Please keep Brandi in your thoughts

[Yorkiemom1]

We now have all these new fangled, super fast, long acting, double strength antibiotics....I try very hard to stick with the old reliables...Amoxicillin, Pennicillin, Clavamox, Terramycin, etc......what was the name of the antibiotic she was given???

[kjc]

Originally Posted by yavenay

She just had her anals express at her annual checkup about two weeks ago. I really think the emergency vet was wrong about the blindess. I took her outside for walk and she can see in at least one eye. She may only can see partially out of her right eye. Most of her symptoms have subsided. She is not pacing back and forth any longer or drooling. She actually has perked up a little bit. I didn't give her any of her medication. I am really beginning to believe she had a reaction to the antibiotic.

The reason I am skeptical about the emergency vet is because he basically only took her vital signs which he said were good. He did no other testing and I don't think he even took into consideration the meds she had just started. She does have another appointment with a specialist tommorrow. I will monitored her behavior. If she starts to exhibit the same behavior, I will take her to a different emergency hospital.


The cost so far for everything is approaching 1100.00. This is including her annual visit, follow up visits, her eye treatments, her uti meds as well as blood, stool and urinalysis and meds for her right eye. Her appointment tommorrow is 210.00 which doesn't include any additional testing and her emergency visit last night was 182.00. All of this in two weeks.

I am aware of seriousness of her health issues. That is is why I left work early and will be working from home tommorrow up until it's time for her appointment. Her appointment is at 3:00pm. I am monitoring her behavior and can respond quickly if anything starts to go wrong again. I don't want to seem like money is an issue but if I can avoid paying for the same thing twice, I rather wait to go see the specialist.

Good that her symptoms are subsiding and that you are home with her. Sorry I went a little overboard.... but yes, some meds can cause permanent liver/kidney damage. It would not hurt to get her on Denamarin while she's taking meds, it protects the liver and helps it to process out toxins (anything foreign to the body) and is well worth the money.

Dogs with anal gland issues... even temporary ones, may need their glands expressed a few times as often as weekly or even within the next few days of the initial expression, until whatever is causing the problem gets resolved, which can be stress, dietary changes or not eating, meds, etc. A bit of ointment like Animax (animal triple AB) up the butt (just inside) can help resolve infections, in addition to oral ABs. Additional fiber added to the diet can help resolve problems, like a teaspoon of plain canned pumpkin, or 3-6 string beans per meal will bulk up the stool, allowing for normal functioning of the anal glands.

A warm, wet compress to her butt may make her more comfortable till her next appointment.

Also, be sure your vet faxes over her chart and any test results to the specialist... may save $$$ to not repeat anything that's already been done.

Originally Posted by gracielove

You know I would never advise anyone to stop a medication if I didn't think it was really important. My son's dog acted much like yours before the seizures started. They thought it was the fever but it was the medication. When I think how close we were to losing Bear and what he went through it is just very upsetting.
Hopefully, you stopped it soon enough. The vets never picked up on it Bear's problem. I guess it is some what unexpected for them? I don't know but I think it is a shame when a pet owner has to do their own investigation to find out what is killing their dog. Please don't give her anymore of the medication. If the vet still feels she needs an antibiotic then insist that they give her something else. Maybe think about giving her some time to recover before starting a new med if at all possible.

I agree about never advising to take or discontinue a med, except when it's so obvious or may be causing a life threatening condition. And it's more like, Don't give it again until your vet is fully aware of what is going on with the dog. Changing Antibiotics is no big deal, but one should always be on watch for any adverse reactions, including behavioral changes, when starting any medication. Even vomiting after 3 or more days of taking a new med warrants a call to the vet.

[Teresa Ford]

Prayers for Brandi

[Patti]

Hope you can get some answers from the specialist and Brandi can feel better. Keeping her in my prayers.

[lillymae]

Poor Brandi, I hope you get some answers at the specialist tomorrow.
FYI about anal glands, they can fill up in 24 hrs after they are expressed if they are under stress and/or have allergies so I would have the Dr check them tomorrow. I also agree that she should have her liver checked and another thing that can cause her symptoms is Chiari.

[nanahas3]

Sending up prayers for Brandi and you both. We lost our little Lolita to much the same symptoms but our vet said her little heart just gave out. Praying things turn out better for little Brandi and that she will be well soon.

[yavenay]

Good news everyone. Brandi is back to her old self. I am now thorougly convince she had a bad reaction to the new meds. She slept in her expen last night (the first time in 5 yrs for her own protection) and she was sitting up patiently waiting for me to come get her.

She did her morning routine rushing me to feed her. Of course I couldn't feed her because the vet wanted her to fast for 12 hours for her appointment this afternoon. It broke my heart that I couldn't feed her. She actually ran to the kitchen this morning and stood by her food bowl which she does every morning. YIIIPPPPEEEE!!!!!!

[marlenemaria]

God Bless!!!

I'm so happy for her and you, god willing everything will turn out right.

[Susan78]

Wonderful to hear that your baby is doing good. Susan

[lanneroth]

Thank God she is getting better. What a worry that must have been for you.

[GuinnessStout]

That is GREAT news... I know from personal experience antibiotics can cause some SCARY effects with no warning to humans so I can not even begin to think of what they can do to their tiny bodies.

[lisaly]

This is music to my ears and such great news! I hope Brandi continues to get better.

[Yorkiemom1]

Originally Posted by GuinnessStout

That is GREAT news... I know from personal experience antibiotics can cause some SCARY effects with no warning to humans so I can not even begin to think of what they can do to their tiny bodies.

They gave my mother a new antibiotic that was every 24 hour dosing....I immediately became worried as I was fearful that was tooooo powerful for an elderly little lady...sure enough one dose and she went nuts...seeing and hearing things that wern't there, tremors, etc.... I am glad your baby is doing so much better! If she isnt on milk thistle, I would certainly put her on it......to support her little liver function.

[Cherie6446]

I'm happy to hear that Brandi is better. Hope all goes well at the vet's today. I always read the side affects of any med given for my dogs or me. It helps to know what might happen. Also, this experience is one reason pet insurance is a good thing. I learned the hard way with my Gina. $5000 in one week and she still died. I know insurance seems high on a yearly basis - about $350.00 - but it pays off when you need it. I have insurance for Zoey and she is 2 1/2 and I have used it two times. Paid for the annual preminum. Just a thought.
Best of luck today at the vet's.

[yavenay]

Originally Posted by Cherie6446

I'm happy to hear that Brandi is better. Hope all goes well at the vet's today. I always read the side affects of any med given for my dogs or me. It helps to know what might happen. Also, this experience is one reason pet insurance is a good thing. I learned the hard way with my Gina. $5000 in one week and she still died. I know insurance seems high on a yearly basis - about $350.00 - but it pays off when you need it. I have insurance for Zoey and she is 2 1/2 and I have used it two times. Paid for the annual preminum. Just a thought.
Best of luck today at the vet's.

I wish i could get insurance for Brandi but I got her as a rescue and of course she had pre existing conditions so I had to create my own kind of pet insurance. I do have a savings for pet care cost like this. I save a set amount of money each month for emergencies just like this. Hopefully I can rebuild my emergency fund before the next little emergency and with her being 12 years old, I'm sure there will be.