Emma Posted August 5, 2013 Report Share Posted August 5, 2013 Last week Bear had been off her food which in itself isn't anything too uncommon but I noticed her bm's were a little bit mucousy which was odd as it suggested an irritable bowel but tbh didnt think too much of it as the bm itself was firm and she was her usual bouncy self. On Saturday she woke up early and started vomiting. It got more and more frequent, and so violent I've never seen anything like it. She would literally just stand up, open her mouth and pour out water, no heaving, no retching, no warning at all. She spent the day in the back garden, laying in the shade with a bucket filled with fresh water beside her (she was drinking like a fish). I went through my mental checklist....obstruction? Not a chance, this girl is incredibly cautious over what goes into her mouth. She has to sniff and check out everything you offer her first before deciding whether it's edible and usually she decides it's not. Next on the list poison/plants? Checked the garden and nope nothing touched which I figured and I haven't been working with any chemicals. I have been painting but threw the brushes instead of cleaning them as they were pound shop bargains and she hasn't touched them. Next and most fitting is a virus/bacterial illness such as gastro enteritis (most common in small dogs but not exclusively so). Having been through this many a time with Ice (he has had haemorrhaging gastro enteritis, obstructions, dietry intolerances to pretty much everything, so you could say I've been around this block a few times and the vets have probably got a boat somewhere paid for courtesy of yours truly!). On sunday she was still being sick without warning but less often, the illness had worked its way through her digestive system to the bottom end. Poor girl was literally passing pure liquid repeatedly, by the end of the day it had irritated her colon and bowel so much that she was starting to pass blood too. Although oddly by this time she was starting to feel a little better as she was less sleepy and depressed, even asked to go out for a walk?! We kept checking her for signs of dehydration, her gums and skin were fine and when blanched the colour returned as usual. I woke up this morning fully expecting to have to make a trip to the vets but was pleasantly surprised to see Bear waiting at the back door to come in (she slept outside on sunday night as she wouldn't come in. I have a 'lean-to' that runs along the side of my house that is carpeted and roofed, so I put a dog bed in there and propped open the door so she could lay in there or venture in to one of the storage cupboards or downstairs loo that's situated in there for shelter). Once she came in she went straight upstairs and went to bed on my bed for several hours (first time she's wanted to come inside all weekend). Once she got up, she bounced downstairs into the kitchen and asked for some food. I've cooked her some chicken, rice, and pumpkin for now. (Aldi's are currently selling canned pumpkin, pure pumpkin, not the syrup kind) . She's eaten a small amount and went out for a wee and then gone back up to bed. She's kept it down, no sickness or feeling a constant urge to poop also known as tenesmus. She's now bothering us for our food (which she can't have as it's too soon for anything that rich), So it sounds like her body is starting to recover and heal itself. I expect she'll eat little and often over the next few days, her bm's will probably continue to be a bit yukky for a while yet too but all in all, she's clearly well on her way back to normality. Thank goodness for that, she absolutely hates the vet and certainly won't tolerate anything such as blood tests and anti sickness shots without being knocked out first. God knows what would happen If she actually got really sick and needed hospitalization, hopefully we won't ever have to find out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted August 5, 2013 Report Share Posted August 5, 2013 Hope she continues her recovery. Echo my GSD went through something very similar a few years ago. She recovered ok, then about a week later signs went up in the local parks where we used to take the dogs for walkies Warning of Parvo in the area, and that a few local dogs had died. I think Echo was one of the lucky ones. Darwin and Daughtry never showed any signs at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Sopi Posted August 5, 2013 Report Share Posted August 5, 2013 Glad to hear she's on the mend, poor baby XX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma Posted August 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2013 Hope she continues her recovery. Echo my GSD went through something very similar a few years ago. She recovered ok, then about a week later signs went up in the local parks where we used to take the dogs for walkies Warning of Parvo in the area, and that a few local dogs had died. I think Echo was one of the lucky ones. Darwin and Daughtry never showed any signs at all. Mmn, parvovirus was running through the back of my mind. Very hard to differentiate between that and enteritis without a blood test and stool sample. I believe parvovirus is on the increase now as since the recession hit more and more people are forgoing the annual booster. I'm presuming that type 2 parvo is part of the vaccine, to be honest I've never asked the vet exactly what it's protecting against? , I believe in order to catch parvovirus you have to come into contact with contaminated poo or soil (the virus can survive up to a year outside of a host body!). The incubation period is 3-10 days and she's not one for poop sniffing or digging outside of my own garden and not been around other dogs in that time so putting that together with her vaccinated status I was thinking it less likely than something else. Glad to hear Echo's ok, strange that Darwin and draughty are both ok as my other two are fine too ATM. Enteritis isnt contagious, which is another reason I suspect it's the culprit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mydiamond Posted August 5, 2013 Report Share Posted August 5, 2013 that's nice to hear hope she continues to recover get well soon, Bear! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma Posted August 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2013 (edited) Thanks Liv, she's completely back to normal now. Ate like a horse yesterday but back to being a fussy diva today. She was a little clingy yesterday, so I was bad and let her snuggle on the sofa with us when she asked. (she put her head on the sofa and stared sadly at me until I said "oh come on then", and up she came, much to Ice's disgust). Edited August 6, 2013 by emma1979 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted August 6, 2013 Report Share Posted August 6, 2013 Glad she's back to normal. Damn Dawgs really put you through the mill don't they Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Angel n Auroras Mum Posted August 6, 2013 Report Share Posted August 6, 2013 when storm was ill he was hospitialised was not nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma Posted August 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2013 when storm was ill he was hospitialised was not nice No, I cant imagine it was nice at all. You must of been worried sick. When ice had it he went downhill in hours, virtually lifeless and pooping pink water. We took him to the emergency vet on easter monday last year and they gave him an anti sickness shot, some antibiotics and sent him back home with us. Given he was only about six months old and the real dehydration risk, I'm really surprised he wasn't admitted? Must of been because it was the emergency clinic and they didn't particularly want to take in any more animals than they possibly had to? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Angel n Auroras Mum Posted August 6, 2013 Report Share Posted August 6, 2013 No, I cant imagine it was nice at all. You must of been worried sick. When ice had it he went downhill in hours, virtually lifeless and pooping pink water. We took him to the emergency vet on easter monday last year and they gave him an anti sickness shot, some antibiotics and sent him back home with us. Given he was only about six months old and the real dehydration risk, I'm really surprised he wasn't admitted? Must of been because it was the emergency clinic and they didn't particularly want to take in any more animals than they possibly had to? on th friday we took him in. was told there was nothing seriously wrong by the next day he wasnt even keeping water down, not eating and pooping water. it was too late to take him in the surgery had already closedso we had.to take him in sunday morning as.an.emergency. he at this point could barely walk theres an album in my fb poorly storm. its horrible to see i warn you. the vet took him home on a drip coz the surgery doesnt have overnight facilties but the vet does at home. those 24or so hours were awful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma Posted August 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2013 on th friday we took him in. was told there was nothing seriously wrong by the next day he wasnt even keeping water down, not eating and pooping water. it was too late to take him in the surgery had already closedso we had.to take him in sunday morning as.an.emergency. he at this point could barely walk theres an album in my fb poorly storm. its horrible to see i warn you. the vet took him home on a drip coz the surgery doesnt have overnight facilties but the vet does at home. those 24or so hours were awful Scary how quickly they can deteriorate. The symptoms you describe fit ice to a t, I had to carry him to the car and into the surgery as he couldn't stand up. That's how I found him in the morning, laying around a pool of pink water and not even trying to get up. Bear was vomiting water too which was my primary concern tbh, as dehydration will kill a dog quicker than the actual illness will. Glad to hear Storms fully recovered, but think I'll pass on the pics. He's such a lovely dog, I really don't think I'd do too good looking at those. Probably start crying! Lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuvMyKai Posted August 7, 2013 Report Share Posted August 7, 2013 Oh dear, really hope shes fully recovered soon, Gosh i do love that dog of yours!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma Posted August 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2013 Well I had to take Bear to the vets after all as she gets a bit better then goes backwards and stops eating again and sprays my lawn again for a day before picking up again, going round in circles! They diagnosed her with Gastro enteritis (like I thought) and she's on metrodonizole for the next week to try to sort it out properly. Poor girl now only weighs a paltry 30.5kgs so she's lost a fair few kg's from her usual weight (upwards of 34kg). She was amazing at the vets though, I'm so proud of her. No growling at all, she was very meek and tried to hide round the back of my legs (not an easy thing to do as she's bloomin' huge and no way she'll hide round me! lol) Got to go back to the vets in 5 days if she's not improved and stayed improved in that time. So fingers crossed this time she'll get better and stay