Author Topic: I was having withdrawals!!!! (Read 5002 times)

AprilsPink72Cuda · « **on:** November 18, 2005 - 09:32:26 PM »

I have been away from the site for about a week and I issed so much. It is taking forever to catch up.� We had to take my dog to the emergecy clinic last Saturday night.� He wasn't feeling good and had an upset tummy just before we went out to dinner with friends.� When I came home I had a doggy bag of filet mingon and he even turned his nose up to that which is not like him at all. The then vomitted bile, but it was really dark bile and it had some specks of blood in it. I took him temperature and it was 103. (His normal temp is 101.5).� I got him to drink a little pedialyte (sp?) and he laid down. Then I noticed he wasn't breathing right and he started twitching. Almost like he was shivering, but in slow motion. We were off to the emergency clinic. Once we were in the car he was acting fine again. He seemed fine at the hospital too, and his fever went down to 102.1. The doctor was going to give him some fluids under the skin and an injection of Pepcid and was going over the "fasting routine" (no food or water for 24 hrs.). While the doctor was talking to me Muggsey collapsed to the ground. His tounge turned purple almost instantly and him gums were snow white. He was in a state of total confusion, looking around aimlessly. I clapped my hands to get his attention, and the doctor whistled. He didn't respond at all. He came out of that state in probably under a minute, and was back to his normal self in about 3-5 miutes, normal gum color and all. They did an EKG and it read at about 90 beats per miute (which the vet said was normal). They gave him his fluids and we were on our way.� Went to my regular Vet on Monday and found out he has Addison's DIsease on Tuesday.� It is an auto-immune disease that is usually difficult to diagnose and it can kill them.� What happens is that their adrenal glands do not produce the proper about of certian harmones that give them the ability to deal with stress (good or bad stress).� He will have to take at least 9 pills for the rest of his life.� I almost had a heart attack when I found out how much the meds are. I have to get them at a people pharmacy. The monthly prescription is for 300 pills. Wow, thats a lot of pills. The vet told me to shop aroud cause prices would probably vary from place to place. The first place I called was the pharmacy in my grocery store. They gave me a price of $335.99 for the month's supply!� The average price was around $250.00 at most places. Walmart said $215 or so and finally I called Sam's Club and they gave me a price of $200. I went to petmeds.com for the hell of it and their price was over $400 a month!!!!!!!� Not to mention I paid about $400 for bloodwork on Monday, plus a couple of hundred at the Emergency Clinic this past Saturday. I think I am taking it all pretty well though. At first I was very upset with the fact that my boy has a disease. Now I am just pissed that these drug companies can charge so much for this medicine. They know you will pay it so they take advantage of you. I am not in any way saying my boy Muggsey isn't worth it, because he is, and worth so much more. I would give up anything if it can make him happy and healthy. These drug companies and/or pharmacies should be ashamed of themselves.�

So, I have been spending all of my "computer time" learning about Addison's Disease and what it means for my boy. I have found some great web sites with some wonderful people who have dogs with Addison's Disease.� Thankfully, dogs with this disease can lead a normal healthy life on the meds.� Sorry to go on and on, but you guys are like my family and it sure feels better to "talk" about it.� Thanks for "listening".

Carlwalski · « **Reply #1 on:** November 18, 2005 - 09:43:30 PM »

WHOA!!! I hope all turns out OK for you April. I was wondering why you only get on here like once or twice a week if that.
I just had my Dog checked out, had two lumps but the (thankfully) were only fatty tissue lumps which most older dogs get.

You know you have trouble when a Dog turns away food, NOT a good sign.

Keep that smiley on your dile April. :-)

Cheers,
Carl

AprilsPink72Cuda · « **Reply #2 on:** November 18, 2005 - 09:46:05 PM »

Thanks NZ, I have been popping in when I get a chance while I am at work. Just buying the kennel recently has taken up a lot of my time too. Geez, I need a break!

426HEMI · « **Reply #3 on:** November 18, 2005 - 09:55:47 PM »

April I hope your Dog is ok now. I know how that can be. Have had several and they are very important to us just about like our cars. Glad you are back and your dog is better. Like you say the drug companies are way over charging for all of us and should be made to lower the costs as they could.

Thanks for venting you really needed that.

Gordon

Carlwalski · « **Reply #4 on:** November 18, 2005 - 09:58:21 PM »

Quote from: AprilsPink72Cuda on November 18, 2005 - 09:46:05 PM

Thanks NZ, I have been popping in when I get a chance while I am at work.� Just buying the kennel recently has taken up a lot of my time too.� Geez, I need a break!

