Dog Community

4 month old German Shepherd vomiting and will not eat

Posted : 4/17/2006 1:58:21 PM

Hi, I just joined this forum looking for help to treat my puppy. I have a 4 month old German Shepherd named man, who seems to have gotten sick, Friday. He was fine, and showed no signs of illness until friday at about noon. I keep him in the house, and while I was on the computer, he began vomiting. He vomited every 10 minutes or so, what looked like a white foamy mucus.

Immediately I thought it was parvo. I gave him his first parvo shots as a puppy but because of financial problems I was unable to finish them. He continued vomiting mucus the entire day as well as part of the next. The next morning when I checked on him (I had to put him in the yard because of the continuous vomiting) I found that he had diarrea which ran like water.

I called the vet, and went over there and described what was going on, and he gave me a few injections and an iv bag for parvo. I went without the dog, because again I just can't afford the doctor visit.

My dog was very very lethargic and I started him on the iv and gave him his shots and forcefed him a 32oz bottle of gatorade a day. By the afternoon he was like a new dog, playing and running around (still not eating). The next morning however, he was again lethargic. I listened to his stomach and could hear a rumbing and gasous sound. Since then it has stopped though.

Still continuing what the vet gave me, a little later he seemed to have a little more energy. His vomiting stopped by the second afternoon for the most part, but when I feed him (he doesnt' want to eat, but with a LOT of work I can get him to eat a little chicken) he vomits it bakc up (it looks almost whole).

Well since he quit vomiting I let him sleep in my room last night after I finished giving him his gatorade (he hates me for this). He slept the whole night in my bed, but this morning when I woke up he acted as though he needed to throw up and we both ran to the door. However, he didnt' make it and vomited on the floor right next to the door. The vomit this time looked brown. Still though he has some energy and he wants to play with the other dogs (well the chiuaua at least, becuase its so tiny).

I dont' konw what can be wrong. It's monday and my dog still won't eat. He's not very dehydrated, but this is because i keep him pumped with fluids. His is however losing weight due to not eating. I spent a lot of money on this dog before I ran into financial problems and I would really not like to lose him, but I really can't afford bringing him to the vet.

Any suggestions of what this sounds liek? I do not think it is parvo. After teh second day I thought maybe he ate something that one of our other dogs drug into our yard, but I'm not sure. Maybe he was poisoned, but i doubt that since I just moved back home from school.

Please, any help would be greatly appreciated.

Brian Slusser

Posted : 4/17/2006 2:01:14 PM

Also, my dog is not salivating excessively and he is not passing blood.

agilebcs

Posted : 4/17/2006 2:19:05 PM

The vet just gave you injections and IV fluids without actually seeing the dog? That doesn't sound right to me. You need to find some way to get this dog looked at by a vet. Do you have parents who can help you? Any family?

Brian Slusser

Posted : 4/17/2006 2:33:38 PM

We live in a small town, so it isn't abnormal for the vet to just sell us the IV bags. He's did it once before a few years back when a boston terrier my mom had had parvo. She recovered.

Anyway, there really isn't anyway I can bring him to the vet. My parents are in financial trouble right now as well as I. I just had to move back to my parents house from school a few hours away because I got evicted from my apt. because I couldn't pay rent. I'm taking 30 hours in school this semester trying to graduate (may 5) so I really dont' have time to get a job either. I wish this could have happened a little later.

Anyway, I should add that I haven't noticed my dog feces after the last liquid one a couple of days ago. I can't say for sure if he is or not, but I don't think he is. I think this is due to him not eating though.

agilebcs

Posted : 4/17/2006 2:51:44 PM

Can you call the vet and tell him that this puppy is sick and not eating and ask if he'll treat the puppy in exchange for you doing work for him or set up a payment plan with you?

I'd be keeping very close watch on him if I were you. You should KNOW whether or not he's pooped or not. Is he drinking water on his own? Can you get him to eat some boiled hamburger or rice?

I know you're worried about your puppy but I have to ask: If you couldn't pay rent and are still in school, why on earth did you get this puppy? It's not fair to the puppy to be in a home with someone that can't afford to care for him.

