quote:

Originally posted by Mary Anna:
I really, really jinxed our poor animals by commenting on their vet bills.

We lost our German shorthaired pointer today. It was a real shock. She was bouncy and energetic just twenty-four hours ago, rushing outside when I opened the door, but she was acting strangely when we tried to get her to come inside. She didn't seem like herself all evening. This morning, she moaned a little once when I first got up, but then was very perky when asked if she wanted to go outside. When she came in, Quirt offered her a treat and she wouldn't take it. We knew that this wasn't right and he got her a vet appointment.

Once we got her there, we were told that there was a mass in her abdomen, but then that turned out to be a bloated stomach. (And maybe a mass, too. It's hard to know.) We left her there so that they could address the stomach problem, but she went into shock during treatment and just didn't recover.

We are stunned and sad. It's hard to absorb something that happens so fast.

quote:

Originally posted by piqué:

quote:

Originally posted by Mary Anna:
I really, really jinxed our poor animals by commenting on their vet bills.

We lost our German shorthaired pointer today. It was a real shock. She was bouncy and energetic just twenty-four hours ago, rushing outside when I opened the door, but she was acting strangely when we tried to get her to come inside. She didn't seem like herself all evening. This morning, she moaned a little once when I first got up, but then was very perky when asked if she wanted to go outside. When she came in, Quirt offered her a treat and she wouldn't take it. We knew that this wasn't right and he got her a vet appointment.

Once we got her there, we were told that there was a mass in her abdomen, but then that turned out to be a bloated stomach. (And maybe a mass, too. It's hard to know.) We left her there so that they could address the stomach problem, but she went into shock during treatment and just didn't recover.

We are stunned and sad. It's hard to absorb something that happens so fast.

I'm so sorry. This is heartbreaking. As a Mastiff owner I was always alert to signs of bloat. After two of Ben's siblings died of it a week apart, I took him to a vet in Idaho to have his stomach tacked. It doesn't prevent bloat but it does prevent the volvulus--stomach twisting--which is what usually is the cause of death. Ben had a few bloat episodes before the surgery. I learned very quickly that the second they don't seem themselves, it's an emergency (same with horses and colic).

I've never heard of bloat being common in hunting dogs, and I'm so terribly sorry you and Quirt are going through this very painful experience.

quote:

Originally posted by Mary Anna:

We lost our German shorthaired pointer today.

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Originally posted by Axtremus:
Can probably do the same for refugees, be they from South of the border or from the Middle-East, and you can add expenses for legal services into the mix.

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Originally posted by QuirtEvans:

quote:

Originally posted by piqué:

quote:

Originally posted by Mary Anna:
I really, really jinxed our poor animals by commenting on their vet bills.

We lost our German shorthaired pointer today. It was a real shock. She was bouncy and energetic just twenty-four hours ago, rushing outside when I opened the door, but she was acting strangely when we tried to get her to come inside. She didn't seem like herself all evening. This morning, she moaned a little once when I first got up, but then was very perky when asked if she wanted to go outside. When she came in, Quirt offered her a treat and she wouldn't take it. We knew that this wasn't right and he got her a vet appointment.

Once we got her there, we were told that there was a mass in her abdomen, but then that turned out to be a bloated stomach. (And maybe a mass, too. It's hard to know.) We left her there so that they could address the stomach problem, but she went into shock during treatment and just didn't recover.

We are stunned and sad. It's hard to absorb something that happens so fast.

I'm so sorry. This is heartbreaking. As a Mastiff owner I was always alert to signs of bloat. After two of Ben's siblings died of it a week apart, I took him to a vet in Idaho to have his stomach tacked. It doesn't prevent bloat but it does prevent the volvulus--stomach twisting--which is what usually is the cause of death. Ben had a few bloat episodes before the surgery. I learned very quickly that the second they don't seem themselves, it's an emergency (same with horses and colic).

I've never heard of bloat being common in hunting dogs, and I'm so terribly sorry you and Quirt are going through this very painful experience.

She was 13, and had started to have pretty severe incontinence. The vet said, in retrospect, that could have been caused by neurological issues ... which also could have caused the incredibly quick stomach bloating.

He also said that, while the stomach bloating is life-threatening, so is the treatment. It can cause them to go into something that is akin to toxic shock.

Meanwhile, the German shepherd, who will be 13 in less than a month, carries on. I'd never have guessed she'd outlive the pointer.

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Originally posted by Doug:

quote:

Originally posted by CHAS:

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Originally posted by jodi:
Buy a house on acreage in a real estate dead zone and build a *really* expensive barn. And put in an outdoor arena. On a hillside.

I win.

A strong argument.
Do we need a contest for WTFer of the month who spent too much again?

I’m no Jodi, but getting divorced and sending three kids to private college go on the list somewhere…