Going to vet in Am

My thoughts are have him checked for diabetes too.  Just never know these days.  Take care,
 
Sue

Be sure to have them run the full thyroid panel and not just the T3 & T4.  It costs a little more but it's worth it to get a comprehensive reading.   You could ask your vet about doing a custom blood panel to rule out other problems.  We did that with Sassy a few months back and fortunately, it came back fine except her white blood count was high, but that was no surprise with the infections.  Other than that, I'm not sure.  You could run a pretty long list of things to check but based on your description, I wouldn't be surprised to find that it is a thyroid problem.   The good news is, if it is, it's easily treated.  Good luck tomorrow and I hope Casey starts feeling better.

thanks Sue & Cathy.. hopefully it will be nothing ... that would be the good news!!! I am pretty sure he has an ear infection. the pup had the ear mites and was treating all 3 for that just in case but I think Casey really has an ear infection. and there are a few lumps on his side that are worrying me especially the one on his stomach that seems a little hard and doesn't move... so we have a long list of stuff to talk about tomorrow.

this is a new vet too so I hope they take the time with him. Our normal vet is over an hr away and this one just opened up. Casey doesn't do well at the vets and I am hoping if I take treats with me and get the vet to give him some that it will help ease things... he's never like the vet and they have always just had to hold him firmly while they do tests and stuff... its never fun time.... plus I always take both dogs and its just stressful... so hopefully tomorrow will be a better experience...

hope ya'll have a great weekend!

Your idea of the treats is SUPER.  I always do that with a new vet and with a new dog.  In fact, I *always* take 3 bags of them (only as many as you really want the dog to eat so break them in half if need be or use something like Cheerios or even just part of his kibble) -- but give a bag to the reception staff when you go in -- let THEM make friends.  Then hand a bag to the tech you see first and lay a bag on the table for the vet.  Encourage them to make friends with your dog!  It's time well spent.
 
For the thyroid -- honestly I'd ask that they send it to Michigan State or to Dr. Dodds herself.  It's a completely different reading but likely to be SO Much more helpful.  It will cost you a bit more but truly it IS worth it. 
 
The difference is that most thyroid panels simply compare your dogs results to a static set of results they use on ALL dogs.  It assumes that a rottweiler and a cocker and a maltese all should read the 'same'.  And they don't.  Some dogs have higher metabolisms, some are just different by breed.  Dr. Dodds set up Michigan's lab and they follow her protocols religiously -- BIG difference.  She has levels set up specifically by breed.  So the results are far more specific.  Most vets will have NO problem sending it to Michigan State.  It's known as a top-notch lab for endrocrine stuff.  Will probably cost you about $100 to send the blood there.
 
but as Cathy said otherwise if you can't do that, make sure they pull a COMPLETE Thyroid panel.

I don't have any advise to offer but I do wish you lots of luck and I hope you find out what is ailing your baby.

Wishing your Casey luck.  My 11 1/2 year old golden was diagnosed with thyroid just about the time he turned 10.  Was caught during a pre dental blood workup.  he had NO symptoms at all.  His full brother, a different litter, had been diagnosed just about the time he turned 4 and he had every single symptom I have ever read about.  You just never know.

Well this weekend has been exciting to say the least...

I set up an apt with a new groomed that just opened up down the road from my house for Casey on Friday afternoon. What she failed to tell me when I made the apt is that the groomed was already gone for the day! The owner of the shop is the one that groomed Casey. She normally bathes the dogs is what she told me after the fact. Well I dropped him off at 4:30 and she said she would call me in about 2 hours when she was done... Well 7 came and went and no call. So I called and got no answer. Left a message just figured she was busy with Casey. Called again about 15 mins later. no answer. Finally went and got in the car and drove down there. There wasn't a light on in the place and the door was locked. I was freaking out by then. Called my mom and she told me to call the police and ask if they knew the woman's name and home number. Well I rode down the road and came back about 15 mins later and she was back...

Well I walked in the door and all I saw was blood on the table. She had cut Casey's nails soooo short on one foot that it was just bleeding like crazy. and a few nails on the other foot weren't doing great either. I was pissed anyway before I walked in the door and after I saw the blood I was just fuming. That poor dog. He was at the groomed for 4 hours I finally got him home and all his feet were still bleeding... I got him in the kitchen and we sat on the floor for 3 hours packing his nails with cornstarch and applying pressure to his pad. (she cut his pad when she was grooming him!) every time he walked he got one of them bleeding again... but it finally stopped... and we went to bed...

Saturday I took him to the vet... And they are awesome... The vet did a great checkup. Looked at his eyes, checked his ears, listened to his heart and everything. He looked at the lumps on his side and actually aspirated (sp??) them and told me they were lipomas and to just keep an eye on them to let him know if the get bigger.. Said his teeth looked great.

Casey weighed 70.8 lbs.. He should be about 55-60 from what the vet says. We didn't go the thyroid check yet. He wants me to cut his food again and give it a few months and see if any of the weight comes off. (he's eating NB venison and brown rice.. and was getting 2 cups a day.. vet wants me to cut in half!) He has lost 4lbs since April when he went in for shots .,..

He looked at his belly where he had a skin thingy going on... He thinks its from flea bites and he just aggravated it. Says it looks like a staph infection and put him on antibiotics and prednisone. He's already acting like he feels better. not scratching or anything. Is peeing and drinking a lot because of the steroids.

