Tuesday was a normal day with Ashley and Molly playing outside for =
awhile in the morning, sleeping most of the day away and waking up long =
enough to eat, play and beg for as many treats as they could.  At about =
2am Molly started to throw-up and just was not herself.  I was getting =
ready to take her to the emergency vet, when she curled back up and went =
to sleep.  I had just felt the she was going to be ok and went back to =
bed.  Only to have Molly start throwing-up again.  I decided that it was =
time to get her to the vet and was at the emergency clinic at around =
3:30am.  Molly was examined and x-rays were taken.  The vet could not =
find anything wrong with her, but was very concerned about her =
condition.  They took care of her until around 6:30am, when they had me =
take her to her regular vet.  They called Dr. Jeff Shaffer at home to =
let him know that we would be there when he opened at 8am.  Dr. Jeff =
took Molly right in and checked her out.  He also took another x-ray, =
which still did not show any blockage.  He felt that Molly was looking =
better and sent us home with antibiotics and special food for her at =
around 10am.
 
We got home and I went to give Molly a bit of her special food, when she =
started to throw-up again.  I called back to Dr. Jeff and he thought the =
best thing to do was to have me bring her back in for exploratory =
surgery.  I had her back to the office at around 11am.  Dr. Jeff was in =
on another surgery when I got there, but I was told that he would do it =
around noon. When he opened Molly up, he found a blockage in her stomach =
and another one in her intestines.  Dr. Jeff did not feel that Molly was =
well enough to go home that night, so he took her home with him.  He was =
to be off on Thursday, but still cared for and feed her all night long.  =
He brought Molly back into the office in the morning(his day off) and we =
got in touch with each other at around 9:30am.  He still did not feel =
that Molly was well enough to go home yet and that she should stay at =
the office for the day.  He told me that I could pick her up at around =
5pm and he passed Molly's care off to his wife and partner, Dr. Kendra =
Shaffer.
 
When I got there, Dr. Kendra was feeding Molly.  When she was done, she =
brought Molly out to me.  It was so nice to see her again!!  Dr. Kendra =
told me how Dr. Jeff was so worried about her during the night and that =
it was good to see her looking so much better.  She also told me how =
their 7year old daughter wanted Molly to sleep with her, but Dr. Jeff =
told her that she needed to stay on her heating pad.  In the morning =
their daughter was in front of her cage and was talking to her and then =
was holding her and petting her. =20
 
Molly is still not out of the woods, but I know that she was given the =
best care that she could possibly receive.  I owe everything to Dr. Jeff =
and Dr. Kendra Shaffer and of course to their daughter who helped give =
loving to Molly.
 
I am sorry that this is so long, but I felt that the great care that =
Molly was given was worth to be told.
 
If you live anywhere close to Orlando, FL and need a vet then look no =
further!  Just give Dr. Jeff and Dr. Kendra Shaffer at Shaffer Animal =
Hospital a call(407-366-1722).
 
Chris Roberts
[Posted in FML issue 2842]