it went down hill...

While waiting for the vet to call we knew that, although Toby had NO appetite, we HAD to get his prednisone in him. We tried all the usual foods to hide it in but he wouldn't even pay attention to it. We kept coming in, with foods of choice, pill in hand thinking we could quickly stick it in the food when he opened his mouth to eat whatever it was. NOTHING was working. IN the mean time, I had to take MY med, which is taken with food or it upsets my stomach,so I had taken it out and put it on the counter top when I thought- wait- PEANUT butter! SO, waiting to take MY med, I quickly grabbed the jar and a spoon and went in to see if he would be interested! YEP- he was! SO, I went to the kitchen, grabbed his pill and went back in to feed him a spoon of peanut butter laced with the little white pill.....GOT it in him! felt great relief- and went in to take my own pill with my cereal....
but I couldn't find it...
... MY little white pill was GONE!

My husband had seen Toby's pill sitting there and put it back in his bottle. I didn't know it. I FED MY MEDICATION TO TOBY. So, NOW we are in panic mode as we haven't yet been able to get hold of a vet and the pet emergency clinic had just closed. (open all night) SO, I dial 411 to find a number of another one- only it can't recognized what I am SAYING because when I am scared, my voice shakes. I SLAM the phone DOWN and Dan calls the poison center- and they say that my pill can cause 'severe seizures' in a dog- take him to Pet emergency. PANIC!!
SO NOW I am trying to FIND SOME VET THAT IS OPEN AT and I can't and SINCE I AM SHAKING SO BADLY I CAN barely EVEN READ THE PHONE BOOK let alone TURN THE PAGES. so we call Linet, my daughter in laws Mom, who has 3 dogs and ask HER if she knows a vet we could call- she says to give Toby a tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting. I THINK I have some... at least 10 minutes have NOW passed. My husband runs upstairs, I run to the other bath- to the laundry room...NONE- we call her back- do you have any??!!! YES- My husband puts Toby into the Kennel and rushes over there. now 15-20 minutes.... Linet gives him the first dose, then 10 minutes later another one since he didn't vomit with the first dose. I don't know how many doses she gave him but STILL NOTHING- so she tests the hydrogen peroxide with baking soda. It's DEAD! SO Dan rushes to Albertson's to get more- by now....about an hour has passed. I am thinking...He's going to die and I did it to him. I am frantic and broken hearted. My eldest son, Ryan who was contacted by my youngest son Scotty, got on the computer and looked up area vets and talked to a vet asst on the south hill who sounded like 1 hour? oooohhh noooo....it might be too late..(he didn't' tell me THAT tho) and then Ryan's kids hit their knees praying for Toby. He said they didn't even get up, they stayed there praying for him- they love him like their own dog. FINALLY Toby Puked and the pill emerged after about 1 1/2 hours (SEEMED like 6) The pill was WHOLE. It was completely formed and the numbers in tact. Prayers answered. My blood pressure is quite high after this fun episode and I can't remember when I have EVER felt so completely helpless. We are so exhausted, and Toby is still not feeling well- but he is safe from the pills harmful canine effects. Now to get this little guy back on his feet.

The name of this Blog is "NOT MISTAKES...Lessons". Daddy always said that if you aren't going to do that again it is a LESSON not a mistake. This was a lesson. I know now to have a syringe, (no needle-it's used to squirt the liquid down the dogs throat) and to have FRESH Hydrogen Peroxide on HAND always- throw out the old- it does expire!! I will also never give a pill to an animal or any other, without re-checking that it is the correct one!! Lesson learned Dad.....