Last Saturday I was out in the garden all day weeding and playing with the dogs. We have a pool so in between we took dips to cool off. At 6 I went to get some groceries for dinner. Not in the door, groceries in hand and Storm told yelled "mom there is something wrong with Hope!" She was hardly able to walk and when she saw me she walked and stumbled to me and fell on the floor, I ran around looking to see what she got into and saw a pill bottle on my bed, chewed open. ;-(( I ran down and grabbed the phone and called our vet, I knew on Sat they would be closed but there is always someone there. The vets office told me you should call this poison control first. I wanted to find an emergency clinic so we could get her there but - no call the number first. I called the number - I was not completely calm if you can imagine Hope was on the floor drooling and now starting to moan, Storm crying and yelling "mom tell them to hurry, where do we take her!?" I told the girl that she has taken some medicine and WHERE do I take her? She then informed me I needed to provide her with my credit card!! ?? WTF - Before she would tell me anything. So there you have it dog dying on the floor and I'm being asked for my credit card. - it gets worse.
I did not know where my credit card was, I did not know where my wallet was (-it was in my truck with the rest of groceries - that I remembered on Sunday) Hope then had a bowel movement and started to moan louder, I was crying at this point and begging just tell me where do I take her. She then said what's your postal code? I gave it to her and she named off this town that I have never heard of ! I said no - "tell me what's near Newmarket!!!??" Her reply - "How do I know I'm in Illinois!!!" The entire time Storm crying, Hope moaning and me feeling completely helpless and in shock. Storm got on his phone and called the vet again, This time they told us where to go. I am sure it was only minutes but it felt like hours on that phone call ;-((
We rushed her to the emergency clinic in Newmarket, her moaning all the time and we could see her slipping away from us. The first thing they did was give us a number and tell us to call it for poison info... YOU think a VET emergency clinic would have a link on google or a number that they could quickly find out the info. Again we were told to call and were charged again. The first phone call as you know was completely useless. WHAT is this!? Your pet is dying and they don't care. How dare they say they care when the first thing they say is what is your credit card number!? The vet came and told us that it was too late. The toxisity level in Hope was too high and she did not advise that we continue - they COULD if we wanted but it would have cost us 1000's of $$ and she personally felt it was too late.
It still ended up costing us over 700. It was a long sad drive home.
It is not about the money it is about the morals.
Please tell me that if it is a child and you call the poison hotline they don't say -what's your credit card number?- as you watch your child dying. It can't be. I have not looked into that yet but it can't be- it would have to be illegal and as far as I am concerned it should be for our pets also.
I called our vet the next day and asked WHY they gave us that number. She did not have much of a response other than "that is the number we use." She was NOT aware that they charged and I also asked why a USA number. I did ask is they get a 'kick back' for suggesting people to use that number - she assured me they did not. Then WHY that F%!!^%$ number that was of no use to us what so ever?? I like my Vet as a person. I have known her for years and have taught her kids. I do feel that if you are giving a number to hopefully help people in times of trouble you KNOW more about it!
I am still so hurt. So is Storm. Hope jumped up on my bed, over to my dresser and took them out of a box containing other stuff like hand cream, brush... things in my opinion would have been much more fun to chew ;-( Those pills were there the entire time I was away at my retreat - yet, I went out for less than a hour and .. it was an accident but my heart breaks thinking I could have avoided it. It was my medicine ;-( I feel terrible. I have always had dogs, from Great Danes to Scruffy ( no clue on what she is - besides lovable)
never, ever has anything like this happened. They all lived long lives with the exception of Hunny - ;-(( that died not too long ago and that was from the bone marrow of a soup bone. ANOTHER thing I did not know. I have given my dogs bones forever. You buy them at the pet store, but some dogs just can not stomach them.
I got Hope to help get over Hunny. Now, how do I get over Hope. What does not kill us makes us stronger. I want people to know about what happened. There are numbers you can call that are free.
ASK YOUR VET! >>What number do you provide? << Bring it to their attention.
I do have the location of a 24 hour emergency clinic now ;-((
Hope would take stuff when we were not looking, fridge magnets, the remote for the apple T.v., the remote, stuff out of the blue box, garden tools, I have many visual half chewed reminders. I never smacked her for this ... she was a puppy, WE LOVED her. I have all kinds of special toys that we bought - extra tuff - and too big now for Scruffy and Tequila. I will put them away for now ;-( I am afraid to even think about getting another dog. Again the loss is like a huge void. Scruffy is really moping, they played constantly, we joked "what's Hopes favorite chew toy - Scruffy! " The garden only 1/2 finished I will force myself out there again today. It's just not going to be the same. I did draw this cartoon (it was a shut door- that means I do not want to be disturbed, while crying) but it gives me some feeling of peace. It is how I heal. I pray Hope has forgiven me. I pray that someone will learn and this won't happen to them . It was not something I would wish on anyone. I use to miss the click click of Hunny's paws, how quickly I now notice the missing thud thud thud of those big clumsy puppy paws.
