KARMA KINKS

The title of my blog today is 'Karma Kinks'  suggested by Gloria Atwater.  It fits.  We have a few kinks in paradise.  I'm so sorry my husband isn't able to share this with me.  Geesh. Not really, darling, but thinking of you.

I believe it was Wednesday last week when I had the plumber out to see why my bedroom rug was wet and all heck broke loose.  A slow leak in the washing machine supply line was noted, walls bubbled, utility room that houses the washer and dryer with mold and so forth.  Thursday, Champ didn't eat breakfast and I got him an appt. with a local Vet (UC Davis grad that came recommended).  She did a nice assessment, but most disturbing was his temp was now 104.5.  She did a few abdominal films at my request since Champ gutted one of Jet's beds a few days earlier.

That night he was so lethargic he couldn't keep his eyes open.  His temperature was 106.  He didn't want out of his igloo and when he did come out he was stiff.  I almost had heart failure.  I called the local vet and this was what she said, "You are a nurse.  You know you run a high fever and get achy with immune-mediated diseases."  Oh…Like that is totally UNACCEPTABLE in my book.  And, a little too casual (flip) for the moment.

I told her to call a referral to the well known Summit Referral Emergency clinic in Tacoma, 2 plus hours away.  I drove him at night in the rain hoping he wouldn't die on me.  I knew he needed fluids and probably more. Champ has never been sick in a day of his life.  He is a true athlete in every sense of the word.  Summit was delightful on the phone and they were waiting for me at the door.

That night I slept in the parking lot with old Jet and Yoko in my RV Van.  Jeanne Boudrieau knew I was there and joined me for the night from Elma after work bringing a chicken dinner that Rick had cooked up for us.  We slept crunched up in the back of my van.

Long story short, he stayed until Sunday night on IV fluids.  He was started on Baytril in Sequim and continued on it at Summit. They started him on Doxycycline Friday night.  They suspected Leptospirosis.  He had mildly elevated liver labs, low platelets, spilled a little glucose into his urine and mild uveitis….all symptoms of systemic infectious or inflammatory disease.  They felt it was probably leptospirosis since I had been at Jeanne's Circle B farm one week ago.  There is a 4-12 day incubation period for lepto.   Jeanne has a half brother to Champ that was diagnosed with lepto, almost dying, earlier this year :0(  But, lepto can be anywhere and it's not something I vaccinate for even though Jeanne's Moses had been vaccinated for it and still came down with it.

Poor little Champster had to have a urinary catheter since lepto is spread by shedding the bacteria in the urine.  There he was on his little blankie in a crate with IV fluids running and a catheter.  It was ever so sad.  By Saturday afternoon he started responding to the Doxycycline.  He started to eat some hand fed food given to him.  His temperature returned to normal.  I brought him home on Sunday night and have kept him isolated until Wed.  Jet and Yoko are both on Doxycycline prophylactically.  Wednesday night he started to do this soft, pathetic HOWL  I couldn't take it.  I let him in with all of us.

Thus far, Tick-borne disease = NEGATIVE,  fungal = NEGATIVE and any moment the Lepto panel should be back.  He feels  good and is being silly and eating now.  Unfortunately, the price we had to pay was to miss the two biggest trials up here that we made sure we arrived in Sequim in time for :0(  So very sad.  He was going to "smoke 'em.  He told me so :0)  By the time the next trial rolls around he will be out of the Nursery class and in Pro-Novice.  He has to take it easy for awhile to regain his strength.

While all of this is going on… State Farm  came and won't pay anything on the house damage since it was a slow leak, not a sudden burst of a pipe, so we have to knock out dry walls, pull up carpet, etc. etc.  But, I have so many fabulous friends and I have this new (used) home with a beautiful view and I have lived part of my dream just being able to move to Washington plus, Champ is on the mend.

I can't thank-you ALL enough for supporting us in a real time of need.  Really, every day that I looked at that GoForFund set up by Jean Singer I would get teary eyed.  I have friends that contributed that I haven't even met.  I have friends from high school girls boarding school that contributed.  It was almost overwhelming.  Words can't express how I feel.   Maybe passing out all of my homeless packages I made on my drive up to WA. paid back ten fold to me.  I don't know.  But, I am eternally grateful.

Champ gives you all a big WOOF WOOF, too :0)  And, Yoko, is pretty sick and tired of all of this foolishness and would like things to return to normal. Old  Jet…well, he knows where he is now (he was a bit confused with all of the traveling) and he is eternally grateful to Jeanne for his weave poles.  It gave him some semblance of normalcy throughout all of this craziness.

Big HUGS to all of you.  You know who you are!

The unfortunate results are in:  Champ has Leptospiosis.  I will learn more about the strains, precautions, vaccines, etc. on Sat. when I see the Internist at Summit Vet clinic in Tacoma.  Meanwhile, I will keep washing my hands diligently and trying to keep Champ peeing on the other side of the house in the yard away from Jet and Yoko who are prophylactic Doxycycline.