LOLLY IS BITTEN

DRY SNAKE BITES

I have some shocking news about our little pup, Lolly. Three months ago, “He who builds things” and I were on our, all too often visit to the local Bunnings store buying yet more chook and sheep manure for the veg garden. Our daughter, who is home for a bit, was planting out her zucchini seedlings and our gorgeous little Lolly girl was having fun faffed about in the garden, digging little holes and smelling everything. She headed off around the side of the house near the wood pile and water tanks.

We returned to discover Lolly limping with her right back leg tightly scrunched up. There was no whimpering but she was definitely unhappy. We assumed she ahd probably jumped off the raised garden bed and landed badly.  From past experiences we know our little Lol doesn’t do pain well, so we coddled her for a few days but were baffled when she appeared to be going down hill. She wouldn’t eat or drink and we noticed she couldn’t lift herself or walk on the right front foot either. Very hard to squat for the toilet when one has no balance.

PINK FEET

The vet appointment was made. We knew immediately that Lolly wasn’t at all well when she didn’t bark or growl at the other patients. One look by the vet and Lolly was taken in for x – rays, blood samples and cultures of her back and front joints. Later that day we bought her home with anti-inflammatory drops, easy to administer. Great! As we left I pointed out Lolly’s pink feet and we had a laugh about it. Lolly licks the pads of her feet ,like so many of her breed so the fur turns a pretty pink.

THE SIGNS

The following day Lolly’s diarrhea became worse but it was a public holiday, no blood results!! … Lolly wasn’t walking, was panting heavily and was whimpering every time I picked her up. Saturday arrived and still no results. Lolly hadn’t eaten for days and is like a rag. By Sunday the test showed no bacterial infection and they didn’t know why she had too many white blood cells in the joints Home with anti-bacterial meds. As we left, the vet gave me a cream for “The two small lesions on Lolly’s front foot which she was licking.” I didn’t think much about it.

DRY SNAKE BITES – NO VENOM!

A whole week had elapsed and she was still licking those lesions. “Odd!”, I thought , Lolly usually licks the pads NOT the top of her foot. I took a really close look atwith a magnifying glass and found two holes. Surely not a snake bite!! Wouldn’t she be dead? How was she still alive? Right at that moment we received a phone call from the head vet and surgeon at the associated vet hospital/clinic who had been on holiday. He was very concerned and confused by her results and needed to see Lolly again. Long story short, Lolly had been bitten by a snake TWICE but they were dry bites, which meant no venom. How luck was she….were we?? She had developed an auto-immune response which was effecting all her joints. She spent four days in hospital on a drip, having more x-rays, samples and more blood work done. When we arrived to pick her up I was really wishing I had taken out that pet insurance.

TRYING HARD & TAKING HER MEDS.

We are now three months down the track and Lolly is still on steroids and doggy neurofin. Thousands of dollars later they are still trying adjust the meds. She is the most expensive Free doog ever. Lolly is able to totter a few steps and needs to be carried up the smallest step and stairs but she is not in pain all the time. Drug time was a challenge. I would hold her on the bench while “He who adores his little girl” apologised and attempted to unclench her jaw and stick the pill popper down her throat 8 times. No actually, more like 16 times because she somehow managed to spit them out most times.

But wait there is a light at the end of the tunnel. We discovered strong smelly sausage. I boil them then cut small bits to secret the tablets. She loves them like a treat. Problem solved!The prognosis isn’t really wonderful for total recovery but Lolly is booked in for physiotherapy. Should be interesting so watch this space.

Although we have never seen a snake in our area we are now very loud and noisy when we go out to the clothes line to scare them away. We have bought  snake repellent spikes on Amazon. I believe they also repel rodents as well. Golly I hope they work. My advice is to watch your pets (and children) in garden and don’t assume that snakes aren’t about even if you have never seen one there.