About 2 p.m. Rita was asleep on the floor as I talked to my daughter on the phone. Suddenly I heard a blood curdling scream from her direction. I couldn't turn fast enough so I hollered for Johnny to "get Rita" and hung up the phone. As I looked at Rita she was breathing very heavy but not panting. I took her from Johnny and could barely feel a heartbeat. I held her close rubbing her chest and gradually felt her heart speed up, but her breathing was still horrible. We were both in a state of shock at the thought of losing her. I held her as I told Johnny she needed oxygen. NOW! So with his ingenuity and my instructions we made a tiny doggie oxygen machine in less than 10 minutes. I had a little plastic cup. The kind that is upside down on top of a bottle of pepto bismol to enable you to measure 2 TBS. of the stuff. Johnny made a hole in the bottom and I ripped the part off the oxygen line on my nebulizer so it was just a straight line. Johnny fit the end of the line into the hole in the bottom of the cup. I turned on the nebulizer and we had instant oxygen just the right size to fit over her tiny mouth and nose. Rita sat still for it for about 2 minutes at a time and we then took it off for about 10 seconds. After an hour she was doing much better. I gave her the evening meds early and she seemed ok. Another hour went by and Miss Rita slipped past us to go out to the papers in the laundry room for a pee. Another blood curdling scream. There was Rita on her back screaming. A repeat performance. I think the 25-30 ft. walk to the paper was too much for her weak heart. I know if she stops breathing again chances are I can bring her out of it. Sadly, I have decided not to do so. I certainly am not ready to lose her but I won't allow her to have a string of obviously painful episodes either. She deserves to leave us with dignity, so tonight I told her through more tears than I though I was capable of, that she can leave at any time and wait for me at the gates of doggie heaven with the rest of my furry children. For now I'm up for the night so I can carry her to the papers. She is on diuretics and would be mortified if she had an accident. Personally...I don't care. One other thing. This past Monday Johnny, my very dear friend, who loves Rita as much as I do, told me she was demanding three times her normal amount of food. I told him to give her whatever she wants as it could be the calm before the storm.It might be her body telling her to pack in some reserves. I don't know if that is true for dogs, but I do know that I tend to get hungrier shortly before I get sick and during the first few days I am sick. Only if I get a fever will I no longer take food.
Oh Rita, what a little fighter you are. When her time comes - and I hope it's not yet - I hope she will slip away peacefully.
Spent the night up with my little darling. She would scream , breath very heavy, then settle down for a while. Don't know what the cause is but she's fighting. I'm adding half a baby aspirin to her noon meds today to maybe help her pain. Thanx for all your kind wishes. What would I do without you guys.
I can't say if Rita is better or not, but she stopped screaming a few hours ago and is asleep in one of the dog beds for now. We'll see what the night brings. Her breathing is less labored. She's not eating but is drinking. I can only hope and pray she just had a hump to get over. The big question now is...will I ever sleep again?
I know what you're going through is unbearable, but I know you will persevere for Rita's sake. My thoughts are with you.
My friends, I don't know what to say......Rita has rallied again. TBH I feel a bit foolish for going into a panic again and coming on here to cry and moan. She did have a very bad night to be sure with her heart stopping and the screaming and all, but by last night she started to show signs of recovery, took her meds ate her custom made dinner, made her own way outside then went to bed. It was certainly a huge help to have people to talk to, but I still feel like the boy who cried wolf.
Debra don't feel bad. We're all dog lovers and understand the need to share the good and bad times we have with our beloved dogs. Your Rita is a tiny miracle and you must be extremely proud of her.
Thanks, Malka. I just don't get it. I'm no vet or doctor, but I can't get my head around her having no heart beat. To me that meant she was dead in my arms. A few firm rubs to her chest, a little oxygen, and she's back. Blows my mind. Then she was still not herself for a day and a half so I remained in a panic waiting for the next foot to fall. Then she's back! She either has one hell of a will to live or there's something not right with me.
