Diarreha, vomit, lethargic. Vet is only testing for one thing?! - YorkieTalk.com Forums

codence · 01-19-2009, 07:41 PM

My Murphy is 3 months old. He's had on and off diarreha since we got him on December 12, 2008. His stool sample from the vet came back negative for worms, however, he ended up having tapeworms. He was treated and is now tapeworm free. However, he has continued to have on and off diarreha since his deworming shot and just today hes been extremely abnormal...he's been very lazy and sleeping A LOT. About noon he began dry heaving, which has continued until now. He just threw up, which was peachy colored. I made a call to the vet who said they will check for the parasite Giardia. This lab test will cost $52. I would be okay with this except they're not checking for anything else. What else should I have them check for? I'm really stressed out...Murphy does not seem well at all. Any info will help.

kaylove · 01-19-2009, 11:39 PM

Idk i havent had any big problems yet but from what ive been reading on here it might be concerning and your vet doesnt seem too helpful. i would maybe look for a different vet that would be more proactive in trying to find out exactly what is wrong with your baby asap. good luck

marcerella02 · 01-20-2009, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by codence

My Murphy is 3 months old. He's had on and off diarreha since we got him on December 12, 2008. His stool sample from the vet came back negative for worms, however, he ended up having tapeworms. He was treated and is now tapeworm free. However, he has continued to have on and off diarreha since his deworming shot and just today hes been extremely abnormal...he's been very lazy and sleeping A LOT. About noon he began dry heaving, which has continued until now. He just threw up, which was peachy colored. I made a call to the vet who said they will check for the parasite Giardia. This lab test will cost $52. I would be okay with this except they're not checking for anything else. What else should I have them check for? I'm really stressed out...Murphy does not seem well at all. Any info will help.

bumping this up for you. I am so sorry you are having such a hard time- have you thought about trying a new vet? I know someone with more knowledge will come by and help you out!

Wylie's Mom · 01-20-2009, 07:00 AM

Wow, that seems pricey for a Giardia test. Marcel had it as a pup, and the tests were I think around $20 at the most. Also, giardia is notorious for hiding under the microscope, so often times you have to test more than once to find it. Also, it looks like you have 2 pups - giardia is highly contagious; does the other pup have it or is he an adult (adults often get it w/ out nearly as many symptoms)?

Is there blood in the poo? Does he have an appetite?

With all of this protracted diarrhea, I'm surprised he's not dehydrated. Make sure his gums are pink.

If it were me, I think I'd want some comprehensive bloodwork on this pup.

Ellie May · 01-20-2009, 07:03 AM

If a pup has had diarrhea on and off for a month the vet isn't on top of it, I'd find a new vet. You can tell the vet that you are uncomfortable just doing nothing and if they don't agree, why not just find a new one? Maybe it's that you are in CA but that test shouldn't be that much money. I just paid $26 for it a couple months ago.

What are you feeding?

Brodi mom · 01-20-2009, 07:10 AM

What kind of food do you have him on.. sometimes corn will do this.. keep Karo syrup in him to keep suger level up.. check for coccidia do sorry spelling.. and or Parvo...

Ichabob · 01-20-2009, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brodi mom

What kind of food do you have him on.. sometimes corn will do this.. keep Karo syrup in him to keep suger level up.. check for coccidia do sorry spelling.. and or Parvo...

I always think about the food first thing too.

codence · 01-20-2009, 07:27 AM

Thanks for all of this information. Yes Macy and Murphy are the same age same litter. Macy has had no problems at all. When Murhpy had tapeworms she didn't show any signs of them, but we're treating her the same as Murphy for anything like that that's contagious. They are on a diet of dried dog food, a combo of puppy Nutro and puppy Royal Canine. Neither have corn ingredients. What's weird is Murphy doesn't seem dehydrated, although with on and off diarreha (at least one of every 4 feces of his come out diarreha), I'm making sure he drinks plenty of water.

I'm now at work with my mom watching my babies. I'll have her check Murphy's gums. What if they're not pink? Does that just mean he's dehydrated? No blood has been found in his poop. And he does have an appetite, thank gosh.

