Quote:
Originally Posted by ladyjane  ...
I feel terrible. I had groomed him yesterday and in the middle of it, he got upset and really kind of spazzed out on me. He is usually so good for grooming I don't know now if maybe the stress from that set him off....OR if he was maybe brewing something and was uncomfortable. He has been eating well and had no diarrhea prior to this morning. If only they could talk.  Poor Gizmo...he is 13 now and a frail little guy. He is blind...so it kills me to see him go through this and be in a strange place. |
A very early sign of pancreatitis is pain in the back, right between the end of the rib cage and where the hips begin, to just either side of the spine. The degree of pain is so bad, that just a gentle touch in this area can cause a dog that is reliably docile to turn and bite. This is repeatable, meaning that while grooming one may snag a knot in this area and get a bite response. Test the other side with a light touch and if the dog responds by trying to bite, get him to the vet for testing.
I use this test frequently on my dogs, because pancreatitis is common in the breed. Anytime anyone seems a bit 'off' I check them. It's also useful for dogs once they've been treated, to make sure they are not having a relapse.
Praying for a quick recovery for little Gizmo....