This week was the first time we have been back to the park in about a month... The last few weeks Axle has been feeling a bit under the weather. He has been sick off and on since we adopted him last year. But our vet could never really tell us what was wrong with him. The best guess we could make is that he was just really susceptible to getting bacterial infections.
Axle and Clover wait for their friends to arrive.
But this most recent time he was sick, his usual rounds of antibiotics and probiotics didn't seem to be working. Axle was vomiting several times a day, almost every day. And even on the medication, he still wasn't getting any better.
Vlad is a little camera shy.
So after going back and forth to the vet about three times, they decided to do just one more fecal test to see if anything would show up. Well, the 3rd time was the charm and it came back positive for Whip Worm. Our vet told us that they could do six of these tests on a dog that had Whip Worm and MAYBE one of them would come back positive.
Clover is fast!
After we got the results Axle and Clover both began treatment for Whip Worm. We had to treat both dogs, since it would be extremely easy for them to pass it back and forth. Our vet thinks that the Whip Worm could be what has been making Axle sick for the past year. So with this new information we were really excited, because we might have finally found out what has been wrong with Axle for so long.
Clover, Axle, and Hachi
We began the treatment for the Whip Worm, and for a few days it seemed to be working. Axle was not throwing up, and he was starting to get a little bit of his energy back!
The welcoming committee
But a few more days passed, and Axle started vomiting again. He was lethargic and just was not himself. Right away we called the vet and made an another appointment to bring him back in. The vet was really concerned, becuase he should not be throwing up while on this new medication.
There was a good crowd at the park!
So back to the vet we went. I swear, we are in there so often that I don't even have to give my name anymore when I call. All I have to say is 'Axle is sick' and they know exactly who we are. I'm not really sure that's a good thing... But I am glad we have such a good relationship with our vet. It really eases my mind when one of the dogs is not feeling well.
Hachi is a ham!
After talking with our vet about all the different possibilities, they decided that he may actually have something else wrong with him in addition to the Whip Worms. So we decided to put him on a trial diet along with some new medication for Acid Reflux. And I'll be honest with you, deal readers, I was not aware that dogs could even have Acid Reflux.
Clover sporting her Summer Cut.
So once again we were sent home with yet another new medication and a very pricey prescription bag of dog food. Axle and Clover were both already on a sensitive stomach and skin brand of dog food. We had suspected that Axle had some type of food allergies, but we were never really sure what exactly he could be allergic to.
Axle enjoying the sunshine!
But with this new possibility of Axle having Acid Reflux, we might finally be able to get him on the right medication and diet to make him feel better. The hardest part about the whole thing is that Axle can't just tell us where it hurts. I feel so bad that he has had to go through test, after test, after test. Even though we love our vet, its still so stressful for Axle every time we have to take him in.
Hachi is sooo handsome!
Over about a week or we had to slowly transition Axle from this old food, to his new prescription food. We wanted to do this slowly so as not to upset Axle's system even more. Just switching his food immediately could really throw his whole system out of balance.
Greeting a new friend.
Finally after a week Axle had fully transitioned to his new food, and had been taking his Acid Reflux medication too. Thankfully he seems to be doing really well on this new diet and medication! Its such a relief to us and him, that he has stopped throwing up every day, and has gotten a lot of his energy back.
Axle and Henry.
Axle and Clover still have to go through one more round of the Whip Worm treatment. But since Axle has been on this new diet and medication, he has not thrown up once! It has only been about two weeks, but we are hopeful that Axle will continue on the path of recovery with the help of this new treatment.
Lets play!
I never thought of Axle as a "special needs" dog, even though he technically is. He has always just been my little Axle. I never want to keep him from doing things he loves like going to the dog park, or going swimming in the pond by our house, just becuase of his health issues. So I was thrilled when the vet told us that as long as he doesn't have any problem while on this treatment, we will not have to change his daily lifestyle.
I love the rustic old barn next to the park.
I would simply be heartbroken, if I could never take Axle to the park again. And that was one of my fears when he started getting sick. But thankfully his illness does not seemed to be triggered by his environment. And even better, he has gotten used to taking his Acid Reflux pill twice a day.
That's the spot!
Poor boy just goes belly up, as soon as he sees me heading towards the cabinet where we keep his pills. I know when most dogs have to take a pill, it needs to be wrapped in cheese or deli meat for it to even have a chance of going down. But I guess Axle is so used to taking pills, he just rolls over and lets me put the pill in his mouth and he swallows it on his own.
Chloe is ready for action!
Axle has has another appointment with the vet in a few weeks to make sure he is adjusting well to his new diet and medication. I don't know for sure if he will have to stay on the Acid Reflux medication forever, or if they will lessen his dosage, but I'm just thankful that he seems to be feeling better.
Sunset at the dog park!
I know that the dogs are happy to get to go to the park again too. We had not been taking them, on the off chance that it was an environmental issue. But now that Axle's stomach is not getting upset on his new treatment, we will be able to get back into our routine park trips again!
Henry takes a break in the shade.
I promise I will keep all of you updated on Axle's progress. So many of you have already been so sportive and concerned about what has been going on with him lately. And I honestly cannot tell you how much it means to me that so many people care about my two crazy fur balls!
It wouldn't be a Dog Park Adventure without a close up of Clover!
Do any of you have any Special Needs pets? Or pets that have chronic health issues? What are your ways of dealing with the stress of frequent vet trips, bills, medications, or special diets? Please share them in the comments below! We love hearing about your personal pet stories.
Please also share your pet blogs or websites with us! We are working on a special project in the near future and want to include our dear readers! Also be on the look out! We have a few really awesome contests and giveaways coming up as well!!!