I will inquire about blood work and anything else my vet can recommend. I'm just afraid of what they're going to charge since one test is $52 alone! This vet is good, but unless I'm at my appointment, I'm always talking with the vet assistant. Shouldn't the vet himself give information on what tests my dog should or shouldn't get? Perhaps I'm wrong...

codence · 01-20-2009, 07:33 AM

Oh and one more thing. I give them the Dingo brand of Raw hide treats & the Pets Mart brand of training treats. The breeder recommended the Dingo's for their teeth. I've recently heard raw hides can cause issues. Maybe this is related? I picked them up off of the floor yesterday. It's dry food only now. When Murphy pottys in the right place now, he's going to be wondering where his treats are! LOL hopefully this doesn't set the potty training, or other training back! Maybe the Pets Mart treats have a corn ingredient...I'll need to check. They really only get a small amount of these though.

Wylie's Mom · 01-20-2009, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by codence

Yes Macy and Murphy are the same age same litter. Macy has had no problems at all.

They are on a diet of dried dog food, a combo of puppy Nutro and puppy Royal Canine. Neither have corn ingredients.

I'm now at work with my mom watching my babies. I'll have her check Murphy's gums. What if they're not pink? Does that just mean he's dehydrated?

I will inquire about blood work and anything else my vet can recommend. I'm just afraid of what they're going to charge since one test is $52 alone! This vet is good, but unless I'm at my appointment, I'm always talking with the vet assistant. Shouldn't the vet himself give information on what tests my dog should or shouldn't get? Perhaps I'm wrong...

Then it is highly unlikely that this is giardia if your other puppy shows no signs.

Royal Canin has corn. Nutro, among other things, contains menadione which is toxic; besides that, so many dogs have died this year from eating Nutro - I would really caution against using that food.

Gums should be pink, yes.

I think I would get a new vet. Why would your vet suspect giardia if another puppy sharing the same space doesn't have it? Hmmm.

Ellie May · 01-20-2009, 07:42 AM

Consumer complaints about Nutro Pet Foods
I'd pull the Nutro and see what happens.

If a dog's gums are not pink, they need to see the vet. It is often an emergency.

There is somebody on YT who has a Yorkie who was throwing up out of nowhere for no reason. Owner stopped Nutro and dog is fine so far.

codence · 01-20-2009, 09:43 AM

Wow. I'll definitely stop Nutro. Yikes! And I truely though Royal Canine didn't have corn, so should I pull this too? What is a good puppy dry food? Especially for sensitive tummies since Murphy might just have that?

marcerella02 · 01-20-2009, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by codence

Wow. I'll definitely stop Nutro. Yikes! And I truely though Royal Canine didn't have corn, so should I pull this too? What is a good puppy dry food? Especially for sensitive tummies since Murphy might just have that?

i also think it is the Nutro- poor little guy.

There are many great foods out there- not sure all can be bought at petsmart or petco- However, no food is "perfect", it is up to you to see which food you are most comfortable with. If it were me, i'd feed Orijen, Wellness, Natural Balance (they have sensitive tummy formulas) or Nature's Variety.

Give it a few days on the new food before you decide it is not working. It can take his system a few days to adjust and your pup that is fine- might have loose stools for a few days as well as her body adjusts to the food.

If his gums are not pink- tell your mom to give him some honey or corn syrup to bring his sugars back up. I'd also worry about him being dehydrated. If the low energy lasts mcuh longer he may need to be on I.V. I think you need a new vet!

codence · 01-20-2009, 12:06 PM

Definitely time for a change in vets. Mom called and Murphy has pink gums

She said he's playing more today and surprisingly doesn't seem dehydrated. Perhaps the fact that he doesn't always have diarreha, only about 1/4th of the time, is why. I'll give her all of your suggestions, she's watching him very close, and said she's rushing him to the vet if he gets at all like he was yesterday. I hope my poor baby doesn't need to be on an IV

I'm going to check with other vets for their recommendation. In the mean time I picking up new dog food on my lunch break! I'll keep you posted. Oh and here's a picture of my 'teapot' cutie

marcerella02 · 01-20-2009, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by codence

Definitely time for a change in vets. Mom called and Murphy has pink gums

She said he's playing more today and surprisingly doesn't seem dehydrated. Perhaps the fact that he doesn't always have diarreha, only about 1/4th of the time, is why. I'll give her all of your suggestions, she's watching him very close, and said she's rushing him to the vet if he gets at all like he was yesterday. I hope my poor baby doesn't need to be on an IV

I'm going to check with other vets for their recommendation. In the mean time I picking up new dog food on my lunch break! I'll keep you posted. Oh and here's a picture of my 'teapot' cutie

well for crying out loud how CUTE is he? oh those eyes!!!

