Tough Day For Two Girls

Yesterday was a tough day here in the Crocodile household. Early evening as I am sitting at my desk, I look down to see my Sadie Kate convulsing. She was having a seizure! This happened once before quite a while ago but I think that one I noticed as she was on the back end of it. This one I was sitting right next to her so I saw the whole thing take place. It terrified me! I just held her and stroked her and told her that it would be OK. Towards the end I ran for the phone and called the vet. I was pretty collected under pressure until they picked up the phone on their end at the vet office. The moment they said hello is the moment I started bawling. I blurted out that Sadie was mid-seizure and she ran to get a vet on the phone. They were booked and it was near closing but said I could bring her in. Thank goodness, because I was coming to that office regardless! I am actually not in love with my vet's office- they have taken on way too many clients and it is always always overbooked. And while I was grateful for their tenderness last night, I was on hold for at least five minutes (probably closer to eight or 10) as she was seizing. I mean, that's the sort of thing that I think a vet should run to the phone for. If I was visiting with a vet and an emergency call came in I would understand needing to take that call. Anyway, she seized for 2-3 mins and then took 10-15 to come out of it. I just hugged her the entire time because I didn't know what else to do.

Once in the vet's office, they were so sweet. She's lost more weight. I actually don't think I mentioned before (in a vein attempt to not sound like the loser pet momma that I really am) that Sadie has been having major tummy issues all summer/fall. I'll save you the details but know that for the last two months she has been on a home-cooked diet of chicken, rice, pumpkin puree, vitamins and water because we suspect that she is allergic to gluten. That's right, twice a day this little furry baby gets her pumpkin chicken rice soup! I make a new batch every five days or so. Nothing about this child is low maintenance I tell ya! I increased the amount to accommodate the decreased calories (my food vs. crunchies) but she has lost four or five pounds in the last four months. She now only weighs in at 19lbs! But I can't tell with all her fluff. We are now on a new diet of canned prescription dog food (ew!). And this issue apparently has zero to do with the seizure. Just an added thing for me to obsessively worry about. Good times.

We finally got to see the vet. She is great- one of my two favs was on duty last night. She sat and talked to me for a long time. She was trying to tell me what our first steps should be - no meds (they can harm her if she doesn't have seizures more than once or twice a year. I on the other had do need meds because of the heart-attack I suffered watching this all take place!), x-rays, etc... But instead of me hearing her tell me that we should start with baby steps, I heard her talk about more seizures and death. Big un-pink crocodile tears started rolling down my face again. My poor vet didn't know what to do with me.

She tests out Sadie's nerves and listens to hear heart. Then tells me she has a heart murmur. "I know," I reply. A few vets over time have said as much and then reply that it is nothing to worry about. So I don't. I actually have a heart murmur myself and I have been fine (crazy but perfectly healthy) my whole life. I've never really thought twice about it to be honest. So she says this but I can tell she has a look of concern on her face. I ask if this is related to the seizures. Nope. Fan-stinkin-tastic! Three fairly serious issues in one night. Panicked is a good word to describe me at that moment. Because she then goes into all this horrible stuff that can happen as a result of the damn murmur. Enter, rolling tears once again!

So in conclusion, my baby is OK. She was so so tired last night. We both were actually. I, however, slept less than three hours. I'm not even embarrassed to tell you that I sat up every fifteen minutes with a flash light (you know, as to not disturb the pup) to make sure she was OK. I tried to get her to sleep with me but she got down after about an hour. But she is fine. Back to her jovial self today. She likes her new canned diet (ew!). We are going back to the vet (or as I like to call it, "where I spend my life savings!") next week for several x-rays. If she has a seizure every six to 12 months, she still won't need meds. I will but she won't apparently!

I spent a lot of time in prayer last night. And as terrible as it was to see her in pain and not be able to help, I am so incredibly grateful that I was in fact right there with her. I am so grateful that she is just fine today. And that even though I don't like a refrigerator covered in magnets, I do have the vet's magnet front and center and handy. I am so grateful that the vet was still open and my favorite doc was on duty. Most of all, I am grateful for every day I have with my little bundle of puppy love! She is just the most precious little girl in the world and I would be heart-broken with out her snuggles and puppy kisses every morning.