Dog Community

Canine "tremors" after eating

Posted : 10/6/2010 6:52:36 PM

Help! I'm going crazy trying to help my pup and don't know where to begin:

About 6 months ago I took Fidget (13 yo black mouth cur about 15# overweight) to the vet b/c she was drinking water like crazy..several gallons a day. Bloodwork revealed she was borderline Cushings. He suggested upgrading her food - which I did - to Eukanuba, and seriously decrease treats, which I also did, and then come back to see if that helped and/or the multi-level, and very expensive bloodwork test was in order. After several months she did lose weight, but water consumption continued.

During the past 2 months, a new symptom: as soon as she ate her dinner (this is aside from kibble which she free feeds lightly) 1 cup chicken rice soup, she began trembling. This would pass after about 10-15 minutes. Each/every time I fed her...tried decreasing to 1/2 cup to see if that changed anything...no, still trembled. Then, Monday morning I gave her her soup and a portion of a chicken tender. This time she began trembling violently. We went to vet, he took bloodwork and her results came back, not only normal, but w/an improvement over the initial bloodwork! I'd asked him if this was an indicator of diabetes, and he replied no, that response would only be to insulin. She was still trembling at his office - 6 hrs later and he said that maybe it could be from pain (I've also been giving her Cosequin for arthritis), and to try giving her aspirin. When I reiterated that it begins with food consumption, he then said, I did see some tartar, she might have a cavity. (Although I love and respect our vet of 15 yrs, I think this is completely wrong) When we got home, she walked as though she was in pain, urinated, and then came into the house into bed. She looked miserable/completely out of it, like you or I would w/a really bad cold or flu. She stayed in bed for 16 hrs - no food, no water, no urination. When she got up and out of bed from this stupor, it was as though nothing had happened! In fact, for the first time in months, her water consumption is normal. In a way, it seems like maybe the Monday crisis, was "re-booting" her system. But she is still trembling. I gave her an aspirin - no response.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read all this. Does anyone have any ideas on what's up with my Fidget?

jessies_mom

Posted : 10/6/2010 7:16:07 PM

Welcome to the forum. You may want to re-post this in the Health section. There are many members who have seizure dogs ( and that's what this could be), and they would have good advice for you. I don't know much about seizures, but there are many triggers, and it may be possible that eating is one of them. You may want to consider seeing another vet and getting a second opinion. If there's a vet teaching hospital in your area, that would be an excellent place to take her. How fast is she losing weight? If she's losing it too fast, like more than a pound every two weeks, that could affect her health. I hope you find the answer very soon; sending healing vibes.

Edited to add; I found this; dog shaking/trembling after eating?? - Dog Community, Dog Pictures, Dog Forum & Information – Dog.community

Scroll down to Kris L Christine's post. Plain chicken soup is not a balanced diet for dogs, and if you're not balancing the phosphorus in the chicken meat by adding the correct amount of calcium, the information in the link may apply. Hope it helps.

tindersawtelle

Posted : 10/6/2010 7:32:41 PM

Janice,

Thank you so much for your reply and advice which I'll definitely follow and re-post. No, she hasn't lost that much weight in that quick a time - 6# in 3 months AFTER I eliminated all the junk (chicken fingers, steak, hamburger..leftovers from the restaurant where I work...I know...I know...but she loves eating so much that at 13, I felt she deserved it!) thanks too for healing vibes - she just awoke when I received your msg! thanks again! gillian

tindersawtelle

Posted : 10/6/2010 7:36:16 PM

She also eats Eukanuba, and I make her chicken rice soup as a supplement. She also gets canine vitamins and Cosequin daily

calliecritturs

Posted : 10/6/2010 7:40:18 PM

Absolutely EVERYTHING that Janice has said --

However -- your vet should have examined her teeth -- and should be able to see if there is an "iffy" tooth. That can cause real pain (has she had her teeth cleaned?)

Eukaneuba isn't a wonderful food -- and honestly? With a dog in this condition, for many reasons, I would *not* free feed.

If you will email me (not a PM - I need to send you a document) I can send you some info on arthritis that will be easy for you to do.

I'm racing back out of the house but will post a bit more for you later. Anyone willing to give a gal like this a home has ALL my support!!! We'll help you!!

jennie_c_d

Posted : 10/6/2010 8:22:36 PM

My Italian Greyhound (who is 9 now) suddenly became very shivery, and started getting frequent upset stomachs, about 4 months ago. I took her to the same vet FOUR TIMES for this issue, and he couldn't find anything wrong. She started getting bloody noses (turns out, she was rubbing her face, when I wasn't in the room) and I got REALLY upset when he dismissed my concerns, so I went straight to another vet's office. He sedated her, and took dental x rays. Jewel had TWO abcesses, and one tooth with exposed dentin. Two weeks of antibiotics and a dental later, and she feels incredible.

Dental pain is VERY real, and it isn't always evident just lifting a lip and peeking. X rays are a very powerful tool for finding out what is wrong with a pet, who cannot tell you where it hurts.

calliecritturs

Posted : 10/6/2010 11:55:58 PM

What she says is VERY true -- dental pain can 'hide' in a big way.

Something here says "pain" to me -- either teeth, or neck/cervical pain b/c of the position she's in while she eats or someting. I emailed you -- it's so frustrating when the vet seems not to 'see' what you can.

Dawnben

Posted : 10/8/2010 1:43:57 PM

Sounds like she maybe getting too much salt in the diet. All of the things you mentioned are loaded with salt, that is why all the water. I would go more healthy with the food. You said you traded up with the Eukanuba, that is not a healthy food very little nutrition in it. I would stop all restaurant food and get a dog food with real meat in it. You would be looking for Wellness , Origen , Innova, Evo. Something with real meat and no preservatives or colorings in it is essential if you think this maybe seizure related.

spiritdogs

Posted : 10/8/2010 1:58:54 PM

Consider the possibility that she may be allergic to chicken! This is a common protein allergen. Personally, I would try a different food with a single source protein, something like duck and potato, or lamb and rice. Also, Eukanuba is not on my top ten list of dog foods, or my top twenty. You can find something better, which is not loaded with salt, flavorings, chemicals and sugar. Dawnben has given you some good suggestions, and I like Orijen the best of those. (Innova and Evo are now part of Proctor and Gamble's empire, the same lovely folks who make Eukanuba and Iams - meh)

I also think that this could be dental pain unless your vet already ruled that out. As to the blood tests, allergies will not show on normal CBC.