Well, it wasn't 'the day' after all.

Took Emma in, again, and again her blood count was off. They wanted to do a special test called a blood bile test. She had to be without food for 12 hours, then they fed her and tested her blood two hours after that. The results came in a day later and they were four times normal.

FOUR times!!!!!!

So, the vet wanted to have a specialist analyze the results. I got the call Saturday that they think she could have something called a shunt. That is where a vein for the liver is either just passing right through the liver or is going around it. Either way they don't work properly.

That means, that her liver is not flushing her blood clean fast enough. Therefore if she was to go under anesthesia she may take a long time coming out of it or maybe not come out at all.

The good thing is that if her ammonia build up was bad, she would be having seizures, which she isn't, thank heaven.

I did some research on the net but you have to take a lot of that with a grain of salt. Luckily I did find some stuff from veterinary universities.

I made an appointment to talk to the vet that owns the clinic. She is the one we used to see when we first moved here and got a dog. She talks to me like I may know what she's talking about. Not to say that the others don't, but I have known her the longest and I wanted to just have a one on one.

That was Monday, two days ago.

We are looking at THOUSANDS to find out what is wrong and we just don't have that. After careful thought and discussion we have decided to spay her anyway and just take our chances that she will be okay. I can't really leave her whole as there are too many things that can go wrong later in life. I think I would rather find out now if there is a danger to her health than to find out later and she has maybe developed other health issues.

Now 'the day' is tomorrow, Thursday April 14, 2011. She will be 5 days shy of 8 months old.

* * * * *

Yesterday was the first day that I left the dogs at home, alone, loose. I usually left Sid out and had her in the crate. Then because the weather is still cool and not much sun I have started to take them to work with me.

Now before you freak on me for leaving the dogs in the car for two hours, it is no longer than if I go shopping and have them with me. The good thing about taking them to work is that Emma is NOT in a crate, Sidney is relaxed, they are both getting fresh air, and rather than being home alone for over 5 hours, they see me before work, two hours later on my break and they two hours after that when we go home.

Also, a lot of my customers check on the dogs (they know my car) and the staff does as well. I do NOT bring them if it is going to be a sunny day and no wind!!

Not a breeze. It must be a windy day if the sun is out. And even then only in the very early spring and the late fall.


I wasn't sure what I would find when I got home, but the hubby was there first. He said they were both lying in the chair when he opened the door. That tells me that Emma was a little nervous about the fact that she was at home 'alone'. Usually as soon as she hears the key in the lock she is at the front door waiting for him to come in. But still sitting in the chair?? I know she had started to look for me and then stuck close to Sid the rest of the time for protection.