I have written before recently about my new britt. I just got some horrible news! My boyfriend was leaving for work and called to tell me that after I left for work and he was sleeping, Sergio decided to chew down Christmas lights we left in the window!! Now, they're not glass but plastic. He found tiny shards of multiple colors on the floor but he told me he couldn't take him to the vet because he was heading out the door for work and was already late ( I personally would have sacrificed it for my little baby) and I'm stuck here at work!!!! He will be alone for the next few hours and I'm freaking out! I told bf to at least add some water to soften his food in hopes that he'll eat it and may coat wahtever lurks in his belly. Does anyone know the severity of it or if there is anything I can do to help him, or will it just pass through? I want to take him to the vet when I get home, but if there is an alternative....I can't truly afford the vet today, and I'm afraid I'll have to give up "parental rights" in order to help him (thats how it works here anyhow, can't afford it and you just give them to the vet so they will pay to take care) thats truly not an option for me. HELP!!  SCARED!!!!

sorry about the incorrect title "glass eating" called bf while writing to ask if they were glass or plastic, my mistake

Personally I would be leaving work right now and going home, and taking the puppy to the vets!

He may be alright - but there again, he might not - and do you really want to take chances?   I would also suggest that if vet bills are going to be a problem in the future that you arrange insurance (if that is possible in your country) or, sadly, rethink having a dog.   You must factor in vet costs in working out whether or not you can afford to keep a puppy - sadly, you cannot rely upon medical advice from an internet forum.

I do hope everything works out okay.

Margot

If it was my dog I would take him to the vet.  Plastic can be very sharp and just as dangerous as glass.  It's no good saying that handing him over is not an option, letting him suffer is not an option either,  perhaps your vet will consider a payment scheme. 

I certainly wasn't implying that I wouldn't turn him over to save his life! Certainly I would I was just making the point of how horrible that would be, it's not an option I would gladly do is how that was meant to be read. And as far as rethinking having a dog, I assure you the money situation is not a problem, I've just gotten him and he was up on all his shots, etc. I just spent all my money this week on buying him and getting the things he needs. I can't very well leave work to bring him because I rely on the transportation of my bf, not having my own car, so I have no way of getting home until after work. I appreciate your advice, thank you. I think I may have worded some things badly, because you had the impression that I wouldn't go above and beyond for my dog. I would do anything, I was just wondering if anyone personally knew the effects of swallowing plastic. And as a side note, I've planned to get him a crate at the end of the week when money comes in, he's been staying safely in the kitchen for the past few days, bf just wasn't up and watching as he was supposed to be. But especially after this occurence he will be kennel trained starting tonight (giving that he doesn't have to stay overnight in a vets office), I will find the $ for one somehow! thamks for the advice and rest assured that he will be well taken care of....just flipping out until I can get home and don't know what else to do in order to get there!

And you can't get a taxi home? or even beg a lift of a workfriend?

If your boyfriend has transport I would get on the phone to him and remind him of his responsibilities to this animal and get him to go back and take him to the vet.  If the plastic is going to perforate his gut it will have done it long before you get home.

there are no taxi services in my area, or public transportation of any kind for that matter, and as for my bf, it's not as if he wanted this dog, sadly he's not the nicest guy and will no go beyond the call of duty  and the workfriends suggestion, no one here would sacrifice their job in order for me to help my puppy. Sadly I think I'm just stuck, I appreciate all the offers of advice, I guess I mostly wrote the first one out of tension, I knew my options were probably slim..........I swear I'm a responsible dog owner.....just one thats at the moment hopeless

>I swear I'm a responsible dog owner

I'm just trying to square that with someone who buys a dog when they can't really afford it, works all day and has to rely on a feckless boyfriend who doesn't even want the responsibilities :( 
It doesn't help your poor dog though I just hope your's and my fears are unfounded and that the poor fella is OK.
Perhaps you will let us know when you do see him again if he is alright as I am sure a lot of readers will be worrying about him.

For all you know your dog might be perforating his bowel as we speak or caused damage to his windpipe!
And you are ok to stay in work or risk your job, i know what i'd be doing.

Please bear in mind this lady lives in the USA & not the UK

Do bowel perforations not occur there?

Think of the time difference for a start Jeez Back on the ignore list methinks

It's obvious from the first post that the OP is in the US I don't get your point MM, are you saying you think they are a troll?  For the dogs sake perhaps that would be good if it was true but it doesn't sound like it to me.

Axtually you are on my ignore list now

:D How did you read that if it's me on your ignore list then  :p :D
Still haven't a clue why you think it is relevant where the poster lives but we'll never know now 'cos you ain't reading this :D :D

LOLOLOL

you know what!??! I'm very well aware that he could be perforating his bowel right now!! It has nothing to do with keeping my job as you said, if you read yu would have seen that I explained how IHAVE NO OPTIONS OF LEAVING!!!!

Have you tried your boyfriend?

and I never said I work ALL day, as I'm sure most of you have jobs as well, I CAN afford him, but I'm sur ethere are times where YOU may not have $ for a few days too! I don't depend on my asshole boyfriend, right now I have no options of moving out but I certainly didn't think he'd let my dog eat lights! I've grown up having dogs, well cared for and very healthy loved dogs, with excellent training as well! I'm just stuck in a bad situation and my baby is stuck in an even worse one so, for the assinine and unsympathetic response, no thank yous! but I will offer thanks to those who may understand slightly that I've no options and weren't "barking" down my throat for it

My BC puppy is a bit of a chewer & touch wood hasn't had any problem despite having chewed some very odd things

He might have chewed & not actually eaten very much

paws crossed you can get him to the vets & he'll be ok

I don't really have an issue with the boyfriend letting the dog eat the lights, accidents happen, what I have an issue with is him walzing off once the accident occured, have you tried phoning him and explaining how serious this could be?