Brian Slusser

Posted : 4/17/2006 2:57:07 PM

I doubt the vet would go that far, but I could ask him.

I do keep a close watch on him. He stays inside the house sleeping on my bed for the whole day pretty much. I do lose touch with him a little, so I'm not sure if he has passed feces. I'm pretty confident he hasn't, but I can't be completely sure.

He drinks water on his own, but only a little. I offer him rice but he just smells it and walks away.

I realize it seems bad, but it's really due all to circumstances I couldn't prevent. I got the dog in january when I had money. I recently lost a good amount of money (I was robbed) and it set me way back. Since it was cash, and I lost it while living in a house with a friend (I wasn't on the lease or anything -- his dad owned the house and he just rented it to me) there really isnt' anything I can do to get the money back.

As for as my family, everything just got bad all of the sudden. It wasn't like this, nor did I plan it to be like this, its just that so many bad things happened at once.

agilebcs

Posted : 4/17/2006 3:08:59 PM

Definitely try calling the vet. It may be hard to ask for help but you've got to do it. Since you have a relationship with him hopefully he'll go out on a limb for you. Offer to scrub kennels or something if you have to.

I'm at a loss as to what's going on with this puppy. I'm going to post a link to this thread in a forum that gets more traffic. Hopefully someone has some good suggestions for you.

tiffy

Posted : 4/17/2006 3:19:28 PM

IMHO, I would do anything I could to get this pup vet checked. Anything. Maybe you can get a credit card or find a vet that will take payments. This pup relies on you to take care of him, if this were a baby you could find away , I don't want to seem rude.

forpaws

Posted : 4/17/2006 3:45:39 PM

Have you tried chicken broth and rice with it slightly warmed up. Just enough to get the smell going?

Are you able to take this pup's temp? To see if he is running a temp at all. Normal pup temp should be 102.0.

I would also speak to the vet since you do have a good relationship with him behind closed doors and let him know what's up. I had to do that once and worked for my vet scrubbing down kennels and what ever other yucko job none of the vet techs wanted to do.
Let us know what happens.

Brian Slusser

Posted : 4/17/2006 3:48:12 PM

I'm calling the vet now. I'm trying.

If this was my kid, I would do things that could get me put in jail. I don't want to sound insensitive or anything but I can't risk that for a dog.

I am calling the vet now, though, just to try to explain my situation and everything.

bluelighting

Posted : 4/17/2006 4:17:33 PM

I hope you get this little guy to a vet right away it doesn't sound like he will get better without vet care. I hope you can work something out with your vet and he does get the medical treatment that he desperately needs.

Even if it's just a dog he still needs the medical attention that a child deserves if he is this sick. I rather try everything humanly possible then to let my dog die when I know he had a much better chance if I had taken him to the vet.

Pam

Posted : 4/17/2006 4:44:14 PM

Go to [linkhttp://www.care2.com]www.care2.com[/link] and join the group "Ask the vet techs". Ask you question. They are very smart about problems.

I usually give white rice and boiled hamberger or boiled chicked to get them to eat when sick.

I wonder if he has an obstruction, of course you would need an x-ray.

OYX-drops have been known to kill viruses. [linkhttp://www.nzymes.com]www.nzymes.com[/link]

Apple cider vinegar is a gold old fashioned cure-all if you can get him to eat in in his food or water - 1 tablespoon.

willowchow

Posted : 4/17/2006 5:03:13 PM

He needs to see the vet and it sounds like he probably needs to be hospitalized. You are going to have to work out some sort of payment plan with them. Please ask them, I'm sure they aren't going to let the dog go without treatment, especially is you are an established client.

smilee1079

Posted : 4/17/2006 5:21:58 PM

What did the vet say?

dyan

Posted : 4/17/2006 5:22:36 PM

I think its a great idea to go talk to the vet in person and its an even greater idea to offer to do what ever you can for that vet in trade to take care of your puppy. He needs help and it sounds like he needs help soon. I don't think you have a choice. It might not even take that much to get him better, but you need to find that out from the vet.
I know you are trying your hardest to take care of him. I hope and pray that you can.