Gus: Praying for Buster.

It's been a tough couple of days. Buster is very sick. He had been having some tummy trouble for a few weeks, but the vets couldn't figure out why. Well, on Monday he took a turn for the worse. He would hardly move and you could tell his stomach was really hurting. Mom and Dad rushed him to the animal ER. The veterinarian couldn't figure out what was wrong with Buster either. The next morning our regular vet Dr. Sarah (we love her!) scheduled him for an ultrasound. They found lots of fluid in his belly. Dr. Sarah was very concerned and got an emergency appointment for Buster at Virginia Tech Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Blacksburg, Va., for the next morning. In the meantime, he stayed at Dr. Sarah's hospital to get fluids and pain medication through an IV.  Early the next morning Dad and Mom drove Buster down to Blacksburg. The poor guy got sick again on the way there. They felt so bad for him.

When they got to the hospital they hardly had to wait. The staff was very nice. A technician explained what to expect from their visit at the hospital. A fourth-year veterinary student examined him. So did a resident. They were very kind and gentle with Buster. Next they had a neurologist look at him because the reflexes in his hind paws and face weren't very good. It was decided that it was probably caused by a slipped disc in his vertebrae, which is common for an older dog. They said it was not a major issue. They were more concerned about his painful belly, so they did a special ultrasound on it. That's where they found the problem. He not only had fluid, but lots of gas built up in there. They said the cause was a tear somewhere in his stomach or intestines and they had to do surgery right away. They warned Mom and Dad that complications could  arise. Mom and Dad agreed to the surgery because they knew they had to do something and because the surgeon said there was some hope. That was good news because we all had been worried about cancer. Dad and Mom spent about ten minutes with him, loving on him, talking with him and praying for him. The veterinarians told them that they couldn't see Buster for at least 24 hours after his surgery, so Dad and Mom came home to be with Hobbit and me. (Abby was staying at Aunt Mary's and Huck was boarding at Dr. Sarah's.)

Well, when Mom and Dad were half-way home they got a scary phone call from the hospital. Buster was in the early stages of a condition that prevents his blood from clotting and that meant he might not make it through the surgery. The surgeon said there was still hope, though, so after Mom and Dad also talked with Dr. Sarah about it, they told the surgeon to go ahead and operate.

At eleven o'clock last night the hospital called to give us the very good news that Buster had made it through the surgery! They found the tear in the place where his tummy empties out into his intestine. They said that made fixing it kind of difficult, but that they think they got it taken care of. We were all so thankful! He was in critical condition, though, so now he just needed to make it through the night. Well, they called this morning to say he was doing well! Thank you, Lord! And then they called again just a little while ago and said that he remains in ICU, but that he's okay. Thank you, again, Lord!

Buster still needs lots of prayers. Mom, Dad, Hobbit, Abby, Huck and I will be praying really hard that he gets better and rests comfortably. We know he's getting lots of love. When "Buster's student" (that's what she called herself) called tonight she bragged on what a good patient he is and said he is getting lots of big hugs!

Dear God, please take good care of my brother Buster. He is a smart, stoic and sweet dog, and he is loved very, very much. 

Thank you,
Gus

Dad and Mom loving on Buster before he goes in for surgery. He is such a good boy.