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Poor dog (a little CC)


Chris in VA
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We were all out last night; dd had a concert and ds and dh went to Lenten supper.

Ds got home first. He went upstairs to change from work clothes and came down to find our Golden on the floor, covered in vomit and poop. DG (Dear Golden) couldn't get up and walk.

 

We all made it home and heard about DG, and then ds and dh took him to the emergency vet.

We were thinking his leg was hurt, or he'd had a stroke--

 

Turned out it's a bad ear infection, and his balance is shot.

 

Using a sling to get him outside to pee in the new snow, I guess.

 

Antibiotics and a ~$650 bill. Prayers were answered, though--it could've been worse, and he's not in major pain, just no balance and will prob have more nausea after the shot wears off.

 

Further prayers appreciated.

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Problem is, dh is not up yet, and I can't get Riley out to use the potty.

 

Poor guy.  He probably feels awful and scared on top of it.  Vertigo/dizziness can be so distressing for humans, and we understand what's going on.

 

I suspect he hasn't been eating or drinking much of anything, so getting him out to potty can probably wait for your DH to get up.  I hope Riley improves very quickly!

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Scared and sad venting:

 

I don't know if we can do this.

I am really wishing we had the 1K for an overnight hospital stay for our dear dog.

I finally got the antibiotic into him--he's supposed to have taken 3 doses by now and I was only able to give him one complete dose and one partial.

 

I changed his bedding--he peed on the bedspread we'd folded under him, which is good, because he does need to pee. I used a squirt bottle with a little shampoo and the rest water to clean his belly area and legs. The vet said he could get a urine burn by sitting in the pee, and of course, I want him to be clean and comfortable. But I couldn't get it completely dry, and his long hair is all tangled.

 

He still can't get up, and we only tried the sling (a beach towel held by my husband and me) once--Riley fell on the porch and got a bunch of leaves all over. I cleaned him up--but it isn't working.

 

This is so sad.

 

BTW it's vestibular syndrome, and they aren't even sure the antibiotics will work because it can be caused by things other than an ear infection.

 

He had one piece of turkey lunchmeat today and about 1 large bowl (maybe 4 cups) of water.

 

 

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Poor doggy!  Poor you too!  I hope the medication clears the ear infection and that is all it is.  I took my DG (I have a golden too) in for her checkup last year and found out she had a massive ear infection.  I had no clue.  She never acted sick or anything.  I felt like a bad mama.

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So sorry to hear what you're going through. Our golden had knee surgery in January and we had to use a sling for weeks. One thing to keep in mind - dogs need probiotics just like humans to help them not get adverse effects (diarrhea) from antibiotics.  To help with keeping him clean, shave or at least trim the hair close to the skin wherever long hair gets in the way. One of the best things the vet did for our poor dog was to shave her bottom. Make sure he gets enough water. Food is a lesser concern but when he is ready to eat, try Science Diet i/d canned food mixed with a little warm water. It helps reintroduce food to an upset system.

 

Put a plastic sheet (or ex-large garbage bag) under his bedding so the bedding can be easily washed. For those first post-surgery days we used a large dog bed covered with garbage bag and then a sheet and finally a blanket. The sheet and blanket could be washed and changed out quickly.

 

Prayers for a quick recovery for your sweet dog.  This is the sling we used:

 

http://www.gingerlead.com/

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Can you take him to your regular vet?  A stay there, even a "hospital" stay, shouldn't cost anywhere near $1K a night.  I know vet costs vary a lot, but the last time one of my pets was hospitalized at our vet it was around $25 a night for the basic stay.  Any meds were extra, of course.

 

Unfortunately, from what I know about vestibular syndrome, it can take a couple of weeks to improve.

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Thanks, everyone. I will check with my vet to see if a stay would be good. I should call them, anyway, to keep them in the loop. Because it was an initial emergency visit at night, I had to go to the referral hospital with him.

 

I know the vet boards, but IDK if they will help Riley go outside with a sling. Worth checking!

 

PS--I was able to medicate him fully last night. :hurray:

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How much does he weigh?  When Libby was first hit by a car I had to pick her up, take her outside, and use a towel as a sling to have her go.  I ended up cutting leg holes for her in an old towel.  She was 45 pounds though and while it was difficult to me to pick her up and go down stairs (we are in a split level), it was doable.  

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