Hi Britsmom,

Have you a neighbour or friend you could call who could come and pick you up (feign sickness on your own part if need be to get away!) or alternatively head over to your house and take your pup to the vets for you?  Would your vet accept a cheque dated for the day you have money - at the end of the day I'm sure the vet would rather have you pay for the treatment in a few days rather than take your pup over and have to carry the costs themselves.

I hope you can get something sorted out :)

Lesley

thank you LF thats a great idea, I'll see if writing a check to be cashed late would work, and unfortunately no I don't have family or friends here haven't lived here long and my family lives out of state so even if I did feign sickness......

I would say feed your dog bread to hopefully coat and bind the offending objects,but i'm afraid by the time  you finally get home it will be too late,the plastic may have moved all the way through :(

Can i ask where you live that doesnt have buses or taxi's

I live in a very small community that is mostly "high rollers" as we call the folks w/ $ here, no need for public transportation in their eyes, and sadly these days poeple aren't as willing to help a stranger no matter the story

You have legs i take it? i live in a village that has one bus per 6hrs and no taxi's but i'd be moving hell and earth to get home by now even if it meant walking (or even thumbing a lift)

mygirl thats a bit harsh, im sure she has legs, im sure shes also very concerned but hitching home might get her in bigger problems than shes in already,  maybe even later home than waiting for her normal lift or perhaps not making it home at all, to be fair its not her that  got herself into this pickle is it ?

This may be totally off the wall, Britsmom, and forgive me if it is because over here we see lots of programmes about humane societies in the USA and they seem really good and helpful, but do you have a local humane society you could phone and see if they will help?  It is a desperate step, but you are clearly frantic with worry and desperate times call for desperate measures!

Lesley

Ummm not much of a boyfriend if he wouldnt even go out of his way for something that means something special to someone he is suppose to 'care' about.

What about phoning the local Church - the minister/pastor/priest may take pity on your predicament and be able to muster someone to help you out with a lift? 

Lesley

ye but do they have phones in that part of america?

mygirl, I'm sorry that you seem to be such a heartless person, I've got legs, but you seem not to understand that I'm not exactly close to my home. if I wait till I get off I will get a ride hom and be there hours before I would if I walked. and as for the good advice, thanks guys, I didn't think of the humane society, they might be able to do something, the people there have the same passion for animals and could only hope they will travel out here or maybe know someone in this town to get the keys to my home and take him for me! thank you, that really puts a little hope in me(I got him from a town some hours away)

tell me about it nic.....

I'm heartless? i care about dogs thats all i don't care what position you are in but what the dog may or may not be going through right now and you don't even know that as you aren't at home so can't say.

Thats a very good suggestion Lesley.

sorry, mygirl, "thumbing a lift" is not ever gonna out here, not sure about there, but in the US, people watch too many murder dramas and wouldn't dare pick up a stranger, those things just don't happen anymore, of course it's worth a try, but I assure you, I'll be standing out there all night

ummmm it all sounds like excuses after excuses............... where there is a will there is a way.............

Settle Nic :rolleyes: Do you have any helpful suggestions??????????

humane society said no, they tell me their transport buses left a bit ago but one nice lady says she'll call me back, she's gonna try everything to find someone willing , I've got but a little bit left till I can leave work, when a bf gets out of his job...just tapping my foot and praying that all is well, it's all I can do. I promise to write tomorrow and give an update on his condition, for now, I'll be making some calls....thanks to all

Britsmom please keep us updated,i'll be here for a few hours yet :) What about taxi's,do they have them in your town? It would be nearly 5pm over there wouldnt it? What time do you finish work?

finish in about half an hour, and no, no taxis available, nic there are no excuses here, just big walls that I can't climb, if you could see my face you would know the extent of my worry and heartache for what has or could be happening to my little Sergio

Hailey, I don't have a computer at home, but I will be here at 8am tomorrow morning, in the case that he's ok, definately have time off if the worst has happened, but I' will give details on my next work day, thank you for your kindness

"What about taxi's"  - already suggested earlier!

Good luck Britsmom - I'm sure something will work out and you'll get to your pup soon! Keep us posted when you get a chance :)

Lesley

lets  hope that when you get home your pup is ok. sometimes if you take a moment to think, you can find a calm space and the answer will come to you, just get home asap and take your pup to the vet , hopefully they will bill you, most people have times when they have no money and vets do realise this, mine has in the past. good luck

I would have left work straight away and found away to get home,  i am in stress reading this, i think maybe a cat would suit you better

Hmmm .... the "boyfriend" would be out of the door promptly if it were me.

I'm really worried about the way this thread has developed.   Britsmom - let us know how Sergio is please, won't you.

I know its easy to be afterwise - but I'd suggest that the crate is the next thing you have to get after sorting your pup out!   Let us know in which area of the US you are - I'm on lots of the Aussie boards out there, and I'm sure that someone on one of them will live in your neck of the woods - you should really be posting on those boards which could be of more practical assistance than we can be over here in the UK.

Margot