[pstinard]

I just got back from the University of Illinois 24 hour emergency vet clinic after dropping off Bella. This morning, she threw up on an empty stomach (diagnosed as bilious vomiting) and apparently aspirated some of the vomit into her right lung. She hacked and coughed continuously, and after about an hour and a half of this, I called the vet and took her in. Of course, she stopped hacking immediately as soon as we arrived at the clinic, but they listened to her lungs with a stethoscope and noted troubled breathing in her right lung. They are keeping her for lung x-rays and will call me soon after those are done so I can pick her up. If it's not bad, they will probably prescribe an antibiotic and perhaps a sedative to relieve the coughing so she doesn't make the inflammation worse, and maybe an antacid. They are charging only $100 for the emergency exam and $350 to $400 for the x-rays, which is a bargain, and I am VERY impressed with their facilities and level of care. I would highly recommend the U of I vet clinic to anyone in the east central Illinois area. I will give an update after the x-rays come back.