, she bangs into everything and cries all the time she's wearing one so I opted for the tee shirt. Doesn't she look stylish?

She wore this shirt for ten days and then I took her back to the vet to get her stitches removed. She seemed to like wearing the shirt and the stitches healed nicely. Everything looked great.

Then, this Sunday she developed a continuously bleeding nose. It was just a little trickle but she'd sneeze blood spatters over everything. Yuck!! Come Monday morning, back she went to the vet's office. The vet said that she either has a severe allergic reaction or she has been exposed to something lethal like rat poison! I can't think of anything that she has come into contact with so I'm hoping it's allergies. She has been losing her hair in places too but I thought it might be from wearing the shirt. The vet gave her several shots and I have to give her pills for the next week or so. Hopefully, this will clear it all up.

I am at a loss! Why is this happening to us now? My dogs have always been very healthy, besides the occasional infection. Just as a random thought, is it possible that Daisy is getting sick like Gunnar was? I have always given my big dogs water in the plastic buckets that cat litter comes in. Is there any possibility that this could have leached poisons into their water?? Please send prayers for Daisy. I am so worried about her.


There's blood on my nose - song: Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed, artist: David Bowie, album: Hunky Dory

13 comments:

Mrs. Mom said...

Prayers for you and sweet Daisy Val. Sure hope she is OK PDQ for both your sakes there!!

Sherry Sikstrom said...

Keeping you and your lovely dog in my prayers .

cdncowgirl said...

Poor Daisy! Is it possible that she's stressed because of Gunnar "leaving"?

I have no idea about the possibility that the plastic buckets leached toxins, but its worth looking into.

Unknown said...

My vet actually advised against using clay kitty litter around my dogs. He said the dust can be dangerous to cats and dogs respiratory tracts. I am not sure if that has something to do with it but I have always fed my pets out of stainless steel dishes because they are the easiest to clean and nearly indestructible.

lytha said...

VF,
praying tonight, for your dear girl.

i hope there are no poisons in cat litter, cuz cats paws could also absorb them.

i used cat litter buckets to make beet pulp in for years, cuz they always have these convenient snap-close lids. i always felt so safe.

take care,

~lytha

Dan and Betty said...

Val, I'm so sorry about your dog. I'll say a little prayer for her and for you.

Dan

Gail said...

It is nothing you have done!!! It just happens, sometimes it seems, all at once.

They are so lucky to have you. You have done every thing you can and loved them...do not blame yourself.

You are in my prayers.

jane augenstein said...

Oh, Val, so sorry you dog is having problems after what you have already gone though this is terrible! I hope it is only allergies and nothing more serious. I have no idea about what might be in the cat little containers?
Hope everything turns out OK for you and Daisy.
hugs...
Jane

Dusty Devoe said...

I'm so sorry you lost one of your babies. I willl keep Daisy in my thoughts and prayers.

BrownEyed Cowgirl said...

I have no idea about what is going on, but I hope Daisy gets better quickly.

Paint Girl said...

I am so sorry to hear about you losing your beloved Gunnar!! It is so difficult.
I don't know if the cat litter bucket can cause any issues, I would think if it was cleaned out really good it would be okay. I always use stainless steel bowls for food and water, and I also use a 5 gallon bucket for outside, that was purchased brand new. I always worry about using something that had another product in it.
I hope Daisy will be okay!! I will keep you and Daisy in my thoughts and prayers!!

Nuzzling Muzzles said...

Oh, I'm so sorry. I'm hoping it's something simple like perhaps she developed an allergy to the detergent that her T-shirt was washed in and she got a delayed reaction. I do like the T-shirt idea instead of the spaceman collar, though it probably works better with the little dogs. I love that worried face shot. I'll keep you and Daisy in my thoughts.

Fantastyk Voyager said...

Thank you all for your kind thoughts.

I am giving Daisy her pills every morning and night and will check back with the vet in a couple of days to see what he thinks. She hasn't had any more nose bleeds and she seems okay but I still worry about her. She has begun wheezing when she's outside in the cold air. Maybe, it's the chill air, but she never did it before. I can only hope it's all part of an allergic reaction.