better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devildust76 Posted August 14, 2013 Report Share Posted August 14, 2013 Here's hoping this clears it all up for her. And you Poor Bear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Angel n Auroras Mum Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Well I had to take Bear to the vets after all as she gets a bit better then goes backwards and stops eating again and sprays my lawn again for a day before picking up again, going round in circles! They diagnosed her with Gastro enteritis (like I thought) and she's on metrodonizole for the next week to try to sort it out properly. Poor girl now only weighs a paltry 30.5kgs so she's lost a fair few kg's from her usual weight (upwards of 34kg). She was amazing at the vets though, I'm so proud of her. No growling at all, she was very meek and tried to hide round the back of my legs (not an easy thing to do as she's bloomin' huge and no way she'll hide round me! lol) Got to go back to the vets in 5 days if she's not improved and stayed improved in that time. So fingers crossed this time she'll get better and stay better. oh poor girl bless her my storm lost a lot of weight and it took over a year to put it bqck on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma Posted August 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 oh poor girl bless her my storm lost a lot of weight and it took over a year to put it bqck on Oh my goodness, a year?! Poor Storm, that really must of been a very dramatic weight loss. Bear's been demolishing the extortionately priced royal canin sensitivity cans today, so far this morning ate 1.5 cans and was still hungry! (£16 for 6 tiny cans, more expensive than the medicine ffs!) so hopefully she'll put the weight on much quicker. Here's hoping this clears it all up for her. And you Poor Bear. Thanks Simon, so do we. xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Angel n Auroras Mum Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Oh my goodness, a year?! Poor Storm, that really must of been a very dramatic weight loss. Bear's been demolishing the extortionately priced royal canin sensitivity cans today, so far this morning ate 1.5 cans and was still hungry! (£16 for 6 tiny cans, more expensive than the medicine ffs!) so hopefully she'll put the weight on much quicker. Thanks Simon, so do we. xxx i wont share the photos. but yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devildust76 Posted August 16, 2013 Report Share Posted August 16, 2013 Oh my goodness, a year?! Poor Storm, that really must of been a very dramatic weight loss. Bear's been demolishing the extortionately priced royal canin sensitivity cans today, so far this morning ate 1.5 cans and was still hungry! (£16 for 6 tiny cans, more expensive than the medicine ffs!) so hopefully she'll put the weight on much quicker. Thanks Simon, so do we. xxx Oh we know those cans of food very well! Extortionate much!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma Posted August 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2013 Oh we know those cans of food very well! Extortionate much!!! Annoying isn't it. The cheapest I Can get is a pack of 12 tiny cans on amazon for around the £25 mark (slightly cheaper than the vets) but Bear wants to chow down on around 4 cans per day ffs! As the vets charged £16 for 6 tiny cans, I decided to try pets at home today and picked up some fisherman's finest sensitive trays and wainwrights cereal free salmon and potato but she outright refuses the fisherman tray and doesn't like the texture of the wainwrights! Only reason she ate the vets stuff is because it's royal canin and that's the only brand of food she will readily eat (kind of how we knew she wouldn't have an obstruction, she's plain too fussy over what she'll eat, I'm having to crush her anti biotics into her food to get them into her. I tried wrapping them in ham but she's such a careful and slow eater that she spotted them tucked into the ham and spat them back out. Tried it 4 times before conceding defeat! lol). This was so much easier when Ice was sick, he'll eat anything you chuck in his direction without even thinking about it, doggy dustbin that one! lol. Good thing is she's not gone downhill again and I haven't spotted any runny poo in the garden and no accidents in the house, so the anti inflammatory is working! Bad thing is she's lost so much weight she looks god awful! You know those rescue dog photos you see on facebook of neglected dogs that are all skin and bone? Well that's how she looks right now, you can't see her ribs or anything but she's far too skinny, it's really upsetting to see. May have to bite the bullet and treat her to the royal canin for a little while longer to try and bulk her up a bit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devildust76 Posted August 16, 2013 Report Share Posted August 16, 2013 Poor girl It's awful when you notice they lost weight. Kodiak had an upset tummy and lost 4kg in 2 days and looked liked we'd starved him! And the vets gave us the Royal Canin and it bulked him back up. He doesn't like the Wainrights trays either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karanvirsaini Posted August 16, 2013 Report Share Posted August 16, 2013 poor bear Casper had some mucus in his bowels once but the vet gave me medicines to give him and he was perfect after 3 days. I hope she gets better soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsruleok Posted August 17, 2013 Report Share Posted August 17, 2013 get well soon Bear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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