Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Bad News, again....

I just came back from the vet today and it seems bad. I had more blood tests done today and a chest x-ray. The vet suspect pneumonia arising from infection. And the pneumonia is quite advanced. A normal chest x-ray should show the chest to be dark but my chest had a lot of cloudy areas.

The vet gave me antibiotic injection and prescribed more antibiotic pills. And I'm supposed to go back tomorrow for another antibiotic injection. I've been having so many needles poked into me recently that I think I will surely leak!

(M: Sigh, the news and my emotions seems to be yo-yoing between bad, good, bad, good, bad... I asked the vet if he will recover with medication, and the vet says he can't give me a guarantee. The pneumonia seems pretty advanced and he can only give antibiotics and hope for the best. Herbie seems to be panting all the time and having difficulty breathing.

I guess we were all looking in the direction of cancer, so the infection was left to spread. I asked why the chest x-ray done at the 1st vet a month ago didn't show anything, and the vet said it might not have manifested then.

I don't know if I have inadvertantly delayed his treatment. I'm worried, frustrated and scared. The vet said that as long as he's still eating, there's hope. But when I gave him dinner tonight, he didn't want to eat it and I almost wanted to cry. In the end I took him to Scuba's house hoping that some competition would help and he managed to at least eat half his dinner. I always say, the day Herbie rejects food, is the day that I know he is really sick.

I don't know how much more he has to suffer before he recovers, and how much more the medical bills are going to mount. He's still panting now after the injection, but at least his breathing is not so noisy.

Everyone keep your fingers and paws crossed.)

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Herbie is a beautiful (handsome?) dog and so lucky to have you. I know it's hard on the owner when their pets are ill. The constant worry is really draining. My thoughts are with you guys.

Anonymous said...

It saddens me when I read about the bad news again...let's all wish Herbie a speedy recovery..ALL THE BEST..Woof, Nova.

Shannon said...

Hey Guys,
Sad news again. Sorry to hear it. My thoughts and best wishes are with you right now. Hopefully Herbie pulls through.
Shannon

Molly the Airedale said...

Oh no, Herbie! Paws and fingers are crossed that the antibiotics work like magic and that you keep eating and getting better and better! Stay strong - we're pulling for you!

Love ya lots,
Maggie and Mitch

Anonymous said...

Sad to hear that Herbie is not well. I'll be praying that Herbie recovers and back to his old self again.

Sam Iam said...

Herbie~
Hey big guy.Don't like to hear that your not feeling good.our thoughts are with you .feel better

Lot's of Lick's
Sam

Huskee and Hershey said...

Hi Herbie,
FIGHT against whatever bug that is in your body! We are all rooting for you!!

** Dear Aunty S, Please don't blame yourself... We all know you want nothing but the best for Herbie. Stay strong for Herbie's sake ok?

Girl Girl Hamster said...

Oh Herbie, please stay strong and pawsitive. We'll cross our paws for you and send you pawsitive vibes that you'll overcome it and be ok


~ Girl girl

Scuba the Muscle Boy said...

I have been out of action for the longest time but mom wants you over tonight (she said to work on you)

Opy - the Original GruffPuppy said...

Oh no Herbie !!! Please get better soon buddy - we thought that you were out of the woods, but now we hear this news :-(

Thinking of you - and your M too.

Love
Opy

Anonymous said...

herbie...herbie..herbie!!! (roar!!!!!!!!!) you WILL get well for your mommy and for us!!!

Casper and pals said...

Hi Herbie, We all have our paws crossed for you!! Stay strong! Get Better!

Charlie - The Big Dog said...

Herbie,
Please get better soon buddy! We love you and don't want you to be sick anymore. Our prayers are with you my friend.
Love Charlie

ycling said...

Hey herbie!
I know you are a really strong doggie. You can pull through this. We'll keep you in our prayers each night.
Take care

Anonymous said...

Herbie,

Sorry to hear about your bad news.
I believe you acn overcome the illness.

Hope you don't mind me asking which vet are you visiting at the moment?

Anonymous said...

Hi S and Herbie, very sorry to hear that you both must be going through a terrible time. Herbie is lucky to have you as a owner who would care enough to do everything and anything. Will keep both of you in my prayers. Did the vet say how he got the infection in the first place?

Scout's mom

Anonymous said...

