I hate to leave a story without an end, and the other day I blogged about Penny and her testing, but didn't finish the story up. The vet called me regarding her urinalysis, which was fine. He said the next step was to get her bloodwork done again, a more complete panel. So Penny and I trooped up there to get her blood drawn. Penny was starting to balk at going into the vets at this point, and I had to force her into the office, where she shook and shlumped to the ground in her Penny schmooze that she does when she is freaked out. Poor girl. The vet took her blood, and we were free to go.
A few hours later, he calls, he has the results and would like us to come in and discuss them. Which freaked me out- I figured if I had to physically go in, it was bad news. But it wasn't, not really. He told us that her bloodwork was perfect. With this bloodwork and her urinalysis, he said that he really only had Cushings Disease, Kidney Disease, and incontinence to rule out. To rule out Cushings, I need to bring Penny in the following day for an 8 hour test! This was hard on me and her both. The next morning I took her for her test; she sat up in the car, looked around the parking lot, looked at me, started shaking, and refused to get out of the car. I had to lift her up out of the car and set her on the ground to get moving. Then I had to practically drag her in. Not really how I wanted to start this process, with me forcing her to do things she didn't want to do. When I left, she looked at me so pathetically betrayed, that I felt guilty all day.
The day passed with me in various stages of being ok with it, being worried she was there, and then anxious to pick her up. Finally they called and said I could come and get her. When I got there, they told me that the third and final time they had to draw her blood, she wouldn't come out of her cage, just looked at them like "Nope, not gonna happen people!". Then once they got her out, she wouldn't go back in-they had to gently kind of push her in. Where, being Penny, she got scared and froze up, which means she slumped over on her back and hid her face. And wouldn't move- she plays possum when totally freaked out. Which freaked the vet tech out, until she realized what was going on.
Friday I got the results of the test - no Cushings. And no kidney disease either. And the vet doesn't think it is incontinence, since she is aware of what is going on, and not just going in her sleep, etc. So that leaves she just didn't want to "hold it" those times we were gone, and maybe never will again, or that she was upset over the changes that have been going on in our routines. With Penny, the answer is never simple or easy. But we love her, our complex, crazy dog.
It is good those disease were ruled out and perhaps sweet Penny is just showing her stuff and does not like the home life changes. Didn't she do this in the past over home changes? She is such a grand dog and I am happy she is yours and you two love her very much. I put up with this for almost 17 years with my first dog. Never got the click in her mind that she had to hold it and potty outside. Pretty much every day for 17 years I had to come home from work and clean pee and poo off my basement floor. I did it because I loved her and knew it would never change. She would go out and pee and come in, go to the basement and squat - Grrrr. I hope that sooner or later it clicks with Penny and she will be her normal self again. Take care my friends
ReplyDeleteWow. Well, I'm glad it's not any scary disease that's for sure! Poor penny having to go to the vet all those times. That many tests aren't fun for us to do so I can only imagine how horrible they are for our sweet animals.
ReplyDeleteSweet, sweet girl I can see how much you love your dog! The vet stresses me out as much as it does Penny. I'm glad that the major diseases can be ruled out and maybe she just can't hold as long anymore. We've had something similar happen recently too. It's heart wrenching, really.
ReplyDeleteHow stressful that whole ordeal must have been for you and Penny. At least you've ruled out a physical reason. Pets are so complex - sometimes we just don't know why they do what they do. But like you said, we love them regardless.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone - we are happy it is over too, and that nothing serious is going on with her. She is happy too, that we haven't had to visit the vet either. I think for a few days when I pulled the leash out she was a little unsure of where we would end up!
ReplyDeletePoor Penny...what a sweet thing. Stressful situation for both of you.
ReplyDeleteMy oldest dog, Abby (14 yrs old), is having problems with incontinence; always at night in her sleep.
Awww...poor baby. I have a dog too. A beast really, and I love her to death. The whole time you were explaining Penny going through the testing process I kept picturing Rayne (that's the beast) looking at me with sad puppy eyes and refusing to get out of the Jeep. My heart goes out to you and Penny. I hope you are both doing much better now that the results are out :)
ReplyDelete♥ Trish