Jupiter Rising

Jupiter was acting REALLY weird when I was getting ready for bed. At first, I thought it was just GUILT, because she had eaten a bite of sandwich I'd left low enough to reach.

I told her she's "just a dog and should settle down, I'm not gonna smack your nose or even chastise you; I don't blame you at all, quit acting weird."

Then it became clear she was going to vomit.

I'm still confused as to why, because she's made of tougher stuff than that, and one bite of anything would usually not have any effect on her whatsoever.

I yelled, "OUTSIDE!" Then proceeded to make a mad dash to open doors. I looked back and she was only halfway between the bedroom and the front door, heaving heavily on unsteady legs; I heaved HER the rest of the way out the door, by her collar, without a second thought; she ran off the porch to puke in the grass.

All fairly normal, at this point, for such a scene.

I even kind of chuckled to myself as I leaned against the door frame and wondered what weed she had gotten into.

Then she keeled over and started seizing.

I thought, "she's going to die," and ran toward her; slipping on the wet deck, feet flailing out ahead of me, I slammed into the concrete step. I feel the impact, but am back up and sliding across the grass, the rest of the way to her side, knowing I will feel that hit later.

At this point, she's still seizing, and I don't REALLY know what to do, right? Cuz panic is a thing and my head just starts flying through stuff I know about people without settling on anything definitive or helpful.

I just start running my hands over her body, like I'm checking for injuries, and saying her name over and over. She's kind of cool to the touch and still twitching, but I can see her trying to fight her way out of it.

I'm afraid she's choking on her vomit.

I'm considering using my fingers to clear shit out of her throat, but my body is already heaving her into an upright position...

That was all it took.

She stumbled toward the opening to the neighbors yard; dazed, confused, and still vomiting.

I followed. Helpless, but telling her she's not going to die and some of the reasons I could verbalize for why I was claiming the ancient rite of TA-NOT-TA.

Eventually, we ended up in the fenced in area of our own yard.

Jupiter: helpless and leaning weakly against the chain link; Me: knowing Jupe weighs roughly half my bodyweight, at 60-65 lbs, and I'm going to have to carry her inside or sit in the rain all night, because leaving her there, alone, is not an option; Petey: doing some dumb shit outside the gate, because he's a fucking idiot; My roommate: sleep confused and concerned on the porch.

Thank goodness our shenanigans woke her. She helped wrangle Petey and keep Jigs (the cat) inside while...

There's basically a dog version of the fireman carry. I know this, but man! She's a big girl!

I dipped into a deep squat and wrapped my arms around her chest, just above where her front legs start, and around her tail end, at her haunch.

The time had come sooner than I had anticipated to feel that hit I had taken just moments prior.

I took a couple quick breathes, girded myself against the lat pain, and stood. My already bruising muscles cried, and I knew that it was a good time for quick feet.

I had a moment's doubt when Jupiter started to squirm, near the door, but we made it to the sofa.

That was as far as I was willing to go, in case she starts throwing up, again. And, because I might be hurt. If not injured.

She's resting comfortably, now, but I'm looking forward to a mostly sleepless night. I want to be responsive in quick order if she seizes, again, or anything.

I broke a nail, in case anyone is concerned.

Any time anything like this (drastic health stuff with pets) has happened in the past, "if they make it to mornin', they've got a fighting chance" has always rang true.

So, that's what we're aiming for.

Doctor D'Amanda: on duty.

12-10-2018

Updated 01-26-2019:

Jupiter is mostly unaffected, but does seem just a bit aged from the ordeal, in my humble opinion. But, she's already getting to be an older dog, anyway. So, what do I know? She still spends most of her time either by my side or playing with ol' Pete.

For anyone curious, Petey is a roughly 13 year old Boston Terrier and Jupiter is, to my best guess, a 9 year old Pharaoh Hound + German Shepherd mix. They're both rescues, but from very different circumstances.

As it happens, the impact of that fall fractured my ribs, but the tale of dealing with that is a story for a different day.