Is $248.00 Worth Peace of Mind?

[shelly]

You bet it is to me! Well let me preface this by saying last night my husband and I went out to dinner to celebrate our 27th anniversary. We left two "responsible" boys, ages 17 and almost 13 home with our very over protective, 'no more puppy'... "Tori-girl" (my in-laws have an apartment attached to our home - and they were home too -just in case). After a very nice dinner, we came home and the boys proceeded to tell us that Tori got in the garbage - (which my son was told to take out before we left), and got a hold of a corn cob! "We tried to get it away but she was seriously growling at us" was one of the many answers to the 'questions' I fired at them.

Now, because I am a devoted reader on this wonderful site, I remember reading about 'someone' who's dog ate a corn cob and had to have it surgically removed. Of course, it's now after 9:00pm - you see where this is going....Called the ER vet and they said the ever so familiar words to us... "You better bring her in". So off we go, romantic mood shot to hell by now. This being one of those times that I "raised" my voice at the boys...and in my poor puppy-girl runs into her crate, coaxed her out - And then off we went!

They say they'll do an x-ray to be sure it hasn't "moved into her intestines yet" - (GREAT!)....not in the intestines 'as far as we could see' . they induced vomiting and noticed that she chewed most of it up except one piece about as round as a quarter - which he brought out to show me. We left, brought her home, and I'm still hoping all is well!

We got off cheap - I'm thinking! Only $248.00 for this visit. So for my anniversary I got a beautiful dinner, and a piece of a (how do I say this politely???) "up-chucked" corn cob. I'm thinkin' I may get it bronzed and strung on a necklace with that screw she mysteriously swallowed back in November!

[Lindsey, Lee, Whopper and Simba]

We had a similar experience this past weekend and paid $200 for piece of mind...Friday night we went out for a quick dinner and when we came back Whopper had polished off 2/3 of a jar of peanut butter. She ate as much as she could reach with her tongue and even polished the sides. We have no idea how she got to it or how she took the lid off. She was fine all night and had a normal poop first thing but then we noticed a little vomit on the floor and she was not her usual self and kept trying to get something out. We called the vet, made an appointment and about 45 minutes before it was time to go she was acting like herself again and we debated whether we should still go. We decided to take her and they said they didn't feel anything but either we'd have to wait and see or they could do an xray just to be sure since Whopper has gotten something without us knowing (brillo pad). Fortunately there was nothing there but we obviously debated whether we should have taken the wait and see approach and saved the $95 xray or the $200 on the entire visit.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Worth every penny. Always follow your instinct. That could have turned into thousands fast....

[shelly]

Oh, Linda... They are BOTH (one for not taking it out and the other for allowing his garbage to pile up too high) not hearing the end of this for a while and they "owe" me BIG time.. however of course... then there's ME... who should have been more 'forceful'' in making sure the first son did as he was told. Guess I need better training for them too!

"F" - OH NO! I hope you get all of that blue out! These dogs are too smart for their own good! And to answer your question... YUP! Crazy we are - in love with these even crazier dogs! (or so I've been told - too MANY times by friends and family!)

[F, Calla & Luca]

I feel your pain. Calla has apparently discovered she could reach the dried chicken treats. No wonder she's been eating less lately, or so I thought. And she had to open a dessicant package on the white shag rug, which now has blue smears. Not the first time for that so I know with sufficient effort I'll get it clean. That rug is a favorite spot for all dog accidents, I think they think it's white grass! I do hope Tori is all finished with her "adventure". Are we all crazy? Life could be much simpler : )

[Linda, Webber and Seda]

Well, this blog has convinced me not to ever have corn on the cob! If it weren't so upsetting, I would be laughing...you tell such a good story. I am so glad Tori is OK. Happy unforgettable Anniversary. I think I would have the son that didn't take out the garbage, do $248.00 worth of yard work!

[shelly]

JOANNE!!!! LOL sometimes I feel like I've been married longer than I've been alive too! LOL When I came home last night and heard the news... my boys are lucky I didn't take the cob that was left and.... (ah! forget it - it's a "family" site! LOL)

[shelly]

Nancy ~ YEP! right next to the bill for the screw, her swallowing the scrunchy from the laundry, her purchase price (because we researched and had to get the best (at the time - we thought), flight (I know.... I didn't know any better - THEN!), pancreatitis, and now THIS!!!! And to think I wanted another! someone smack me QUICK!

[shelly]

Thanks for the anniversary wishes! And so glad to hear others have had a cob-thief too... I'll tell you , the more careful I am with this dog, the more trouble she gets in!
Laura - I said the same thing about the other x-ray... and I don't think they did! They said they only saw that one big piece, but.... I'm still guarded. I guess if they thought they could squeeze more money out of me they would have.. BUT! I do have her x-rays on a disc... I will be popping that in later to see for myself. If I can't make heads or tails (or cob) out of it, I'm going to my sister's tomorrow - she's an x-ray/MRI tech and I'll have her take a look! I figure a stomach's a stomach... intestines are intestines...
I too, thought that was on the low side myself... but who am I to complain! LOL I just remembered one of the names we (well my DH & I) wanted to name Tori - and I'm thinkin' we should have stuck to it.... MOULAH!

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Are you sure your boys were not trying to play that game of Cornhole but didn't exactly get it right? That is a great way of getting out of dogsitting from now on.
Wow, you've been married longer than I have been alive! Congrats!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Happy Anniversary. I would put the up-chucked corn cob in a clear plastic box and tell each boy that they can now see their college fund right here in this here box.