For All of You Who Love Animals, I Want to Share What Happened to My Beloved Luci…read more
I'm sharing this with a broken heart because I want other pet owners to be aware of what happened to us and to be very careful when it comes to their pets' health.
On August 3rd, I took my 9-year-old Shih Tzu, Luci, to Little Paws Veterinary for a checkup and to have her tested for Cushing's disease. I had previously owned a Shih Tzu who suffered from the same disease, and Luci was showing similar symptoms, so I wanted to make sure she was tested and treated if that was the case.
The doctor first recommended doing senior wellness bloodwork to see if there was anything else going on with her. I agreed. The testing showed that Luci had some issues, but I was told that nothing was major. The doctor recommended testing her for Cushing's to make sure.
On Monday, August 10th, I brought Luci back to Little Paws for the Cushing's test. They kept her at the clinic for approximately eight hours, which I was told was necessary for the testing. I picked her up at 5 p.m. and was told they would call me in a few days with the results.
On Wednesday, August 12th, the doctor called and told me that Luci had tested negative for Cushing's disease. I was so relieved and happy to hear that. He did tell me that some of her liver values were elevated and recommended that I bring her back in 4-6 weeks for additional bloodwork. I told him I would call to make the appointment.
Then, on Thursday evening, everything changed.
Luci suddenly became very sick. She vomited throughout the night. The next morning, she seemed a little better, but she would not eat or drink. She became very lethargic and slept most of the day. Finally, that evening, she drank a little water.
On Friday, I became extremely concerned and took Luci to my previous veterinary clinic. They immediately did bloodwork, and I received the most heartbreaking news a pet owner can ever hear.
The veterinarian told me that Luci was very, very sick. She had leptospirosis, a serious illness that can severely affect the kidneys and liver. Her eyes had turned yellow, and her kidneys were barely functioning.
I explained to the veterinarian that Luci had just been at Little Paws that week for testing and told him everything that had happened. He was very concerned about how sick she was. He gave her medication and told me to bring her back immediately if she got worse.
Unfortunately, Luci continued to deteriorate.
On Saturday, I took her back because she was getting worse. There was nothing more they could do to save her. With our hearts completely shattered, we had to make the heartbreaking decision to let our sweet Luci go.
We are devastated. Luci was not just a pet--she was part of our family, and losing her so suddenly has left a tremendous hole in our hearts.
I am sharing our experience because I want other dog and cat owners to know about leptospirosis, to be aware of the symptoms, and to talk to their veterinarian about testing and prevention.
And after everything we experienced, I personally will never take another one of my pets to Little Paws Veterinary. I also encourage every pet owner to ask questions, listen to their instincts, and seek a second opinion if something doesn't feel right.
Please, please protect your pets and educate yourself about this disease. They depend on us to speak for them.
Rest peacefully, my sweet Luci.
You were loved beyond words, and you will never, ever be forgotten.