We\u2019ve got a routine when I get home from work.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The dogs greet me at the door, I take them outside to use the bathroom, then it\u2019s back inside for their dinner.\u00a0 When they are done, Chloe gets a pill in a peanut butter pill pocket as an anti-seizure medicine and Fenwick – so as not to be left out – gets a small crunchy treat.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I got the pill ready and the treat – one in each hand – then bent over to hand them off to the dogs. But, I wasn\u2019t paying close enough attention and instead of Chloe, I handed the pill pocket to Fenwick. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The instant the pill reached his mouth, I realized my mistake. But, it was peanut butter flavored and he scarfed it up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<SHIT> I thought. <SHITSHITSHITSHITSHIT><\/p>\n\n\n\n
I grabbed him to pry his mouth open – hoping that he hadn\u2019t swallowed it for some reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But his mouth was empty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The panic kicked in hard, but it didn\u2019t slow me down. I scooped him up and took him outside, then got down on the ground with him. I put my index finger in his mouth and back to his throat to try and get him to throw up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If he threw up the pill, then the problem was solved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It didn\u2019t work, though I tried several times. He tried really hard not to bite me, but ended up doing so anyway. I didn\u2019t blame him – circumstances were extraordinary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Back in the house I set him down and grab my phone and the pill bottle. A couple of searches later – thank you, fast internet – and I got only a vague answer about the safety of the drug and some dangerous-on-their-own options for making the dog throw up. It would depend on his weight and the dose – but the notes included a link to a Pet Poison Control. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I debated a quick moment about taking him to our vet – it was close to 5 pm and they would likely just send me to the emergency room. Going directly to the emergency room wouldn\u2019t guarantee a quick response either and I felt the time pressure mounting.\u00a0 I decided on poison control as the quickest option – and I could still take him to the ER afterwards if recommended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before I called, I scooped him back up and went upstairs to weigh us both on the bathroom scale – then set him down and got my weight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We both went back downstairs and I did some math to get his weight. I scribbled some quick notes, got my wallet out, and called.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
7 minutes – at most – had elapsed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They answered right away and I explained the problem. For every question, I had an exact answer. When they asked his weight I gave the exact amount and told them that I had just weighed him. They were surprised and a little impressed at how prepared I was. I made a mental note to enjoy that later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With all my info, they needed to hand me off to the payment system. I dutifully entered in my info quickly and correctly on the first try, then back over to the human.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They thanked me for the payment and put me on hold while they did the research. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even in my panic, I was still level-headed enough to do exactly the right things in the right order. Made me hopeful of how I might handle myself in future emergencies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
At this point, Jim got home.\u00a0 I gave him the rapid fire summary and began the first in the series of apologies I would offer that night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He told me that I was doing exactly what he would have done – and had done, if I recalled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The poison control folks got back to me – with good news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The pill is generally safe and at his weight it would take 10 times that dose to put him in danger. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I opted then to start breathing again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At most, he might get lethargic within the hour, but it should clear his system in 8 hours. We should monitor him and if he got really lethargic to take to the ER, but that was unlikely and he should be fine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As she was about to give me the case number, Jim asked me if we should give him his allergy pill – since Fenwick has had trouble keeping that down and it might make him throw up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I asked that question and the poison control woman though that was a great idea. If he kept the pill down, good. If he threw them both up – even better. We shouldn\u2019t try anything else to make him throw up, but if the other pill did it, that would be good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I wrote down the case number and ended the call.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I relayed the rest of the info to Jim and apologized again. I broke down a little with pent up worry and panic and he gave me a hug. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt was an accident\u201d, he said, \u201cAnd Fenwick was going to be okay,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said he would keep an eye on Fenwick if I wanted a break and I instead went down to the basement to clean the cat\u2019s litter box as a self imposed penance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We took turns keeping an eye on him, especially the first hour, but he took a normal doggie nap and then was fine to run around the house and go for a W A L K.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He slept normally through the night and was fine the next morning. Completely un-eventful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I should mention, I suppose, that I did give Chloe her pill after we got the all-clear from poison control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I\u2019ve also changed my habits about the dogs and their medicine\/treats. One at a time – and double-checking before the hand off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I didn\u2019t sleep well that night, but with a lesson learned and no consequences – other than the fee from poison control – the household is back to normal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And Fenwick – our little man – is thankfully right as rain.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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