AngieW in Texas Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 (edited) Our golden retriver had her regular vet appointment on Wednesday and got bordetella, parvo, and lepto shots. Since then, she has not had much interest in food. I took her to the vet on Friday afternoon because she threw up several times on Friday morning and wouldn't eat anything that day. The vet said that it was probably a vaccine reaction and gave her a steroid shot and a benadryl shot. She also gave us a prescription for serenia (sp?) and we give that to her 1x/day. I am also supposed to give her 3 benadryl tablets 2x/day in the EN canned food that they gave me. She was doing very well yesterday and ate all her food. Today she doesn't want to touch her food and my 16yo said that Goldie woke her up 3x last night to go to the bathroom. She isn't acting off. Should I take her to the emergency vet today or wait until Monday morning to take her to the regular vet. She is 9yo. ETA: Update I ended up waiting until this morning (Monday) to take her to the vet. She was there all day. After x-rays, ultrasound, and bloodwork, we still don't know what's wrong. Her red and white blood cell counts were low, but everything else was normal. All I got into her on Sunday was one can of EN diet (she should have had 4 cans). This morning, I got her to eat 1/2 of a can by feeding it to her by the spoonful. This evening, she ate 1/2 can of EN diet and 1 cup of Royal Canin hypoallergenic kibble (prescription only). She isn't on any medication. They did more bloodwork that they sent off. We won't get those results until tomorrow. ETA: 2nd Update Talked to vet. She said that since Goldie is eating again and is not vomiting or having diarrhea, we should wait two weeks and then do bloodwork again to see if her blood counts are still low. In the new bloodwork they did that I was waiting for the results of, her platelets were low too, but just below the borderline for normal. Everything else (aside from red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets) was normal. If she starts having any issues, we need to take her in again. We also need to keep her away from other dogs for now because she is susceptible to infection. Edited June 20, 2012 by AngieW in Texas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dory Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 All that stuff plus the canned food is going to be doing a number on her kidneys. I wouldn't do the canned food, just put water on her dry food, it will make it smell fresher and taste better. Get a different dog food, often a change in food will tempt the appetite. I recommend Blue Buffalo. Put her on a sensitive type food such as fish, turkey, or lamb to put less stress on her digestive system. LOTS of water. I'm thinking the benadryl wasn't the best idea for her. Some dogs can't handle it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted June 17, 2012 Author Share Posted June 17, 2012 Blue Buffalo is what she was already on. She hasn't taken the benadryl for today because she wouldn't touch the food. She keeps going over to the bowl and acting like she's going to take a bite and then she backs away from it. It's like she knows that it will upset her stomach. I'm just not sure if this is something that I should get her to the emergency vet for or if it can wait until tomorrow morning. She is still acting ok even though she isn't eating. She is still drinking plenty of water. To my knowledge, she has not thrown up since Friday morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Typically vaccine reactions are last about 24 hours, if that. I'd look for a different source of the illness since this has been going on since Wednesday. If you are worried enough to post about it I would go to the emergency clinic. She's nine, and she's been throwing up and like as not, having diarrhea since she asking to go out so frequently. She may or may not be dehydrated, and that's something you need to find out. Take her to the Emergency clinic. That's my veterinary opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrow Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 This is the kind of behavior we saw in our 9 yo mutt when she was diagnosed with Addison's disease. She had minor episodes for years, but we never had put 2 and 2 together until she a full blown Addisonian episode after being boarded for a couple days in December. http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/cliented/addisons.aspx http://www.addisondogs.com/addisons/ With Addison's, a vet visit could definitely bring on an episode. I'd probably be inclined to go sooner, rather than later, based on the experience with our own girl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Yes, steroid will increase the need for urination. My dog (lab) was on prednisone of a week. I thought I was going to die she wanted out so much. The benadryl can make them extremely groggy, just like people. My dog is 70lbs and one 25mg tablet makes her loopy. I think 3 is too much. The vomiting would have me concerned. If she hasn't done so since Friday I might wait. You can mix up some lean hamburger (well cooked) and rice, that might be more palatable than regular dry kibble. I would call the emergency number, explain what meds she is on, ask if this is normal. If she doesn't improve by later today I'd consider taking her in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted June 19, 2012 Author Share Posted June 19, 2012 I ended up waiting until this morning (Monday) to take her to the vet. She was there all day. After x-rays, ultrasound, and bloodwork, we still don't know what's wrong. Her red and white blood cell counts were low, but everything else was normal. All I got into her on Sunday was one can of EN diet (she should have had 4 cans). This morning, I got her to eat 1/2 of a can by feeding it to her by the spoonful. This evening, she ate 1/2 can of EN diet and 1 cup of Royal Canin hypoallergenic kibble (prescription only). She isn't on any medication. They did more bloodwork that they sent off. We won't get those results until tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted June 20, 2012 Author Share Posted June 20, 2012 Added this update to the original post: ETA: 2nd Update Talked to vet. She said that since Goldie is eating again and is not vomiting or having diarrhea, we should wait two weeks and then do bloodwork again to see if her blood counts are still low. In the new bloodwork they did that I was waiting for the results of, her platelets were low too, but just below the borderline for normal. Everything else (aside from red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets) was normal. If she starts having any issues, we need to take her in again. We also need to keep her away from other dogs for now because she is susceptible to infection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 I hope it turns out to be nothing. I'm glad she's eating again. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Glad she's feeling better. Almost sounds like a tick disease to me (Anaplasmosis or Ehrlichia). But in Texas they would already have checked into that, I'm betting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted June 21, 2012 Author Share Posted June 21, 2012 (edited) The bloodwork they did after the x-rays and sonogram was to check for tick diseases, but I don't remember which ones. There were more that could have been run, but they were going to be a lot more expensive and were not as likely to be the culprit. She's been on Sentinel continuously and we have not seen any fleas or ticks. The vet also said that if she starts to refuse food again or has vomiting or diarrhea again, we should bring her back. At that time, they would probably try treating her with doxycylcline, although that would likely cause even more problems with getting her eat. Hopefully her bloodwork will be normal again when we go back in two weeks. Edited June 21, 2012 by AngieW in Texas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Fwiw, lepto vx is more problematic than most vx. It is not always needed, depending on disease incidence in your area plus the dog's lifestyle. Hopefully, this episode will pass and she will be well. Next time she is due for vx, I suggest discussing vx choice at length with your vet, and giving needed vx a week apart instead of all at the same time. Most dogs do fine with multiplied vx, but some dogs do better if you separate them, plus that allows you to better know which vx is causing problems for future information. And, of course, it is certainly plausible that this incident has nothing to do with vaccines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WiseOwlKnits Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 So glad she's feeling better! If you happen to be in the Central TX area, it was on the news a couple of weeks ago that fleas and ticks have been off the charts bad here this spring and are expected to continue to be bad this summer because of the mild winter and sudden increase in rain. A friend of ours actually found a tick on her DD's scalp after she was lying down on the grass at a park! We haven't seen ticks or fleas yet (knock on wood), but we've treated the yard for them and we have our dog and cat on preventatives so I'm hoping we'll continue to escape it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akmommy Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Fwiw, (not sure what the outdoor needs were 3 X), but steroids will make them have to pee constantly. :iagree: Yep, our Buck, while taking steroids, would just start peeing without any awareness of it until it was happening. Poor dog, you could tell just from his reaction that he had no control of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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