Bootsie and the Q-Tips

This morning did not start off on a positive note. I woke up about 8:00 am, to find that Bootsie was not at her customary place: sharing my pillow atop the bed. She had hopped down and was on the floor a few feet away, and had thrown up. This would make the 3rd time this week.

I got up padded over to the kitchen to grab up the necessary supplies: paper towels, trashcan, carpet cleaner. It didn't take long for me to see for myself what had brought on this bout of illness in my little Bootsie.

There, in her throw-up, were 3 Q-Tips. Three!! Whole!!

Now, Bootsie has always had a bit of a Q-Tip fetish. No one knows why she is so fond of q-tips, but then, Bootsie IS a bit of an unusual little dog, lol. Ever since she was a puppy, we have had to watch her that she doesn't grab hold of a stray q-tip. Whenever the opportunity would present itself, Bootsie would take them to her "super secret hiding place" (under the table or behind the sofa). Once there in her private little sanctuary, she would commence to eat the cotton tips from the ends. Just the tips, mind you.

Apparently, Bootsie had discovered recently that the whole enchilada was every bit as tasty as the cotton swab ends were.

I withheld Bootsie's breakfast, knowing that the vet would tell me that this was the first step to take. I did worry about the possibility of their being MORE q-tips wandering about inside my little dog, and the possibility of her suffering a perforated bowel from one. But there was no blood in her throw-up or in her #2, so I decided that she was probably alright. I gave her a half a carafate tablet and her pheno. The game of "wait/see/observe/ and worry" had begun.

I could tell that her little tummy was hurting her. Whenever Bootsie doesn't feel well, she trembles, walks with her tail tucked between her legs, and walks off to be by herself. Her sides will take on a "sucked in" look. This morning, she displayed all these things. I think about 20 more minutes passed before she began to look like she felt better.

Bootsie slept under my watchful eye on the sofa, and I could hear her little tummy gurgling and rumbling.

She got up and retched but nothing was produced. Enough was enough. I phoned the vet and told them we were coming down straight away.

Once there, I asked the vet to x-ray Bootsie. An x-ray would not be able to reveal an obstruction if one existed, but it would help give us clues as to what was happening and lead us to a solution.

When the vet came back with the x-rays, he showed me that Bootsie's tummy and intestines were irritated. In a normal x-ray, one would have difficulty seeing the wall of those two organs. But I could clearly see them in these. They appeared as thickened white oulines. Also, Bootsie was constipated, and you could see that as well.

We had two options. One, I could keep Bootsie at the vets where they would give her an enema and something akin to barium. They would start her on an IV to ensure proper hydration, and they would observe her. The main reason for doing this, was in case there could be another q-tip inside her that was causing problems.

My second option was to let the vet give her an enema, and then bring her home with some meds and instructions. I chose this. I hate being away from Bootsie, and I think that she hates it also.

So, here is where things sit as of now: Bootsie has meds to take for her tummy. I am encouraging her to drink as much water as possible, and she's doing wonderfully there: already drank 1 and a 1/2 cups (vet said he'd be happy with 1 cup per day). She is allowed to eat bland food like oatmeal. And I will be inspecting everything she produces when she goes potty.

And Bootsie is going potty quite a bit. In just the last hour, she's barked at me in such a way as if to say, "Let's go NOW! This is URGENT!" I think we've "answered the call" at least 7 times in the last hour. It's dark outside now, so I go out with her, a penlight in hand, lol.

The vet said if she throws up again tonight it's not TOO worrisome, but if she throws up tomorrow he wants me to bring her back in.

So, please say a small prayer for Bootsie that she'll be ok. I know that God listens to prayers for her, because I've been witness to Him answering such prayers. I can honestly say that I would rather have God take the discomfort from Bootsie and give it to me, because I would happily take it and spare Bootsie any hurt.

I feel that her not feeling good is my fault, since I should've done something to prevent her from getting into Q-Tips. But for the life of me, I am baffled about it all. For one thing, where she found 3 Q-Tips. I don't leave them out where she can get hold of them. Secondly, I am with Bootsie 24/7. We're always together. When in the world did she hunt the q-tips up, AND manage to devoutr them, without my seeing!? I cannot figure this one out at all.

One good thing: I thought that Bootsie would be hellbent on eating some grass because her tummy feels poorly. I don't like her doing that to begin with, but I especially don't like that now. We have a large quantity of mushrooms growing in our backyard, and the bulk of them happen to be 'shrooms........the hallucinogenic variety......last thing we need is Bootsie munching down a few of those with her mouthful of grass, and then having her turn around and think that I am a living, walking  Q-Tip or something. Lol.

Please say a prayer for Bootsie. Doesn't have to be something long or fancy. I think she'll be ok, but I can't help but worry about her.