Thursday 30 October 2014

Poorly Dusty - Again

Last Sunday, Dusty was not at all well. Listless and lethargic and then it came up – a swelling under his mouth again. It didn’t seem as big or as bad as before and he wasn’t doing the alarming head twitching this time.

These photos were taken the first time he had the swelling. You can see by the way his ears are down and his eyes so dull that he was in pain.




I had one painkiller left from last time, so I gave him that to tide him over till we could see the vet and he perked up. On Monday we trotted off to the surgery and he was booked in for an operation on Tuesday and given more painkillers and antibiotics. This time when the vet pressed his gum, something nasty oozed out.

Tom (who cared so well for Tilly and Indy) saw him when I booked him in on Tuesday morning and was concerned that the Rimadyl hadn’t lowered his temperature which was still very high. He said he’d do blood tests to see if anything else was going on, plus X Rays of his teeth.

It was a very long day.

My oldest grandson, who is just 9, had come with me to take Dusty to the surgery in the morning and insisted on coming back with me to pick him up that evening. I said I didn’t want him to come in, in case it was bad news. He said, “That’s why I want to come in with you. You’ve had a lot of bad news lately.” I was so proud of him and realised in that moment just how grown up he's become.

Jo showed us the X Rays. Nothing wrong with Dusty’s teeth, but an infection had set up underneath one and his blood tests indicated it might have reached his bone. They removed a tooth as it was acting as an incubator for the infection.

He’s now on very powerful antibiotics for three weeks and may need another three week course when that finishes. It’s possible that on one of his chewing sprees (like all puppies, he loves to chew) he has had a splinter go in and set up the infection.

But for now we watch and wait and hope the antibiotics do their work.

I wasn’t going to blog about this, but he does seem improved today if the way he’s been bouncing around is anything to go by. 



He’s not been off his food at all either and boy was he hungry when we got him home!

There was a lot of information to take in, but Lachlan remembered everything Jo said – and Dusty was very happy to see one of his little people had come to bring him home. Not that he’s such a little person now. He’s very grown up and I was very glad to have him there with me.

Harley says she can't believe that on the day after National Cat Day I'm blogging about a dog! (Even if she was very concerned about him!).




But yet again, October, I will be very pleased to see the back of you!


40 comments:

  1. Poor Dusty :-( But how lucky you are to have such a sweet, considerate grandson! Hope Dusty gets better very soon. xxx

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    1. I do feel very blessed, Hayley, he is so thoughtful and kind x

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  2. Poor Dusty and poor you. Hope the treatment works quickly and well and your grandson gets to help you celebrate Dusty's recovery.

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  3. Funny how the tables turn, and young members of the family care so much about older ones.... Returning the love... and hope Dusty gets better soon. xxx

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    1. It's lovely the way things turn around isn't it :-) x

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  4. It sounds as thought Dusty is already back on the road to recovery. Hope he continues to get better. Grandchildren surprise us sometimes don't they?

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    1. He is very bouncy today, Maggie. The kids are certainly full of surprises :-) x

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  5. Teresa, you look after your animals with so much love that you really don't deserve all this. But what a lovey grandson!

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    1. Thank you, Frances, what a kind thing to say x

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  6. Poor Dusty, so pleased to hear and see he's recovering. Sure he'll be back to normal very quickly.

    (After my recent tooth infection issue I can sympathise with Dusty.)

    Lovely that your grandson was there with you- a wise and thoughtful boy.

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    1. Thanks, Carol - you've been through it yourself haven't you. Hope you are feeling fully recovered very soon x

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  7. So glad Dusty is doing well - and what a lovely grandson to be so considerate!

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  8. Poor Dusty, he looks so forlorn in the first photos.I'm glad he's running around again and what a lovely caring lad Lachlan is. :-)

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    1. Thanks, Deb - he certainly has more beans! :-) x

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  9. Poor lamb, I do hope he recovers now with no further problems. It's so horrible when they're sick. A pat from me.

