Small Stone #28 January 2013

Jo Bryant, , ,

the vet said:

“her heart isn’t working properly”

and mine broke

Fox terrier

Published by Jo Bryant

I was born in the land of Banjo Paterson, gum trees, and weather extremes. I am a freelance photographer. I love to make images that make people happy. To capture forever a precious moment. I am also a freelance writer/editor. I live in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, but still like to claim my Australian heritage. I graduated with a Bachelor of Communications in 2008. I am writing my first novel. I love to write poetry, short stories, and also write for the web. And there is nothing that is on a par with a sunny summer's day spent at Waihi Beach.

62 Comments

    1. No sadly not…Chevvy had a lump on her tummy. When I took her to the vets they found she has a heart murmur. Right now I am waiting on the results from tests on the lump…then we have to do tests for her heart to find out just what is happening.

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  5. Hope it’s nothing too serious. Don’t panic about the heart murmur. I found out from the vet that this could be just nerves from the animal. Most vets will say that an animal has a heart murmur. I was worried when both of my cats that I took to the vets were said to have a heart murmur, but she explained what it was 🙂 So no panic on that bit

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    1. I hope so too Alistair. I have been doing a lot of online research in to heart murmurs. I want to talk to the holistic vet in the next town over, The vet’s here has been taken over by a new guy and he is not only money hungry, but I don’t really like him much. The vet I saw is a good guy but truth be told I think they cause more panic half the time than is needed. So I plan to start her on some stuff that I read about that is all natural and good for her heart. She already has a healthy diet, and is on fish oil every day. I am hoping the vet will give me some guidelines for dosage etc of things like vitamin E, L-Carnitane, Taurine, and there are a few herbs I have read about as well. But the lump is a worry. Once I know what that is…well then we just go forward from there. She does panic a bit when at the vet. I had actually thought to get my daughter’s BF over one day. She is a vet nurse here and I thought maybe she could listen to her heart at home and see if it is still doing whatever the vet thought he heard.
      The hardest part is that they can’t talk to you.
      She has been really snuggly in the last few weeks…you know I wonder now if she knew something was amiss.

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      1. It’s possible. I find it irritating when vets think more of money than the animals health. My mum’s cat had a broken tail and the vet kept giving tablets saying “this needs to happen yet” She took the cat to a different vet and he amputated the tail immediately saying that there was no need for the cat to be in pain from the injury

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        1. This new owner is…I don’t quite know what to say. If you want to pay off a large bill you have to go through a credit check, which you have to pay for, and you have to sign a contract. Quite frankly the owner doesn’t give a flying ‘you know what’ about the animals. Which is a shame as before he took it over it was good.

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          1. Just had a few glorious days in Napier – moving onto Gisbourne tomorrow and the day after that we’re taking the coastal scenic drive through Eastland. Will probably arrive in Tauranga on Thursday or Friday.

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  7. NOOOOOOOoooooo! 😦 Sending BIG *hugs* to both you and Chevvy. I know it’s impossible, but please try not to worry. Cross that bridge when you get there.

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    1. Thanks Corina. I am trying. Doing lots of research so if it is a murmur for real then I will at least know how to proceed to maybe slow down any damage. Not worry…ha…you know that is impossible…I am the world’s WORST worrier…especially where these guys are concerned. But I am okay…just keeping busy.

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  10. Me and Dido and Daisy send you both hugs and ear licks. Try not to worry, a friends dog has had a few lumps for several years and the vet says they are common as dogs age.

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  11. Aww Jo that must be so hard. When I read the beautiful words I hoped it was just a wonderful piece of work and not a slice of reality. Luck to Chevvy and strength to you!

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  15. 😦
    Go with your gut. If you don’t like this guy, find another, for sure. And don’t worry or Chevvy will pick up on the vibes. Keep up the snuggles and Rocky says chin up! xxxxx (and please keep us posted)

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    1. Thanks Gemma.

      I actually really like his staff…the two vets and the vet nurses that work there. It is just the owner. When Charlie had cystisis and I was trying to explain something to him he actually talked over me, as if, well you know how some doctors treat new mums…like they are idiots who don’t KNOW their children. And the one thing I don’t really like there is that they sort of pooh pooh anything natural. He smirked when I told him I had been giving Charlie apple cider vinegar to treat the cyctisis and it had worked. I am not a fanatic but I believe in natrual methods in conjunction with medicine is the best approach. and I know they think I am strange because I won’t feed my cats dry food. After a lot of research I am convinced that is why Charlie got cystitis in the first place. He and in consequence his staff [because he tells them to] are constantly pushing expensive diets at you.

      Chevvy has been extra snuggly at the moment. A part of me thinks she knows something…but I hope it is just something small. My hope is that the lump is a lypoma. I keep saying it over and over…like a mantra…willing it to be so I guess.

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  16. Mine broke for you when I read this! Sorry Jo…:-(
    But Alistair is right…My old cat Simone had a heart murmur and lived to be over 20. The heart murmur in itself is not a huge problem, but the lump might be…Praying for you and Chevy…

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    1. Thanks Sue.

      The poem was actually my inital gut reaction when he said the words.

      Why oh why do they always give you the worst caes scenario first? Words like congestive heart failure were thrown around and my insides with them. but i went home and did a lot of research on heart murmurs. Firstly, if she really does have one I am confident we have caught it early. She was at the vet’s a few months ago with no signs of it. There is a lot I can do at home diet wise and with supplements and herbs to keep it under control I believe. But waiting for the test for this lump…especially because she has been a little more clingy of late, that is a bit hard. But I am going to try to chill out and not let her pick up on my tension as Gemma says.

      Having you guys out there helps a lot. Everyone has been so kind, so supportive. God help anyone who tries to tell me in the future blogging friends aren’t real friends.
      🙂

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  19. Awww Jo, I am so sorry…. Sending your lovely friend Chevvy a Healing Vibe from over at Dreamwalker’s… and hope that the tests reveal there is a solution ….. Big hugs also to you Jo as you need a BIG hug…. ((HUG)) sending xoxoxoxox Love Sue

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  23. Oh Jo this is never fun. My thoughts are with you and all of your fur babies. We like our vet now, but we’ve run into a few who only care about one thing: money. How can anyone go into that profession and not love animals. Sending all of you a hug.

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    1. Thanks for the hug…I really appreciated it. I imagine you know what all this waiting and not knowing has felt like…hopefully now i can do something about the murmur. But I am hopeful…fromm all I have read I think it could be manageable.

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