Sweet (sick) Emily

After we were sedated at the Vet today.

As sick as it may sound, we treat Emily as if she were our first born. We don't treat her like a baby, but we definitely care for her like she's our baby. When she's happy, I'm happy. When she's hungry, I'm usually hungry. And when she's sick, I'm sick.

When we first brought Emily home back in April, she ate like any other nervous puppy would. Once a day and it wasn't much. The more comfortable she got with us, the more she ate and she was doing well. Around June, we decided to change her food to something that we thought was healthier. We gradually made the change (like you're supposed to) and her stomach just didn't agree with it so we went back to her old food. She ate great and never had an upset stomach. Fast forward to a couple months later, and she suddenly became a very picky eater. We were in the middle of a move so we just assumed it was stress. It was a good day if she ate just one cup of food or half of her food bowl.

Finally settling into our new house, it got worse. Again, we thought it was stress and fed her as much as she would eat... which was barely anything. A month goes by and I start adding chicken or turkey at the bottom of her food bowl just so she would eat something. I thought what most of you are probably thinking, if she's starving, she'll eat it. But when several days go by and you can hear her tummy rumble at night you know something isn't right.

A week ago, she stopped eating all together. She was in bed by 5:00 p.m. and her nose wasn't cold or wet. That's when the vomiting started. Since her stomach was empty it was just stomach bile (all over our kitchen floor). She was acting completely normal in all other aspects of her life. Wakes me up, wants to go outside, cries for a walk, chases every squirrel and bird, naps, runs around the yard, and whatever else she does to keep herself entertained. EVERYTHING was normal, except for her diet. She also refused any bone to chew on, which is very unlike her. So, I call the vet and make an appointment.

$500 later, and she's diagnosed with food allergies. We're put on the "Prescription Diet" soft/dry food and deworming medicine (just in case) and nausea pills. The vet did blood work to make sure it wasn't parvo and x-rayed her tummy to see if something was stuck in there. Everything came back negative, thank goodness, and I was able to take my healthy pup home.

That night she ate everything she was supposed to. "Food allergies it is!!!" we thought since she was doing so well. That next morning, she wasn't having it. She wouldn't even get near the food. I left it out just in case she changed her mind. That night, the food still hadn't been touched so I gave her some chicken instead. Of course she ate it. That next morning, same thing. So I just gave her soft food and she ate it like she hasn't eaten in 3 months. I gave her more soft food and she ate it all AGAIN. I haven't seen her eat like that since she was a baby. It was wonderful.

24 hours later, I wanted to add some dry food again since, ya know, we just paid $70 for it. She ate it all, but an hour later threw up all of the dry food on our carpet. She didn't chew any of it and it came up that way. I called the vet today A) wondering why she all of a sudden doesn't like dry food and B) if I can return this $70 DOG FOOD. She asked if she could look at Emily's stomach again and do another examination. 7 hours and $300 later, nothing. We know nothing besides the fact that she only likes soft food.

"Well, just feed her soft food Maxine" is easy to say, but we still have a lot of questions that are unanswered. Why isn't she chewing her food? or chewing on her favorite bones? (her teeth are perfect according to the Vet) Why did she stop eating her food? Why did we just pay $700 for NO ANSWERS. Because she's our child, and we want to know what's wrong with her. 

She's asleep right now, sedated actually, and it breaks my heart knowing something is wrong we just don't know what. Maybe if I put it out on blog land someone else can relate? Has anyone gone through something like this with their pet? Any advice would be greatly appreciated....