Friday, June 30, 2006

Tubbs' Ticker Trouble

I just got back from dropping Tubbs off at the vet. He is having a chest xray and EKG today. Ugh. Hopefully this will illuminate what is causing his breathing issues. He can breath, he just pants all the time and has a kinda nasty cough. And with me being on the internet all day I have discovered that this, coupled with some other syptoms he is exhibiting (can't get comfortable lying down, pacing ect) are signs of congestive heart failure. Yesterday they listened to his heart and said he had a murmur AND an arithmia. Poor kid.

Ok, they just called. They finished the tests. The xray shows that one of his chambers is a little enlarged, nothing too big to worry about (at least that's what she said). The EKG results won't be in until Monday. Depending on what that shows, he may have to have an ultrasound. Which is very expensive. Not that I care, but you know, unemployment blah, blah, blah.

I go to pick him up at 3 and I get to go over it all with the vet then. I just want to know what can be done to make him more comfortable. Last night he just paced around the bed. I know that most heart conditions are not curable, but are treatable. He's an old guy. I just want him dumb and happy like always. He doesn't need to be running marathons.

All this makes me sad. I would hate for the new baby to never know him. He's my first baby boy...I really don't know how I would handle losing him. Ok, now I'm overracting. He's doing ok. He's not on deaths door or anything, but it's really made me think about how he won't be around forever...or even that much longer. I can't imagine a life with out Tubbs around. Hopefully we won't have to worry about that for some years still.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Um, thanks for making my eyes tear up. Tubb's is tough - he'll be back to comfortably biting his butt any day. If it makes you feel nay better, everyday now I come home from work - I check to make sure Tab is breathing. I'm weird I know. She's 14 and wakes us up every morning now between 5:30 - 6:00 to go for a run. Our furry kids have a lot of life left in them!

K said...

Hi Mrs. T!!

Sorry, I know. I'm being a little morbid. Tubbs is back home and lounging next to me. He seems as dumb and happy as ever.

The vet didn't really illuminate much except that he doesn't have cancer or any lung disease. Most likely the enlarged atrium is causing the arithmea....anyway, another $300 on Wed and they're going to do an ultrasound. FUN!! Probably just to find out what else he doesn't have.

Have fun in the islands!!! I'M SO JEALOUS. I'll give you a call later and try to catch up a bit before you leave...but I know you're probably swamped.

Geez, I blab. who needs email when you have Blogger comments?!

P-Diddy in Sin City said...

Tubbs is tough. Don't worry! That's the thing with doggies, you just have to love them in the moment, every moment! And I don't think there will EVER be a day that Tubbs is not dumb and happy. (don't tell him I called him dumb- It just still makes me laugh to think about how he thinks he's small, since growing up with Forban.)