TimeOut

Marcus Hanke
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I'm sad ...

On Friday, we wanted to leave for a meeting of 4x4 drivers in Germany. However, that morning, our younger dog Ulysse (two and a half years old), seemed to be extremely slow and tired, bordering on apathy. Already a few days before, he gave reason for concern, but the vet guessed he had a food poisoning, since he had swallowed a piece of not so fresh meat a day before. Yet despite the treatment, the fever did not go down.

On Friday morning now, I decided to have Ulysse x-rayed, which led to an immediate trip to the best vet clinic (120 kilometers from here): His milt and liver were enlarged, he had difficulties to breath - had we taken him on our trip as planned, he would have almost certainly been dead by now. For hours, Ulysse was treated with various antibiotics and infusions, since the blood test results were devastating: he was anemic, blood coagulation barely present. Apparently, he had been infected with anaplasmosis, and possibly also babesiosis by a tick. Ulysse's immune system is highly compromised, consequently he is very prone to follow-up infections.

Of course, we immediately cancelled all travel plans, including our vacation in France in two weeks. It is essential now that Ulysse is protected from every possible injury, since he could bleed to death even from a tiny wound. Any physical strain has to be strictly avoided.

The poor chap is now lying under my work desk, and it is apparent that his small body is leading a desperate fight against the infection. Fortunately, the fever went down, due to the correct antibiotics, and he starts to be curious and a glutton again. However, compared with his normally supernova-ish amount of energy, it is pathetic to see him sleeping most time of the day, only to look up with large eyes every now and then ...