As the sun sets Bob and Sophie head off into the orchard for a pre-dinner romp. We laugh at the sight of the two of them hurtling round the lavender beds at high speed. We stop laughing when we notice that Sophie has lost all sense of direction. She hurtles through the lavender, bulldozes into Bob and head butts trees. I manage to pick her up. She's trembling uncontrollably. Pupils wide.
Sometimes communication is non-verbal. 'The Font' is already heading back inside to get the car keys while simultaneously dialing the vet on the mobile. He's waiting at the surgery. Checks made. Sophie has managed to find some hallucinogenic mushrooms in the orchard. 'How long will it last ? ' asks 'The Font'. '' If it's what I think it is anything from two to twenty hours. You'll just have to brave it out . Don't leave her alone".
It has been an interesting night with a PON princess as high as a kite. Water is syringed into her mouth. Activated carbon administered every four hours. In the garden she tries to climb trees, walks on her back legs and 'chats' with the owls on the roof of the barn.
Bob, being top dog, is distraught. His sister is quite unconcerned. She's living the 60's California surfer lifestyle. She finally calms down and falls sound asleep at four. A ten hour high. When it's fully light Angus will be out to remove every mushroom he can from the garden.
The never ending adventure of living abroad with dogs.
33 comments:
Oh my goodness - poor Sophie - what a traumatic time you've all had. Hope you managed to find all the mushrooms Angus, because if Sophie enjoyed the experience, she's sure to remember where she found them ! Trust the family princess is now back to normal and just savaging her brother to get her highs.
Oh dear poor Sophie. And it's not as if she has a calm temperament in the first place. Unfortunately dogs do not always learn from their mistakes, so clearing the garden of the mushrooms will be a priority. Would you normally expect them to be around at this time if year in S. France, or is it another consequence of the unusual weather patterns?
Sending hugs to the family Diva, and wishing her a speedy return to normal levels of exuberance.
Gail and Bertie
We've heard of dogs dying from eating some mushrooms, but never one hallucinating! It sounds like one of those things that'll be funny someitme in the future.
Thankfully Sophie will be ok but what an ordeal for all of you! Her unrelenting foraging for food where everything is considered edible makes me worry. I hope she gets better soon.
Did any of your previous PONS have a ravenous appetite?
'In the future' being the operative phrase.
It's the weather. The vets are having to deal with poisonings by plants that haven't been seen or heard of in thirty years. Seems 7 dogs died last month from eating rotting walnuts.
She's still asleep. This is a good sign.
Sophie is the first of our PONs to have a gold medal in eating. It all seemed to change after the 'operation'.
I'm so sorry, Angus, but relieved by the outcome. Give her a wee clap from me
Oh my! This is my worst nightmare. Thankfully it sounds like she's ok. It's amusing to read but I'm sure you were pulling your hair out.
Oh dear - ANGUS - be sure and clear the garden morning and evening of mushrooms - they do re-appear over and over again as if by magic. Here in British Columbia - I will clear mushrooms completely - and then find them again in the morning. In the exact same spot. And again. And again. And again…...
Do take care. Your family would not be nearly as much fun without the Princess Diva.
She will remember where she found them if they were tasty, but not that they made her poorly.
Our previous poodle remembered where a neighbour's cat used to hide in the hedge and checked the spot daily for about five years after the cat had died.
I don't know how you get rid of mushrooms, but someone will. Glad she's ok now......you could try keeping her indoors........
Poor Sophie. Thank goodness she's OK. Can the mushrooms have any effect on her organs and are there any follow up checks to do? You must all be shattered. I will have to be extra vigilant, Merlin being similar to Sophie in this respect.
x
Oh Sophie, you have really developed the taste for mushrooms! I hope she gets better soon and the mushroom clearance works.
Our Vet assures us that the 'operation' has no effect on a girls appetite but all three of mine really discovered the joy of food afterwards, just like Sophie
Oh dear so sorry to hear about Sophie. I hope you find all those menacing mushrooms...we have to be so careful.
I hope Sophie will be okay...lots of worried love from Barbados.
Brownie sends his love too..."Sophie I too was naughty in the garden and ate a poisoned dead snail I shouldn't have...I'm much better now and I hope you will be too...feel better Sophie...your pal Brownie."
What a horrible and frightening experience. I hope there is no residual neurological or renal damage from the mushrooms. One will never know how many she ate.
Poor Sophie. At least it wasn't a poisonous variety this time. As Anonymous says, you just can't
eliminate mushrooms. They regrow in their original spot, and their spores float in the air as well.
From reading on the internet, sounds like you will have to be on constant vigil. Perhaps Loic needs
to come and to a thorough cleanup of any and all decaying leaf litter, etc.
Sophie, girl -- the 60s are over for you I hope. At first I was afraid her careening was a seizure. I suppose getting high is a better alternative. Not sure if heavily bifocaled Loic will find all the mushrooms This sounds like it needs an Angus and Font daily patrol. xxxxx
Oh my! Sophie! You can't help but love her even more.
PS: You and the Font are well trained and ready for action! :)
Hugs & kisses to Sophie and poor worried Bob, after all isn't his sister one of his flock?
Pam in NH
it happened also in my friend's little dachshund.
he's ravenous all the time now.
she has to continually worry about him gaining too much weight.
and never before 'the operation.'
i'm so glad little sophie was treated and the culprit discovered quickly.
you're the best. who would ever think!!! XO
Thank God Sophie is going to be alright!
Oh no! This is distressing for humans and canines alike! I hope she is doing okay now. We have mushrooms growing in our back yard when we get heavy rains and with a new puppy in the house, this is worrisome. I hope she sleeps it off and all is well. Keeping you all in our thoughts.
Dearest Sophie, we're so sorry for this unhappy turn. May you make a quick and complete recovery. Our hearts and prayers will certainly be with all of you at the Rickety Old Farmhouse today.
Brownie, I hope you are all well!
Our paws are crossed for you and we're sending lots and lots of AireZen, Sophie!
What a terrible night! I'm so glad your surfer girl is doing better. I hope the rest of the family is making a good recovery too.
Sending a group hug for all of you.
How frightening. How familiar the unspoken word sprung into emergency mode. Glad she is OK. x
I read this at work today, and have been thinking of Sophie. I hope as you're reading this, your girl is back to her normal mischievous diva self, and all is well at the ROF.
Poor girl. We hope she isn't too hungover.
How frightening for you all! I'm relieved the outcome was so positive, I hope there are no ill effects down the track. Poor Bob would have been beside himself! Thank goodness the vet was available.
Thank you Stephanie, my dear boy Brownie is all well again.
Oh, so glad Sophie will recover! On two occasions my smallest dog has become suddenly and mysteriously ill, to the point I had to drive her to the all night emergency clinic and she was there several days to recover; we suspect eating mushrooms may have been the cause. So scary! They can appear so quickly and in such numbers that it is hard to find them all!
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