Not Just a Pet

A week ago we got some very scary news. We had recognized that our family dog Sophie had been acting a little odd. She was very lethargic and could barely get up from her bed to go outside, and didn't want to eat or drink anything. So we took her into the vet and it was definitely the right thing to do.

A little collage of Sophie pics :)

When my mom took her into the vet, they didn't really know what happened, because, of course, she can't say anything to us! The doctor recognized that one side of her body was falling down as she would try to stand/walk. He also noted that her eyes were twitching back and forth, which usually means she is constantly dizzy and to her the room is spinning, so trying to stand up and walk isn't what she wants to do (poor pup!!). She hadn't eaten in over 36 hours, so they put her on an IV, and ran some tests. The doc's first thought was that she had a stroke, but they still don't really have a firm diagnosis.

So anyways we had to leave our poor puppy there at the hospital overnight so they could run tests to see what exactly was wrong, and to make sure there wasn't a tumor somewhere. Sophie was so sick that she had become unresponsive. We had to prepare for the worst.

"Car Rides" are her favorite!

Sometimes living day-in and day-out with your pet might seem ho hum. But this experience really brought it home. Sophie could have passed, and she would've been very missed. It's truly amazing how a little furball becomes such a part of your heart! She's always there to say hello after a long hard day (even if she does bark at you first!). Hearing her little paws pitter-patter across the wood floors becomes comforting, and the house felt empty and bare without her there, even for a day. Only she could go from playing tug-of-war and fetch to cuddling up next to you in a matter of seconds. And somehow she just knows when to be there for me.

After 11 years, I was not ready to say goodbye to Sophie, not just our pet, but a member of our family. After hearing this heartbreaking news, I bawled my eyes out, thinking about losing her, or even how she was feeling. I prayed and cried pretty much that entire night (and tried to keep the tears away at work!) Thankfully, after some much needed fluids, Sophie was responsive! There was finally a glimmer of hope!

The next day Sophie had become even better. The doctor still can't explain what happened. All the tests came out right, no tumors, and Sophie's blood sugar had began to become normal again. Thank the Lord that when a dog gets a stroke, they can bounce back a whole lot easier than a human. They just need to remember how to walk, eat, drink, go to the bathroom, and sleep! So Sophie was able to come back home Thursday night! She was still very lethargic, but was able to wag her tail even a bit!

Over the past few days she has regained her strength and is back to her spunky self! We are still keeping a close watch on her, and still giving her medicine and food prescribed by the vet, but it truly is a miracle that Sophie is still with us!

This whole experience makes me so grateful for our little dog. I'm so glad God created us to live with His creation. It's amazing how much of an influence Sophie has on my life, and I'm not taking that for granted!!

Christmas Sophie!!

Much Love, Allie