The last few days have been the scariest moments of my life. On Wednesday morning, Poof woke me up vomiting and pacing. I tried to feed her breakfast, as sometimes she throws up from not having food in her stomach, but she threw up all of it. Throughout the day, she continued to vomit every few hours. After discussing her condition with the vet, it was decided to withhold food for the night and give her some nausea medication, but she vomited that up an hour later.

 

I took her in on Thursday afternoon to her regular vet since she still wouldn't eat, but she wasn't throwing up anymore, which was a good sign. Our regular vet said everything looked good: she was energetic and acting relatively normal. Unfortunately, when we got home that night, she slowly declined. She wouldn't eat, even with medication, and began pacing, panting heavily, and drooling. She started whimpering, so I contacted Blue Pearl in Des Moines, and they instructed me to bring her in as soon as possible.

 

After waiting for the vet to examine her, X-rays revealed an obstruction. They kept Poof overnight and administered fluids to help her body pass the object, but unfortunately, she began declining again Friday morning, throwing up a lot of water. They placed a tube to drain the water from her stomach to relieve the pressure and rushed her into surgery around 9 AM. I received a call close to 1 PM, informing me that the surgery went well. She had swallowed a cat toy, but she was recovering.

 

I visited her on Friday at 8 PM, and she appeared much brighter. Although she was still not quite herself and had a large incision on her stomach, the vets assured me she was healthy and believed she would make a full recovery. 

Unfortunately, she didn't want to eat on Saturday, so they added more medication and offered her some turkey, which she enjoyed. She was eating from the vet's hands, but from Saturday night to Sunday morning, she developed a fever of 103°F, which they are working to reduce.

 

The vet mentioned that she had been eating a bit more later into the morning on Sunday, but the fever seems to make her feel slightly off. They are currently planning to repeat X-rays and start antibiotics if her temperature doesn't decrease, as they do not know why she has a fever.

 

I plan to visit her tonight and give her all the love. Poof has been my best friend for the last 11 years; she was even trained as a service dog for my anxiety. She is truly a fantastic dog who loves everyone she meets. Anyone who encounters her can't help but smile. She enjoys giving all the kisses, cuddles, playing with her brother Zero, and doing all the everyday dog things. Even at 11 years old, she still acts like a puppy. She is sassy, likely from the Shar-Pei side, and always expresses her feelings.

 

I have been fortunate to have a best friend like Poof; she never judged me and has been there during all my tough times. When I rushed her to the vet, there was no question in my mind that whatever was wrong, we would get her the treatment she needed. She has saved my life and deserves the best care, too. However, this situation has left me with a significant financial burden.

 

As of Sunday morning, her bill had reached $7,000. As a single parent to all my pets, and after recently having to put down my ferret, Monkey, this financial strain was unexpected.

Any help toward the bills for Poof's be greatly appreciated, as it would help me care for Poof post-op and manage check-ups without falling deeply into debt. Poof deserves the best care available, and I am so grateful that she is receiving excellent treatment. She is my daughter, best friend, and world, and has been there for me through everything.

 

I sincerely thank everyone for your support during these challenging times; it means so much to have the love and encouragement from those around me. I will continue to update this post with any information on Poof, and we are hopeful for her complete recovery!

Update: Poof is home! I picked her up on Sunday night, and she has been doing really well since then. Her temperature is normal, and she's starting to act more like herself every day. She began chewing on her bone yesterday, which shoes that she’s feeling good, and she's been wanting to play, although the doctor advised against it for now. She also wants to cuddle and go outside more to potty. Today, she seems much brighter and more energetic. I am so happy that my best friend is doing okay and showing progress. Thank you to everyone who has donated and supported me during this super rough time for all of us—your kindness has meant a lot! ❤️