Ari's Vomiting =(

    • Gold Top Dog

    Ari's Vomiting =(

     Ugh, it's been so long since we've had to deal with her vomiting. This is really odd though, because 9.9 out of 10 times we can figure out the source. She's refusing food and not drinking much to boot, which has got me worried. Yesterday, she was lethargic. I did get her to eat 1/2 a can of Science Diet I/D and a handful of kibble (mind you she would normally have a can and a half per serving of ID or a full cup of her regular kibble twice per day). I got her to drink by putting some water down her throat with a turkey baster, which then encouraged her to drink a bit on her own. She even refused ice cubes, which is NOT like her! Her gums look ok, maybe the tiniest bit paler in color than normal. Her nose is very cold and wet. Her eyes look clear (if sad poor thing). I don't have a thermometer unfortunately, or I would take her temperature.

    Last night, she did perk up some and did 1 very big, but dark colored bowel movement - it was solid. She did play a bit last night, and the lethargy I contributed to being sick to the stomach and it was 95 degrees out (she does not like the heat and won't move around much all day).

    This morning she was perky/playful, but a couple hours later she vomited up pure, yellow bile. She also had a very soft/large almost diarrhea like stool.  She looks kinda mopey. Am I right in recalling that yellow bile is usually a symptom of hunger/empty stomach?

    She hasn't eaten anything unusual/bad as far as I can tell. I'm home all day and she stays in the same room as me; outside she is leashed and watched like a hawk. She was vaccinated Friday night, but these symptoms didn't appear until Sunday morning so I'm not sure if the vaccinations are related to this or not (Friday she was fine all day, normal eating/drinking/stools/energy). Saturday morning she did have a large dark colored stool. She is passing stools, so I'm not thinking an obstruction here. We had a scare with that before, and her symptoms were much more severe than they are now. She only vomited 3 times Sunday and just once today.

    Ugh, I need to see if the SO can come with to the vet if need be. I'm just about flat broke and doubt I can afford the emergency appointment charge plus whatever tests she needs. Poor girl. I wish she would try to eat a little or drink a little more. I'm getting concerned with dehydration. At least today it's much cooler inside the house.

    Good thoughts for Ari please. I was hoping today that the vomiting issue would resolve itself, like it has in the past after giving her some bland I/D food.

    • Gold Top Dog

    I hope Ari feels better soon !!

     

    Deb W.

    • Gold Top Dog

     Me too. I hate that they can't TELL us in words what's going on. I also told her she needs to time her illnesses better with my paycheck, or to get a job. I also asked her if this was just a ploy to get me to take her to the vets again (seriously, the vets is one of her most favorite places in the world).

    Seriously though, I will take her to the vet if this persists. I'm more worried about dehydration right now than anything else. I wish there was something at home I could give her to settle her stomach.

    Another plus to working from home, I can actually be here to monitor instead of in an office worrying about her all day!

    • Gold Top Dog

    I hope she's better soon.  I would fast her today and just encourage her to drink water.  If you have some chicken broth you could try adding a little of that to her water.   If she continues to throw up and have stools that are much darker than normal for her: hit the SO up for the moola for the Vet.  Sending good vibes for the wild child.

    • Gold Top Dog

    Oh, I hear ya, Sharon.  I don't even want to think about how much I spent over the last 3-4 months on Jamison and his allergies, shots, anal glad expressions, etc.  At least my Vet never charges for an emergency visit  . . . she just always says:  Sure - bring him right in.

     

    Deb W.

    • Gold Top Dog

     I might actually have some low sodium chicken broth somewhere in this house. I will try that, thanks!!!

    • Gold Top Dog

     It actually sounds like she may have pancreatitis; the soft bowel movement you described is one of the symptoms, as well as the reluctance to eat and vomiting.  I'll be sending healing thoughts.

    • Gold Top Dog

    jessies_mom
     It actually sounds like she may have pancreatitis;

    That was one of my first thoughts.  The lethargy alone would concern me enough to have them run a blood panel on her.

    If she's home maybe you could try some slippery elm (or sucralfate) on her if you got some...just in case it may be GI related.  Can't hurt any for the time being.

    Sending Ari some healing vibes...get better soon.

    • Gold Top Dog

     I've actually suspected pancreatitis with her, and it's entirely my fault that I haven't had any bloodwork done on her for it. She cannot tolerate fatty foods for instance. We figured out that any marrow (we used to give her marrow bones as recreational chews), will send her into a vomiting/diarrhea fit. Then there was the time she snarfed up a huge piece of chicken fat/skin (plus fatty droppings) that I dropped on the floor which also didn't react well with her.

