Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Million Dollar Dog

Friday Update On Bella
My Bella is ok.
Tired and thristy but ok.
The prednisone causes her to be very thristy.
That causes her to moisten everything.
One day I washed all the bedding.
Next it was the carpets.
Vet got the results back from
 the very expensive lab.
A staphyloccoccal infection
(I think that's how it's spelled)
  and yeast are what showed up.
No change in her already expensive foods.
Just keep giving the prednisone
and ear meds twice a day.
Our vet said something about
 coming in every three weeks
with her due to her chronic condition.
Does he need to upgrade
 his boat or something ?
But, look at those eyes ...
She had me at the first tail wag.

My Sabrina Isabella is napping.
Home and recovering from her day at the Vet Spa.
On Saturday, I noticed that her right ear didn't feel right.
I called and got her in first thing on Monday.
Ends up she had a hematoma in her ear.
 They cleaned, drained, and injected meds into her ear. 
Even clipped her toe nails. (That part was free)
 She came home with two meds to take twice a day.
 Her lab result, which cost a lot, will be back this week.

My Bella has had trouble with her ears since she was a puppy.
 Always an infection or just me having to clean them daily.
She has been a sport about it.
Well, not really but she knows the routine.
 You know how they say if a dog tries to get away
 from you that they've been abused.
Not so in Bella's case.
She just knows her ears are going to be cleaned.

So, now she is on the mend.
 Will have to have meds for two months or longer.
We don't seem to be able to get her ear problems to go away.
The results last time said it was wheat.
No wheat food for her.
I'm that lady in the dog food aisle reading the ingredients.
She also has a tendency to gain a few lbs
 so I'm looking for that lowfat non wheat food.
My question is, do dogs really like blueberries ?
Seriously, that's all that's left to feed them.
That and pomegranate ?

I told Mr. Boatman that these are my last dogs.
 He just looks at me and shakes his head.
Knowing that I am a big dog lover and I might say it now
but when my two girls are gone,
I'll be finding an older dog that needs someone to love them.
 I'm a dog chick magnet.

I have to mention the price.
I was proud of myself that I didn't say out loud
what I was thinking when I saw the day at the spa price.
Just under five hundred.
Yes, you read that right.
I didn't even open my mouth with the OH MY GOD look.
 Nope, I waited til I got in the car
 to check the receipt one more time.
Cause I thought maybe I didn't see that right ...
not putting my reading glasses on to sign the paperwork.
Nope, it actually was more than I thought.
 I thought I saw three when it was almost five.

I told Mr. Boatman when he called to see how she was doing.
 He was a bit shocked to say the least.
 Oh, well, it's only money.
YIKES !!!

She now is napping by my feet.
 My million dollar puppy.
With her bionic leg last year and her tumor removed the year before, she's adding up to be a very expensive dog.
The kind you grab instead of your photos.
Ok, you grab the photos but you run back in for that dog.

My hope is that her next surgery ...
Vet said her teeth need to be cleaned
and her two new tumors need to be taken out ...
can wait til next year ...
 after my coma brain memory has forgotten
how expensive Vets can be.

I'm off to refill her water dish.
 Prednisone makes her thristy and of course
that makes her incontinence problem worse
 so I'm washing her blanket.


And, I'm thinking 
it could have been worse.
Next time I see a cute face
I'm running the other way.
Really .. I am ...

~ JC ~ 

24 comments:

Cat with a Garden said...

So sorry to hear about the ear problems and the high costs. But SO HAPPY that Bella is taken excellent care of. It's only money but still some humans don't want to spend it on their animal companions but on a new tv instead. We're purring for many more healthy years for Bella.
Siena & Chilli

Kea said...

For a vet fee like that, they had better clip her nails for free.

It costs me about $150 to run a full panel of blood work on Annie (including the T4 for the hyper-t).

Well, Derry's dental in June cost $1155 and change, which was absurd.

But $500 just to clean and drain her ear, give her meds and do blood work? What does your vet drive, a BMW? Saab? Porche? Gees....!

Brian's Home Blog said...

I don't think you can run from a cutie face like that one!

Remington said...

I hope she is feeling better soon. Yes, it can be so expensive. But we have to take care of those we love....we would want them to do the same for us....

Amy & the house of cats said...

Oh that is too bad that Bella has ongoing ear problems - we are sending her lots of healing purrs!

Sweet Purrfections said...

Famous last words??? Hope she heals quickly.

clairz said...

What can you do? They are our family and we love them and they love us, so there we are.

I wish we could add them onto the Blue Cross Medical Plan as dependents.

Hope your sweet pup feels better.

Lyn said...

Now you know you won't!
glad she's home and safe.
love
Lyn
xxx

Az Pet Professionals said...

