BEASLEY GOT SICK

Beasley ended up getting really sick.  It just didn’t happen within the first week, which is the normal time frame.

Yesterday (Saturday afternoon) I could tell she didn’t feel well so I started her on the antibiotics. She wouldn’t eat dinner and just wanted to lay on the dog bed.  I finally got her to eat a little around 8 and gave her another antibiotic, which wasn’t easy. 

When I took her temp around 2am, it was 105.  It spiked so quickly.  So I wiped her down with a cool cloth, got an ice cube and just started rubbing her with it.  Wet the cloth again and within the hour, it was 103.7.  I was able to give her another antibiotic and she drank a little water.

Then I started reading online that the best points are the ears and the feet.  I had already been putting the cloth on her ears because I could tell they were burning up.  Then I started holding her paws with the cold cloth but I couldn’t get her temp any lower. In fact, it went back up to 104.2. 

It was interesting about the paws but it makes sense.  Jazz always sticks his paws in the water bowl all summer and it drives me nuts. Because then there are dirty paw prints all over the floor, but I will try to be more patient from now on.

I got the fan out of the closet, left the damp rag on her and took her temp about an hour later.  104.1. So it didn’t go down much but her coat felt a little better. Another tip I read online.  Thank God for the internet.

This morning, I was able to get a piroxicam down her. That’s for pain and inflammation, among other things and I’m not sure if that helped or if it was the cool sponge baths but I finally got her to eat and potty. She was really wobbly but her temp is finally normal.

I texted Dr. B early this morning and he said to try and get her to drink more water and let him know if she gets worse. I may have to use a fluid syringe. I think she might be okay now, she still doesn’t feel well but since she’s eating a little and her temp is back down, I’m hoping she is. I’ll just keep an eye on her all day. 

I’m hoping once the beta glucan gets in her system, it will help her little body fight the low white blood cell count next time. And I’m going to start the antibiotics early.  I don’t want her to go through this again.