Poor Sadie...

* This entire post is about Sadie. Just to warn you. Yes you, Mother.*

My poor baby is sick :( And not just a little bit sick...a lot bit sick.

She has always been sick since we took her in 2 years ago. Sneezing and a stuffed up nose is a constant thing with her. We've learned to deal with it. And we go through more Kleenex on her than we do on ourselves! But we love her and she is so worth it :) 

Lately she's been worse than usual. Every once in awhile she flares up for a day or two at a time where her nose is more stuffy than usual and she is really sleepy, but this time it was worse, and it just keeps hanging on. She's been getting sicker since early last week, and since last Friday she hadn't really eaten much...just a few bites at a time when we wake her up and she happens to think of it. Not good.

I was worried. Really worried. So today I researched some vets in the area and picked one and made an appointment for her, and I am sure glad that I did. She has pneumonia coupled with bronchitis, an ear infection in her right ear, a slight fever, severely congested lungs and chest, and she was super dehydrated from not eating. The vet said if we waited much longer she probably would have had to be hospitalized. Yikes. 

Plus they think that she is pre-asthmatic, so all of the smoke from the neighbors and remodelers smoking 40 packs a day (and my attempts to cover the smell by burning candles 24/7 and spraying Febreze), is probably what caused her to flare up so bad this time. It's been building up the whole time we were here (yes, they've been remodeling the ENTIRE time we've been here!), and now that the windows are closed because it is colder, the air isn't circulating as much and it is really bothering her. Thank goodness we will be out of here soon and she will be able to breathe normal, healthy air again.

So she got x-rays done, a fluid pack (like an IV, except they just inject it all under her skin at one time and let it absorb into her blood stream that way), a few shots, and some medicine...and I was sent home with more medicine to give her. She was a champ though! The vet kept saying how good she was doing for everything they were doing to her. She's so out of it that it didn't matter what they did...poor thing. She just laid there. The vet is supposed to call me tomorrow with the results of her blood test to tell me if there is something more serious going on...but hopefully this is it. I don't know how much more her little body can take! And then in a few weeks once the medicine has had time to work its magic we go back to check her progress. 

It presents a problem though, because she has to have the medicine two times a day, and we are going home for Thanksgiving. We can't very well take her with us...but I am worried about leaving her here for so long with no one to wipe her nose so she can breathe and give her her medicine. Oy. I don't know. The vet offers boarding and medical daycare...but I am guessing that is pretty costly. And after the bill today - I am sure we cannot afford it. So who knows.

I was really pleased with this vet though. They were all so friendly and helpful and it seemed like they knew a lot more than our old vet. They actually listened to me when I told them what was going on and didn't automatically assume it was something before listening to all of her symptoms. And they asked a lot of questions about her previous problems and her normal personality. It felt like a real doctor. I liked it. Plus they have an online 'Pet Portal' so you can log in and keep track of all of their shots and whatever else you bring them in for, and chat with a vet and ask questions. It's pretty cool! (They are in need of a receptionist...so I definitely put in an application! That would be so fabulous! I would even get discounts on Oscar and Sadie's visits and medicine which would be SO amazing!)

This makes me really upset though, because the previous vet we were taking them to never bothered to do x-rays, and I feel like her chest congestion problems could have been noticed and at least partially solved a long time ago if they wouldn't have gotten so annoyed with me constantly asking if there was more tests they could do on her or something else they could try. All they did was try more medicines that she wouldn't take...and that wouldn't work even if we did manage to get her to take them, probably because they were for the wrong thing. Grrr. 

And poor Oscar...he is so confused as to why his partner in crime is out of commission! He keeps trying to nuzzle her and play with her and she just sleeps. Eventually he gives up and will cuddle up next to her, which is really cute :) But you can just tell he is thinking "What gives?!?" Don't worry buddy, your playmate will be back to her normal spirits in no time :)

So I don't know if you are one to pray for animals...but she could sure use some prayers right now :)