Dog unwell :(

WHIP IT!

Hi, my 15-month-old puggle picked up a bug in the past week-10 days.

She was in the vet's overnight on Friday as she had become dehydrated because she stopped eating and drinking almost completely in the 2/3 days previous. When she did eat she vomited her food straight back up twice on the Friday.

Brought her home Sat morning (bloods fine, organs fine, temperature slightly up), she was full of beans after having fluids IV's into her and we were delighted.

But, just as she had on the Friday night, she vomited up her food almost immediately. So, the past 2 days I've literally hand-fed her a couple of nuts at a time and tried to keep her moving (I dont have much experience with dogs but I keep horses this is the kind of thing that might help a horse who is having digestive problems, ie - turn them out in a paddock!) and slowly but surely I'm getting plenty of food into her.

She certainly wants to eat, she's eating any bit of food I give her, but if I give her too much too fast and she wolfs it down, you can see she's having a little trouble keeping it down. She hasn't vomited since Saturday morning when I brought her home (I'm fairly sure, I haven't seen her do it anyway) but she still won't drink water.

She's still a little dehydrated and I'm worried this will become alot... Since I got her as an 8-week-old pup, she has always drank what I consider alot of water... I've changed her bowl, that helped at first but this morning she just won't drink. She'll eat anything I give her but no water.

Yesterday, I would drop her nuts, one or two at a time, into her water bowl and she'd "drink" them out so she was getting water into her that way. But she won't cooperate this morning!

Is there anyway I can get her to drink? I have to leave for work at 12.30 & she'll be alone until this evening. Very worried about her.

The vet gave me an antibiotic called Noroclav 50mg to give her one and a half, twice a day, starting yesterday - so she's had 4.5 tabs so far.

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Just to add, the Vet seems to think she may have had a urine infection.

She lost an alarming amount of weight in the week and particularly the 2/3 days up to Friday.

When she'd eat her food, it would come back up almost immediately. He stomach would contract and kind of palpitate a little before and the food would literally come up all in one go covered in mucous. (yeuch! )

andreac

I would take her back to the vet straight away. You can always syringe water into her mouth to get her to drink until you get her back to the vets.

Just to add, horses and dogs are very different when it comes to digestive problems. Horses cannot vomit where as dogs can, so i wouldnt be applying the same treatment to a dog as a horse.

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andreac wrote: »

I would take her back to the vet straight away. You can always syringe water into her mouth to get her to drink until you get her back to the vets.

Just to add, horses and dogs are very different when it comes to digestive problems. Horses cannot vomit where as dogs can, so i wouldnt be applying the same treatment to a dog as a horse.

It wasn't "treatment" as such, I just found that if I fed her in the garden, played a little, fed her some more, played a little it helped her digest her food. Same on her walks yesterday, little food, little walkies, little food, little walkies and it seemed to help.

Yunnie

Er i wouldnt feed her nuts at all, dogs dont digest them so they literally pass right through their digestive systems and come out looking the same way they went in, I would believe that this is quite bad for them. Im sure the vet has told you to change your food, try hills food, its for upset tummys. Feed her small amounts, dont fuss over her eating or not eating, if she eats great and if she doesnt well try again later on. Have you changed her food lately? Does she have diarrhea?

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Yunnie wrote: »

Er i wouldnt feed her nuts at all, dogs dont digest them so they literally pass right through their digestive systems and come out looking the same way they went in, I would believe that this is quite bad for them. Im sure the vet has told you to change your food, try hills food, its for upset tummys. Feed her small amounts, dont fuss over her eating or not eating, if she eats great and if she doesnt well try again later on. Have you changed her food lately? Does she have diarrhea?

No, no diarrhea but her dung is a little paler than normal. The vet mentioned she had had some blood in her urine, hence he concluded a urine infection.

Just to clarify, when I say nuts, I mean the Royal Canine food she eats (as recommended by her breeder and vet). It's not "nuts" as such, I s'pose, I just call them that.

andreac

WHIP IT! wrote: »

It wasn't "treatment" as such, I just found that if I fed her in the garden, played a little, fed her some more, played a little it helped her digest her food. Same on her walks yesterday, little food, little walkies, little food, little walkies and it seemed to help.

Thats not actually a good thing to do at all im afraid. Dogs are suppoed to rest after their meals and food as it can cause problems if they are exercised after eating.