Isn't there a national holiday coming up soon in America? Sounds like you need a nice holiday April.

Rev-It-Up · « **Reply #5 on:** November 18, 2005 - 10:48:28 PM »

Poor Mugsey!!! I'm glad they were able to diagnose it so quickly...it could have turned out a lot worse! Have you looked into pet insurance? I don't know much about it but it might be worth a look.

Glad you're back...you were missed!

Don't forget to get that picture of your car and use the largest resolution setting your camera has!!

VPOINTCUDA · « **Reply #6 on:** November 18, 2005 - 11:15:10 PM »

April ,
I , as a dog owner myself , can relate to what you are going through. I lost my best friend in the whole world on april 15 1991to K-9 LYMPHOMA! I was devistated , the doctor said I could try chemo drugs, but they were verry expensive , or I could have her put to sleep. I decided to just make her as comfortable as possible at home , she lived like a queen for about a month after the diagnosis. Then I finally had to have her put to sleep.
Yeah , I still cry over her loss , say what you will.
Damn drug companies , you are so freakin right , they should be ashamed !
I wish you the best of luck , I wish I could have afforded the medicine my Reba dog needed , But , on a lighter side , I have a new friend, she's a big goofball, but I love her !

Ghost · « **Reply #7 on:** November 18, 2005 - 11:37:33 PM »

Learning to take care of Muggsey is more important that visiting this site, April, so you are forgiven.

On another, sadder note, my dog my have cancer.... Found a lump on his back. There has always been a small lump there, but, it's grown, now. He's only 8 years old....

4Cruizn · « **Reply #8 on:** November 18, 2005 - 11:50:41 PM »

We missed you too!! Hope all is good with the dogs!!

cutting torch · « **Reply #9 on:** November 19, 2005 - 12:24:00 AM »

I'm not trying to minimize what you are dealing with here since I love dogs myself, but the drug companies have to invest a huge amount of capital to develop those drugs. If they didn't pass those costs to the end user of those drugs, the development would cease. They recognized an ailment that might be treatable, and developed a treatment for it, gambling on the fact that they might get their invesment back. They also wish to make a profit, like any other business. They may be a little greedy, but never more than the market can bear.

I just hope that your pup ends up OK, and that it doesn't break the bank. The little mutts we have are as much a part of the family as the kids.

torch

torredcuda · « **Reply #10 on:** November 19, 2005 - 04:35:53 AM »

Sorry to hear about your "kid" Muggsey but at least he will be allright now.My wife and I went through some rough times with our old dog Star when she started having bad seizures,late nights at the vet hospital and up all night trying to comfort her.We did everything we could for her but she was 17 yrs old and the diagnosis was lesions on her brain so we had to put her to sleep,we still miss her.Of course within a few weeks we were looking at local shelters and online and found our two new brats through a rescue organization that saves them from other parts of the country.

Swedefish · « **Reply #11 on:** November 19, 2005 - 05:27:40 AM »

Sorry to hear April,hope his getting better

Mopar73340 · « **Reply #12 on:** November 19, 2005 - 06:24:48 AM »

Sorry to hear about your dog April, Just be glad they diagnosed him quickly and it can be treated. I'm glad he's doing better now. I know it sucks drugs cost so much, not only for animals but ours to.

cudahob · « **Reply #13 on:** November 19, 2005 - 07:29:33 AM »

That's some good research, keep it up you'll lick it soon. Hope for happy days ahead.

CH

JS27N0B · « **Reply #14 on:** November 19, 2005 - 11:31:16 AM »

Hope the medication works and doesn't hurt you financially.

Author Topic: I was having withdrawals!!!! (Read 5002 times)

AprilsPink72Cuda

I was having withdrawals!!!!

Carlwalski

Re: I was having withdrawals!!!!

AprilsPink72Cuda

Re: I was having withdrawals!!!!

426HEMI

Re: I was having withdrawals!!!!

Carlwalski

Re: I was having withdrawals!!!!

Rev-It-Up

Re: I was having withdrawals!!!!

VPOINTCUDA

Re: I was having withdrawals!!!!

Ghost

Re: I was having withdrawals!!!!

4Cruizn

Re: I was having withdrawals!!!!

cutting torch

Re: I was having withdrawals!!!!

torredcuda

Re: I was having withdrawals!!!!

Swedefish

Re: I was having withdrawals!!!!

Mopar73340

Re: I was having withdrawals!!!!

cudahob

Re: I was having withdrawals!!!!

JS27N0B

Re: I was having withdrawals!!!!