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    1. Thank you - I've just visited your lovely blog. I have given him a pat from you :-) x

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  10. Woofy-heck, Dusty
    What a horrible time you've had. But you're lucky you've such a lovely Mrs and young Master (and nice vet) to look after you.
    We're so glad you're getting better now
    Take care
    Woofs and licks
    Tim 'n' Ted

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    1. Thank you Tim 'n' Ted - Can't believe how much energy I've got now. The Mrs doesn't know what's hit her. I got lots of cuddles at the vet's - they said I was as good as gold!
      Woofs and licks and waggy tail to you, from Dusty xx

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  11. What a lovely, grown-up and supportive grandson, Teresa. And I'm so glad Dusty is on the mend again. xxx

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    1. Thank you, Joanna - he's grown up so fast. It doesn't seem any time since he was sitting in his high chair dropping food on the floor for Indy, Tilly and Oakley or tramping round the muddy fields with us in his little boots :-) x

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  12. Poor Dusty. It's so sad when an animal is in pain but just as well there is such good medical treatment around these days

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    1. It's going to be several weeks before we know for sure that he's okay - but the signs have been hopeful so far. It is indeed good that there are effective painkillers and antibiotics available x

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  13. Hi Teresa - So sorry to hear about Dusty being poorly again, yes you can certainly see it in his eyes. If it's any consolation a few years I had an abscess which kept coming back and I felt pretty much like he looked. They couldn't remove the tooth because it was a front one so I ended up having surgery on my gum - haven't had even a twinge since (fingers crossed I'm not tempting fate). Sounds like you've got an excellent vet who will sort him out though, and what a wonderfully mature grandson. You must be so proud.

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    1. It must have been an awful and painful experience and so awful when it kept coming back - thank you for sharing it. It's nice to know that it can work out okay after surgery x

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  14. What a difference in the two photos. Poor little chap. I dunno you and he just don't deserve this at all. Brilliant though you have such a kind and caring vet and such a kind and caring grandson. What a little star to be so supportive. Sincerely hope Dusty is over the worst now and it's all good news from now on. xx

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    1. Thank you, Sue. He is so bouncy, we're considering renaming him Dusty-Tigger :-) x

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  15. November has arrived Teresa and I wish you a wonderful month. What a lovely grandson you have. He will be your tower of strength and the light in your life. Sending you lots of positive vibes across the air waves.

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    1. Thank you, Nicola :-) He certainly is a light in my life x

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  16. Poor, poor Dusty but you must be so proud of your grandson. I'd like to think that mine (who's a year older) would behave in the same way.

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  17. Oh poor little Dusty and how lovely of your grandson to want to be there for you. I hope the antibiotics do their stuff and Dusty is back to normal again soon. My daughter's bulldog, Doris, became very lethargic and sorry for herself when she was a year old. We thought she had matured into a quiet, well behaved dog early. Not so. It transpired that on one of her forages in the garden, she had walked into a twig which had gone into her nose. She must have had this twig embedded deep inside for several months before the vet finally realised and sent her for special surgery ~(expensive special surgery) to remove it. The twig was three inches long! Ouch! Doris was a new dog afterwards and no, she had not matured early at all, and she was twice as playful as before - I shall keep a close eye on Charlie brown... X

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    1. Poor Doris - that sounds horrendous! I've known dogs poke themselves up the nose, but never get something stuck up there. She must have been so sore, poor thing.

      We've been wondering just how long Dusty has had this problem as since he's been on the antibiotics (a week) he seems to be growing and putting on weight, so maybe all his food was going in to fighting the infection. We too thought he was maturing - seems he has other ideas and has bounced back into puppyhood (I'm glad to say)

      Hope you're having fun with Charlie Brown and he's had no more thunderstorm frights :-) x

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  18. Glad Dusty is improving Theresa and that he is as playful as ever. Charlie Brown is completely at home with Flossie and though I am still house training him, is doing very well. We did have another thunderstorm the other evening but he ignored it so maybe he has learnt from Flossie! :-) X

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    1. Aw bless him. We saw a little Border Terrier the other day - called Jack - and he was so gorgeous and friendly, I thought of you and Charlie Brown :-) x

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  19. hope Dusty is doing okay now? And what a wonderful grandson you have...

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    1. He's doing very well, thanks, Pat. I'm finally starting to stop worrying and trusting that the antibiotics are doing their stuff :-) And yes, he is a rather wonderful lad :-) x

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  20. Hi Teresa,

    Excuse me for being beyond fashionably late. I know you understand. It seems that Dusty is doing better now. And yes, worrying can cause needless anxiety. Don't I know that.

    I shall make no mention of "National Cat Day." :)

    Hugs,

    Gary x

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    1. Thank you for calling in, Gary - I know you have had a lot to worry about in recent months.
      Thank you for not mentioning National Cat Day :-) x

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