LaVida - Sudden Collapse On Sunday Night

[Time4ANap]

As previously mentioned in Mark's "rock thread," LaVida required a trip to the E-Vet on Sunday night. 

Chris and I had just gone to bed at about 10:30 with Mark and LaVida both on slumber balls in the bedroom. Stella was on our bed. Suddenly there was a crash and by the time we jumped up Stella was going after LaVida and Mark was standing over her. LaVida had gotten up and crashed into the dresser and probably the bedroom door. She was on her back, rolling aound with her legs flailing in the air. Stella was growling and I'm not sure if she thought that LaVida was playing or if she was going to attack LaVida as we've seen similar behavior with one of the previous fosters trying to take out an old weak dog. Not intentional - just a dog thing. LaVida's eyes were rolled back in her head and she was unconscious for a couple of minutes. Chris and I took turns monitoring her while each other got dressed. She had a pulse the entire time but was not responding to us. 

After a few minutes she started coming around. We headed for the E-vet. On the way Chris called the closest one and they were on diversion due to being slammed with too many patients. They told us we could stop there and they would stablize her if needed. At that point, LaVida was awake and actually watching the traffic and taking in the ride, so we went to the next closest E-Vet which is just a few more miles. LaVida walked into the E-Vet under her own power but was wobbly and walking crooked like she sometimes does due to a bad foot from an old injury. 

The E-Vet placed a catheter, put her on Oxygen and started fluids while they did their evaluation. At this point we suspected a Vestibular Event but never saw the trademark head tilt that you usually see with that. We were at the E-Vet from 11:30 PM until about 4AM. They were slammed because they were taking the overflow patients from the other vets that were on diversion. Between being up with Mark due to the rock in his stomach and this, Chris and I were pretty much up for 3-4 days around the clock with just a few naps at this point. I don't even remember the drive home from the vet. 

We never did get a diagnosis other than "sudden collapse," but LaVida was released at about 11AM on Monday and has been resting comfortably in her favorite slumber balls. She really started bouncing back last night and I knew that we had LaVida back when she followed Stella outside at 2AM this morning and hovered behind her while she peed. She had to pee over that spot once Stella was finished. 

LaVida is still moving slowly and only getting up to change beds, go outside or to go get a drink, but all of those are good signs. She has to be hurting based on the crash and the way her body was thrashing around during the event. She had good pain meds at the vet and has continued her gabapentin here at home. The E-Vet suggested discontinuuing her Carprofen due to potential side effects, so we will follow up with her regular vet at an appointment on Thursday. LaVida has never known that she is 10 years old, so I'm sure she will be back playing and flying through the air in the backyard in the near future. 

It's been a long 4 days but both Mark and LaVida now seem to both be doing well. We'll update again on Thursday after the vet appointment. 

 

[ramonaghan]

That sounds like a terrifying ordeal, but I'm so glad LaVida seems to be on the mend. Hopefully it's just a one-off. Wishing you and Chris a restful week!

Side note: Doolin is a dedicated pee hoverer too. So rude!  

[Houndtime]

Wishing you some un-eventful days.

[greysmom]

{{{HUGS}}} for everybody!!!!

[Jerilyn]

You've been through a lot! I'm glad everyone is on the mend. Hope you can get some good sleep now.

[EllenEveBaz]

((((((((LaVida and her family))))))))))

[FiveRoooooers]

I was getting anxious just reading this! Glad everyone is home and slumbering. All powerful best healing vibes for continued recoveries and catching up on sleep!

Also sidenote: Punkin is an overpeeeer. I appreciate it, especially when we're hurrying to be somewhere. If AnnIE pees, Punkin pees. Done. 

[Time4ANap]

20 minutes ago, FiveRoooooers said:

I was getting anxious just reading this! Glad everyone is home and slumbering. All powerful best healing vibes for continued recoveries and catching up on sleep!

Also sidenote: Punkin is an overpeeeer. I appreciate it, especially when we're hurrying to be somewhere. If AnnIE pees, Punkin pees. Done. 

Mark is usually in the lineup too. It usually goes Stella, LaVida then Mark. Then they sniff the rest of the yard in case there have been any intruders that they don't know about. 

[macoduck]

Here's to hoping you and Chris get back to sleeping peacefully again.

Little Hada was the queen of her I Pee On Your Pee universe. Even if she'd come back inside after doing her business, if another hound went out she'd demand to be let out and follow them. That was often since my crew then didn't all go out at the same time. Since she was one of 5 dogs that left me to just be her doorman because she just felt compelled to be the top tinkler by forces beyond my comprehension.

[Time4ANap]

Just now, macoduck said:

Here's to hoping you and Chris get back to sleeping peacefully again.

Little Hada was the queen of her I Pee On Your Pee universe. Even if she'd come back inside after doing her business, if another hound went out she'd demand to be let out and follow them. That was often since my crew then didn't all go out at the same time. Since she was one of 5 dogs that left me to just be her doorman because she just felt compelled to be the top tinkler by forces beyond my comprehension.

Same thing happened last night. Stella went out after LaVida had already been out. LaVida followed her and put the seal of approval on it. I will open the door for her all she wants. I'm just glad she is still here with us. On the way to the E-Vet I remember telling her that it is not her time to leave us yet. 

