My poor Doggie

On Monday I had to take Fern to the vets as her back leg joint had become really swollen & she couldn't walk on it. She had x-rays done & they couldn't find out what was wrong with it, so we were given some anti inflammatory medicine (metacam) & told to rest her till next Tuesday, & if she was no better she would have to see a specialist.

Last nite she took a dramatic turn for the worse, firstly she wouldn't eat her tea, & as any Labrador owner knows the only time they don't eat is when they are poorly. I just thought she was feeling down due to her leg hurting her & all week she's watched Barney & Jasper go out & she's had to stay home.

Anyway, I went to bed early last night as I'd been up since 5am & in the night when I woke to go to the loo I thought I could smell bleach, but thought I must be mistaken(Mr K wasn't in bed, I assumed he was still up). When I woke up this morning Mr K was already up( & I don't hear much at night as I have to wear ear plugs due to Mr K's snoring!).

He said he had been up all night with Fern. She started to be sick at 10.30 after I'd gone to bed,she was sick about 4 times he said before he came to bed. But then he could hear her making funny noises downstairs, & when he came down he said there was blood everywhere, poor Fern, it was pouring out of her bottom, & while he was cleaning it up she was being sick all over the rug in the dining room. I cant believe I didn't hear anything & was upset that he didn't wake me up.

She wouldn't eat anything this morning, not even a piece of chicken. She managed some water,but no sooner had she drunk it,she just brought it back up again & when I saw she was still passing alot of blood I knew I had to get her round the vets or she would become seriously dehydrated. Forgot to mention that I looked at the side effects that can happen with the medicine she was taking & she had all of them, but what scared me the most was that it said in severe cases may cause death!

When we got to the vets, I burst into tears when the vet asked me what was wrong with her & I couldn't stop crying, but she checked her all over & luckily she wasn't to dehydrated, but she kept saying it looks like a burst ulcer,even though I told her about the metacam & side effects .( you should know that I do not have alot of faith in our emergency vet service, I had a bad experience when I had to take Barney a few years ago & my friends dog went in & they failed to diagnose what was wrong with him & said it was something else & because they left it for so long poor Bob died in there & we were all devastated).

So the vet said she would have to stay in & they would put her on a drip & do "tests"on her. So I had to leave my poor baby, even though I know she's in the best place I cant help but worry, Fern is the most loving dog ever,she has such a lovely nature & wouldn't hurt a fly, & we've had her since she was 6months old, & she's now 7. The worst part was coming home without her, Barney & Jasper just looked at me as if to say "where is she? what have you done to her?" & Jasper my 5 month puppy adores Fern, she been like his surrogate mum, in fact when we got Jasper she changed,it was like he brought out a new "mummy" lease of life in her.

So the vet just rang & I still don't know what is wrong with Fern, all her bloods were ok, she was sick after I left her, so they gave her an injection, & the vet said she's had 2 more dogs brought in with similar symptoms, but Fern hasn't left the garden all week so how could she pick anything up?? So were still none the wiser.

I have washed my floors so many times as there's a stench of "blood" hanging in the air( thank god I have laminated floors,although I have had to throw out the rug). We had to pull out the fridge & freezer as there was so much blood it went all under those as well.

So all we can do is wait & pray, get better soon Fern as mummy Miss's you & I'm sad without you here.

Sad Mrs K xxxx