Thursday, April 15, 2010

Chance: A Visit to the Vet

Monday mornings meeting included another discussion about me.  I needed to go to the Vet for my annual checkup.   There was a little discussion..and this time they agreed..I am feeling a bit "off."   Far Side said maybe I ate something that I shouldn't have, or that Far Guy snuck me some milk from his cereal.  Far Guy said "Nope, I haven't snuck him anything lately." 

Far Side had talked to Patty on the phone, she is the Vet Tech..it was decided I needed a special blood test.  A SNAP 4Dx test.  It is four tests in one..and costs 65 bucks. It tests for Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis, Ehrlichiosis and Heartworm disease.  It takes ten minutes to get the results.

In the meantime, I got my checkup..Paul says I am looking good. I got weighed..I lost 2.5 pounds and now weigh in at 52.5 pounds.  He got all my shots ready..I didn't even flinch.   Then he lowered the boom, he is retiring cause he is 61 and wants to stay at home and fish and play with his dogs.  This of course made Far Side bawl, and she doesn't bawl often..so if she does you better pay attention.  She was remembering all the phone calls that were always answered, and the times that she stood next to the very table I was on for a last goodbye.  None of her and Far Guys dogs have ever died in their sleep at home..all those decisions have had to been made..the really hard decisions, but the necessary ones you have to make when you are a responsible pet owner.  The new Vet will take over in June and her name is Gretchen and she is from Colorado.  I hope she likes Border Collies!

The blood test is done, I have Anaplasmosis.  It is treatable, I have to take two pills (doxycycline 100mg)  in the morning and two pills at night  ( wrapped in lunch meat or surrounded with peanut butter..yummy!! ) for 25 days.  Paul says I should recover fully.  Anaplasmosis is a disease that is carried by the little itty bitty deer ticks or black legged ticks.  There is no vaccine available for it.   It is a silent infection.  The symptoms are Lack of Energy ( Yes ..sometimes) High Fever (no) Swollen Painful joints (No) Loss of appetite ( yes) Vomiting ( I did throw up twice last week) Diarrhea ( I had some soft stools..and one episode of the hershey squirts).  The stress from going to the groomer a week ago seemed to kick off something..plus I have some spots all along my spine..just bumps that came last Saturday..bumps that have bled and form a scab..and if the scab is removed..I bleed..the spots itch.  Far Side says I might have been allergic to their shampoo.  The Vet said it is something I got at the groomers.

Anaplasmosis is carried by the little tiny (size of the head of a pin) tick that is found in our woods from March til November.   I get checked several times a day..I wear Frontline and we have extra frontline spray for when they get really bad.  Those deer ticks are everywhere..because the deer population is way up..and they carry the adult ticks until they lay eggs..the little eggs hatch into larvae that feed on small mammals like mice, voles, and  moles, maybe even those squirrels and chipmunks I like to chase. The larvae molts to a nymph..the nymphs feed on the blood of a dog (Me) and gave me the infection.  If allowed to stay on a dog (or deer) ..the ticks molt into an adult tick capable of laying eggs again..it is one vicious cycle.

Far Guy mows the lawn, and Far Side rakes the leaves into the woods..but the ticks are everywhere.  They are doing the best they can..living in the sticks sometimes you have to share the good and the bad.  I should start feeling better in a few days..it is a good thing that it isn't catchy.. I won't give it to Miney and little Elvis:)

18 comments:

Lanny said...

Chance, glad to hear you could be taken care of, I'm a fan of yours you know. I need to go to the vet too, for me, but I'm a lazy Lanny so I won't. Good info on the whole tick thing. Its a bugger bein' a country dog, or horse or sheep eh? Our landlord became our vet twenty five years ago. It was a good ride, especially when he retired from the clinic and set up shop in his garage next door. The girls were often called to help out if the patient's owner couldn't handle it. But alas we have been without for over a year now and it has been rough replacing him. Near impossible for so many reasons. But I am sure that you will like your new gal, besides you have Far Side to whop her upside her head if she gets all noodly. She will like Border Collies, what's not to like?

Unknown said...

Thanks Chance for reminding me....I picked up Advantage this week but still haven't put it on my pets....shame on me! I also need to go pick up Molly's Heartgard, she used her last dose last month. By the way, I hope you get to feeling better.

West Side of Straight said...

Get better Chance - we missed you last night!

Debbie said...

Hi Chancey!! I loved your story and I am so sorry you are sick! Thank goodness it is treatable because you are a beautiful boy and we all want to see you and hear from you for a very long time to come! You are very lucky to have Far Guy and Far Side as parents! I hope you are better soon good boy. I will say a little prayer for you.

