Beating The Odds:: A Story About My Miniature Schnauzer, Milo Pt 2 of
I’ve been part of Milo’s life since he was 5 weeks old [he turned 7 years old in July]. In contrast, when he was just a little pup, I would hold him in my arms, with his head on my shoulder, and tell him every day how much he meant to me, that I loved him, and that wherever I go, he goes. I would also tell him I’d never abandoned him in some shelter and that I would never let anything bad happen to him. Needless to say, I felt so helpless during his time of need; I almost felt as if I was breaking a promise.
Midnight was upon us, Milo was up and down all night, and this continued into the early morning. I had laid out some blankets next to his bed to be close; I still couldn’t sleep, and every time he slightly moved or breathed, I was at his beck and call.
Milo grew weaker and weaker, with his belly sucked in and very tight, he was worsening by the minute. I began to Google his symptoms, and the only thing I thought it could be was the Parvovirus; I frantically searched through my files for Milo’s medical records to see when I had him vaccinated for parvo, but I came up empty-handed.
It was another two hours until Milo’s other vet would open. I had already decided that I would get Milo to the animal hospital well before the original 10 am appointment. It was just after 7 am when Milo and I hit the road heading to the animal hospital, about a 20-minute ride. I talked to Milo the whole way there, repeating his name to let him know I was still there.
It was just after 7 am when Milo and I hit the road heading to the animal hospital (about a 20-minute ride) I spoke to Milo the whole way there, saying his name over and over to let him know that I was still there.
At the Fairlea Animal Hospital, Fairlea, WV.
At the vet's office, we didn’t have to wait long before they had Milo and me in an examination room. Right away, Milo’s vet thought it was parvo; all the signs pointed to it. However, the area Milo and our two Dachshunds shared was always clean. I always picked up their feces and disposed of it properly. The area was mowed and fenced in—no other animals could get in unless they jumped the fence. Then we discussed what Milo had eaten before he became ill; the only other thing I had given him besides his dry food was some dried cranberries three days earlier. Milo’s core temperature was 97°F. They started running a test on him and putting him on an IV. They said they would contact me later that day.
3 days before Milo had gotten sick, July 28, 2019
Some hours later, the vet called. The good news was Milo tested negative for parvovirus, but they had him on IVs and were still running tests. They were trying to figure out what was affecting him. One possible cause the vet suggested was cranberries. I asked about Milo’s chances of pulling through. The answer was brief: they didn’t expect him to make it through the night; he had lost so much blood and could go into shock at any moment. The vet said that if Milo survived the night, he might face permanent effects on his heart, kidneys, or liver. My heart sank—I could lose him in minutes or hours. I felt I had let him down. The vet said they would do their best to keep him comfortable and would update me sometime on Friday afternoon.
I had been with Milo for the last two days, awake over 48 hours with him. This night was going to be very long for both of us. Milo was fighting for his life. I just wasn’t going to be there for what might be his final battle, win or lose.
It was Friday morning, August 2, 2019. I hadn’t slept again. I went to work that morning, running on pure adrenaline. I hoped Milo had pulled through, but a small part of me was bracing for the worst.
I had been with Milo for the last 2 days and had been awake for over 48 hours with him. This night was going to be very long for both me and for Milo; Milo had a battle on his hands, and I wasn’t going to be with him for what was ultimately the last battle, win or lose.
It was Friday morning, August 2, 2019. Again, I had not slept, and I went into work that morning, running on pure adrenaline. I was hopeful Milo had pulled through, yet a small part of me was bracing for the worst.
August 3, 8:32 am — I received the call I had been bracing myself for all night. Milo had made it through a rough night and was resting. He had drunk a little water and eaten a small amount of food. I was so thankful to the vet and staff for all they had done for him. Milo was going to stay at the hospital another night to ensure he didn’t rebound and to check his blood work. I received several updates throughout the day on Milo’s recovery, and I was very hopeful he was coming home.
Thank you for hanging in there to read Milo’s story. I had no idea what HGE was until I googled the symptoms. Although they were very similar to parvovirus, I knew it was not that.
This disease comes on suddenly and can be fatal if not treated within 24 hours. By the time this disease took full hold of Milo and his vet saw him, that window for recovery was almost closed. I have included some links below to shed light on this horrible disease. Please check them out and read the comments from others who have experienced this with their furbabies. I have also included Milo’s vet and their wonderful staff’s website.
Thank you for hanging in there to read Milo’s story. I had no idea what HGE was till I googled the symptoms. Though they were very similar to the parvovirus, I just knew it was not that.
This disease comes on without warning and can be fatal if not treated within 24 hours. By the time this disease took complete hold of Milo, and by the time his vets saw him, that window to recovery was almost closed. I have included some links below to shed light on this horrible disease. Please check them out and read the comment section about others who have experienced this with their furbabies. I have also included Milo’s vet and their wonderful staff’s website.
“Hero’s don’t always wear capes”
Fairlea Animal Hospital/ Servicing Small Animals
A Blog By Susan Bulanda/ Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, (HGE) in dogs
A Blog By Susan Bulanda/Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE) in dogs revisited
South Boston Animal Hospital/What You Should Know About Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis (HGE) in Dogs
VCA Hospitals/Acute Hemorrhagic Diarrhea Syndrome in Dogs (Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis)