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My brand new life....

Clarification about my poisoning.....

WOOFS to all my furiends! Well, the momma and I just want to make sure that some things are clear about my poisoning.

Firstly, momma did not see me ingest it.
Secondly, momma and no one else has found poison at our dog park, or in the wooded trails outside of the park where we walk almost daily.

We have talked to many people we know that dead rats have been found recently in the wooded trails where we walk and don't appear to have outward signs of injury.

We have heard many reports of canned dog food, treats, bags of chicken bones, etc. that have allegedly been tainted or poisoned, but at this point, we are waiting for verification that the foods have been tested.

We have told reporters, all of them, that our park could be a possible place where it happened, but that we or no one else has seen any. There have been other sick dogs at the park, and some have been diagnosed with Leptospirosis. Our vet said I did not have Leptospirosis. Reporters have said "Mo was poisoned at Westcrest Park" which is NOT what we said. We said it was a possibility.

So, we don't know if it was an intentional act aimed at dogs in the woods, or an careless, unintentional act by a household near the woods leaving rat poison around their property, or if someone threw something in our yard.

If and when we get any verified information, we are gonna let everyone know!

Until then, we know that I almost didn't make it, and 9 days later, I am feeling great! About 85% of normal!! Now, THAT's news, and GOOD news!!

Love,
Mo and the momma

Holy cow!! I'm DOTD!!!! Thank you!!!!

Thank you so much HQ, for this incredible honor!! I am speechless!

Thank you to my furiends, old and new, who have sent me love, rosies, gifts, pal requests, stars, and support and prayers for my recent illness. It is gonna take my secretary awhile to help me reply to everyone, but I just want everypup to know how much all this Dogster Love means to me! ((((((HUGS)))))))

I am getting stronger every day, and just this morning ate kibble for the first time. (I was only eating hamburger and cottage cheese for awhile, and wasn't even interested in that too much). My appetite is returning to normal, and I have played a little bit too!

I hope that sharing my story about my recent suspected poisoning can help prevent any of my furiends from getting sick, or help pawrents to know what to do in case something awful should happen.

WOOT, WOOT!!!!

Thanks again everypup!!

*MUAH*

Survivor of Katrina, now a survivor of Rat Poisoning!!

First of all, I want to take a minute to say how very grateful I am for my Dogster pals. The love, prayers, support, pmails, rosettes, gifts and new friendships have made a huge difference at our house, that's for sure! I believe all the prayers truly helped to make me a survivor again.

MUAH!!! I love you all!!

Now, let me back up and try to go through what happened since Monday, January 28th. Monday was an ordinary day. Had breakfast, went to the dog park, played with my furiends there, had dinner. Momma and Dad watched a movie in the evening. Halfway through the movie, momma noticed me make some funny noises from my dog bed where I was laying. She asked Dad what I was doing, and he said I was "dreaming". Well, Dad when to bed, but momma was still up. She went for some water about 10pm, and noticed that I had moved to the dining room floor and it looked like I was sleeping. Only when momma walked by, my eyes were open, and I let out two very quiet whimpers. She knelt down and lifted my head and I was completely limp. She shook me and nothing....jello. She yelled for Dad to come, that we had to go to the vet right away, and we did. We were at our emergency vet withing 5-7 minutes.

When I got to the vet, they took me right to the back. Mom and Dad had to wait in the lobby. Well, ten or so minutes later, the doctor came out and said that I had started to have hemorrhagic (extremely bloody) diarrhea. I was losing a lot of blood, and they didn't know why. The vets did lots of tests and determined that I wasn't able to clot blood, and I was bleeding internally in my intestines. It was critical. I received two blood transfusions and a plasma transfusion. The vets suspected that I was suffering from Rat Poisoning, and started giving me vitamin K1 injections (which is the antedote for rat poison). Momma and dad had to go home without me that night, and the vet's prognosis was "guarded".

I stayed at the vet for two nights, hooked up to iv fluids, and getting lots of tests and 24 hour care. Wednesday morning, they let me go home. It is Saturday night now, and I am feeling better, but still have a little ways to go. My energy and appetite are not like before, but it has been a very long week.

So, Momma and everyone was befuddled as to how this happened. Momma and Dad checked the yard all over and found nothing. Momma posted what happened at our local park, and our park's yahoo group, and pretty soon some alarming things started to come to light. Dead rats found lately in the park with no signs of injury, dog walkers with sick dogs. Then the whammy, in a park a couple miles away, rat poison was found stuffed inside bones and treats, and scattered around and under bushes. More information can be found here. There was also another blog about my story here.

Currently, momma and some other people in our community are spreading the word so people can protect their own animals. We contacted our local news, and they asked if they could talk with us this weekend.

For everyone's information, the initial signs of rat poisoning are subtle, and frequently by the time severe symptoms are present, it is often too late. Signs include lethargy, weakness, bloody cough, bloody vomit or bloody or tarry stools or diarrhea. Here is some more detailed information on Rat Poisoning everyone should read. It could save your dog or cat's life someday.

Also, if you ever see bright green or blue stools, that is a sign that rat poison was recently ingested. This is because the poison itself is usually bright green, sometimes blue. Get your dog to the vet asap! Rat poison has a very long half life, and it can take days for symptoms to present themselves. I will have to be on Vitamin K1 for several weeks, possibly more, because without it, my blood still won't clot properly.

Again, thank you to everyone who has sent their love and prayers to me this week, and always. It has made me, Momma and Daddy stronger, and helped me and my family get through this.

Bless you all.

Forever your friend,
Mo... Double Survivor!!!!