Dog health help

[Ashley]

First let me say she does have an appointment with the vet tomorrow morning. Just thought I would run it by you guys here.

We were go last weekend so our dogs were being cared for by others. The older dog (11-12) was cared for by a friends parents. They brought her back to our friends house Monday night and we picked her up Tuesday. Tuesday our friends noticed she had diarrhea. She has had it since. Much like water, shoots right out when she goes. She still wants to eat and will eat but vet asked us to pull her off food until after tomorrow. She is drinking more water than normal, but the skin pinch doesn't so dehydration. She was given a bath tonight in warm water in order to clean up the poop from her having an accident while I was at work. Since she has been shivering and feels somewhat cold to the touch.

She seems weak in the back end but its hard to tell as she has bad hips and has always been weak in the backend. Any ideas?

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

I hate to say it sounds an awful lot like some form of poisoning. Many years ago I lost a Great Dane to antifreeze poisoning and her symptoms were somewhat similar. The difference being she lost her appetite and her inclination to drink. If she were my dog the shivering would worry me since it may be a sign of shock. I would be concerned about waiting until tomorrow to have her seen if she continues to add to the symptoms. You would be the best judge of whether she seems to be getting worse tho since you know the dog and can see how different she is than normal. I'll be hoping it is something that will pass quickly and you girl will be fine.

 

[chandab]

Its been a number of years, so I don't recall the all the symptoms (only that she had diarrhea), but my dog got sick from a bacteria that can be in water puddles and other stagnant water sources, I want to say it was Giardia (but may have been any of several bacteria) and that a course of antibiotics cleared it up (she was a young dog, so recovery was quick and uneventful)

 

[Debby - LB]

just want to say I hope your sweet girl will be OK!! please update us.

 

[shorthorsemom]

They may have fed her table food she wasn't used to. You can give a dog kaopectate for diarrhea but for me I would call back vet and tell them she needs to get in asap. Older dogs go down hill fast with diarrahea. She needs fluids. Her butt is probably very sore and she might have some cramping. Ask person if she ate any tablefood. If so ask what it is. Many folks don't know about the poisonous nature of some human food like grapes and raisins and onions and even onion powder in meat loaf or a piece of sugarless gum can make a dog very sick. Best wishes and hoping you can find some help quick.

PS,.. added... The skin pinch is a good indicator but not always the case in all dogs. Vet can do a quick in office blood test to determine dehydration. I think no matter what is causing or outcome you dog needs fluids. Electrolite imbalance can make a dog very weak.

Dogs wont die from no food for a day. Gulping lots of water is dogs way of trying to rehydrate but just like in humans this can throw off all the rest of the body if intake of water is greater than dog needs. Electrolite imbalance can get worse with greater intake of water. She also could have had diabetes lingering in the background and the change of food and routine set her in a tail spin, especially if dog was reluctant to eat at first.

I have seen this before where dog doesn't eat at first and caregiver worries and starts adding things to the dogs food to encourage eating and this sets off the diarrhea. Older dogs and smaller dogs have hardest time with a bout of diarrhea. You can give ice cubes to slow down the gulping of water.

 

[Ashley]

She didn't have a change in food persay. They probably gave her table food. I do give her occasional and in moderation table food, plus she tends to get what my daughter gives her when my back is turned. We sent her food with her as well. She wants to eat and would eat prior to the vet having us take it away. She does still go down and hang around where her food should be. She seems normal other then the poop, maybe a bit more sad but that could be due to being kenneled. The dog has not been in a kennel in years but since being sick we have kenneled her when we are not home so she doesn't mess on the carpet.

I worry its something more age related as she has "changed" in the last few months. Some different behaviors and harder to keep weight on even though her eating hasn't changed.

 

[Mona]

What did the vet have to say?

 

[Ashley]

Irritated bowels. Special food and pills. She's still thin at only 18 pounds and the want her fixed

 

[wade3504]

I would be afraid to put an older dog through surgery unless it was absolutely necessary.

 

[Ashley]

That's what I said. No reason in my opinion to do it now

 

[Carolyn R]

I agree with holding off or forgoing any surgery. My mini Aussie with the severe food allergies is doing better but is still thin,vets all agree that while she is doing great compared to the dog she was when I brought her in a year ago, at this time she is still not a candidate for being fixed. Given where we live,the very limited amount of time she is outdoors and when she is outside it is while under supervision in a kennel, there is no pressing urgency to have the operation and her health is first and foremost. I am all for the spaying and neutering of animals in my care, but sometimes there are exceptions.

 

[Boss Mare]

Canned pumpkin (without sweeteners) is great to help firm up their stool.. And probiotic powder.

Spaying at that age is kind of situation by situation. I have had many clients with aged pets decide to get their pet fixed at that age, some left unaltered and some that age that had complications and needed fixed -- uterine prolapse, cancer, etc.

Pepper is older, 10-13? (Spayed) Almost two years she had a fairly large hernia, it was optional though recommended to get it fixed. We did. She recovered perfectly and faster than the puppy we had spayed the same day. Use your judgement.

 

[Mona]

Which dog is this Ashley? You Boxer? Boston??

 

[Ashley]

I don't have my boxer anymore

This is a boston.

 

[Mona]

How is she doing? Hoping she is showing improvement.

 

[Ashley]

She seems normal. We did miss a dose of her medicine and the diarrhea came right back. Will see what happens after the 5 days are up.

 

[shorthorsemom]

Did they put her on flagyl (metronitazole) cant spell that, sorry..? Just curious. Dogs can get blasting diarrahea from drinking from a puddle and that is the best meds.

I had a doberman once that occasionally got blasting diarrhea for seemingly no reason. It kept coming back. We ended up giving her a round of panacur for several days (powder in her food) even though she tested negative for worms. She never had the problem after that. Didn't make sense but just thought I would mention.

Me personally I dont know if I would spay a dog that was 11 or 12 years old already, at least not unless I had a full bloodwork done and the dog was well past the bout of diarrhea.

What I would avoid at all costs is to vaccinate your dog at this age except for every three years rabies as required by law. You might want to run a chem profile and see how her liver kidney values are running. There are lots of inexpensive meds out there to improve liver function for example or to improve the heart function. I feed the probios (same one I give the horses) to any dog of mine having diarrhea or are on antibiotics or anything. best wishes.

 

[Ashley]

She has been of meds since yesterday and is fine. I have no plans to fix her as there is little risk of pregnancy. She also only gets rabies shots. She doesn't really ever leave the home except the rare vacation.