I think we are now too tired to sleep. So far I've slept 2-3 hours at a time and am then up for hours. I need about another 15 hours of sleep just to function again. 

[GreyPoopon]

I too found 

2 hours ago, FiveRoooooers said:

I was getting anxious just reading this!

Me too. 

I hope LaVida continues her return to normal and the episode was a one-time event. I also hope you all get some rest.

Side note: My (current) over-peeer is Toodles. Unfortunately, whether peeing on her own or covering, she _never_ empties herself completely. Now that she's 13 1/2 and has early kidney disease, she needs many many trips out, including at least one in the middle of the night. At least she's still here, but sheesh.

[kudzu]

That sounds terrifying. Am glad she’s getting back to her old, young self so quickly. While it would be good to know the cause, it would be best if it never, ever happened again!

4 hours ago, FiveRoooooers said:

Also sidenote: Punkin is an overpeeeer. I appreciate it, especially when we're hurrying to be somewhere. If AnnIE pees, Punkin pees. Done. 

In or house that was called “making a bathroom.” Some of my dogs would pee on command. Tell the right one to pee & there would suddenly be a queue for the bathroom. Always a blessing. 

[greytpups]

Oh, glad to hear she's much improved. We also have an over-peeer

 

[BatterseaBrindl]

Whew.

   for continued improvement

[racindog]

12 hours ago, macoduck said:

Here's to hoping you and Chris get back to sleeping peacefully again.

Little Hada was the queen of her I Pee On Your Pee universe. Even if she'd come back inside after doing her business, if another hound went out she'd demand to be let out and follow them. That was often since my crew then didn't all go out at the same time. Since she was one of 5 dogs that left me to just be her doorman because she just felt compelled to be the top tinkler by forces beyond my comprehension.

[LBass]

What a terrifying ordeal.  I'm so glad LaVida is making a good recovery.  I hope you and Chris get a chance to catch up on all the sleep you've missed during the whirlwind.

 

[racindog]

Hope you can get some rest squeezed in. So glad she is bouncing back. I'm so glad you were able to find an evet.  In some areas of the country dogs are actually dying because of no evets available.  When one of my working dogs ran a rod through his foot I wound up calling one (MedVet in OH) an hour and a half away.  I could not get the bleeding to stop. I had SEVERAL of the high tech coagulants like Hema-Block & Clot It.  They would seal the top of the wound and then just wash away when the blood came gushing out. So they were worthless. Anyway, MedVet said they would see me but to plan on a 12-18 hour wait in their PARKING LOT.  I told them I didn't know if the dog would last that long- since it was uncontrolled bleeding and you know what their response was? They hung up on me! Luckily I found one clinic to see him  ~ an hour and half away in the opposite direction.  Then another time that same K9- who is a Search & Rescue dog BTW- inhaled drugs during a search in Kansas City and went down and it was the same deal- no e vets available-they didn't even care he was a valuable SAR/police dog. Finally a small but kind clinic in Lees Summit MO (Green Summit Vet clinic) agreed to treat him and they were extremely professional and competent-even checking with a university vet for the proper protocol.  And by the grace of Dr. Jesus he healed from both episodes. It is just terrible how even emergency services are no longer available. The supply chain is one thing but a dogs life is something else entirely. 

[Rosie]

What an eventful few days but I'm glad that everyone is on the mend. Hugs to everyone 

 

[Jerilyn]

Pee marker Wiki is now lobbying for us to get 2-10 more dogs so she's always got an in house supply of other pee to pee on. 

In the summer we were walking in the morning. She would not pee in the backyard before we went for our walk. I'm talking 12+ hours sometimes. I am convinced she was holding on to it to spread around the neighborhood. Now we are walking in the afternoons and she has no problem peeing in the yard in the morning. She's a clever one.

[Time4ANap]

Thanks everyone. LaVida continues to be on the mend and is slowly returning to old habits and routines. She has not come back to the bedroom at bedtime yet since that's where the event happened and she has slept in the living room each night. This morning she followed Chris back to the bedroom and laid in the floor waiting for Chris to finish her shower, so I guess it going to be baby steps to get her back i nthe bedroom at night. We will let her do things at her own pace. 

She also came over to my chair this mornig to scope out the chocolate muffin I had for breakfast. She is always trying to get my chocolate muffin  even though she's not allowed to have them. She is definitely bouncing back  She also did her first roach last night since the event which I posted in C&F. My girl is almost back to her old self. 

[Houndtime]

Good!

[FiveRoooooers]

* makes note to pick up chocolate muffins to have on hand * 

LaVida 

[dante2zoe]

I am so happy to hear that she has made a full recovery.  Our episode like that did not go as well, so this is really good to hear.  Spoil her rotten for me, please.

[LBass]

Such a great report to read.

Edited January 26, 2023 by LBass

[Time4ANap]

LaVida Update: 

LaVida is 100% back to her old self. To prove that she showed us last night that she can still fit Stella's head in her mouth. 

My Mom is here visiting and LaVida has followed her into the guest room every night and slept in there with her, but has also made occasional appearances back in the master bedroom where her collapse happened. She does not appear to be afraid to come back into the bedroom now, and working the system, going to Mom for pets about 50 times a day.