First off, our 5-year-old six-battery battery bank was quickly dying. It got so we didn’t even have enough power to run a CFL to see to get up to go to the bathroom and put firewood in the stove at night. My oldest son, Bill, works for an RV dealership and can get Interstate batteries at cost so, of course, we had to save up to buy six new ones (more than $700). Then we planned to drive down to Bill’s Monday morning. Well, plans changed.

Sunday, our Lab, Spencer, started acting like he didn’t feel well. He was panting and shaking and as the day progressed, he wouldn’t eat or drink. He was running a fever. We were very concerned and I called our vet, Dr. Fisher, in Cook. He said he might just have a GI upset and to see if he got over it by morning. He didn’t.

I drove to Bill’s, 100 miles south, (mostly because I was SO chicken I couldn’t bear to go to the vet with Spencer) while Will, who is coming down with my COLD FROM HELL, offered to take Spencer to the vet.

We found out that Spencer had a raging bladder infection. Easily treated with antibiotics. But the bloodwork also showed that he had Lyme disease. Luckily, he isn’t showing any symptoms so as soon as he gets done with the antibiotics for his bladder infection, he’ll go on another medicine for the Lymes. Wow, I think it’s a good thing that he got that bladder infection. If not, we wouldn’t have known about the Lyme disease until he got too sick to treat!

Poor-Spencer
Of course, we’ll take Hondo in too and get him tested and vaccinated. The vaccine isn’t 100% effective, but we’ll do it anyway. Spencer got two shots and pills to bring home. By evening, he was back to feeling good again, wagging and dancing when I got home. He’s also eating and drinking just fine.

I brought the batteries home and Will carried them downstairs and up on our rack. They’re HEAVY and poor Will is sick. But last night we had lights! — Jackie

P.S. My cold is gone now. Thank goodness!

10 COMMENTS

  1. I’m glad things are looking better too. My dog “Pete” had to have two teeth pulled (one was broken off) and infected. Dogs are great company and in some cases even important workers around the house. They are one of Gods’ greatest animals.

  2. Zelda,

    Sorry, but all the guineas in the world wouldn’t keep our 120 acres plus the State and National Forest around us tick-free. Evidently, Spencer was bitten last fall when deer ticks were still active. With climate change, which has warmed up Northern Minnesota winters a whole lot (from averages of -55 each winter back in the 70s to maybe -35 now and a whole lot less really cold nights) deer ticks have become much more common around us. So we really, really watch them. The dogs are treated with Frontline during the summer and fall, but even with that, evidently, a tick survived long enough to infect Spencer. We’ll keep on top of it. And we’re lucky that he was tested before he became ill with Lymes.

  3. Be aware that the lyme vax can cause false positives on the tests for lyme.

    For the person who asked about vector, studies have shown that dogs in areas with high tick populations frequently test positive to lyme without showing any symptoms, so its entirely possible that Spencer’s been infected with lyme for a while. Even in humans its not unheard of for someone to have a delayed reaction, months after the initial bite.

  4. So glad Spencer’s ailment was treatable and he is on the mend. My daughter recently lost her dog and the vet was not able to help and couldn’t pinpoint what caused it. Colloidal silver is pretty wonderful, it got my husband and I through the holidays without getting sick when everyone around was getting the flu. Sounds like Will needs a little TLC but I know how men are. Take care of yourself too!
    Just finished reading your book! Loved it! I’ll write a review on Amazon.

  5. Sounds like you need a large flock of free range (which they will do with or without your permission) guinea fowl to eat some ticks. You’ve been bitten at least twice. Isn’t this kind of early for Lyme disease? or do deer ticks nest in warm protected places like regular ticks do and Spencer found them?

  6. I’m so glad that Spencer is on the mend. I was almost to scared to read through the whole post! Please keep us updated on the Lyme’s situation.

  8. Hope Will feels better soon. And glad Spencer is getting better. Hope the meds cure the lymes disease/ I know how much the dogs mean to the both of you. Good luch

  9. Jackie. Sounds as if you have been nearly to the BAD PLACE and back with recent troubles…..I am so glad something seems to be turning around for you all….A good friend of mine has a large farm dog which became ill. Her vet diagnosed him as having lymes disease and they tried antibiotics which didn’t seem to be much help. She began dosing him with colloidal silver….She credits it with bringing Bear back to good health….I’ve seen a product called silversol on tv which is said to be really helpful for infections. You certainly are better informed than I in these things so I let it at that….Love and prayers for you all….Rick

  10. There’s nothing like one of our “kids” getting sick to throw the whole household into a panic. Glad Spencer is ok. Sounds like Will could use a dose of his magic medicine! But everything is easier to deal with when the electricals are up and running.

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