Maggie is sick

Maggie is our 13 and a half year old Labrador retriever, and we think the best dog ever. Friday morning all was normal (she's been quite healthy), but by mid-morning, she was sick. We took her to the vet, he thought she got into something and would be ok, gave her a shot to stop her vomiting, etc. But yesterday morning, she was very bad off. So we took her to the vet where she is now.

They're not sure what's wrong with her because her lab work is strange. Her blood counts are normal, which they shouldn't be, because she has a fever. The meds improved her fever and helped her stop vomiting, which is good, but she was still very weak. The vet said there's a chance it's something called Addison's Disease, but that doesn't seem very likely to me, as her symptoms were so out of the blue.

So the idea is to support her system with iv fluids and anti-nausea medication to give her body a chance to fight back. But the fact her blood work is strange indicates the infection might just be too bad to fight. Where did it come from? If she got into something...? Bessie is fine and those two are together all the time.

So I'm miserable. That's why I'm up at 5:30. I can't sleep, worrying about Maggie, scared, alone, and sick in the dark. It's not a city animal hospital that's staffed all night. They come in late, they come in early, but overnight she's alone. And what if she's gone? I can't stand that thought.

We got her in May of 1998. She's been part of our family a long time. She was our baby when we couldn't get pregnant. She went everywhere with us. I used to carry her around the house when she weighed 10#. I sure couldn't do that when she weighed 70# Now she's down to 58#, too skinny. Little Bessie weighs more than that.

I know she's had a good and long life, but I don't want to lose her. Yesterday when we got there, none of us wanted to bring her in. We were all scared it was her last ride. She'd been so miserable, she was unable to sleep, but in the car, she curled up on Anna's sweatshirt and finally snoozed. I think we all were silently contemplating making a break for it and taking her home. But we knew she needed the care the vets can offer. But I want her home. Our scheduled visitation time is 9:30this morning. I don't know what we'll find; it truly could go either way.

I hope she's ok.