Working on a new post now - should be up later as long as Eli actually takes a nap. Both boys are sick with a cold and Eli is not sleeping well at all, and it's impossible to get anything done while he's awake.

3 comments:

Totally understand what you mean about not being able to get anything done when your little guy is awake. I have kids (varying age ranges), and getting anything accomplished with them underfoot that requires actual mental concentration and creativity is a herculean effort. Add a sick rugrat to the mix, and, well...seems impossible, doesn't it? You'll get a post up (and any other "pressing" tasks done)when you have the energy and time. Don't sweat it.

*Totally off-topic question: Does anyone know how common it may or may not be to have an older dog (going on 13 years) experience a stroke? My little guy went from "normal" to drugged-acting over the course of an afternoon. He started randomly walking up to walls, stopping and staring in an unfocused way at the wall, became unresponsive (didn't seem to acknowledge us at all), "dragged" his hind-end (kind of looked like dead-weight) around somewhat, shook, his eye was bulging and very red...lets see: what else? He ate very little (even his favorite canned food that he normally wolfs down in practically one bite), "listed" or leaned to one side, seemed to be off-balence...just all-around spacey and drooping, also. Of course, we took him to our vet (he'd just been in the week before for shots-boosters and to have a patch of fur that'd fallen out on his ribs looked at)...he was fine at that appt. They thought he looked great for a dog his age. We had his teeth worked on extensively (had to have some pulled) this past September...but he's been good since. Sleeping more lately, but we attributed that to him losing his sister of the same age this past July (she had a tumor). I automatically thought all his symptoms (came out of nowhere) resembled a stroke, and I brought that up to the vet on Wednesday. He was very definitive about it NOT being a stroke, but didn't really offer any reasons why not. (Background: I don't like this guy. This appt. was the 2nd time we'd gotten stuck with him, and neither time was positive; he's arrogant, too eager to appear over-the-top knowledgeable, condescending, and unpleasant when I ask how much something is going to cost. I had the front-desk women note in our file not to give him to us again). Anyway, the lady vet who called me back yesterday am with test results told me the direct opposite: he very well COULD have had a stroke. Naturally, they don't really know anything definitive.

Opinions? (I know Laura is a dog-lover, and there are other animal-people on here as well). He's WAY better now...almost back to his "normal" self...only a couple of days after being so sick-acting. Such extreme changes really make me think it was a stroke - but I don't know.

Sorry for the length.

 

Can you ask for a certain vet when you go into the office? We don't like someone in ours so we ask for the other person....I do not know if they have strokes but that sounds horrible and I would maybe talk to the other vet..

 

Yeah, there's several vets who work out of this office, and it's in our records now that we don't want to deal with this one particular guy. Everyone else we've dealt with there has been great. The lady vet who called me back with some test results did say that it was entirely possible that our dog had a stroke (exactly the opposite of what the first guy who was so irritating told us). It could also be a tumor (like Laura suggested)...lymphoma. Our girl dog had that, but the tumor was visible on the outside of her head; it's possible that our little guy has one behind his eye or something (would explain why his eye was bulging so much). It all came and went so fast though. Basically it boils down to the fact that we're not going to know anything for certain either way for now, I guess. Thanks for your input.