The Maddy Mystery

I haven't posted anything in almost a month for two reasons: school has kept me incredibly busy because I have some huge deadlines looming; and more importantly, my sweet little Maddy has been sick.

We don't know what is wrong yet, but it has been a very difficult month for her.  Including today, she's been to the vet five times in five weeks.  Bloodwork, xrays, ultrasounds, IV fluids, three different medications, two overnight stays...it's a lot for one little dog to endure.  In the past week, she's lost 2.5 pounds, which is absolutely insane for her small size.  She is not eating, barely drinking, and has become jaundiced, and it has been absolutely awful to witness her becoming more ill each day.  I've slept on the couch with her for the past five nights so that the other dogs wouldn't bother her - not intentionally, of course, but even them trying to snuggle up next to her seems to cause her great discomfort.

So today there was nothing more that our regular vet could do.  After running some tests this morning, Dr. T. called me and said Maddy needed to be seen by a specialist.  I picked her up and we headed to a new animal hospital where she was admitted to their ICU.  Watching her be carried away from me was nothing short of heartbreaking.

We are hoping to get some answers soon and to get some relief for our little girl.  I wish dogs could talk!  For right now, all I can say is that the house feels very empty without her in it.

I was looking through photos of her to cheer myself up - she is typically such a happy, lively dog - and thought this would be a good place to share some of them.

I mean, seriously, look at this face!

This is when we finished one of her vet appointments and I had to stop by my office for a little while - she enjoyed hanging out and making a new friend!

This is when she started to feel really crummy and was not acting like herself...

Here she is when she had to spend two nights at the vet.  We visited her for a few hours and I love how she was falling asleep in C's arms - upside down, with her bandaged paw sticking straight up!

The Fab Four - her sisters rallying around her...

With her BFF, Ginny...

Here is my favorite photo of us together from a few months ago...look at how her tiny spotted paw is wrapped around my neck as she sleeps.  Love.

Happy Tails to you...