No way I would leave a pet unattended at the vet overnight.

I just don't know what to do....I'm in tears and feel sick to my stomach.

He's still on a drip and catheterised. I've spoken to Davies the vet specialists at Higham Gobion who could take him if my vets refer him. So I've asked them to do that. I'll have to do the transfer. The vet I spoke to at my practice says he's probably not a good candidate for travelling, but what else can I do? Trust my own practice and hope nothing happens overnight, or take him to Davies and hope we get there in one piece and know he'll get 24 hour care? At the end of the day it may be the end of the line for him anyway......

How far will the journey be ?

I would trust your practice.  They are in the best position to assess what is best for him.

About 8 miles...

I would trust your practice.  They are in the best position to assess what is best for him.

Agree with this, having put the dog into the hands of the vet you trust I think you would be best to allow them to do their best for your dog, it will be best for him and best for you.

Hope all turns out well for you or at least that you are able to have him home soon, once his fluid levels are back up you will be surprised how much better he will feel and then would be the time to move him, with the vets advice, or bring him home.

My vet does not have nursing through the night, however he said that they always have so many emergency calls that the animals are very rarely left for more than an hour, and the duty nurse/vet always checked all the animals each time they went in.. I had to go with an emergency at 1am once and while I was there they had 2 other people come in with animals, so I didn't worry so much after that as I felt there were always vets popping in throughout the night

Have they checked for Lymes disease or other such tick borne disease?

To my mind, if he is not well enough to travel 8 miles, he is not well enough to leave alone. 

To my mind, if he is not well enough to travel 8 miles, he is not well enough to be left alone. It's not good enough that a vet/nurse 'might' pop in to see to other cases. Sods law says he will need help at the very moment no one is there. I just couldn't do it.

I am not at all sure that telling someone their dog is not receiving the best care is very helpful, shall we just offer support and accept that the dog is getting the best care available under the circumstances.

I dont think it fair to comment on the vet care as pedlee is worried sick as it is .. no point in making her feel guilty for having no choice but to leave her boy in thier care...

We do have a choice whether we leave our dog there or not. I'm saying it would not be MY option and that is my opinion which I'm entitled to. If my dog's life rests in my hands you can be sure I'll do everything I can to preserve it and, to my mind, that does not mean leaving him/her alone when they are so ill. 

now that the dog is on a drip and catheterised it must be very hard for Pedlee to decided what to do at this point in time.

My vet is a hospital so is covered 24/7 which is a choice I made years ago in case of this ever god forbid happening to any of my pets. In the future Pedlee will no doubt  do a similar thing but as it stands and to make things easier for Pedlee I just personally dont think it fair to pass comment when she is so worried about her boy.The only choice she has is to removed him from his medication and take him home or have him travel in a car for quite a distance putting him possibly at more risk.

R~

I'm just sat here hoping like hell that Hamish pulls through this.  I think of my oldies, and how much I love them, and my thoughts are with Pedlee.

All we can do is stand by each other and be here with as much support as Pedlee needs.  I won't be happy until I come on here tomorrow and know that he is doing fine, and going home.

Jean

Sending lots of love and positive thoughts to you and Hamish.  I can't bear it when mine are ill, hate it when they are at the vets -  and it's always so much worse at night when you're painfully aware they aren't asleep in their usual spot

xxx

I hope you both had a settled night and that you get the results of the biopsies. The waiting is by far the worst bit, when you know what you are dealing with it is easier to make informed choices, fear of the unknown is much scarier. Sending positive thoughts and 16 paws crossed here for a good outcome. The oldies are so precious x

I am not at all sure that telling someone their dog is not receiving the best care is very helpful

Have to agree, Pedlee is worried out of her mind already about her baby, without  the helpful comments about how   they would never leave  their dog at the vets alone over night, she has enough to worry over without guilt being heaped on her shoulders.

Personally I would leave him where he is, he is settled and being looked after,

Hope some good news comes today.

A little update...

I did move him last night to the specialist practice 8 miles away. I just couldn't spend another night knowing he would be alone, so decided to take the risk to move him and know he would get 24 hour care.

I am going to write to my own practice and suggest they think about 24 hour care in future. I wonder how many people just take it for granted that when their pets are in veterinary care it IS 24 hour care? Who would take their children into hospital and leave them unattended overnight?

Hamish is in a bad way and in ICU, I'll report back with any news as and when I receive it...thanks for your continued support, it means a lot. x

I hope he shows signs of improvement soon Pedlee.

Just noticed this thread, hope Hamish will be ok and that they can find out what the problem is, has your vet checked for poisons Pedlee this would also count for the fast deterioration and blood cell changes, there seems to be a spat of dogs being poisoned lately just a thought to rule everything out.

I have my fingers crossed for him so very scary when things like this happen, I hope he will be home soon. x

You have done whats right,I know this from personal experience,my thoughts and wishes are with you xx

Sheila

Fingers toes and paws crossed here xx

Everything crossed here for your lovely boy.