    She perked up a short walk outside today. This is her normal time to snooze, so it's a bit hard today to tell what is lethargy and what is just her normal napping routine. What ISN'T normal though is the expression on her face; she looks a bit down/depressed/pathetic - it's that look she gets when she's not feeling well. She greeted my SO yesterday with a full butt wag, happy expression etc - so I'm hoping for the same again. She "knows" when I stop working and generally perks up, if she doesn't, then I'm really going to worry.

    • Gold Top Dog

    Another thing to consider would be a tick disease.  I'm not sure what TBD's are in your area but some of the symptoms match.

    With regards to pancreatitis...when Tessy got it she had almost all the same symptoms and I let it go for a day or so to see if she got better BUT she got worse!!!  Because I waited that extra day it cost me over double to treat!!! 

    • Gold Top Dog

    You said she was vaccinated about 48 hours before this started - she may be having a reaction to the vaccines, especially if she got more than one on the same day.  Reactions aren't always observable at the vaccination site.  Dogs can exhibit fever, vomiting, shaking, facial swelling, hives, reluctance to eat (nausea), etc.  Please call your vet and explain that your dog is having these symptoms.   If the vet thinks this is related to the vaccines that were used, it's likely that he/she will be able to eliminate a vaccine that is problematic, or do the vaccines at different appointments, so as not to overwhelm the dog's system. I never give my dogs their rabies vaccine on the same day with others. 

    http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=527

    • Gold Top Dog

    Yep -- what Anne said --

    1.  She had vax on Friday -- it could simply be a reaction BUT it could also be simply a result of the immune-compromise OR auto-immune related (because vax do such a big number on the immune system anyway).  In other words, the strain on the immune system could then make her more susceptible to ANYTHING else.

    2.  I was also thinking pancreatitis -- now just a little in-house blood panel IS NOT enough to determine pancreatitis, so make them do a full "chem panel" (it's money ahead to be honest rather than having to do FURTHER bloodwork in a few days).  It's the relationship of amylase to lipase that tells the story on pancreatitis. 

    3.  Make sure you get a copy of exactly WHAT vax they gave her Friday.  Stuff like lepto can cause a huge reaction days later. 

    4.  The lethargy is the scarey one -- it's SO hard b/c when it's hot out we think "oh it's just so hot" -- but that can allow whatever is REALLY wrong to get a huge foothold. 

     IF it is pancreatitis she has to be on antibiotics -- good stiff ones and on them for a while.  Please don't delay this -- if it IS pancreatitis they can get SO deathly ill so fast ... and frankly it can be terminal.  It can be particularly scarey with a dog that was "up til now" pretty healthy.  I hate to tell you to spend money, but honestly most ANY of the things this "could be" get way way worse too quick.

    • Gold Top Dog
    After going through some scary stuff with Apollo recently, I can relate. I hope Ari feels better soon!
    • Gold Top Dog

     She didn't get rabies, she had that done about a month ago but I do have the paperwork on the vaccines she was given and I know our vet will be calling up her records when I'm on the phone with them as well. I'm calling the vet now. She took just a couple of sips of the chicken broth spiked water, but she's not energetic and it's been cool and breezy here all day. THAT is not normal. Yesterday it was hard to judge because she literally won't move much all day in high temps or humidity - she despises it.

    The SO should be home soon. I hate not having money. This has been a bad month, now my poor little bugger is not feeling well. She is shooting me the most pathetic looks. It's breaking my heart.

     

     

    • Gold Top Dog

    Sad Ugh, our regular vet cannot see them tonight (no doc) nor at their sister office (by the time I got there if I left right now, the doc would be gone on a house call). The emergency vet clinic opens up at 5pm. Guess I know how I'm spending my night! Poor girl. She is totally not herself right now.

    She was vaccinated for Lepto and Bordetella (spelling?) Friday evening. I'm sure the vet visit will perk her up some. She loves visiting the vet offices Stick out tongue

    Sad thing, the vet started giving me directions to the emergency vet clinic, and I said - don't worry we've been there a few times already and then the woman on the phone truly realized who I was and gave a sympathetic sigh and said well at least she hasn't had to be at the vets AS often as when she was a pup!

    I hope the e-vet can figure out what's going on with her tonight.