A MIRACLE - ROBBIE BOY

A miracle happened today. At about 2pm this afternoon I was going through to the kitchen to make a pot of tea, I kept looking at the clock as I knew I had to take Robbie my very ill dog to see the Vet at 3pm which was only twenty minutes drive away. I had already rung my husband at work lunchtime to ask if he would meet me there, as I knew I would be totally overcome with emotion if my dog had to be put to sleep. As I poured the hot water onto the P.G.Tips, I looked around and saw Robbie had got out of his basket and although quite wobbly, began to walk around the room. I was speechless, as Victor Meldrew would have said - " I dont believe it".!

Exactly two weeks ago today Robbie first became ill with Epileptic Fits, the Vet had said he may have eaten something along the Country Lane near the fields where I walk him, which caused him to have Liver Infection, which in turn caused him to fit. These last couple of weeks have been "touch and go", but I have followed the Vet's instructions to administer the neccesary medication and to feed water and liquidised food through a syringe about four times a day. This of course I have managed to do, but what was worrying me more than anything was Robbie's incapability to even walk or stand on his own, or not even being able to empty his bowels and bladder properly. He would just do it in the basket, or I would have to lift him out and hold him hoping that he would aim onto the scattered newspaper I had layered on the floor. I must say there have been endless hours of buckets and mops with disinfectant.

Robbie has had no more fits since last Wednesday evening, it may be because the kindly Vet had decided to give Robbie a full anaesthetic and put on a drip, as to sedate the body, hoping that once he came out of it his body would re-charge again without more fits. Well it seems to have worked as no more fits, that is not to say he will not have another anytime.

The big question I had intended to ask the Vet this afternoon was - "Do I need to end his suffering"? as Robbie had not seemed to have any quality of life left. He said that if it was his dog he would not put him to sleep, and we need to give him a chance. The drugs was making him completely "stoned" out of his mind, he said a bit like an Alcoholic who gets used to drinking, they get used to the liquor, the body gets used to it. So this evening I have my dog back home with me, A miracle indeed, especially now after two weeks he took his first steps again today, something that I did not think would ever happen again. I have nursed him with all the TLC I could possibly give him these last two weeks, and will continue to do so in the fight to his recovery.

Thank you to one and all for being just absolute darlings with your messages and concern with love and hugs along the way. Means so much to me, and has helped me enormously to cope with my anxious days and nights.

Camilla.x