Nedine Says said...

Dear Chance, Don't feel sad. Wait til you hear my story. I was abandoned and left in a field with some smelly sheep for two months with no food. Some nice neighbors rescued me but I had heartworm and Lyme disease. I was sick for a long time. Some nice people adopted me and brought me to their home which is nice and warm with lots of food and two stupid cats. I have to take a pill every month that makes me feel yucky and makes my stomach rumble with gremlins.But it keeps me alive so I can take walks and smell the roses. Life is good and I hope you are feeling better soon, Fondly , Nedine's Dog.

DayPhoto said...

Hey, Is MY vet moving to your neck of the woods?!?!? My vet is Gretchen (also) and she is in Colorado because that is where I live. I don't want my vet to leave, I really like my vet!!! I won't see my vet until June, but by then (If it is she going your way) I won't see her. Maybe Susette is taking her place. Susette is really nice too. Please don'ttake Susette also.

I'm sorry your are feeling bad, Chance! Man that is a tough deal. Maybe you should tell your mom and dad to get some chickens or some guinea hens. They eat ticks. They love ticks.
Of course they poop on the grass, but poop beats ticks.

I get ticks once in awhile, but only if I run in the rabbit and sage brush, I think it's because mom has all those chickens.

I don't mind the chickens, only if they try to peck in my outside dish then I chase them off and watch them flap and cry. You would like it too.

Anyway, thinking of ya ol buddy! Hope you get well soon.

Fuzzy
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/

Becca's Dirt said...

So glad that Chance is OK and that it is treatable. That is a bummer to be pestered by those creepy little bugs. Buddy has had a couple of them over the past year. He is overdue for his checkup. Buddy sends his love.

Emma Rose said...

Oh Chance! I am so glad you are going to be OK. You are my sweetheart, you know. I love you to pieces!!! And I was amazed to see that you weigh 52.5 pounds. You are a big guy :) Please tell Far Side to talk to that groomer about the shampoo and stuff that was put on your skin. On second thought, nevermind - she has probably already called them :)

I hope you feel better soon. I'm sure glad we don't have those ticks here. Yikes! They sound REALLY scary!

Kisses,
Emma Rose

Leah said...

Hey that is what Rudy was diagnosed with last July.. he returned twice for bloodwork - the number never really changed... Rudy still has issues -- get well.

Gail said...

Not great news but not terrible either. Glad you found the reason, now you can fix it.

Anonymous said...

Poor baby...hope you're feeling better soon and I really hope your new vet is as good as the old one

DJan said...

Chance! It's great to put a name to what's been ailing you, isn't it? And you are so lucky to have Far Side and Far Guy to talk to. It's tough to be sick, but you will be well before you know it!

Tami Weingartner said...

Oh Chance those tick bugs are the worst! Give your human dog a big lick for taken such good care of your cute self!

LadyFi said...

So glad to hear that you will soon be feeling better. We get ticks too and Oscar wears Frontline.. It's cold this year so we haven't started the treatment yet.

Perhaps you ought to try a new groomers, or just be groomed at home instead?

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

Chance, so glad to hear that your illness is treatable by pill and that you will be back to your old spunky self soon. Ticks are nasty boogers!!! BTW: Hershey's squirts...just too much information for us humans buddy! Take care and feel better. Go lick that Connie on the hand and tell her it's a great big howdy from Nezzy.

God bless and have a great weekend!!!

Pamela said...

Maybe I should get tested for Anaplasmosis. Sure describes how I have felt

Get Well!!!!

Maery Rose said...

So sorry to hear you're not feeling well. One of my dogs had Lyme disease and this sounds similar in symptoms. I haven't seen any deer ticks but plenty of the other kind.

Girl Tornado said...

Well, since you said on today's post (or was it yesterday's??) that Chance was feeling better, I had to dig down into your blog to find out WHY he was feeling better. Here it is! And I'm glad to hear it's treatable. Those nasty ticks frighten me... we have lots of them out here too, but not those really little ones. We can see ours, but that doesn't make it any easier! All the dogs have already been biospot'd for the first time this season. I hate putting that stuff on them... Trixie esp seems to be in a funk for about 24 hours, so I get the feeling it makes her feel punky for some reason. The other two dogs don't seem much affected when I put it on them. I would rather avoid the chemicals whenever possible, but it's just not possible out here! *sigh*

Anyways, I AM GLAD to hear that Chance is feeling better!! :-)