Tag Archives: Sasha

Sasha update!

What a difference modern medicine makes.

J. woke up this morning to find Sasha standing by the side of the bed, panting and wobbly again. Clearly the drugs wore off. We gave her another dose and offered water, she turned her nose up at it.

J. had to take the car for service (inspection due), so he left her with me. After about an hour of lying quietly, she indicated she wanted to go out. Once I carried her outside, she just stood there, then lay down in the grass. (Note, she hadn’t done her ‘business’ in about 16hours.) After a few minutes I carried her inside again. We did this in and out thing three times, and my back was starting to hurt. So I got a long towel, folded it twice and slung it under her chest. Lifting it and pulling forward, she walked.

Apparently she needed to know she wouldn’t hurt if she moved, because then she ran to the side of the house and up to the front door, then around to the back door — where J. had just come home (via the front door). She was all bouncy and happy and like her usual self. Then she did business (!!!)

When the meds wear off, she is in pain, but we’ve got a good cycle going and the vet feels that a week will allow the pulled muscle to heal.

So, we have puppy care, but its no longer so desperate. Thank goodness!!!!!

Scary evening

Tonight when Sasha came home from her usual swim she started exhibiting signs of extreme pain. We’ve seen swimmer’s tail’ from her before, and stress fractures — this was something else.

She would sit (which she won’t do with swimmer’s tail) but not lie down. She wasn’t limping, she just refused to move at all, and her stance was very odd, like she was braced. She was so tired she was wobbly, but wouldn’t lie down. She ate, but didn’t pursue her bowl when she nudged it out of her immediate range.

Our vet has partnered with a group called Acces for after-hours care; we went there. After a careful survey, visual and kinesthetic, the vet tentatively diagnosed Sasha as suffering from a muscle injury, likely in the neck. Like a pulled muscle from fatigue. But a really bad one. They gave her a muscle relaxant and hydromorphine (aka Dilaudid!) and we all just hung out for awhile to see how she handled it. It definitely relaxed her, but the stress of the unfamiliar place was starting to freak her out a bit.

So we brought her home. J has her in the guest room downstairs. It took her about 45 mins once she was home to calm down, but she’s completely unconscious and sleeping on her side. Our only worry now is that she hasn’t had anything to drink for a lot of hours. She had wet food for dinner, so that will help any dehydration, but it’s something we need to pay attention to.

It was a very scary time.

Wednesday Silliness: Sasha with ‘duck’

Because this picture makes me laugh.

She really doesn’t like her picture taken, for one. For another, she doesn’t understand why J. is taking so long to throw the duck into the water so she can keep playing!

The white rope is about 6 ft long and attached to her collar. We need it because sometimes she likes to play ‘keep away’ and that is not acceptable.