Here Goes (Long But Very Important)

[joejoesmom]

I am going to tell a story that is not quite as happy, but my dog did survive.

 

My best friend calls my Shelby a "food savant". She will find anything that any creature on the planet thinks was once food, is food, or might become food. Last summer, I had a foster staying with me that needed to take Deramaxx. I kept the Deramaxx in its bottle with the childproof cap. I kept it in a kitchen drawer. I came home after a day away and found the bottle on the floor with all the pills missing (5 1/2 pills) and the drawer open.

I don't know if I didn't close the drawer the whole way or if Shelby was able to open it.

 

Shelby is a 45 pound half-whippet who was almost 13 at the time. I rushed her to the hospital where she received IV fluids for 3 days. Ever since this experience, she has trouble with her kidneys. She needs to go out every 2 to 3 hours and has many accidents. You can imagine how much I hate myself for doing this to her.

 

So if it is within reach, even if the dog would have to open a door or drawer, it is not safe. I now keep all of my medicine inside a metal tool box on the top shelf of my closet. Yes it is a huge pain. But whenever I think about keeping it somewhere else, I just look at my Shelby.

 

Jane

 

Edited to add: I also keep all hazardous foods (onions, raisins, etc.) in metal latching tins on the top shelf of my pantry closet, behind a closed door and well out of reach of even my tallest greyhound. After Shelby figured out how to open the refrigerator door by pulling on the towel that I used to loop through the handle, I no longer keep a towel there.

Edited January 27, 2010 by joejoesmom

[Jiffer]

My heart was pounding just reading that.

 

I'm so glad TJ is all better. Whew!

 

Certainly a humbling and good reminder for us all.

[DonnaBehr]

So very glad that the outcome for TJ was good. Thank goodness for good Vets.

 

Please - everyone - be very careful if you are on rescue inhalers (Theophylline, Albuterol, Advair) and don't leave them laying around, which people tend to do with rescue inhalers.

VERY DANGEROUS to a dog.

[Guest BoogieDown]

I am so glad TJ's story has such a happy ending. Thank you for sharing your painful experience; this is a good wake-up call for people like me, who have pups who don't usually get into things - we take it for granted that it won't happen to us.

[Guest FullMetalFrank]

I am glad to hear he came thru this OK. There was a dog on GT many years ago, I have forgotten his name, but he got ibuprofen from his daddy's gym bag and he did not survive despite all efforts to save him.

 

We have a lot of prescription meds in the house and are diligent about keeping things put away; but you can never be too careful. Something about those little bottles is fascinating to many hounds; coveted to chew on and then if something comes out, hey, what's this? I think I'll eat it... My boy has gotten to empty bottles I was disposing of and chewed on them; I have no doubt if he got a full one he would gnaw on it until he got to what's inside.

[robinw]

what a week you had! i'm soglad TJ is ok.

 

thanks for the warning. i had something similar happen to Loca. she found and ate the contents of a bottle of vegetarian vitamins (90 count; i had no idea who many were actually in the bottle). her reaction wasn't as severe at TJ's, but she her treatment was the same and she had to spend the night at the e-vet. as with TJ, i had no idea that they vitamins even existed and didn't have a clue where she found them. so please, be careful.

[racindog]

Praise the Lord for TJ's recovery!!!

You are also very blessed to have such a wonderful vet that is knowlegeable enough to do the right thing and loving enough to come in and care for his patients after hours. Vets like that are rare these days.

Scritches to TJ!