Sick Dog

[newby]

So I took the dogs out for a little run the other day (about 4 miles) and ran a little drag. The dogs did a really good job...it was a nice cool morning, less than 60 degrees. Loaded them up and came home. Fed them that night and everything was a o k. The next morning I went out in the backyard and was greeted by two of them, but the third didn't come out. I called her a couple times and she finally came, but was moving really stiff and slow. So I watched her for a few minutes and called her to me...she tried to run to me but let out a squeal and then limped over. She's about seven, but she's in really good shape. So I checked her feet, no blown pads, no cuts or tears. She's real lethargic and it looks like her hips are bothering her. Never seen this from her before. She kind of stumbles to the side when turning corners. Her eyes are really glazed looking and goopy. Any ideas what could be wrong? She's eating fine and drinking plenty of water...I'm really confused.

[not color blind]

Just a guess that it could be one of the various tick diseases (I just had one with similar symptoms). If you have access to any doxycycline give her some right away, if thats what it is she should be acting better within 24 hours.

If $ isn't an issue take her to the vet to find out for sure.

Good luck

[pegleg]

yeah any unexplained staggers or loss of control can be one of many serious issues and would be good idea to get a vets opinion

[TomJr]

Second that, get the dog to a vet. I had one of mine come down with the same symtoms. Goopy discharge around the eyes and back legs weak and he was staggering like a drunk. Vet did a bood workup and found a liver infection gave me stronger antibotics and it cleared up in a few days. Vet had no explanation for why his back legs were affected but he was running as strong as ever a week later.

[newby]

Well, I took her to the vet and had her do blood work and send it out...the results were vague at best. The vet kept spoutin' off about blood platelets being low, etc..., I kept having to ask her to explain herself (needless to say, i'll be finding a new vet). Her best guess was that it was some kind of tick paralysis, but I haven't seen a single tick all year long and my dogs have been in the woods a lot.

The one suspicious thing I found was a sore between her toes oozing puss like I've never seen. The doc put her on two antibiotics and prednizone and today she seems like new.

Tom Jr., that sounds like an exact description of how my dog was acting...weird to say the least. I'm just glad it wasn't something contagious. I'll mention the liver infection thing to my vet and see what she says...she'll probably look at me like I'm a stupid hick again. I've never had a more condescending vet in my life!

[Melanie Hampton]

Could she have inhaled something? Out here dogs get foxtails (doesn't have to be inhaled either) They "move" and will make a dog VERY sick.. It has killed quite a few. I almost lost my dog when he was young.. His turned internal and abcessed.. It was bad bad for a long time.. It finally worked it's way out of his system.. Most don't..

He acted much the same when he first got sick..

Just a thought..

[pegleg]

the real issue is how many different ailments can cause these symptoms. and while some are relatively harmless and resolve on their own others are very lethal and quick. the only reasonable way to deal with it is through a process of elimination that most hound owners are not equipped to perform. I can think of dozens of cases where those same symptoms were present and not many had the same cause the most common is nerve injury or swelling. I hope you get to the bottom of it quickly and with the least amount of lost money. finding a good and reasonable vet is getting more and more difficult as the "pet Dr. and animal hospital" mentality grows so does the cost.

[TomJr]

I agree on finding a good vet. My favorite vet just retired... Good old country vet who was willing to listen and knew his stuff and was practical in his treatments. His practice is still there but was sold to one of his assistants so hopfully things will not change too much.

Mine had a sore on his foot too and the foot itself had swollen up all puffy, was from a catus pad that he had stuck to his foot. So I was not sure it was related but could have been. That dog seems to step on thorns ect alot...

Good to hear she is better.

[newby]

Yeah, it's not the first time i've found a sore like that between her toes and she blows pads all the time...just all around crappy feet. She's just never gotten sick like this before from it. I told the vet about it and showed her and she basically acted like there was no connection between her being sick and the obvious infection the foot was causing. Seems like a logical place to start to me, but then again, I'm just a hound hunting hick...what do I know?