Yunnie

ah i see What did the vet say about your dogs diet? Are you sure that your dog hasnt maybe swallowed something other than food like a small ball or something, because my mums dog swallowed a bouncy ball and it was stopping food from passing out of his stomach. He was constantly vomiting and retching and in the end stopped eating. We didnt know at the time that he had swallowed it and brought him to vet who did a scan of his abdomen. In the end he had to have an operation to have it removed. I hope your doggy gets better, theres nothing worse than not knowing whats wrong

ISDW

Yunnie wrote: »

Er i wouldnt feed her nuts at all, dogs dont digest them so they literally pass right through their digestive systems and come out looking the same way they went in, I would believe that this is quite bad for them. Im sure the vet has told you to change your food, try hills food, its for upset tummys. Feed her small amounts, dont fuss over her eating or not eating, if she eats great and if she doesnt well try again later on. Have you changed her food lately? Does she have diarrhea?

Sorry, that did make me chuckle, you're obviously picturing the OP feeding her dog little peanuts or something, salted or dry roasted?;)

A lot of people refer to kibble as nuts, if you spend a lot of time on here, its something you get used to.

I don't usually recommend hills food, but I agree with you that their recovery diet is excellent for getting a dog over an illness.

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Yunnie wrote: »

ah i see What did the vet say about your dogs diet? Are you sure that your dog hasnt maybe swallowed something other than food like a small ball or something, because my mums dog swallowed a bouncy ball and it was stopping food from passing out of his stomach. He was constantly vomiting and retching and in the end stopped eating. We didnt know at the time that he had swallowed it and brought him to vet who did a scan of his abdomen. In the end he had to have an operation to have it removed. I hope your doggy gets better, theres nothing worse than not knowing whats wrong

This has actually crossed my mind... they didn't do a stomach scan in the vet and I was kind of hoping they would (although my Visa card was most likely happy they didn't! )... if she doesn't improve by tomorrow I will bring her back. She does hav a habit of picking things up and playing with them on our walks. Small plastic things are her favourite!

Yunnie

ISDW wrote: »

Sorry, that did make me chuckle, you're obviously picturing the OP feeding her dog little peanuts or something, salted or dry roasted?;)

A lot of people refer to kibble as nuts, if you spend a lot of time on here, its something you get used to.

I don't usually recommend hills food, but I agree with you that their recovery diet is excellent for getting a dog over an illness.

yes i pictured roasted peanuts tbh chuckled myself when op replied explaining

cosmic

WHIP IT! wrote: »

Is there anyway I can get her to drink?

Get a plastic syringe in the chemist, fill it with water and syringe the water into her mouth. That's what we had to do with our last little fella after he had an operation.

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cosmic wrote: »

Get a plastic syringe in the chemist, fill it with water and syringe the water into her mouth. That's what we had to do with our last little fella after he had an operation.

Thank you, I will do that. I'm sure once I get the fluids and food into her she will perk right up.

One more thing, she was last in heat around Oct/November... I've noticed this week she's barking alot more, she is usually very quiet but her bark seems to have "matured" recently and maybe she's just beginning to like the sound of her own voice. Not in an aggressive manner at all, she's just getting louder lately when we're outside!

Her nipples are also alot more prominent since she's been unwell, I have no idea if that is related - maybe it's just an offset of the weight she has lost?

cosmic

WHIP IT! wrote: »

One more thing, she was last in heat around Oct/November... I've noticed this week she's barking alot more, she is usually very quiet but her bark seems to have "matured" recently and maybe she's just beginning to like the sound of her own voice. Not in an aggressive manner at all, she's just getting louder lately when we're outside!

Her nipples are also alot more prominent since she's been unwell, I have no idea if that is related - maybe it's just an offset of the weight she has lost?

Sorry, I can't help you with that one, I've only ever had male dogs throughout the years

andreac

WHIP IT! wrote: »

Thank you, I will do that. I'm sure once I get the fluids and food into her she will perk right up.

One more thing, she was last in heat around Oct/November... I've noticed this week she's barking alot more, she is usually very quiet but her bark seems to have "matured" recently and maybe she's just beginning to like the sound of her own voice. Not in an aggressive manner at all, she's just getting louder lately when we're outside!

Her nipples are also alot more prominent since she's been unwell, I have no idea if that is related - maybe it's just an offset of the weight she has lost?

She could be having a phantom pregnancy as it could coincide with the dates she was in season. I would bring her back to the vets and get her checked out again.
I would also advise you to get her neutered as soon as you can, especially as shes a cross breed herself.

Mistymaud

When did she finish her last season?

WHIP IT!

Mistymaud wrote: »

When did she finish her last season?