There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face. ~Ben Williams
Time to take out Scruffy and Tequila and throw a ball and play in the pool.
I did not know where my credit card was, I did not know where my wallet was (-it was in my truck with the rest of groceries - that I remembered on Sunday) Hope then had a bowel movement and started to moan louder, I was crying at this point and begging just tell me where do I take her. She then said what's your postal code? I gave it to her and she named off this town that I have never heard of ! I said no - "tell me what's near Newmarket!!!??" Her reply - "How do I know I'm in Illinois!!!" The entire time Storm crying, Hope moaning and me feeling completely helpless and in shock. Storm got on his phone and called the vet again, This time they told us where to go. I am sure it was only minutes but it felt like hours on that phone call ;-((
We rushed her to the emergency clinic in Newmarket, her moaning all the time and we could see her slipping away from us. The first thing they did was give us a number and tell us to call it for poison info... YOU think a VET emergency clinic would have a link on google or a number that they could quickly find out the info. Again we were told to call and were charged again. The first phone call as you know was completely useless. WHAT is this!? Your pet is dying and they don't care. How dare they say they care when the first thing they say is what is your credit card number!? The vet came and told us that it was too late. The toxisity level in Hope was too high and she did not advise that we continue - they COULD if we wanted but it would have cost us 1000's of $$ and she personally felt it was too late.
It still ended up costing us over 700. It was a long sad drive home.
It is not about the money it is about the morals.
Please tell me that if it is a child and you call the poison hotline they don't say -what's your credit card number?- as you watch your child dying. It can't be. I have not looked into that yet but it can't be- it would have to be illegal and as far as I am concerned it should be for our pets also.
I called our vet the next day and asked WHY they gave us that number. She did not have much of a response other than "that is the number we use." She was NOT aware that they charged and I also asked why a USA number. I did ask is they get a 'kick back' for suggesting people to use that number - she assured me they did not. Then WHY that F%!!^%$ number that was of no use to us what so ever?? I like my Vet as a person. I have known her for years and have taught her kids. I do feel that if you are giving a number to hopefully help people in times of trouble you KNOW more about it!
I am still so hurt. So is Storm. Hope jumped up on my bed, over to my dresser and took them out of a box containing other stuff like hand cream, brush... things in my opinion would have been much more fun to chew ;-( Those pills were there the entire time I was away at my retreat - yet, I went out for less than a hour and .. it was an accident but my heart breaks thinking I could have avoided it. It was my medicine ;-( I feel terrible. I have always had dogs, from Great Danes to Scruffy ( no clue on what she is - besides lovable)
never, ever has anything like this happened. They all lived long lives with the exception of Hunny - ;-(( that died not too long ago and that was from the bone marrow of a soup bone. ANOTHER thing I did not know. I have given my dogs bones forever. You buy them at the pet store, but some dogs just can not stomach them.
I got Hope to help get over Hunny. Now, how do I get over Hope. What does not kill us makes us stronger. I want people to know about what happened. There are numbers you can call that are free.
ASK YOUR VET! >>What number do you provide? << Bring it to their attention.
I do have the location of a 24 hour emergency clinic now ;-((
Hope would take stuff when we were not looking, fridge magnets, the remote for the apple T.v., the remote, stuff out of the blue box, garden tools, I have many visual half chewed reminders. I never smacked her for this ... she was a puppy, WE LOVED her. I have all kinds of special toys that we bought - extra tuff - and too big now for Scruffy and Tequila. I will put them away for now ;-( I am afraid to even think about getting another dog. Again the loss is like a huge void. Scruffy is really moping, they played constantly, we joked "what's Hopes favorite chew toy - Scruffy! " The garden only 1/2 finished I will force myself out there again today. It's just not going to be the same. I did draw this cartoon (it was a shut door- that means I do not want to be disturbed, while crying) but it gives me some feeling of peace. It is how I heal. I pray Hope has forgiven me. I pray that someone will learn and this won't happen to them . It was not something I would wish on anyone. I use to miss the click click of Hunny's paws, how quickly I now notice the missing thud thud thud of those big clumsy puppy paws.
There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face. ~Ben Williams
Time to take out Scruffy and Tequila and throw a ball and play in the pool.