Thinking of you Karen sending loads of white light to your boy.... xx

You are and have done the best for your boy and will be hoping that he shows signs of improving x

I think you did the right thing and he is in the best place getting the care he needs

So pleased you were able to move him with no ill effects and that you now feel you have done everything you can. Will have your baby in my thought and as we say in our breed sending you both loads of moose magic.

I hope you get some positive news soon, we're all worrying with you and imaging it was our own precious oldies in the same position. I'm glad you moved him, you know now that you have done everything possible for him, went the extra mile (or 8) for him to ensure he has the best possible care.

Thank you for the update Pedlee and I'm sure you're right that most pet owners wouldn't be aware that this particular vet doesn't offer 24 service/out of hours care. Hoping your boy improves and can come home to you soon.

Everything crossed for you and Hamish x

Talli is in Davies too at the moment! (about to update my old thread). They are great and Hamish will be receiving the best possible care x

I hope Talli is OK? I'll check your thread....

Davies have just phoned to say he is fairly comfortable but very weak. The scans and x-rays they've taken today showed nothing untoward and his heart and chest look OK, although he may have a partially collapsed lung due to not moving. Other than that they think there is some fluid around the pancreas, but that could be due to inflammation from the biopsy. They've taken some of the fluid to check there isn't any infection. If there is they may have to open him up again, so I hope to doG it isn't as I won't put him through more surgery. They did ask if he deteriorated did I want him resuscitated to which I said no. He is still anaemic which is a worry, but isn't quite at the stage of needing a transfusion. I just wish the results would come in for the biopsies and blood tests taken on Monday. I don't want him to have to suffer for longer than need be and already feel as if I'm just prolonging the inevitable....

Oh Pedlee I'm sorry, still got finger & paws crossed here for you & Hamish. Thinking of you.

Thanks for the update.

Keeping everything crossed and sending healing vibes his way.

Keeping you and Hamish in my thoughts Karen x

Fingers crossed that Hamish can pull through x

Keep strong and we are all thinking about you both x

So sorry for the pain you are going through.  I certainly hope that you will get biopsy results soon.  I am thinking of you and Hamish all the time at the moment.

It must be an awful strain waiting on answers.

You must be just about at your wit's end, I think given that he'll most likely be in over night again you did the best thing moving him, at least now someones with him all the time which will be a weight off your mind.
Remember and look after yourself too, it's hard to even eat sometimes when all you can do is wait for the phone to ring.

I would not leave my dog in overnight. i know they have people living over/under/near, but that isnt good enough for me. i understand that not all vets offer hospital facilities, which is why home is better than no one checking. i sleep by ny dogs them in their bed, me on the floor.  i can tell you over the last 14 months, it has been that way more than it hasnt. I hope your pal get on ok,

I've never been through anything quite like this before. I've had plenty of dogs that have had major surgery, strokes, chemo etc. but at least those problems have been diagnosed and dealt with, to not know what the problem is and for it to have come about so suddenly is really awful. Hamish is also one of those "once in a lifetime" dogs. And I've got other things going on in my life which are also going pear-shaped which is making this doubly stressful...

thinking of you all, hope you get some rest too x

It is awful when we cant get to bottom of whats causing our dogs illnes,so very stressful,fingers crossed  results come back soon,thinking of you both xx

Sheila

Hi Pedlee
I'm so sorry to read of poor Hamish. I know how you feel when your companion is so ill and you have other troubles as well. All I wanted to say was that my last dog was very ill for most of the few years I had her. She was admitted to Davies's on two occasions and the treatment she recieved there was second to none. So if any vets can get Hamish better, it will be them.
I can not get over the fact that the RCVS condones that ill animals admitted for overnight care to a Tier 2 vet practice can be left unsupervised. Anything could happen including fire, break in etc. as well as the patient deteriorating. The only practice that has to have staff on the premises at night, is a Tier 3 hospital.
I hope poor Hamish recovers quickly
Take Care

Just catching up with your thread pedlee, everything xed for you and your old boy here xxx

Results back. Severe liver failure with a poor prognosis. There were various things they could try but with his ongoing problems, which would complicate matters, the outlook was bleak and would probably give only temporary respite so I decided to call it a day and not put him through any more. So I sat with him whilst he was given peace. RIP Hamish, you were one in a million x

So sorry Pedlee :(  You could not have done more.

I am so so sorry for you, you did everything you could & he is now at peace while you're left with the pain.
Stay strong &  keep busy, will be thinking of you. Hugs & love, Lacy

So very sorry for you, my heart goes out to you, at times like this there are no words.

XXXXXX

Unfortunately it did sound like that and hoped it wasn't :-(

He is at peace now x

So very sorry to read this, you fought hard to save him. He was obviously a very loved special boy.

So sorry, we were all rooting for him. You have done the greatest act of love and given him peace. Hugs.