Sick pup...prayers welcome

[TylerS]

My 15 mo. GWP Remy is in tough shape. Woke up to him howling at 5 a.m. Saturday morning. Took him out to do his business and thought nothing of it. Found out later he had puked in his kennel, but didn't notice.

We got up at 7 a.m. to hit the road for a day-trip to Chisholm for my grandparents' 60th anniversary. Remy threw up in the house and outside. Should have taken this more seriously, but figured he just ate something he shouldn't have. Gave him his breakfast, which he ate.

Made it 100 miles with him whining the entire way (very abnormal, he typically sleeps on road trips). Threw up his breakfast, so we pulled over in someone's driveway (sorry whoever you were!) and Remy proceded to throw up five more times. Decided we'd best head back to Fargo. Thankfully, the pup slept the whole way.

Remy drank water and was eating grass (another indicator) when we got back. He was throwing up everything he took down. Finally brought him to the emergency vet at 5 p.m. After X-rays and blood work (and throwing up four my times while there), the vet's conclusion was inconclusive. Nothing abnormal in his stomach, but his white blood count was slightly elevated.

Vet gave him a shot to stop the vomiting and we fasted him for the night and into Sunday. All day yesterday Remy was totally out of it. Groggy, lethargic, drooly. Every single side-effect of the shot that we were told he might get, he got. After a day of trying to get him to drink, he FINALLY ate a bit of rice, yogurt and chicken before bed. We thought he would turn the corner, but this morning he didn't seem much better. Wouldn't eat his breakfast, but he did drink a bit of water.

Hopefully with the antibiotics he's on, Remy will be able to kick whatever is bugging him. Right now the wife and I are at our wits end. Just praying he's back to normal soon, especially with hunting season right around the corner...

[LABS4ME]

Good Luck to you and Remy... Sounds like something has got him good...

I'm far from a vet, but I think a second opinon may be in order. I've had sick dogs before, but none that continually threw up and whined the entire time. Also, I wouln't think the antibiotics would help a GI problem but rather make it a little worse... Not saying he shouldnt be on an antibiotic, but they sometimes make the whole GI tract worse when they are on them.

Let us know when he turns the corner...

Ken

[TylerS]

Well he hasn't thrown up since the vet visit. I think the shot must have helped. Right now he's just out of it, and he hasn't eaten anything yet today. He ate last night, so maybe he's just not hungry yet. Hasn't "gone No. 2" since Saturday morning, but he also hasn't eaten much. If that trend continues, I'll definitely be worried.

I've been doing some research on it, and I'm praying that it's not an intestinal blockage or something. I hear if a piece of string or something gets wrapped up, it can kill whole sections of intestine. But you'd think they'd have seen it on the x-ray?! If he doesn't show some sort of improvement by morning, I'm taking him to another vet.

[Tinkhamtown]

Did the blood work include a test for Lymes?

[bobbymalone]

Did the blood work include a test for Lymes?

[LABS4ME]

The intestinal blockage is exactly what I was thinking. But I would have expected it to show something on x-ray and his white counts to be quote elevated... a partial obstruction can cause a lot of the same symptoms...

Do you have a good vet that you use for everything else? Maybe a quick call to them to let them know your concerns and if they feel the best protocol is to wait a day. If nothing else, they can start to formulate a plan if you do come in the next day... My 1st step right now, would be the call and decide from there what step 2 is...

Good Luck!

Ken

[TylerS]

Did the blood work include a test for Lymes?

[TylerS]

The intestinal blockage is exactly what I was thinking. But I would have expected it to show something on x-ray and his white counts to be quote elevated... a partial obstruction can cause a lot of the same symptoms...

Do you have a good vet that you use for everything else? Maybe a quick call to them to let them know your concerns and if they feel the best protocol is to wait a day. If nothing else, they can start to formulate a plan if you do come in the next day... My 1st step right now, would be the call and decide from there what step 2 is...

Good Luck!

Ken

The vet we got to for everything else is the vet we took him to for the emergency (we bring him to Casselton, and they have an on-call vet during the weekends). We had an appointment scheduled for this morning just in case, but the vet said only to bring him in if his condition worsened. I'd say, honestly, it's gotten better...but ever so slightly. Him eating last night was a huge relief...but not eating this morning has me worried again. The wife said she's gotten Remy to eat yogurt, which is better than nothing, but it's still not really solid food.

[bobbymalone]

is he p o o p i n g?

[TylerS]

is he p o o p i n g?

He did three times Saturday after he threw up (they were normal, funny enough) and he tried again Saturday night but nothing really came of it. Nothing yesterday, but he hadn't eaten for a long time. Like I said, he ate probably 1 1/2 cups of food (rice, boiled chicken, plain yogurt mix) so hopefully that works its way through by this evening. The wife has an appointment scheduled for 10 a.m. tomorrow, so if no change we're going in.

[TylerS]

Decided to up his appt. to 3:30 this afternoon. The vet does have an ultrasound machine on hand, so hopefully we can put this to rest once and for all. I'm crossing all my fingers and my toes that it's not an intestinal blockage or intussusception of the intestine.

[Powerstroke]

My dog had a bowel obstruction and exhibited many of the same symptoms, but my vet was able to identify it on the scan.

DOn't worry so much about your dog having a bowel movement other than to know if the tract is clear. At the very least he needs to get as much water as possible and any amount of solid food he will try. Just like humans your stomach takes some time to get back into shape after a long vomiting/non-eating spell. As long as he's not dehydrated and he's trying to eat I think you'll see some improvement.

