Friday night, I was too lazy to cook, so my husband and I ordered chicken wings and ate them at the house while we watched some tv. we threw the bones into the bag they had come in so clean up would be easier. I finished eating before my husband did. After the program I put the ones we did not eat in the fridge and went upstairs to go play a game on the computer. About half an hour later I went downstairs and noticed that there were chicken bones on the ground near the bag that we threw them in. Apparently when my husband finished... he did not throw them away. My dogs had eaten chicken bones before and had been ok. I was not overly concerned, but thought I would keep an eye on him.
At 5 in the morning I woke up and realized my Kamikazi was not in the bed. When I wake up I usually feel around for the dogs and give them a kiss and turn and go back to sleep. They are only 5 lbs and 7 lbs and I am afraid to roll over and crush them so this habit just stuck. So I sat up in bed and looked on the floor for Kamikazi. I found him, thought it was a bit unusal for him to have gotten off the bed and not barked in the middle of the night to get back up. SO I picked him up and cuddled in the bed with him for a few minutes and then decided I might as well start my day. Kamikazi stayed in bed. It is not unusual for him to stay in the bed till about 10 or 11 am.
The next day I woke up and got onto the computer again. When Kamikazi woke up, he and Cinnamon came upstairs to say good morning to me like usual. I went downstairs to clean a bit. After I was done, I sat on the couch and ate my leftovers and watched some more tv. While I was watching the tv I heard a strange noise. It sounded almost like a bee buzzing backwards. I rewound my tivo to see if it was on the program... it wasnt. I looked for anything strange I did not see anything. Kamikazi was sitting next to the couch. He looked up at me and wiggled his tail. He has a tiny tail that curls back up onto his back so he does not really wag it... it just wiggles a bit. Again. I thought it a little odd he did not ask to come up on the couch, but since I was eating I did not want him up there anyway.
**sightly graphic in the next paragraph**
A few minutes later I realized my husband would be home in 30 minutes so I threw away my bones and went upstairs to install a program that he had asked me to. While I was upstairs I heard the noise again. It came from downstairs. So I went to go downstairs and I see Kamikazi sitting on the bottom step looking up at me. For him not to already be upstairs was kind of odd. We are normally attached at the ankle. I called him to come up to me. He did not come. This I knew was not a good sign. I went downstairs to look around again. I noticed there was vomit with a lot of bone shards in it, not far from there there was some stool that was very loose... liquid basically. I knew I needed to take him to the vet then, but there was no blood in either so I did not realize what kind of condition he was in.
I called my hysband because it was 10 after one. I asked him if he was almost home because I wanted to take my baby to the vet. He said he was just leaving. He was home in the next 10 minutes. During that time I took kamikazi out to go potty. He normally immediately marks everything in site. This time. I put him on the grass and he immediately sat down. He sat for a moment and then just laid down. He had long hair so I looked on his hiney and there was some of the loose stool. I brought him upstairs and took off his collar and bandana and gave him a quick rinse down. He hates baths but made no attempt to move after I put him in the bath tub. He just stood there waiting for me. I rinsed him down. I got out and waited for my husband to come home. I called vets to see who was open still since it was after one. My vet had already closed and put on the answering machine. Again, I thought since there was no blood that it was just a tummy ache.
Wrapped in a towel I brought my baby to Banfield, a local self proclaimed, pet hosptial. We got there and was told that all of the vets were at lunch. AT LUNCH...... how would they feel if they went to the hosiptal emergency room and all the ER doctors went to lunch at the same time. It did not make sense. They would be back in 20 to 30 minutes so..... by the time we could have gotten to the next animal emergency clinic... the doctors would have been back there.... so we stayed and waited. I held him in the blanket stroking his face. About 10 minutes later another family came in with their dog who was not feeling well. We were told that the doctor would see us both as soon as he came in. I figure another 10 more minutes.... we would be fine. Kamikazi proceeded cuddle into me. His lower jaw began to shake. Signs of shock were setting in. in a few more minutes they weighed him. He stood up to be weighed. His little 7 lb body just looking up at me.
20 minutes later the doctor returned .... as promised they took us right away. I gave them the stool sample and the vomit that I had brought to help with the diagnosis. It was obvious that this was the problem. They game him a 1-2 minute preliminary exam and said he was going to need xrays and tests. Kamikazi would not stand or walk during this time. Only sit. I was ok with the tests and xrays. I just wanted him better. He let us know he might need surgery. Again... I was ok with that. They told us that someone would be in shortly with my estimate. Yes I wanted to know how much this was going to set me back... I am not going to lie to you. But I expected they would take Kamikazi and start his xrays and tests. Fifteen more minutes went bye. While were waiting, I heard another vet discussing with the family that came in after me what their estimate was. How did they get treated before my baby? We were loosing him and they were not even working on him yet. I put my head out the door to ask how much longer before they did the xrays. At the time the tech came in with our estimate. We were looking at about 800 dollars... this did not include the surgery since the doctor was unsure if he was obstructed or not. instead of caring for my baby who was dying in pain.... they were playing with numbers. Kamikazi was going limp. He was not even holding his head up for me now.
Finally I told them just fix him. I had never given any indication that I did not want him fixed or that I was not ready to pay for what ever it took. I said ok. They brought a form for pet insurance for me to fill out. I put him down to fill out the form. His head was limp but his eye were open. While I was filling it out they finally took Kamikazi out of the room to start tests and xrays. We had been at the vets office an hour by the time they finally got off their butts to help him. a few minutes later the tech came back in the room to get the form and started to tell us he was going to need surgery. He was talking as he entered the room. He had not even gotten the words out yet when he was called back.
We waitied for a few more minutes and the doctor came back in. He took a deep breath.... exhaled and shook his head. I asked "He didnt die, did he?" and he said ..... " I am sorry he passed. We tried to revive him but we couldnt."
I collapsed immediately. My husband asked to see him...he helped me up and we went to the back room to see him. I extended my hand to touch him. He was laying there beneath the pink towel we had brought him in. His face was pointed away from us. As my hand touched the towel every muscle... every bone in my body just ached. I had to go back to the exam room. I did not get to say goodbye before and it hurt too much to say it now to his lifeless body. We paid our bill and left. The next day I asked if they still had possesion of his body if I could get a tuft of his hair. They did give it to me.... but only after asking why I wanted it. Like it was any of their business. I dont know if he had already died before they brought him to the back and this was why he was more limp. Or if he was almost gone and he died while they took the xray. I feel like his passing could have been avoided. I feel guilty for not being able to help him faster. He was only 4 years old. He had so much more time to give us.
I feel robbed.