Malcom Blessing DVM

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On May 10th we packed up our RV and made the 2 and half hour drive to Cody, WY from the Lake Hotel in YNP where we are working for the summer. I rushed my 5lb. sixteen and a half year old teacup chihuahua to Lifetime Small Animal Hospital at around 3am for emergency services. She was having severe labored breathing. I wasn't sure what was wrong but I knew that something was terribly wrong. My worst fear was that my little dog was dying and my gut instinct immediately told me that she would not be coming home. And that as her mother, it was up to me to make sure that she did not suffer through this process. My heart was broken. I do not have any children and she was my baby and my very best friend in the world. We spent 16 wonderful years together traveling the country.

To my surprise Dr. Prior admitted her and put her in an oxygen tank. (she was very quick to let me know how lucky I was that she could administer oxygen, the only vet in the area that can). She was having a negative reaction to the altitude set off by congestive heart failure. She kept her for two days in that tank. I was allowed to visit and that made me feel a little better. Dr. Prior said not to worry!!! That these issues could be controlled with the proper meds and that she could live a healthy happy few more years. On the third day, Dr. Prior said that she could come home. That we needed to monitor her closely while her meds started to work. LD had not eaten or had had a bowel movement in days. Again, my major concern was her quality of life. I asked Dr. Prior several times throughout this process about her suffering and whether or not this was a life that we could sustain. She assured me several times that it was not time to put her down. A vet tech then gave her a hydration treatment beneath her skin. Dr. Prior assured me that this was a painless procedure and that it would keep her hydrated. A very needed procedure due to the dry climate here and that her new meds would serious dehydrate her while helping her heart but also failing her kidneys. I was very very skeptical-but overjoyed that she was coming home and trying to find some faith that she would be okay. I trusted her. Bad decision!!

My major concern from that point forward was her quality of life on these meds. Obviously, the altitude was an issue. We made immediate arrangements to move back down to sea level as soon as her "med cocktail" was correct and she was cleared for travel.

Lydia Deetz had never had any prior health conditions. She was always up to date on her check ups, vaccinations etc. If anything most vets, who have seen her over the years were always surprised at how spry she was in her old age. No one could explain it-but always said to be grateful for her longevity. For I was extremely lucky to be able to enjoy my very best friend for so long. I never took it for granted, she meant the world to me.

The second day that she was home, I could tell that she felt bad. She still had not eaten much or used the bathroom. I called Dr. Prior. She chalked this up to the fact that LD had been through a lot and that I needed to give the meds time to work. That I needed to be patient. Also, she had forgotten to send her appetite medicine, her laxative and her healthy canned kidney food back up the mountain with us. So, we packed up and drove back to Cody to get these meds and her food. (5 hours round trip). Upon arrival at the vet, they weighed her-she had lost a whole pound. (I know that doesn't seem like much but when you only weigh 5 lbs.-Its a lot!!) I was very concerned by this, the rude and very uncompassionate vet tech was not. They concluded that she was severely dehydrated due to her heart meds and that she would require another "painless" hydration treatment. Also, that her kidneys were fail...

Friendly staff, competent veterinarians and state-of-the-art equipment. Boarding and hospital services are good, too. Reasonable prices for services.