Ugh. It's 1:35 am and I've just arrived home from the animal emergency hospital/24-hour clinic, having only had three hours' sleep last night due to poor little Bracken's fretting. When I took him to the vet this morning (yesterday morning?), we found that he had a serious infection in both ears, with so much damage that the vet said she was surprised that he wasn't deaf. No wonder he couldn't settle down to sleep last night - there are few things worse than intense earache.
Bracken was sedated and stayed at the vet for a few hours before being sent home with a bundle of medications. He seemed fine until about 10 o'clock this evening when he started frantically shaking his head, scratching his ears and crying out in pain. I tried to calm him and put more drops in his ears but he became more and more distressed, panting heavily and yelping each time he moved or scratched his head.
After a while it became clear that the pain was getting worse, so I drove out to the animal hospital at Essendon Airport where we had to wait, with Bracken becoming more and more distraught with each passing minute. The vet was lovely though, and finally (at around 12:30), I was able to leave with a slightly less stressed pup. Apparently the methadone sedation only lasts for about 4 hours, so I hope I can get two or three hours of sleep before Bracken wakes and cries again. It's like bringing home a newborn!
What makes me really angry is the thought of him being by himself with this level of pain for weeks or months; according to the vet, the infection's intensity indicates that it isn't a recent ailment. Animals are so vulnerable in our world, and I hate the idea of them suffering alone. I'm just saddened by the ignorance and selfishness of Bracken's previous owners ...
It's nearly 2 o'clock now and I'd better try and sleep in case the pup wakes up in a couple of hours. *sigh!* My husband is overseas and I'm feeling sad. What a crappy evening!
Hang on ... enough of this blathering. Stiff upper lip and all that ... !
I'm sure that the new day will bring happiness and some relief for the pup. Let's catch up then.
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
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1 comment:
Poor pup! People are horrid, sometimes. I'm so glad he has you to look after him now, and I'm sure he'll be all better soon! xx
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