Being neurotic is expensive

Shortly after dinner tonight (probably around 7:00), Kayla started coughing and swallowing hard - it seemed like something was irritating her throat. Reminded me of when I swallow a pill and it gets stuck in my throat - doesn't go all the way down and you can feel it there. She wasn't having any trouble breathing and after the initial probably ten minutes of intense coughing, reverse sneezing and swallowing hard, she was better - just intermittent periods of swallowing hard and coughing. I called the ER vet, basically just to confirm that I should watch for her having any trouble breathing, pale gums, etc. Figured I'd see how she did before bed and hopefully we wouldn't have to take a trip to the ER.

Well, we weren't that lucky. Around 10, she was still having issues and I decided to take her into town. I have to work all day tomorrow and have to be there right away in the a.m. and there's just no way I'm going to be able to get out tomorrow to take her to the vet. So I figured I'd take her in tonight just to get checked out and make me feel better leaving her home tomorrow. I wasn't convinced it was anything serious, but I knew my neurotic self wouldn't feel better until I took her in.

So an exam, a couple x-rays and $315 later, she doesn't have a foreign body in her esophagus (thankfully - she's a hoover so that would be a possibility with her), he doesn't feel it's a progression of her neurological issues now affecting her throat muscles (thankfully). She has esophagitis (sp?) - basically, she probably swallowed something that irritated her esophagus and the swallowing hard was her attempt to get rid of the discomfort it caused. But it was worth the time and the money because now I can go to work tomorrow knowing there's nothing seriously wrong with her and I won't have to worry about her all day and feel like a bad mom cuz I can't leave work to take her to the vet.

Seriously, it gets expensive (and tiring since it's now after midnight and we just got home) to be such a neurotic pug mommy!!!

Ah, but peace of mind is truly priceless.

I've done the same thing as you, so you are not alone.

Did he give her something to soothe her throat?
Try giving her a little honey to lick, it may soothe the irritation.

Glad you don't have to lie awake worrying!!

yes, as Renee said, peace of mind - priceless. Glad she's okay.

Anything that cuts down stress at this time of year is worth its weight in gold.

Glad she's OK.

I would have (have) done the same thing! I'm glad she's feeling OK and that the problem wasn't what you had feared.

Otto once got a hold of a remote control. I found the open device, without battery, on the floor, with his teeth marks in the case and the little piece that covered the batteries. I looked, couldn't find the batteries in the room, rushed him to the vet for x-rays to make sure he'd not swallowed them (he's a hoover, too). X-rays were clean. Two weeks later, I found the batteries under a small table, behind the front legs - I have no idea how they got there. Maybe Otto was playing with them, but they had no teeth marks on them, so I don't know. If I hadn't had the x-rays done that day, I'd have been a nervous wreck, and he'd could have been in very serious trouble.

I think pugs should come with a warning that says "pugs are expensive and possibly dangerous to your health" - given all of our falls and bruises and rush trips to the emergency vets! Good thing they are so endearingly lovable!

I'm glad it's just a minor problem. Good for you for taking it seriously though.

Whew, I'm glad she's ok. I agree that peace of mind is priceless, especially at this time of year. Hope Kayla's throat feels better soon.

Rachel I am neurotic like you and would have done the same thing.
I took Lola in once when she had a hive on her head just to get a $350 benadryl shot.
The peace of mind is worth every penny.

Hey Rach, at least it wasn't more?!?!?!? We gotta look at the bright side right????

I am usually the same way, but last week Bella just randomly started breaking out in hives..... Now, it has been frozen here for weeks and not sure what she would be reacting too, but I have her a couple bendryl and she was fine the next day. About a day later we go out for a walk and she breaks out again.... yeesh.... Benedryl works again. Next day, same thing, but not as many hives. Benedryl saves the day. But really, I have no idea what is causing the reaction. It must be something outside, but it's been so cold, that everything is forzen. Only Bella my little alergy dog could fund something to react to during the dead of winter....

Puggered wrote:Did he give her something to soothe her throat?

This was my thought. I've had esophagitis with spasms before and it was one of the worst things I've ever delt with. They were able to give me something to soothe it at the Drs office.

Sorry you and Kayla had to go through this!

Amber wrote:

Puggered wrote:Did he give her something to soothe her throat?

This was my thought. I've had esophagitis with spasms before and it was one of the worst things I've ever delt with. They were able to give me something to soothe it at the Drs office.

Sorry you and Kayla had to go through this!

I guess I never answered that question. They gave her Sucralfate - basically coats her esophagus to help soothe it. She's off the meds now and really after Friday, she wasn't having any more coughing or hard swallowing.

And yes, Marci, I guess it could have been worse. I shudder to think how much money I've spent on vet bills in the past year - I'd imagine it's got to be over $10,000 at this point, considering December this year alone was $1,000 month. Thank god we don't have kids or we'd have to sell the kids just to pay our vet bills!!

dieselsmom wrote:

Amber wrote:

Puggered wrote:Did he give her something to soothe her throat?

This was my thought. I've had esophagitis with spasms before and it was one of the worst things I've ever delt with. They were able to give me something to soothe it at the Drs office.

Sorry you and Kayla had to go through this!

I guess I never answered that question. They gave her Sucralfate - basically coats her esophagus to help soothe it. She's off the meds now and really after Friday, she wasn't having any more coughing or hard swallowing.

And yes, Marci, I guess it could have been worse. I shudder to think how much money I've spent on vet bills in the past year - I'd imagine it's got to be over $10,000 at this point, considering December this year alone was $1,000 month. Thank god we don't have kids or we'd have to sell the kids just to pay our vet bills!!

I understand! And I'm glad she feels better.

I'm just seeing this now. I'm glad shes fine but I would have done the same thing.
I just read that the average person spends around $12,000 for their pets in their lifetime, I think you have them all beat!