That's also the first thing the vet asked me... I'm sure it was around November time?

andreac

Well a bitch is in pup for nearly 9 weeks so that could explain it, she could be having a phantom pregnancy then.
Are you going to get her neutered? This would stop these phantoms, beacuse if it is a phantom she is having, she is probably prone to getting them repeatedly.

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andreac wrote: »

Well a bitch is in pup for nearly 9 weeks so that could explain it, she could be having a phantom pregnancy then.
Are you going to get her neutered? This would stop these phantoms, beacuse if it is a phantom she is having, she is probably prone to getting them repeatedly.

Thanks alot, I had no idea although would the fact the Vet never mentioned this mean he has ruled it out?

I'm having her neutered in a couple of weeks, just waiting for that January payday! (like everyone else!)

Mistymaud

It's a bit difficult to make all the clues fit together and I would certainly take her back to the vets because she obviously isn't right.

Phantom pregnancy is sort of top of the list. Barking = behavourial changes. Nipples swollen and possibly the timing.

But then you have the refusal to drink, vomiting and blood in the urine which don't fit the picture.

If it hadn't have been for the lack of drinking and her age I would have been thinking closed pyometra - but those facts alone put me off.

The antibiotics should have been taking hold by now in case of an infection and you should be seeing at least a little, if not improvement, then no deterioration.

I do hope you've got a little syringe that you can give her a drink with. Dehydration in itself can make animals act strangely. Try warm water and add a little glucose or honey to it and if there's no improvement after you've given the antibiotics time to kick in get her back to the vets.

andreac

WHIP IT! wrote: »

Thanks alot, I had no idea although would the fact the Vet never mentioned this mean he has ruled it out?

I'm having her neutered in a couple of weeks, just waiting for that January payday! (like everyone else!)

Ah i know the feeling, its been a long month alright.
Hope she gets better soon:)

WHIP IT!

Thanks everyone, will be sure to keep you all posted...

She's such a good dog too. She was my daughter's Xmas present in 09 and they're like two peas in a pod. Would you believe she's never chewed up a thing, I've left bags of rubbish at the back door while she was out there and she's never gone near them, she doesn't jump on couches unless she's particualrly excited (and even then she'll jump down as soon as told) and when she's sitting on her pillow watching TV you'd almost forget she's there. Her only vice is stealing the odd sock from the laundry!

WHIP IT!

Hmmm, someone seems to be feeling alot better. Has ate a nice bit of dinner this evening and drank plenty of water - although only by turning it into a game by plinking her nuts in one by one... but, at least she's getting the fluids in. I got two small syringes in the chemist today but I'm hopeful I won't have to resort to that.

She's now two full days into her course of anti-biotics and there is a definite sign of improvement in her. Still being monitored closely. I have tomorrow off work so plenty of TLC is in store.

cosmic

WHIP IT! wrote: »

Hmmm, someone seems to be feeling alot better

Delighted to hear this! The poor little thing has had a rough time of it. I hope she keeps improving

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Thanks Cosmic - only five minutes ago we had some voluntary drinking of water from her bowl! Things are lookin' up!

WHIP IT!

WHIP IT! wrote: »

we had some voluntary drinking of water from her bowl!

AND AGAIN, just now! SHE'S BACK!

belongtojazz

So glad she's on the mend if she is still reluctant to drink, the one that worked for me ( thanks to a suggestion on here when I went through the same with my little doggy) is Chicken broth. I boiled some chicken and rice in loads of water which I then diluted down and gave her. It made all the difference for us

Can't remember now who suggested it but I'm still very grateful, it saved my little one a night on a drip in the vets

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belongtojazz wrote: »

So glad she's on the mend if she is still reluctant to drink, the one that worked for me ( thanks to a suggestion on here when I went through the same with my little doggy) is Chicken broth. I boiled some chicken and rice in loads of water which I then diluted down and gave her. It made all the difference for us

Can't remember now who suggested it but I'm still very grateful, it saved my little one a night on a drip in the vets

Great tip, thanks alot...

Actually, that reminds me of something I wanted to ask... In the past couple of months I'd got more into the habit of giving her "people" food. No reason in particular, just a little bit in with her nuts of whatever we were having for dinner that night: Might be pasta, steak, lasagne, chicken, something like that. Her fav treat is a slice of ham when I'm making a sambo.

I wonder if this maybe initially put her off her own food and is this a big no-no? I've cut that out completely at the minute just to get her back eating her own grub and all it's goodness. I've also cut out the treats (biscuits etc) almost completely for now as well.

What's the consensus on this? Thanks in advance!