The possibility of life without my service dog scares me

[Joan]

That sounds horrible....I hope that you get out of there soon and can just chill with your baby and breathe!

 

[hodge]

Please hang in there, @Justmehere. I am praying for you and your sweet pup.

 

[desiderata310]

Wait... 'treat' as in 'toy' too small for this dog? Cuz I would be chomping his nose off saying 'yeah you damn well will be paying the vet bill'
For some reason I was thinking she'd eaten something toxic like chocolate. Not that that would be any better or at all excusable but seriously. It's like giving marbles to a 3 month old. Choking hazard anyone?

 

[Deleted member 12723]

In these moments, when I get scared I'm going to lose her, I can't function very well. I can't think. It feels like the world is ending when I know it is not. My mind keeps racing to the fear of my sweet pup dying and the additional fear of "how will I function without her?"

I am so sorry to hear about your precious companion right now. Sending healing hugs for the both of you. I can see and understand why you are so upset right now, this seemed to catch you off guard and when this happens to me I go into panic mode most of the time initially. Your dog is a big part of your life and is attached to you by bonds of love between the both of you.

Hang in there. Prayers winging their way for a swift recovery and to be able to go back out there into the world soon.

 

[Justmehere]

Wait... 'treat' as in 'toy' too small for this dog? Cuz I would be chomping his nose off saying 'yeah you damn well will be paying the vet bill'

It was a cooked pork bone that came in a package that had a warning label that it wasn't for dogs over 25lbs. Cooked bones. Why the f..k do they sell these anymore? He was giving her his dogs toys and I tried to explain stop, she's a lab, she will destroy these. She's a service dog she only does specific kong toys... And he said "here I'll give her this bully stick my dog doesn't want." It wasn't a bully stick. He handed it to her before I could say stop and she CRUNCHED it just before I grabbed it and bam... it was broken into a ton of pieces and the shards are what's going through her small intestine at the moment. I dropped everything and just took off to the vet. She's not far from pooping it out. I'm sick with worry all the same.

In his defense, I was purposefully letting my dog and his play together because his new and young puppy is super well trained and a wonderful dog. I was being perhaps not assertive enough and clear enough about the boundaries. My dog, my job to hold the boundaries. He didn't understand. Half my fault. I really didn't hunk he'd have that of all things.

He's a very sweet guy and I could ask him to help still and I bet he'd pay the whole thing. He was like literally sending me his payment info. He was actually tearful about it.

I wanted to chew him out... but I also know it would have really eaten him up even more. I told him if this goes to surgery, I'll start a go fund me and he can decide what he wants to help with and not. Otherwise, I've got this. He'll never do it again. I'm sure of that.

I kind like framing it that I'm supporting his effort to be a decent human about a naive mistake and a boundary I should have held better.

If he was a jerk about it, I'd so be all over whatever it took to stick at least half the costs to him. Maybe that's a stupid way to go about it. I dunno. I can't think straight.

He keeps asking how she is. I told her it's watch and see. I told him I can't talk about it right now but I'll update him tomorrow - because I'm too upset right now and I am. I'd be irrational talking to him. I did point out the warning label on the package. He thought it was a synthetic bone. Lesson learned.

 

[desiderata310]

:mad: What? Is this his first puppy?
Ugh. Sorry. Wrong time for anger. Yes, Hopefully lessons learned for him. I'm glad he's being decent about it all.
Keep breathing. Your pup is stronger than you think.

 

[hodge]

I, too, am glad he is being decent about this. I'm just heartbroken that your dog is having to pay the price for his stupidity. I am still praying for both of you.

 

[EveHarrington]

My thoughts are with you and your pup!

:hug:

 

[Justmehere]

Yeah this is his first puppy as an adult and he's actually trying to do it right and learn all he can and is working with great trainers. Terrible mistake but simple to make. I'm gonna just be mad at the store for selling this shit and the company for making it. Stuuuipd.

I don't feel any anger now though. Just blunt fear. My whole body is shivering. I am throwing up with anxiety. Like no joke. Tears are streaming silently down my face. I can't seem to quite regulate. This is really pretty much me at my worst with anxiety. Argh. I keep having the thought, "what if she dies?" and then I redirect it. "She's ok right now. I'll be ok whatever happens. Breathe jmh, breathe." Doesn't make any difference. Trying to distract. Trying to be proactive. Tears and shaking.

My sweet pup is now worried about me. Uuuugggghhhh. I seriously need to get a grip.

She's doing the same. No better, but no worse. She's doing the same. That's good. Trying to calm this brain down.

 

[Sideways]

This is appropriate emotion for a beloved dog that you rely on, so if you need to cry, go right ahead and cry in front of anyone and everyone.

Don't even think about the 'what if...'s. Your dog is going to be okay, the two of you will get to fight on, and this will become one of those awful moments in life that you got through. Together.

My dog is about 1 month off being fully certified, and do I worry about what life would be like if I had to cope without him? Bless you, not for a second! Because right now? Today? I do have him. And I get to make the most of that. And that's what I focus on.

So focus on what you have, and love the little bugger to bits:)

 

[Justmehere]

Thank you all deeply. This rough night is much easier because of you all.

I'm beginning to chill a bit. Turned down the lights, now sitting on a big comfy wide padded dog bed with a sleeping pup with her head in my lap and I'm listening to relaxing music. I am beginning to believe she will be ok.

 

[anonymous]

I am glad your puppy is going to be okay and sorry that you had a horrible night. (((JMH)))