Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Hope is one of those things you can't do without.




The height of the mushroom season. The surrounding woodlands full of locals in search of ceps. We leave them to their own devices. We're ignorant of what is and what isn't poisonous. Sophie is less cautious.

We first notice there's a problem after lunch. Sophie and her favourite rice and chicken go their separate ways. Two hours later it's clear this isn't a 'little ' upset. She's lethargic, vomiting, and starting to foam at the mouth. She drags herself under the laurel hedge where she lies and cries.

The onset of mushroom poisoning symptoms can take between six and twenty hours. Some local fungi are merely irritating. Some hallucinogenic. Others like Lace Cap destroy the liver. The vet spends an hour with Sophie. He can't be sure but he thinks from the symptoms she's eaten a Bolet de Satan. The senior vet thinks about keeping her in for observation but decides ( knowing PON's ) that she'll only be happy '' chez elle ". On his way home he checks in to see how she's getting on.

A night spent sleeping close to her. The door of the office left open. Bob, suddenly placid and clearly unsettled, sleeps beside me. The old dictum that you can never have too many dog towels - absolutely true. This morning she's still leadenly asleep but her tail wags when I call her name.


Apologies to those of you who asked after Sophie earlier today. For some reason Firefox has decided to randomly delete the post. This is a replacement. As of nine o'clock she's still asleep but her tail has been wagging. Local knowledge in a vet is a great thing.


34 comments:

WFT Nobby said...

Keep wagging Sophie.

Anonymous said...

Fingers crossed, prayers being said, positive thoughts for a full and rapid recovery. Sending the most loving support for SOPHIE - from the Westcoast of Canada.

Fi from Four Paws and Whiskers said...

Poor wee girl. So glad she is improving.
Makes me appreciate living way down here - seems far safer for dogs!

The Life of Riley said...

We hope Sophie is feeling better soon. Your vet sounds like he knows his mushrooms and the probable cause, but just wondering if you let your vet know Sophie has also been eating compost. My first dog got ill after eating enough commercial compost (when he got into a bag of it). My vet at the time told me the home made version can be be worse (as it doesn't reach such a high heat) and quantity eaten makes a big difference too.


Molly the Airedale said...

No more mushrooms, Sophie! They're beautiful but consider all of them to be non-edible. We're sending you lots of AireZen and we hope you feel 100% soon!

Love ya lots♥
Mitch and Molly

Anonymous said...

Oh the poor girl. I was only thinking about how cautious I should be whilst out in the fields with Merlin yesterday and now I shall be extra vigilant. Thank goodness for your vet. Bolet de Satan. Sounds awful. What type of medicine did he give her?
I do hope she is improving as I write this.
x

Angus said...

A complete detox ! Now antibiotics, rehydrating fluid and the ever useful Mallox . Apparently there are 300 people in hospital across Midi-Pyrenees, Aquitaine and Midi due to misidentifying msuhrooms. 23 seriously ill. It's not just our canine friends who are at risk.

Angus said...

Hope this isn't too indecorous a subject but the vet had a chance to explore everything that Sophie has recently eaten !

Julie said...

Poor Sophie, hope she's better soon. (I think the mushroom risotto we'd planned for tea might get changed) I know dogs can and do eat anything but mushrooms ?

VirginiaC said...

Oh dear my poor Sophie...I hope she feels much better later today, and her tail keeps on wagging at 90 knots per hour.
Thank goodness for the kind and knowledgeable vet...he is a treasure.
Angus you'll have to ask Loic if he can remove all signs of growing mushrooms from the property so this does not happen again.
For me here it's the poisonous cane toads that I have to be on the look out for.
Gave Sophie a head rub for me, and a woof woof woofee (Get better soon) from Brownie.

Jo's World said...

Poor little girl! Another dog blogger used to put a mouth guard over her mushroom addicted dog's face.. Sorry, its too early for me to think of the correct name for this ~ but I am sure you know what I mean.

Jo in MN

~Kim at Golden Pines~ said...

Catching up with your blog, and am so, so sorry to read about your girl. I know what you mean about the mushrooms, I have no idea about them or wild berries for that matter. But we are sending healthy, healing thoughts for Sophie from cold northern Virginia this morning that she is back to her mischievous self very quickly!

