Buffalo Bones & Pups

We’ve been giving him buffalo bones, which are huge and filled with marrow. This morning Joe was restless and whimpering for no apparent reason. Then he threw up 4 times, was drooling in thick strings. The final effluvia was clear mucous drainage from his posterior. On my carpet.

So, off he went to the vet. They stated emphatically that raw marrow bones and small pups are an E-coli-bonanza. Also the pups can ingest bone chips that can irritate their stomach lining and intestines. If they get E-coli, they need a full course of antibiotics.

So much for pet store advice. We were told these frozen bones were perfect for teething pups – but they neglected to mention the potential for infection. And this is a high-end boutique ‘health food’ pet store.

When he got his vet ordered dietary meal – plain boiled white rice, his expression was exactly like a child served Lima beans. Two bland, tasteless mini-meals later, he seems to be back in his normal form.

There is perhaps no more helpless feeling than having a dog or a loved one sick; especially when you don’t know how serious it is. With my Irish talent for melancholy there is no such thing as a best-case scenario. I remain visibly stoic but deep inside I expect the very worst. And the fact that this is rarely the case doesn’t dissuade me from silent, secret dire predictions in every event.