Stressed.

[Rachaellindseywalker]

I just need a little space to write down how I'm feeling today. Which by the way is so low.

Apart from the involvement of pregnancy hormones, it really has nothing to do with being 35+3 weeks. I've just had my westie spayed. She's coming up six and has always suffered phantom pregnancys after her seasons, which we can usually handle, but with baby on the way, I wanted one less thing to worry over. So she was spayed on Wednesday, and by her post op check on Friday afternoon, she was in the worst phantom I've ever seen. I physically had to pick her up and carry her out of the house crying because she wouldn't leave her toys or her bed. And when I mentioned it to the vet at the appointment she said "we'll that shouldn't happen now she's been spayed" pardon the language but as my dad might put it, no sh*t Sherlock!

I got soooo incredibly upset about it last night. She wouldn't settle, she wouldn't eat, nothing was giving her any comfort. I have adaptil (the dog pheromone thing) which we use at bonfire night so I put the diffuser on and sprayed her bed for her. But nothing is calming her down. I'm sleeping terribly at the moment as I can't get comfortable, and last night I only managed three hours sleep as she was up all night pacing the room with her toys and crying. She's not ate anything today, and has just spent the last two hours crying and throwing up what little food was left in her.

It's making me really upset to the point of tears to see her so distressed when there's nothing I can do to help her. The vet just said it was strange and make another appointment for next Saturday to check how her stitches have healed. I've since googled it and apparently it's fairly common for this to happen after being spayed. I just wish the vet seemed to know what she was talking about or at least warned me so I could prepare myself for this. She's laid next to me now with her toy 'puppy' which is actually a squeaky fab ice lolly, we removed the squeak because she thought it was 'crying' at her and it was stressing her out, and she's physically shaking with stress. I'm going to have to phone the vet tomorrow because I can't take it and she shouldn't have to be stressed out. But of course, it's going to be at least £40 as always for an appointment and any medication they see fit to prescribe, which is going to be £40 I have to pull out of somewhere, and considering my pay is going to decrease for maternity leave soon I'd rather not spend money that I should never have had to in the first place!

I feel like I'm going to fail as a mam because I can't even look after my dog. I just want her to be well. And for these daft pregnancy hormones to stop making me so teary all the time!

Ok, rant over.

[Skyblueboston]

Oh no Hun you are not to blame at all! My dog had a big op a few weeks ago and he was in pain and I broke down in tears but he's ok now.

Your lovely dog will be ok, it's her hormones going bonkers, by the way I also had a female dog and had her spade, on the vets advice I took her toys away and bedding when she had her op and she came home to a new bed and no toys till her hormones were better.

Any follow up appointments regarding the op should be free as you have paid already which includes after care.

Slowly slowly start taking away her toys, I know it sounds harsh but it is the only way she will stop her behaviour.

My heart goes out to you xxxxxx

[Rachaellindseywalker in reply to Skyblueboston]

Thanks for the support. We has an awful day yesterday. After another restless night of pacing and vomiting I took her back to the vets(£40 as predicted as it's not classed as a follow up appointment) and they gave her anti-sickness injections and antibiotics in case she had a tummy bug which was causing the vomiting and then in turn the stress, and we were due to go back today if she wasn't any better to start medicine for hormone imbalances. However, an hour after coming home we had to rush back down as she'd tore open her wound and layers of her belly fat/muscle were hanging out! Literally touching the floor as she walked.

Needless to say I spent the best part of yesterday crying my eyes out. She's ok, they patched her back up and put her on a drip, and while the vet said it was uncommon it wasn't unheard of, they kept her in over night and I'm waiting to hear back today when I can go down for her. I wouldnt say i normaly get very stressed by things but these past few days have really been trying. All I need now is to go in to labour four weeks early and have my stress levels pushed through the roof! Lets hope my little man understands I want him to stay put for now until his doggy friend is sorted!

[Skyblueboston in reply to Rachaellindseywalker]

Wow that's awful, poor little thing! Lots of luck and I hope she is better soon. Try some relaxing music and deep breathing for yourself xxx

[May23]

Ah, I feel for you. I'm a big softy when animals are suffering too. Not quite the same, but my cat plucks his fur out, we think when he's stressed, and I'm really panicking how he'll be affected when baby arrives. But to make matters worse, the builders moved in yesterday on some empty land to the back of our house and have started the ground clearance with a massive caterpillar digger. This has made him scared to go out and ruined all his long grass and scrub where he goes to do whatever hunting and fighting and general 'cat things'... Soooo, I'm expecting the worst, with all this upheaval.

Know what you mean about vets bills too; it's like they have a licence to print money, huh?!

I'm glad you recognise this may all seem worse 'cos of the hormones. Which doesn't help especially. What I do know though, is if you can care that much for an animal, there is no doubt about what your skills as a mummy will be like. You'll be great. (Trust me, there are folk out there who treat kids how I wouldn't see an animal treated)!

Chin up, lovely.

Xx

[bobby70 in reply to May23]

Hi May23, I had a cat that would tear her hair out, and the vet said she was depressed, which didn't actually surprise me as my ex-husband hated her and was quite mean to her. She was put on steroid tablets for a while, 2tablets twice a day to start with and gradually reduced to 1 then a half tablet until she managed without them. The tablets themselves were only a few pence, it was the consultations that put the price up.

It may be worth getting the same for your boy. X

[bobby70]

Hiya, I am not sure what is the best thing to do to help your little dog, but I agree with the other ladies that this situation shows that you are a loving, caring person who will make a lovely mother to your little one when he/she arrives. Hopefully by then your little dog will have settled down a bit better. Good luck, x

[Megzey]

I had a westie and she used to have phantom pregnancies, she wouldn't let you near her if she had a teddy as used to get very protective over it. My dad got covered in bites as she got so nasty.

We had a Scottie too and she hated strangers coming into the house and would literally tear the leg of there trousers so my parents were so worried about my bringing a baby into the house, luckily they never even reacted and even loved my little boy. They just get over protective with stuff. I think after she has had a few days to gt over being spayed she will hopefully calm down, poor little thing, the worst thing is they cant tell you

[Rachaellindseywalker in reply to Megzey]

She's usually quite cute when she's having a phantom. She collects up her toys and just makes herself a little bed for her and her 'puppies'. Slippers have made it in to this nest before too. She only ever got aggressive about it towards my parents dog. People can take her babies away and she would frequently bring me them to look after for her. But she's just so stressed with this one. She isn't being aggressive, just unsettled. She had to have emergency surgery on Sunday as she'd ripped open her wound and her tummy fat/muscle was literally hanging out.

She's on the mend now and thankfully no longer vomiting, but this stress is just not what I want right now. I've got four weeks until baby and I just hope she mends quickly or he stays put until due date, I don't think I can handle both!