10NISNE1 said...

You're in my prayers, sweet girl.

Anonymous said...

Sweet Sophie, we hope you feel better soon. Being sick is no fun when there are so many other adventures calling.

Katherine said...

Much love to poor Sophie, and ferventwishes she is recovering well.

Anonymous said...

Much Love to Sophie! We hope she's feeling much improved today,

Yogi

houndstooth said...

Oh my! I hope Sophie keeps improving! Is there anything a puppy won't put in her mouth?

Jean said...

Poor Sophie, she must have been in pain with her poorly tummy.
And poor you, very worrying. I hope she's better soon.
We visited the mushroom museum near Saumur a few years ago. It was fascinating and the one fact I came away with was that the perfectly edible ones look exactly the same as some of the deadly poisonous ones.
We saw lots of people picking mushrooms in the woods in the Loire last week. We have decided to get ours from SuperU, Auchan or Intermarché, where someone before us has decided exactly what they are. Free mushrooms are not worth the risk.

Angus said...

Couldn't agree more. They all look identical to me . The problem is they are everywhere here after all the rain .

Angus said...

Apparently Sophie is premanently hungry and willing to try anything. Toads, poisonous mushrooms , there can'rt be that much left to surprise us . Can there ?.

fleurlilian said...

Thinking of little Miss Sophie - I do not know her personally but I think of her - hope she is doing better soon... Hugs Susanne, DAisy and Kiri

MLou said...

I am wishing for a speedy recovery for your big furry bundle. I hope she is back to dig, dig, digging very soon.

Anonymous said...

Oh, no, pauvre Sophie!!! Sending you heartfelt wishes for a speedy recovery from California. The most dangerous thing our little angels have eaten is cat poop, but at least there was no trip to the vet involved. Hopefully Sophie will be as right as rain in no time with no permanent after-effects.

Rétablis-toi vite, Sophie!!

Purple Magpie, Mitzi the Chiweenie and Emmy the Bouncing Pogo Puppy

lyon de clarasvals said...

I hope Sophie is fully recovered soon. Prayers for you all.

Jake of Florida said...

Just saw this. What a nightmare. I hope by now Sophie is a bit better. A tail wag is a good opening sign!

You've had more than your share of nature's insidious traps for poor innocent canines!

xxxxx Joan and Just Harry

Charlotte said...

As I write this I hope Sophie is up and eating some food and feeling better. Can't wait till I can read a new report about her being well. I am so sorry this has happen to her. I read your blog every day, just don't write each day like I use to, I am still here.

Anonymous said...

Hoping Sophie perks up quickly from this misadventure. Maybe you have to forget the idea of having a comoost pile-due to permanent Pon preoccupations with it.

Emm said...

Hope Sophie continues to improve. Sending good thoughts, vibes, whatever for her rapid healing. For yours, too, given how hard doggie illness is on the people. Wag on, Sophie!

Anonymous said...

Oh no--poor Sophie! All our best wishes for a speedy recovery. Sophie will surely want to get back quickly to her busy and wonderful life with her brother and her human friends! From a longtime nonblogging human dogblogreader, pal to a Westie named Hamish, Canadian east coaster.

Nancy at the Farm said...

I have been away due to the sudden death of my husband and am so concerned to hear of Sophie's run in with shrooms. Here in Oregon we too are in the midst of the mushroom season and our boys are kept on tight leads and I check the backyard regularly lest they find something new and exciting. Your vet sounds wonderful and we will hold Sophie up in prayer that she heals quickly. Your are the epitome of good dog parents, bless oyu.

Anonymous said...

I have a few in my front yard that I pick up and throw into the dumpster. I give my dogs mushroom powder that I buy from Only Natural Pet Store on line but that is safe.

Nicole said...

Poor Sophie! I do hope that she is decidedly better this afternoon. Sending many doggie snuggles her way.

Anonymous said...

Get well soon Sophie
Bev & Roo x

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

Keep us posted.
The wagging tale is always a good, encouraging sign.
Saying a prayer for you all tonight.
xo