Last Sunday night my buddy started throwing up. Then came the diarrhea. It wasn’t long after his walk at a park so I start freaking out thinking he ate something bad. He doesn’t touch other animal droppings so it couldn’t be that. He crushes sticks when we play catch so maybe he swallowed some of it. My worst fear is some evil person leaves poisoned treats on the trail. I’ve read about it happening to other people and it’s why I’m so vigilant with him and so glad that “leave it” is a well understood command for him.

Monday came. He ate a few bites of his breakfast. He does that sometimes. He’s picky and self regulates his intake really well but this was different. That night he picked at his food again. The next day I boiled chicken for him. That night it all came up. Wednesday morning the rest came up. My wife went downstairs and found him sleeping on a chair. She saw his vomit. He saw her see it. She went upstairs to get towels and carpet cleaner. In that time, he pulled his bed from in front of the fireplace and covered his vomit. Poor dude thought he was in trouble. She cleaned it up and left for work. I was going in to work late so I could take him to the vet. He threw up again. This time he took the towels that were helping the carpet dry and tried to cover his vomit again. He’s a slick one.

Get to the vet and drop him off. Xrays, blood work, more xrays, medicines, and IV fluids. I’m at work unable to work. Not having kids, my animals are my kids. It’s weird but it’s the truth. They say pancreatitis. Time to change diets.

Pick him up Wednesday night. He’s looking haggard. He tried to eat some food they gave him. In and out. Thursday comes and goes. He eats a bit. He’s not doing great. We’re getting more worried. Back to the vet Friday morning. More IV fluid, more xrays, more meds, more tests. Pancreatitis and gastroenteritis. Saturday he wouldn’t eat. A drug store worth of medicines and the pain killers make him almost catatonic. Finally he eats some small things but wouldn’t touch the food they gave him nor his normal food. I’m starting to think he’s associated those foods with being sick. Turns out he has.

This morning he was staring at me while I was eating breakfast. He doesn’t get table food but he hasn’t eaten in days. Toss him some bacon. Gone in two seconds. My wife makes him an hard boiled egg. Gone. He gets some chicken. Gone. It stays down and it stays in. Progress.

He heard me say walk. Well, let’s go for a walk buddy.

We got back and the vet called. She left a sample of food and some more meds on the door of her office. We stopped and picked that up and then went to the pet store and bought him some Blue Buffalo lamb and potato. He’s eaten two small cups so far. We’re not out of the woods yet, but it’s a start.