Oh, poor pup! Allergies and ear hematomas are such a bother! I work in the vet field and no how expensive these things get! Better luck ahead! Hope the ear hematoma dissapates!

Jacqueline said...

Hope Bella feels better soon...I spent almost $700 on 3 vet visits the last 2 weeks trying to find out what was wrong with my Sukki (throwing up, just not herself)=her blood panel was normal and I never got a diagnosis; she seems better now...Animals are very expensive and a lot of work, but they are my children and my life would be much less happy without them...Take care, wishing Bella a speedy recovery.

Lauren M. Davis Folk Art! said...

I'm so sorry about your precious girls ears problems!!! I hope things get better soon and please give her a hug for me!!

Noll said...

But then you look in those loving eyes and you know, you would do it all over again...and again.

Sending you healing purrs sweetheart.

Kritter Keeper at Farm Tails said...

i am with you...know what you are going thru...the incontinence....have u tried proin? works for little bear. nuggets surgery was costly...thanks for your comment on darling deer...thinking blogger messed up...posted today 'summer on the farm' and two comments came up under an old post...read my new post and you might feel better...well at least you know you are not alone! ;)

Sultan said...

Nice canine. When I was young and had dogs they ate literally everything except fruit.

Cheyenne -Millie said...

I can understand your shock at that bill. Our Monty had two surgery's on his eye 8 years ago for a detached retina... they cost well over a $1000.00. If it hadn't been for grandma there would have been no surgery's.

KathyB. said...

Boy do I know how expensive vets can be, but how come an ear hematoma and blood work is so expensive? I remember a few years ago we took a beloved pet rabbit to the vet and the vet pulled out the same veterinary handbook we had at home to diagnose the bunny and prescribed meds we could buy from a vet supply catalog...yes, meds WE could buy without a prescription, but way overpriced from the vet. My husband and I have learned to give our pets their vaccinations ourselves and also treat ears. We have even successfully stitched up our pets many times. That being said, a good veterinarian is a treasure, especially when it comes to treating your beloved dog with the lovely eyes.

I agree with Kea, the nail clipping better be free for the vet's prices!

( I know you don't mean it when you say you'll not get another dog)

Forever Foster said...

And yet all you need to see is their happy face and you'd do it all over again, right :)

cats of widlcat woods said...

As they get older our pets need more medical attention - just like us. Thanks for being a good mom!

Cats~Goats~Quotes said...

....and she is worth every single penny!! We love them so much!
~ The Bunch

Jans Funny Farm said...

Sure you mean it. Till you see a cute face needing a home. :)

Angel Junior, Orion and Sammy said...

Well, we are happy that you take such good care of Bella. All us animals deserve that.

Last time Meowm took me in to have my teeth cleaned, they did bloodowrk too, and it cost her just over $400. EEEKKK!!! to her wallet.

We will be purring that Bella heals up quickly and no more trouble with ears.

Oh, we are on Wellness food, maybe that would work for her? But, of course, it isn't cheap.

Junior

Judy said...

So glad that you have the money you can spend on her. If it was me, there would have to be a different choice...
My dogs both like watermelon, if you need another reason to wash the blankets...

SASS....Sammy Andy Shelly Sierra said...

Thank you for coming to my party on Friday.....you helped make it a very special day for me.

xxxxxx

Andy

Lori at Jarvis House said...

But dogs give unconditional love to all that care for them. How can you resist. Some day I will get another dog. I loved my cat, but my dog would follow me around the garden while I worked or mowed the grass, without running away or needing a leash. I miss that connection.

There comes a time in your life when you walk away from all of the drama and the people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh. Forget the bad and focus on the good. Love the people who treat you right and pray for those who don’t. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is part of life, getting back up is living.

~ Jose N. Harris

Characters In My Garden

Purr Gang ~ My five cats

Cats ~ Al, Ashton Rosevelt, Jasmine Marie, Riley Andrew & Meredith Ann

Fur Gang ~ Jodie Isabella and Sally Jean
(The Original member, Sweet Bella is in memory only now. Maddy Jean, another original member, past away in August of 2014)

Mr. Boatman ~ my husband who likes boats

DD ~ my daughter who graduated and is now out living in the real world

DS or Dson ~ my son is studying computer science and math



Maddy Jean & Bella

Maddy Jean & Bella
Both gone but never forgotten

Jodie Isabella

Jodie Isabella

Al

Al
I adopted him from our local Humane Society

Ashton

Ashton
Adopted from my local horse supply store

Jasmine

Jasmine
I adopted her from Purrfect Pals

Riley

Riley
I adopted him from the local Humane Society

Meredith Ann

Meredith Ann
I adopted her from Purrfect Pals