This post is a bit different from my usuals, I just need to get this out somewhere. I don’t care who sees this or if anyone at all sees this, I just need to get it off my chest, out into the void. I know I’ll feel better once it’s out there floating around with everyone else’s thoughts and problems.
So my dog Teppa had been getting very sick, he had a very bad case of Cushing’s disease. For those of you who don’t know, it’s a chronic illness that happens in elderly humans and dogs that has two types. First type he had was the pituitary gland tumor, which overproduced hormones. And the second one was entirely our fault; excessive use of steroids for treatment, which UNDERPRODUCED his hormones. He suffered diarrhea and common peeing. As well as drinking half his water bowl every half an hour at the most. He was incredibly drowsy, spending the whole day sleeping. He refused every snack my mum offered him, even his favourite cheese. For some time he had a big pot belly but that went away.
He went to the hospital twice. The first time he went, he was put on the steroids, which made him even weaker and even less willing to eat a thing. The wheels spun into a muddy ditch and all broke loose when my brother (he runs the maybebitterxox blog, maybe you know me through him or vice versa) witnessed Teppa fall down. Bitter described it as follows:
He jumped off the bed, and sort of stood there a moment, before he started shaking, and suddenly collapsed onto the floor, his head almost colliding with the corner of dad’s bedside table.
Bitter wasn’t sure if he had fainted, or had a seizure. Either way, he immediately picked him up, he was shaking. Still conscious, thank goodness, but he was as weak as the argument of a Twitter incel. Possibly weaker. I held him on my lap as mum and Bitter got dressed and mum got the car ready (it was sometime after dinner, some time before 8pm). He was still shaking. They put his harness on and took him to the vet.
He stayed for the entire weekend. That Friday night was absolutely terrifying, because there was a 50/50 chance that he’d make it through the night. Mum kept her phone on, and made us put out clothes in case they called us in the middle of the night and we had to go there for him. I cried about it to my friend on discord, and cried myself to sleep, worrying for Teppa. Thankfully, he survived the night, and he was on his way to recovery.
On the Sunday, we came to visit Teppa. He was still weak as hell, not able to walk. He barely reacted to us, and my dad refused to come and see him because he couldn’t stand to see Teppa in a situation like that. Which I get. Part of me didn’t want to go as well, but since I love Teppa so much, i ultimately decided to go, even if he’d be more happier to see my mum and Bitter, since both dogs favoured my mum and brother over me and my dad. We sat on a bench outside with him for a quiet 30 minutes, taking turns to hold him. He dozed in our laps, not reacting.
On the Monday we took him home. They had put him on a much lower dose of steroids, and he had to be off them for a week. He became a bit stronger, but he still refused to eat. Mum told me that if he didn’t get any better, we would have to put him down.
I don’t normally do this, but in that moment, in sheer desperation, I prayed to God. I said to Him “Dear Lord, please help Teppa, he’s the best part of our lives, and Sooty can’t be by himself. Please heal him, Jesus.” I didn’t feel any response at the time, I wasn’t sure if God had even received my prayer.
The next morning, Teppa actually accepted the meat that my mum offered him. She gave him another, and he wolfed that down. And another, and another. And when she’d fed him to his fill, he looked up at her expectantly, wanting more, like he used to. Somehow, miraculously, Teppa had made a huge leap to recovery. I wasn’t sure if my prayer had been answered, but it was the most relieving moment of my life.
Unfortunately, the disease could come back, and rather than putting Teppa through all of that again, he will be put to sleep if he catches the disease for a second time.
Here’s a few photos of Teppa. We love you, Teppa, best boy, shaking little wimp, and needy little gremlin. Hope he stays with us forever.