Widget Gets Checked Out

I took our blind Beagle/Dachshund mix, Widget, into Missoula today for an evaluation by our internal medicine specialist, Dr. Dave Bostwick.  Widget has had some odd episodes in the past several weeks ... she'll suddenly get very quiet, her usually upright tail will drop, and she'll act zoned out for a few minutes.  A couple of times Alayne has picked her up during these episodes and Widget will be blank ... not unconscious, just more spaced out than anything.  Then, suddenly, she'll snap out of it and be her normal boisterous, bossy self. 

These don't seem like typical seizures, and there are no tremors or the other symptoms you'd expect from that kind of event.  The frequency of these episodes has increased, and when the last one occurred earlier this week, we decided it was time to have her checked out.

So Dave did a thorough physical exam and neurological evaluation, he drew blood (no test results yet), and then conducted an ultrasound.  In the first photo Dave's doing the ultrasound.  He's holding the probe underneath Widget, pressing it against her abdomen.  The dark circular blob on the right of the screen is Widget's bladder.  All of her organs looked great, her heart checked out fine, and Dave could find nothing at this point to explain what might be going on.  He said it's possible we're seeing  the precursors to seizure activity, and we might have to wait and see what develops.  The bloodwork may tell us more when we get the results tomorrow.

This photo shows Widget on the exam table after Dave completed the ultrasound.  "Whew!,"  she seemed to be saying.  We did find out the pressure in Widget's left eye -- the one with glaucoma -- has suddenly shot up to 60 units of mercury, well above normal range.  (Normal is less than 20.)  So we'll be talking with Dr. Brenda Culver, our primary care vet and all-around "eye expert," tomorrow to decide how to bring the pressure back down.

From Dave's clinic Widget and I resumed our errands around Missoula.  This included stops at Cenex for equine senior grain (750 pounds), wood shavings (10 bales), alfalfa pellets (50 pounds), and salt blocks (five 50-pounders); PetsMart for cat litter and salt block holders; the Post Office to mail a box of newsletters to an awesome volunteer in Nevada who is taking them around to vet clinics and other places where animal-friendly people congregate; Staples for office supplies; the bank to deposit donation checks; and, oh yes, the Good Food Store to get groceries for two humans.  This photo is what the back of the truck looked like in the PetsMart parking lot.  (The empty space in the corner I reserved for our groceries!)

When I came out of PetsMart and opened the truck door, this is what I found.  Widget had climbed over from the back seat and was in the driver's seat, apparently trying to figure out how to start the truck.  Fortunately her legs were too short to reach the pedals.  By the time I got the camera, she had worked her way out of the driver's seat and onto the center console, acting rather nonchalant about the whole affair.

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Postscript:  When Widget and I left Missoula after dark, it was 41 degrees.  When we got to the ranch, it was 5 degrees.

(Click on photos for larger images.)

Comments

[ginger & Tobias]

Widget was going to drive you home! She thought after all the hard work you had done, with the driving into town, loading all those supplies and everything else you do, she was just ready to help out!

[Nina]

Widget, you are an absolute cutie! The front seat has the best view in the truck! Hope all is well with test results.

[Jacque Lanier]

In viewing the picture of your truck and your discussion of the Good Food Store, I saw you yesterday loading your groceries. I remember because I thought - Man, that guys's truck is loaded. If I knew it was you - I would have stopped to give you a big hug and thanked you for all the fabulous work you guys do!!

Now to Widget, whose blogs I follow religiously. You see, I have a beagle - synomous for small Napoleon type dog - A few years ago my beagle began, in his late middle age, to wet during his sleep and other hard to describe problems. After a battery of medical tests - we could find nothing, absolutely nothing. At this point Dr. Patti Prado (my vet) suggested trying Chiropractic on the beagle. IT WORKED and continues to work well. Apparently beagles (and dachunds) are more prone to alignment type issues. Capt Hook gets adjusted every few months unless needed sooner, and he's doing great. Now truly you could have never told me I would be having chiropractic done on one of my animals a few years ago.

I tell you this so if you run into any deadends in the medical tests with the tests on sweet Widget, you might be aware.

Thank you for all the wonderful work you do!! Jacque Lanier

[Roz]

Widget's such a cute girl and a character!. I'm hoping her health will be fine. I appreciate the photos of what your chores involve, including town chores, as it gives a real picture of what's involved in running your ranch.