Wednesday, November 30, 2011

That will be $81.70, ma'am

Wrigley




Sometime during the night last Wednesday, this dog ate a whole loaf of Wonderbread white bread (stuffing ingredients) and about a pound (454 grams) of raisins.  The bread I could care less about.  I was worried about the raisins.  Reportedly, grapes and raisins, in large enough quantities, can be toxic to canines.  He did not get sick, though he had a snare drum for a belly all day Thursday  until, well, you know....

Friday my vet was not in.  Since Wrigley  seemed to be fine by then I decided to not to worry. Monday I talked to the vet.  She suggested some blood work (easy enough, the vet tech can draw that) and a urine test.  Right.  Oh, and if you get a mid stream sample, that would be good.  Right.

Undaunted (I mean I can re wire a sewing machine, how hard can this be?) I went out with a large yogurt container to try to slip in there when the leg was up.  Wrigley thought this was a new game.  He had a blast.  I had no urine.

By now I had googled raisins and canines and found out that the problem is acute renal failure caused by toxins in the raisins.  The toxic dose is 11-30 grams per kilogram.  Wrigley, at 31.8 kilos, had consumed at least 454 grams and some cardboard.  Toxic dose for him was somewhere between 350 and 960 grams.  I think the Wonderbread saved his life.

Today I dropped him off at the vet.  I hemmed and hawed this morning about even taking him in.  He seemed absolutely fine.  Still, I had called the vet and asked for advice.  It seemed disrespectful to disregard her suggestions.   So after the poodles ate breakfast (Wrigley had to fast) we all traipsed over to the vet.  I left him there all day.  The report, at three oclock, was that his blood work was fine ( no kidney damage) but still no pee.  "We really would like to get some urine."  Right.

We traipsed back and I paid the bill (it wasn't all that much, maybe the value of my 2 wireless 201s) and as I left, with Wrigley on leash, I said, "oh I wish I had a pan right now.  I bet he will pee."  The wondeful vet tech followed me, and swooped in from behind just as he lifted that leg.  Great news.  His urine test was fine.  No protein and perfect specific gravity. 

 I keep telling Steven that we have larger frontal lobes and should be able to prevent his marauding.  We do have gates on the kitchen.  We just have to remember to latch them...

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