Suddenly one evening, I came across where my dog had vomited. Having worked for a veterinarian in the past, I knew to watch her closely in case she did so again. The illness she had come down with was eventually diagnosed as Hemorrhagic Gastro Enteritis (HGE), and thanks to some amazing medical professionals, we were among the very blessed, and she did survive.
What is HGE? And, what did I already know that would help us?
The primary cause of HGE is unknown, but it might be attributed any one of a variety of causes: bacterial toxin, a virus, stress, parasites or something ingested. When treated immediately, most dogs will recover in a few days. While at a clinic, the treatment usually includes IV therapy, antibiotics may be used, and the diet when introduced back in, will be bland. Symptoms that are the easiest to spot are the vomiting and bloody diarrhea. Other symptoms include high fever and listlessness. Because I knew that any vomiting could lead to dehydration, and that bloody stool might indicate parvo I already knew that immediate treatment may be necessary.
It was closing time for my regular veterinarian, but when called, they provided numbers and addresses for an emergency clinic. So could I panic at that point - what do you think?
You are right, I had to focus on safe driving, and strive to remain calm. And as we raced to the clinic, I was so glad my dog had her own crate and we had finished crate training.
So my dog's journey began and played out in two trips to different clinics. Late the first night, the diagnosis was made, but at that point she had only vomited. My instructions were to take her home, monitor her and return the next day if she didn't improve. Unfortunately, I awoke to a feverish and listless little girl who had advanced to the bloody diarrhea stage. So my first lesson was that waiting can be dangerous, and monitoring by professionals rather than an owner is of utmost importance.
Then during our trip back to the clinic the next morning, we arrived to find out they were closing, and our only option was a trip across town to the 24-hour clinic. So let my mistake help you prevent one. Know your clinics. That includes where they are, their hours of operations, and it may even help to have an alternate route planned. But most important, keep their business card or phone number in the front of your pet's medical file.
When we did arrive, the doctor at the second clinic began IV therapy immediately. I'll be eternally grateful for the highly skilled and compassionate professionals who saved my dog's life. By day three, not only did they save her, but they coached me through all the after-care feeding, medications, and follow-up visits.
As she was recovering, I resolved to do all possible to prevent ever having a recurrence of HGE in my dog. These additional pointers may help you as well.
1. Make sure your dog responds to a strong "leave it" command. This applies to anything outside or inside that you did not feed your dog yourself. Remember anything smelly to us is usually yummy to a dog.
2. Educate all your family, friends, or first-time visitors to refrain from giving your pet people foods or even doggie treats, unless you approve of them. The blander the better, of course.
3. You can also train your dog to lie quietly and at a distance from the table while you are eating.
4. Have directions to your 24-hour emergency clinic well posted for anyone who may need to transport your pet.
5. And a proven safety measure is to use a crate for transporting your dog or cat.
So you may ask, what can I share that hasn't been covered in hundreds of other articles on the subject of HGE? Not much. It's my hope that someone may learn from my errors, and for those who have lost a beloved pet to this dreaded illness, I extend my utmost sympathy. For the doctors who work through the nights to save our furry family members, I extend my heartfelt gratitude. I know every time I get to pet my dog, or watch her chasing a ball, I'm among the very blessed.
Until next time...
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