Worrywort

I am an unexpected emotional wreck this morning.  Was driving the girls over to the in laws’ for doggy day care for the day and inexplicably burst into tears and started worrying over Daisy dying.  She’s not dying.  We’ve been to the vet.  There’s nothing wrong with her.   Slightly elevated liver enzymes and her cholesterol is a little bit up.  She’s been put on special food for that.  Vet says nothing to worry about.  But she’s just…not quite herself the last couple of weeks.  And it’s freaking me out.

Part of it is that it’s almost March and March is the evil hell month when horrible shit always happens.  Leg breaks.  Deaths in the family.  Daisy’s stroke last year.  I have learned to be a bit of a paranoid wreck during March.

She’s made an AMAZING recovery in the last year.  Not 100% but so much more than most dogs who have an FCE ever do.  But she’s been ill more often.  UTI’s.  Bouts with claustridia.  As I said, nothing came up at the last vet trip, but she’s just…not herself.  Not moving quite as well as she has been.  More lethargic.  Not drinking enough.  She’s going to be 12 this summer.  And as much as I’d like to think she’ll be one of those dogs who hangs out to 20…chances are she won’t.  And it has me freaking out.

And damn it, there go the waterworks again.

Daisy’s my baby.  My first dog.  I got her my senior year of college from the Humane Society.  I’d actually gone to look at this litter of spaniel puppies.  They let all the puppies out and tossed a couple of beanie babies into the fray for them to play with.  All of them started fighting over one, and Daisy (the runt of her litter) stole the second one and went to hide it behind a box fan.  Then she came back to get the other one.  She had brains and I was sold.  I swear, if she had the appropriate vocal apparatus, she would totally be the dog version of Brain from Pinky and the Brain.  She’s a diva and a darling.  And she needs to feel better, damn it.  I need my paranoia to be nothing.

8 thoughts on “Worrywort

  1. I know it’s hard not to worry. My dog is 13, and he’s almost deaf, and he’s acting funny sometimes. And kind of limping around. It’s heart-breaking to think our babies might leave us soon, so I completely understand the tears. I really hope Daisy WILL be one of those dogs who lives to be 20. Since she’s older, it’s probably normal for her to have more UTI’s and other things going on.

    My dog, Chipper, isn’t quite as smart as Daisy. LOL

  2. I’ve been there. And last fall the same basic stress pretty much ruined my own health for a good 6 weeks. And nothing anyone can say will make you stop worrying, because it’s your baby-dog, dang it.

    I hope she starts feeling more herself soon – and that you feel better soon too!

  3. I’m right there with you: My 15-year-old baby–the one we got as our best wedding present right after returning from our honeymoon–had bad diarrhea a couple days last week. Reminded me of when one of our rescues got pancreatitis… right before she passed in 2010… in February. Kyra seems fully recovered now, but she’s been drinking more. So even though she’s underweight, I worry about signs of diabetes (which we discovered the week before the pancreatitis in the one I just mentioned). I lift her up onto the bed for her cuddles, and she still plays, and she loves going for walks, but sometimes she seems confused, which is completely out of character because she’s always been the smart one, the ring-leader. I still cross my fingers for another 5 years with her, but the two rescues we got to keep her company both passed in 2010, and she was always the oldest, so… I’m doing the math and treasuring every moment I have with her.

  4. The feeling of having your best friend go is the most heart wrenching emotion to have. I’ve had my yorkie for only two years but I couldn’t imagine a life without his pitter patter behind me. I understand this will be so terribly hard when it’s her time. I’ve put down all three of my labs within a week of each other. My last, my black lab, had cancer. It was terrible. But dogs are incredible creatures. Though they may not feel like themselves, they always come to you to cheer you up.

    It’s only natural to burst out in tears. Especially if you raised her from a pup. Those attachments never go away. I’ve put down three but I won’t lie–it hurts like hell. It’s a slow recovery but it happens whether you want it or not.

    I really hope you get to have more years with Daisy. I’m sure you’ve given her the best life possible. The most important thing is to be there for each other. Some people say dogs don’t know what love is but I disagree. Anyone who is close to their animal understands that an unspoken bond is a form of love. I wish Daisy a good recovery! And that you feel better. From one dog’s best buddy to another.

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