I want to say “Thank you” for all those who prayed or sent their good wishes to Victor, or who asked about his health. It has a been terrible ordeal for my poor little yellow Lab. He almost died. He is a constant forager for food in any condition when on walks and when off the leash has gotten into some pretty nasty stuff. (Which is why he only went through the first nine steps for becoming a ten-step Guide Dog for the Blind; if he can smell food he pays attention to nothing else.) However, his foraging days are over now. Either something he ate outside or two small rawhide treats I gave him on consecutive days (they were not labeled rawhide, which the Guide Dogs for the Blind people said not to give him) caused him to bleed internally. He is so stoic that it was not until he began for the first time since I have known him to whimper and cry that I realized anything was wrong. Then he crashed. I took him to the vet, who recommended an Emergency clinic. I took him to the one she suggested.

The doctor there didn’t bother to look at his records, but simply suggested the most dangerous operation that could be done on him (and quite incidentally the most expensive procedure). When I asked if he could not accomplish the same thing by simply doing an endoscopy, he had to admit that it would be much safer to start with that first.

Fortunately, I was able to get on the Internet and looked up the reviews of this clinic. I found that many people had given it HORRIBLE reviews, saying that the doctors were irrational and only out for money. Others said, DO NOT TAKE YOUR PET HERE! I immediately had Victor transferred to a five-star reviewed Emergency Clinic just a few blocks away Sage Centers for Veterinary and Emergency Care where Victor spent over a week. The doctors at Sage never suggested surgery, but put him on an IV and pushed fluids, antibiotics, and other medications into him. The whole time is a blur. Their staff were incredibly loving and kind and I was allowed to see Victor three times a day for an hour each time. It brought back vivid memories of my mother’s long illness and death, especially as her birthday was March 30. But as always, she stood watch along with all the guardian angels she could muster, and though Victor had a close brush with death, he survived. Today he is back home, although he has twice weekly appointments with the doctors at Sage, and is on seven (7) ! pills a day plus medicinal canned dog food.

He is still anemic, pitifully thin (his ribs show and his collar is far too loose), and has some kind of kidney damage. Even the doctors at Sage aren’t sure what happened to him, but although he is still weak, he gets a little better every day. He can’t run and play or take walks yet, nor can he have any kind of treats: only his medicinal dog food. But soon I hope he will be allowed to do all those things. He was a universal favorite with the staff at Sage, where he wagged his tail and kissed all the nurses and doctors—and where he slept with his head on his stuffed bunny to sleep. I am just so glad to have him safe and well.

I hope you all have had a wonderful Easter weekend. Thank you so much for praying for Victor, sending him good wishes, or inquiring about his health. I can’t imagine life without my little yellow guy.