Dogster

return to top

Zoey's Tails

Scary Day - Warning for all Dog Owners

Hi Everyone,

This is Gizmo & Zoey's mom, I wanted to let everyone know about an incredibly scary incident we had this weekend. I took the pups on a walk Friday after I got home from work (just like we always do). It was a normal walk, we ran a little, they sniffed, and had their noses to the ground like they always do. I'm a pretty over-protective dog owner, and I never let them sniff around in one spot for too long (it usually means there's something stinky and gross there!) We got back inside and I almost immediately noticed Zoey acting very strange. She would walk and her back legs would fall out from under her. She didn't seem to be hurt. She was sniffing all around and just couldn't concentrate on anything. Gizmo wouldn't stop barking at her and trying to play. I called the vets office which was about to close and they gave me the address of the emergency clinic. I was only going to take Zoey, and then Gizmo just wouldn't stop barking, even as I was carrying her down the stairs, so I decided I should take him too. Thankfully the clinic was not too far from my apartment. The vet looked only at Zoey first - checking her eyes and then took a blood sample. He said they would test for blood sugar, infection, and then he said he would also test for antifreeze. This news completely shocked me. I didn't think about it, but she was almost acting drunk. Which is what antifreeze does. It's an alcohol and first causes dogs to appear in a drunken state, then they get over that, appear to be normal, and then crystals start to form in the kidneys and cause kidney failure. I just couldn't believe it. The only antifreeze I even have anywhere in my apartment is in my car - and it has no leaks, and the dogs had not been in the garage for over a week. I don't even wear my shoes around the house because I'm overly parinoid about what might be on the bottoms. We had to wait 20 minutes, when the vet brought me the results - she had tested off the charts for antifreeze levels. The vet said that for a dog her size (5 pounds) all it would take would be about a teaspoon. He said it can leak, get into dirt, and dogs could eat the dirt and be in danger. They then decided they should test Gizmo and his levels were also incredibly high. I just couldn't believe what I was hearing. We just took a quick walk around my neighborhood and I didn't see a thing. They told me there was an antidote, it's not guarenteed but it does work much better when started quickly after injesting and it appeared that we had caught it quickly. It's a drug given through an IV every 12 hours for 4 doses. They also had to be kept on fluids the entire time to help flush out their kidneys. This was truly one of the most scariest and horrible experiences of my life, and it was equally so for Gizmo and Zoey. I am incredibly thankful and greatful to say that it does appear we caught it in time. We were able to take them home yesterday, and they had another blood test done today and all of their results point to normal kidneys. I keep going over the afternoon in my head, but I still have no idea what happened. All I can think of is that we're actually lucky that they both got into it and not just one of them - if only Gizmo had, I might not have noticed is behavior change as quickly as I did Zoey's. She was acting very abnormal - he was just running around and barking and trying to play. If only Zoey had, she would have gone through this ordeal by herself, without her big brother to give her kisses and stand over her in their cage to protect her (which the vets all reported he did). I will never again take them outside and then quickly turn around to leave the house. As my mom has pointed out, I am very lucky that this didn't happen in the morning and then I left them all day while I was at work. While this was probably just a very freak accident, I will still be coming home at lunchtime to check up, and keep them very close during any walks we go on in the future. I just wanted to get this info out to anyone who happens to read it. I never thought something like this could happen to my dogs who I am so overly protective of. Just please be very aware of anything your animals might get into, and if you do notice any sort of change in behavior - even slightly, do not hesitate to get them to a vet. In a situation like this, time is the one thing that can save or take their lives. I am so thankful there was an antidote, but even that would not have helped had the antifreeze had more time to work through their systems.

Hi, I'm Zoey!

Woof!! Zoey here, you might know my big bro Gizmo (he's also a Chihuahua, but a whole lot bigger than me with a lot less hair!) , but I"m fairly new to Dogster so I thought I'd introduce myself.

First things first, I am 1 year old and very big and tough (my mommy says I'm only 4.5 lbs, but I know there's no way that's true!! I boss Gizmo around all the time, and bark and growl and scare all the big dogs at the doggie park, so I've GOT to be big!!) Anyway, my mommy and daddy adopted me when I was 5 months old. For some reason, all my other brothers and sisters were picked before me! I don't know why, I'm the coolest one! I've even got what my parents call a "lucky paw", it's shaped kinda like a lobster claw, or a mitten if you will, and I don't put it down on slick floors or when I'm running (I don't want anything happening to it!) I'm just as fast as all the other dogs with 4 good legs!
So, as I was saying, my mommy and daddy picked me up and brought this really big Chihuahua named Gizmo. I learned he was going to be my big brother and I was excited! It's so fun to have a brother, you always have some one to play with, and I've trained him to stay away from my stuff! All I have to do is growl (he hates when I do that!)
So, I've been with my family for almost a year now, and I love it!! I'm spoiled pretty much rotten, but I'm also very sweet and love to be loved and give love too!! I've also been told I'm quite funny, so maybe that's something I'll look into when I grow up... or maybe I'll just be a rawhide collector (I've already mastered that skill!)
Well, it was nice to meet you! Bark at ya later!

~Zoey