Herbie's M,

Hang in there. These vets may not know it all. They said something else before and it was otherwise.

Herbie,

We are sending lots of positive vibes over to you and waving the magical healing hand of nature over you.

Anonymous said...

Hi M,

I just wanted to tell you that I know exactly how you feel. Chuckles is also very sick and may even have leukemia. Although it is not confirmed, the blood tests show that there is definately something very wrong. He hasn't eaten for days now.

I know it's very hard when you just can't do anything but see your dog in pain and sometimes you just feel like you can't do it and are not strong enough.

I'll pray for Herbie and for you to stay strong during this tough time.

Take care and God bless.

Sheila

Anonymous said...

Hey Herbie The Mom and I have our paws crossed and are sending you best wishes and keeping you in our thoughts.

Ben & Darling said...

GO away !!!! Im gonna chase away all the evil bad virus in Herbie body.....give back our healthy Herbie !!!

Take care Herbie, me & mom will be paw & finger cross for you....you will be fine. I know that....

Katherine and Pippa said...

Oh Herbie

We are so sorry you have pneumonia just when we all thought you had got such good news after the biopsy.

Lots of rest, lots of water, little bits of food to keep up your strength, and we send you lots of good wishes and good luck from over here.

We'll keep thinking of you and crossing our fingers and paws.

Pippa and Kate

Amber-Mae said...

Oooh Herbie, if it's cancer then your M better do something now.

Just recently, my hoomans boarded a black Dobermann named Thor. He was a healthy & damn noisy fella. Loved humping me everyday, loves barking at the gate alot, eats alot & very fast like he has never eaten for week,s just a dog who is full of life! This is going to be evry sad news so do prepare some kleenex...

Just a week ago, he was put to sleep. He had cancer in his intestines & nobody realised it coz he was still doing his usaly stuff but kept on vomitting his undifested food out at least once a a day. Last ti,me my hoomans boarded him & he was all fine. Nothing like this happened... This time was his 4th time with us & behaved better than before. We were ll wondering why but we were happee anyway that he was not soo noisy & energetic.

The 2nd day when he was with us, he vomittied ALL his food out. My hooman brought him to three different vets. They did a check up on him(not full check up) & they said that he was healthy & fine. My hoomans just let him be but his condition became worse & he vomited & vomited everyday non-stop. He became sooo skinny that his pelvis & ribs were sticking out & my hoomans still don't understand why he was not improving despite giving him antibiotics, gastric, diarrhea & digestive pills for about a week. Soon, he started rejecting his food coz his tummy was just in pain. When he had an x-ray at the 3rd vet, they discovered that there was a large growth in his intestines. A size of my tennis ball &my hoomans thought he swallowed one whole. But it will impossible as he will get chocked in it along the way...

His condition was already critical & he went to UPM for an operation. They opened him up & found tumors everywhere & has spreaded throughout his body. The doctor said they can save him but it will come back again within a month. Thor was vomiting throughout the whole surgery. My hoomans called his owner who was in Sweden & told her about the situation. Thor's owner talked to the doctor & she decided to let him go to end his suffering. He was only 2 years old.

My hoomans cried like crazee coz they loved him alot altho he was not their dog. I liked him too. He was like a big brudder to me. He is the only male dog I allowed to hump me & steal my balls. Other male dogs tried to do that to me in my house, they will be dead meat.

It is very sad. So I advice your M to make sure you go through a thorough check up again but even so, blood tests cannot tell you whether you have cancer or not. The doctor told my hooman. Even if they cannot confirm it's cancer or not, as long they think it's a growth in you, better go for an operation to remove it immediately before it spreads all over in you. Thor was also in an advance stage & just could not be saved.

My paws are crossed for you Herbie. i really hope you will get better soon...

Love licks,
Solid Gold Dancer

Luckie Girl said...

I hope you get better soon Herbie. Our thoughts are with you and your family!!

Anonymous said...

Hi Herbie, Ima regular @ ur blog. I hope you get well soon. sendin u lotsa licks. u'll be in all our prayers

Stanley said...

Herbie boy!!

I'm sending AireZen and goober hugs your way, man! Hope the antibiotics do the trick and that you are back to being the chow hound everyone says you are.

All my paws & toes are crossed for you!

Goober love,
Stanley