Won't eat throwing up 4 year old female

[tmurph]

Dusty started refusing to eat her Cesar wet dog food (which she has been eating for over a year).
She would only eat people food. Slowly she became harder to coach to eat such things as smoked turkey slices, boiled chicken, hamburger, cottage cheese and velvetta cheese. I took her to the vet and he found nothing wrong with her but gave her some anitbotics, Clavamox liquid (15 mil., twice a day) She seemed to do better for about two weeks and then she quit eating again.
I took her back to the vet. This time he did blood work, she was normal. He gave her a second bottle of Clavamox liquid, ( 15 mil. twice a day )to be on the safe side, and see if it would help her. She ate boiled chicken for a day or two but each day seemed harder to get her to eat. For the past two day she has not wanted to eat. Over the past twelve hours, on three occassions she has been given a total of 1 T of cottage cheese, 1T boiled chicken and 4 syringes (3cc syringe) along with 3 cc of Pepto-Bismol. She threw all of this up four hours ago and has had nothing since. She is loosing weight and only sleeps. Since today is Christmas I can't take her to the vet and I am worried.

[Patti]

I am sorry your baby is so sick. What tests have they done? Have they done Xrays, liver and kidney blood work? I had a Yorkie with colitis and she had such a finicky stomach, but the vet gave me medicine to help calm her intestinal tract and every time she was sick I just gave her the meds and she would be better in a few hours. Good luck.

[tmurph]

Patti,
Thank you for the information. Dusty was very hungry this morning and she ate boiled chicken along with an acidophilus broken up in small bites of velvetta cheese. I am going to call my vet and find out exactly what test were run on her blood work and decide if we need to go to another vet.

[LunasMomma]

I'm sorry your baby is sick I highly recommend another vet. I lost my precious Starr to a less than stellar vet, and it damn near killed me knowing that I could have saved her if I had just gotten a second opinion. She hgad lost almost a whole pound (she weighed 5 lbs normally) and didn't act agressively enough to save her.

Antibiotics are not going to help her at this point, matter of fact they kill all of the GOOD bacteria in the digestive tract and will just contribute to stomach upset, which can make them stop eating. See if you can get her to eat some plain full-fat yogurt with live cultures to start up her digestive system again. I wouldn't recommened feeding her so much cheese too, they can't handle all the fat.

Get a recommendation from a Yorkie breeder in your area for another vet, one that KNOWS how important it is to get to the bottom of these little ones' issues. A tiny dog cannot afford to lose too much weight.

Good luck, I hope that she feels better soon!

[tmurph]

Tracy,
I am a little new at this, but many thanks for your suggestions. We will follow all of them. Dusty has lost from slightly over 5 lbs down to 4 lbs over the past two week. We were wondering about the antibotics.
Just stopped the antibotics, going for the good bacteria. In a few minutes we will go for the live yogurt. For the past 20 minutes, for the first time since last night, Dusty is holding down 6 cc of water and chicken broth, plus about three bites of boiled chicken breast.
It is amazing to us how these little dogs can mean so much. We lost a perfect health, 12-year old, Juliegirl, three years ago and still miss her. We understand your loss of Starr. Thanks for your help.

[LunasMomma]

Thanks. I hope that your baby will be okay. Starr had a bowel obstruction, come to find out, but if the vet had done xrays that first day when I took her in, she might have done better with the surgery He took FIVE whole days to finally do the xrays and by then her body was too weak and she died on us shortly after taking her home. This Christmas was not the same without her, even though we have two new babies to love, the hole that she left is enormous

PLEASE do not wait. Go to http://www.ytca.org/breeder3.html#FL and find the breeder closest to you, then call them and see if they can recommened a vet for you. That's what I ended up doing after Starr died, for our new girl Luna who was very ill when we got her. It made all the difference, as the vet that the pet store recommended was horrible! Since your girl has lost so much weight already, I wouldn't wait. Get on the phone and find a vet that will treat your dog more agressively, as time is of the essence with these little ones. My heart hurts for you, as I know what you're going through. I nursed Starr for 10 days, forcing food into her, and Nutrical, only for her to vomit it up later. If there is something blocking the bowels, of course they can't hold anything down Has she been pooping at all?

Gosh, I am so worried for you guys!!!!

[tmurph]

Tracy,
We are so sorry to hear of your loss of Starr. The information is so helpful and we will certainly do what you suggested.
Dusty has had several bowel movements so we feel pretty sure she does not have a blockage. She started improving yesterday after we gave her the acidophilus and fed her some yogurt. She had been eating boiled chicken very well and her energy level is improving. I am still forcing water just to be on the safe side.
Thank you for the information on locating a good vet. We are looking to change our doctor accordingly.
Starr will always be missed and I know how that is because I still remember our first two yorkies as if they were still here with us. For months I would call the two yorkies we have now but the wrong name when I did't stop and think of their names. These little people become such a wonderful part of our lives and give us so many blessings.
Thank You,
Betty and Dusty

[LunasMomma]

Hi Betty I'm so happy to hear that Dusty is doing much better, yay!!!! She's still doing well, I hope?

It's so scary when these little ones get sick

[tmurph]

Tracy,
You have been a big part of Dusty geting better. She eats about 2 bites of yogurt twice a day and she lives on the boiled chicken. She had steak without any fat or seasonings and she had a solid bowel action this am. Yesterday she had been real soft with a touch of blood. She is mildly acitve and when we are gone and return she seems normal in her usual greeting madiness. We are watching her very closly and not taking her to the vet because I have found them to be less than perfect in this area and there are no breeders in our area (Panama City, FL)
Thank you so much for all your help and have a happy New Year.
With a lot of gratitude,
Betty and Dusty

[LunasMomma]

Aww, Betty you're welcome Hopefully that blood in her stool is due to irritation. I'd be concerned if it continued, but not if it was just the one time. I'm so happy to hear that she has had a solid BM, yay!!!!

Check for breeders of other toy breeds (Chihuahuas, Maltese, etc.) to find a good vet. You'll have to do some homework, but I'm sure that there is a vet in your area that is experienced with toy breeds.

Try to get Dusty weaned off of the special foods asap so she starts eating her doggie food. She needs all the nutrition in that. Try canned versions of whatever kibbles she eats and slowly add the kibbles to it and decrease the canned. It's okay to give them some canned, but they really need the crunchies for their teeth and the fiber

Hugs to you and Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!