We had to rush our little dachshund puppy, Slinky, to the area
emergency animal hospital last night. It turns out he has come down with
infectious bronchitis (first time I've ever known a dog to have that)!!

  At the apartment complex for the disabled and elderly in west Little
Rock, where my wife and I live with Slinky...they're currently in the
midst of a major remodeling and renovation project...and we'll be moving
to a new apartment in the complex sometime before June, I think.

  Yesterday (Thursday), the maintenence folks were coming in and out
much of the day (while we were here) to replace the air conditioning
unit. Slinky was livid that his space was being invaded. For a puppy
just 7 1/2 months old...neutered only 6 weeks ago...he barks, growls,
squirms, and complains like a much older dog!! :)

  Last night, he started hacking and coughing real bad, as if he had
swallowed something, and was choking on it. He was bringing up mucous,
and so Janice and I rushed him to an area emergency animal hospital.

  It operates only during the overnight hours (i.e. 6pm to 7:30am
Monday through Friday, and from 6pm Friday to 7:30am Monday)...in
comparision with other area vet clinics and hospitals that operate when
this one is closed. So, someone in central Arkansas could conceivably
get care for their animal around the clock. It isn't cheap, but at least
we didn't have to wait too long for him to be seen...like some
experiences the wife and I have had to bear at area emergency rooms!!

  We had boarded him with an area clinic last week, when we had several
committments around town, and we were going to be gone much of the
time...and he couldn't be left home alone, even though he is now
sleeping at night in his carrier without crying, and can hold his bowel
and bladder needs until he asks to go out. We tried the "dog litter" on
him, but he preferred to eat it, instead of use it for what it was
designed for. We are going to check with that boarding clinic (one that
we've used many times before) to see if they saw anything
suspicious...but, he was fine on Wednesday.

  Ironically, a few weeks back, he had swallowed one of the strings of a
red, white, and blue afghan blanket that my Mom had made us...and Slinky
passed it in his stool during his last stay at the local boarding
clinic. He had no sign of vomiting, and was eating well...so, we felt
that there was no danger of his intestines getting twisted...which
could've been fatal. However, we joked that Slinky was "passing
patriotic poop". 

  X-rays showed that he had matter in his lungs, but he was given
antibiotics and medicine, so with those, and kennel rest for the next
week, he should be OK. He got back to eating and drinking like he used
to this evening (Friday), but I can understand that he didn't feel like
eating last night when he was ill. The medicine is helping him to sleep
a lot...and we have to keep him from getting excited, so he doesn't
start up again. However, we suspected that all the barking and growling
that he did Thursday may have aggravated things. His monthly Frontline
and Interceptor (flea, tick, and heartworm protection) had been given
him, and the vet-techs said it probably would've taken a lot longer for
heartworms to show up than just a couple of weeks, since he gets his
stuff monthly.

  Hopefully, by this time next week, he should be OK. We also wondered
if all of the pollen might have had an effect on him...as my wife has
all the allergy/hay fever symptoms you can imagine.

Daryl

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