I would certainly seek a second opinion if his condition doesn't improve.

[TylerS]

Well, after his surgery, the prognosis is in: a sock. That little piece of work had me and my wife in tears wondering if he was going to survive or not, and all because he ate a sock. Where he got the sock, I have no clue. Worst part isn't even the bill ($1,000 plus the $450 we paid for Saturday's emergency visit). The WORST part is that he's going to be laid up for a minimum of six weeks. I spent ALL SUMMER training with him so I could hunt the heck out of him, and he won't even be able to get out until the end of October.

Boy, is this a bittersweet thing or what?!

[LABS4ME]

perfect! There will be many more falls! Glad you caught it in time.

A friend once had a dog that swallowed a plastic bag, didn't show up on x-ray.... sick and not getting better, finally figured there was a partial obstruction. A week later after surgery to remove he looked like a new dog! He hunted his a month later, but I'd follow your vets recomendation.

Congrats again!

Good Luck!

Ken

[Powerstroke]

Tyler, my story before about my dog having a bowel obstruction, happened 2 days before pheasant opener. No pheasant opener for him his first hunting season either. His blockage was rawhide.

I'm glad to hear your doc found a blockage and was able to remove it with surgery. I know it stinks but several years from now you will think about the "first season" and how wild it was. I hope Remy is on the mend.

[rustysetter]

puking is a symptom of anapalsmosis including lethargy and the squirts.What antibiotic did they give you?

[MuleShack]

Glad to hear Remy is ok and the story has a happy ending.

Sorry to hear about hunting, but the season is long.

Cheers

[nofishfisherman]

My vizsla ate one of my large athletic socks when he was probably 8 months old. I had no idea he'd gotten it until I saw him p o o p it out. I have no idea how he managed that but he sure didn't look like he was enjoying himself during the process. I wonder if he remembers the fun of p o o ping out a sock, since that day he'll still steal a sock once in awhile to get my attention if he wants to play but he doesn't chew on them any more.

[pushbutton]

Sorry Tyler, but i am laughing...and you too will someday! Glad the pup is ok! If it makes you feel any better, had a snickers birthday pie in pyrex one time that the one of the dogs amazingly got off the counter and broke into dozens of pieces. Needless to say i had your bill times two. Both dogs are gone now and it truly is a fond memory.

[TylerS]

Thanks for all the kind words, and I'm glad people can relate.

I realize Remy and I will have many falls of hunting to come, but I was so invested in THIS one, that it's a tough pill to swallow. But, if it comes down to hunting or a healthy pooch, I'll take the latter part any day of the week.

That said, if all goes well and there aren't any complications, Remy should be ready to go by Oct. 10 (the full six weeks), which means there still are a few good weekends of hunting left. I'll just have to really pick and chose his opportunities.

Oh well...I guess I have a couple more weekends now to check some things off my honey-do list...yay...

[Harmonica Bear]

Gald to hear things turned out ok (minus the $.)

I'd be happy with October 10 start date. Thats when the season starts to get good (grouse-wise anyways).

[TylerS]

Gald to hear things turned out ok (minus the $.)

I'd be happy with October 10 start date. Thats when the season starts to get good (grouse-wise anyways).

I'm trying to tell myself that, too. I really (really) wanted to get him on early season grouse, though. Just for the simple fact that they tend to hold tighter, which would give him a chance to work on his pointing. Oh well, time will tell! Maybe we'll get lucky and I actually run into some timberdoodles for once. I hear those buggers hold tighter than a tick in July!

[Hookmaster]

Last fall was my yellow labs first hunting season. Two days before the first trip to North Dakota, she ate a rock. Took her to the vet the day after she ate it and they couldn't find anything without doing an x-ray which we didn't do at the time. During the night before the trip she puked up the rock and a tennis ball size of grass. I didn't know it that was all that was going on so I left her home. There was a lot of time and money invested in her but I couldn't chance taking her and then having to find a vet if she was still sick. It was best to leave her home. I talked to my wife later that day and she said she was back to normal.

She made the second trip to North Dakota and retrieved all but one of the 24 ducks my son and I shot. I picked up the other one on land while she was on a water retrieve. This year she is more mature and better trained and I can't wait for the season. The hunts will come. It is best to make sure the dog is healthy.

[TylerS]

Update: in just a few days, Remy already seems like his old self. I plan on going dove hunting in the morning with a buddy, and it's going to take a ton of self control not to bring my mending pooch along. He's p o o p i n g again, which is great (means everything is hunky dory), and his energy level definitely is nearly back to where it was before. Hopefully, his healing goes faster than anticipated and I can get him out on ruffies and doodles for a planned trip to the grandparent's place Oct. 1. So far, that certainly seems plausible. Thanks again everyone for the well wishes!

[Hoffer]

Just wanted to chime in here. I know this dogs issue ended up being a sock. However, for anyone else that does have a dog who suddently becomes lethargic and is puking (usually just white foam) and is just all around not doing well - yet they cant figure out what it is...have them do the anaplasmosis test. My dog was near the point of no retrun. Finally after almost walking out fo the vets office - I mentioned she had been bitten by a tick this spring. (this was about 6 to 8 weeks later). He did the test and sure enough - anaplasmosis. She went on 30 days of doxycycline and was MUCH better by just the 2nd day. Its such an easy test - so if you have a msytery illness make sure they do the anaplasmosis. (different than lymes..but have them do lymes too while your at it - I think the test my doc did was for 4 types of tick borne diseases).