Had a bit of a scare today with my little dog Bandit. He's a papillion, only 7lbs and around 2-1/2 years. My oldest boy got home from school and called me at work to tell me that something was wrong with Bandit, I went home right away and found him shivering uncontrollably and panting constantly with a wild look in his eyes. I took him for a walk and everything worked fine there, then I threw his ball for him a few times. He seemed enthusiastic but a bit uncoordinated and still with the wild eyed look and the profuse panting. I called the vet and told him what was going on and he told me to bring him in right away.

My vet examined him and couldn't find anything physically wrong but said that this was probably a poisoning issue with the dog probably ingesting something toxic. Possibly chocolates or coffee or some human medications that had fallen on the floor. I personally take blood pressure and cholesterol meds, with other members of the family taking anti-depressants or ADHD meds or allergy meds etc etc etc... . I've often thought that my family alone has probably put several drug company executives kids through collage. I would imagine that the likely hood that 'something' fell on the floor and got lost at some time or the other is pretty high.

Anyway, to make a long story shorter. We got some special food to give him to make things 'move through his system' a little quicker... (I've walked him about 4 time already tonight) Well, he's acting a LOT better now and the problem seems to have passed (get it??? passed???) ... It was a bit dodgy for a while though and I really thought something serious was happening. It's especially troublesome with such a little dog because little amounts that wouldn't even effect you can act really powerfully on them... and no matter how expressive their faces are, they still can't tell you what's wrong... Anyway it's been a rather tense evening and I just wanted to warn others to make sure they're dogs can't hoover something off the floor that could come back and hurt them... (or you too could wind up with a $400.00 vet bill......well, better safe then sorry I guess.....) I'm just glad he's okay, he's my little buddy.....