Vet says fleas are really bad here this year. even though all of my guys are on frontline plus Casey still had flea bites. I ended up putting this months on a week early and vet said that was fine. that it seems like the fleas are getting immune to the flea meds that are on the market this year...

sorry for such a long post I am still fuming about the grommer but the vet was awesome... and they have a great boarding faculty too... they just built this building and its wonderful and the staff was sooo nice to Casey and he pretty much behaved himself


have a great day

what a horrible grooming experience.
 
I hope you didnt pay her!
 
I believe you can report her and for the damage she caused your pup you definately should! If she wasnt experienced in grooming she should not have told you she would take the dog and she should not have left it alone!
 
Please report her, or at least make sure she gets a horrible reputation, no one should treat their clients like that

Casey weighed 70.8 lbs.. He should be about 55-60 from what the vet says. We didn't go the thyroid check yet. He wants me to cut his food again and give it a few months and see if any of the weight comes off. (he's eating NB venison and brown rice.. and was getting 2 cups a day.. vet wants me to cut in half!) He has lost 4lbs since April when he went in for shots .,..

First let me say, I'd be absolutely fuming about the groomer too.  Geesh, I'm not sure how I'd have handled it, but I don't think it would've been pretty.  I've never used a groomer, but last week I was in PetCo to pick up some things and the groomer was working on dremeling a JRTs nails and I could barely stand watching. Maybe the dog was just mad or stressed, but the yelps that were coming from it sounded like serious pain to me.  The dog would do fine for a few seconds and then yelp and start fighting.  I couldn't help but feel that maybe the dremel was heating up the nail after she held it there for too long.  Beats me, but it sure removed any thoughts of ever using them for my dogs.

As for the diet, I am absolutely not a vet, but cutting Casey's food in half seems drastic and one cup of food per day, seems quite low.   I'm sure your vet knows what he's doing, but you might consider adding soime canned (no salt) green beans to the meals.  It'll fill him up a little without adding many calories.

Glad to hear the lumps were nothing serious too, but sorry for such a rough start to the weekend.

Hi Cathy-
I wont be cutting him down to 1 cup a day i dont think thats enough.  I think one cup a day was the feeding recommendation for like a 20lb dog. .  Hes getting  1.5 cup a day and some steamed carrots or green beans.  both of which he loves.   Hes not eating weell anyway.   I offer him the 1.5 cups over 2 meals and really have to urge him to eat.   Thats one of the reasons we went to the vet to begin with.  I am going to give it another week or so and if it doesnt improve hes going back to vet and they will have to check him out a little more. Some days he only eats at one sitting and thats not like him.  And some days he only eats like 1/2 cup of food.    Now that hes on the predisone and antibiotics hes not really intrested in food at all.  Have been putting warm water and mixing in carrots or green beans...  He just lays by his bowl.  These last few months both boys have had their share of problems.  I probably need to take Coal in for his itchy skin.  May need to be on predisone too... grrr...lol...  I think i need another job just to support the local vet  []

I think i need another job just to support the local vet

Geesh, I do hear what you're saying!!  I just picked up 2 weeks worth of Atopica and it was $101.  Crazy thing is, I was actually relieved cause I thought it would be more.  I kid the vet techs all the time about making what would be a new car payment to them every month or that I'll be going on a verrryyy nice long trip on the bonus miles I'm earning on my credit card [].  I actually wouldn't mind the costs quite as much if it resolved the problems. 

Sassy hasn't ever been a picky eater, so I haven't experienced what you're dealing with.  Just a suggestion, but I use the canned NB Duck & Potato in conjunction with the kibble.  I started doing that because I needed something to hide pills in but it really works well.  I take a couple tablespoons of the canned, hide all the pills in it and then put it in the bowl and pour the kibble over it.  

I hope Casey's appetite picks up.  I know that must be worrisome on top of everything else.

  What an awful thing to happen to Casey; I can't imagine what I would have done in your situation; I'd be freaking out too when I saw the lights out and the door locked. Poor Casey; his feet must have been in a lot of pain. I'm glad you like the vet so much but if Casey hasn't been acting like himself for a few months I think they should have considered doing a blood test. I think you are right in deciding to take him back soon if doesn't improve. Keep us posted about Casey; I hope he gets back to being his old self very soon.

THANKS GUYS []
 
Casey seems to be feeling better.   Has to go outside for potty breaks a lot due to the predisone...  I felt really bad this morning  he never wakes me up to take him out he just goes and sits by the back door and waits on me... and this morning about 4 am i heard him whinning really loudly and as soon as i got up and let him out he stayed in the same spot for several minutes.  dot know how long he was sitting there but he really had to go!   Coal will sit beside the bed and whine and if that doesnt wake me up he does a soft bark that scares me to death... but not casey he just sits by the back door on the other side of the house!
 
Hes doing better though ... i put a 1/2 cup of green beans in their food last night and he ate all of it and this morning i added them again and he ate like in 5 mins and tried to eat the other dogs which he never does so guess the meds are making him really hungry too!   but i was glad to see him eat finally on his own... 
 
Hes not itching as much as before and his rash is clearing up already....hopefully the ears will get all better soon too...  
 
thanks for all of your advice... have a great day!