Sick Beaches...

 Miss Beaches is spending the night in her vet's animal hospital for the first time in her 6 1/2 years of life. My sweet four-legged baby girl is sick. To say I am lost is an understatement. However, words cannot express how thankful I am that she is getting the help she needs.

Although we had a few potty issues in the middle of last week, I thought it was just something that would pass right on. However, Saturday night, she threw up her dinner, which didn't raise red flags at first. However, the spit ups continued throughout the night, but she was still herself and acted like nothing was wrong. This is how I talked myself out of taking her to the emergency vet at 1 AM Sunday morning.

On Sunday, I tried Pedialyte and just water with no luck. Getting her to drink was no problem, she just couldn't keep it down....my poor carpets (sorry apartment complex)! The only upside....I was finally able to justify the carpet cleaner I impulsively bought right after we got married! Finally, I called her vet around 5 . Dr. Jennifer just told me to withhold food and water and to bring her in the next morning (Monday).

I never knew a Sunday night could be so L.O.N.G.  I turned into one worried doggie mama. Beaches was obviously upset that her water bowl was taken away. She was moving more slowly, and although she still wagged her tail (sweet, sweet girl), I could tell she just wasn't herself. I found myself just watching her breathe, making sure she was just hanging in there. When I finally fell asleep... I awoke to her not being on the bed with me anymore (a special privilege when her daddy is gone). Once I found her under our kitchen table, another time in my closet, and another time on my bathroom floor.  She got plenty of loving from me.

Late night with my sick girl...

Finally, I was able to load her up and take her to the vet. I was so relieved to be going to get her checked out. After checking her out, the vet believes she has HGE...hemorrhagic gastroenteritis. Scary stuff...read about it here. It seems to be a mild case, and we believe it was caught in time. She's slightly dehydrated (this was no surprise). I made the decision to have her admitted into the hospital for IV fluids and IV antibiotics.

Walking out of the vet's office and leaving her ranks right up there with watching J walk away to leave for deployment. I never knew realized how much a part of me that little girl is. She has my heart...she was my study buddy in college and now, she's been my deployment buddy.

This is the only vet Beaches has been to, and while I completely trust them, I know now how my patients' family members' must feel when they leave their loved ones for the night. It's weird not having her here... when she has "vacations" at my mom's house, we're usually out of town or J is here and the apartment doesn't feel empty. Only seven more hours until I can call and get an update on her. Then, her worried grandparents and daddy will call for updates as well...this baby girl is well loved!!  Get well soon!