You sound like such a great mommy- they are very lucky to have you

01-19-2009, 07:41 PM	#1
codence Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Hesperia, California, USA Posts: 55	Diarreha, vomit, lethargic. Vet is only testing for one thing?! My Murphy is 3 months old. He's had on and off diarreha since we got him on December 12, 2008. His stool sample from the vet came back negative for worms, however, he ended up having tapeworms. He was treated and is now tapeworm free. However, he has continued to have on and off diarreha since his deworming shot and just today hes been extremely abnormal...he's been very lazy and sleeping A LOT. About noon he began dry heaving, which has continued until now. He just threw up, which was peachy colored. I made a call to the vet who said they will check for the parasite Giardia. This lab test will cost $52. I would be okay with this except they're not checking for anything else. What else should I have them check for? I'm really stressed out...Murphy does not seem well at all. Any info will help. __________________ Cody "Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole."

01-19-2009, 11:39 PM	#2
kaylove Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Bellevue, WA, USA Posts: 30	Idk i havent had any big problems yet but from what ive been reading on here it might be concerning and your vet doesnt seem too helpful. i would maybe look for a different vet that would be more proactive in trying to find out exactly what is wrong with your baby asap. good luck __________________ Kayla and Benny

01-20-2009, 07:00 AM	#4
Wylie's Mom Furbutts = LOVE Donating Member Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 35,889 Blog Entries: 2	Wow, that seems pricey for a Giardia test. Marcel had it as a pup, and the tests were I think around $20 at the most. Also, giardia is notorious for hiding under the microscope, so often times you have to test more than once to find it. Also, it looks like you have 2 pups - giardia is highly contagious; does the other pup have it or is he an adult (adults often get it w/ out nearly as many symptoms)? Is there blood in the poo? Does he have an appetite? With all of this protracted diarrhea, I'm surprised he's not dehydrated. Make sure his gums are pink. If it were me, I think I'd want some comprehensive bloodwork on this pup. __________________ ~ A friend told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn. ~ °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° Ann \| Pfeiffer \| Marcel Verdel Purcell \| Wylie \| Artie °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨°

01-20-2009, 07:03 AM	#5
Ellie May And Rylee Finnegan Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Metro Detroit, MI Posts: 17,928	If a pup has had diarrhea on and off for a month the vet isn't on top of it, I'd find a new vet. You can tell the vet that you are uncomfortable just doing nothing and if they don't agree, why not just find a new one? Maybe it's that you are in CA but that test shouldn't be that much money. I just paid $26 for it a couple months ago. What are you feeding? __________________ Crystal, Ellie May (RIP), Rylee Finnegan, and Gracie Boo🐶

01-20-2009, 07:27 AM	#8
codence Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Hesperia, California, USA Posts: 55	Thanks for all of this information. Yes Macy and Murphy are the same age same litter. Macy has had no problems at all. When Murhpy had tapeworms she didn't show any signs of them, but we're treating her the same as Murphy for anything like that that's contagious. They are on a diet of dried dog food, a combo of puppy Nutro and puppy Royal Canine. Neither have corn ingredients. What's weird is Murphy doesn't seem dehydrated, although with on and off diarreha (at least one of every 4 feces of his come out diarreha), I'm making sure he drinks plenty of water. I'm now at work with my mom watching my babies. I'll have her check Murphy's gums. What if they're not pink? Does that just mean he's dehydrated? No blood has been found in his poop. And he does have an appetite, thank gosh. I will inquire about blood work and anything else my vet can recommend. I'm just afraid of what they're going to charge since one test is $52 alone! This vet is good, but unless I'm at my appointment, I'm always talking with the vet assistant. Shouldn't the vet himself give information on what tests my dog should or shouldn't get? Perhaps I'm wrong... __________________ Cody "Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole."

01-20-2009, 07:10 AM	#6
Brodi mom Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Charlottesville virginia Posts: 171	What kind of food do you have him on.. sometimes corn will do this.. keep Karo syrup in him to keep suger level up.. check for coccidia do sorry spelling.. and or Parvo...

01-20-2009, 07:33 AM	#9
codence Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Hesperia, California, USA Posts: 55	Oh and one more thing. I give them the Dingo brand of Raw hide treats & the Pets Mart brand of training treats. The breeder recommended the Dingo's for their teeth. I've recently heard raw hides can cause issues. Maybe this is related? I picked them up off of the floor yesterday. It's dry food only now. When Murphy pottys in the right place now, he's going to be wondering where his treats are! LOL hopefully this doesn't set the potty training, or other training back! Maybe the Pets Mart treats have a corn ingredient...I'll need to check. They really only get a small amount of these though. __________________ Cody "Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole."

01-20-2009, 07:42 AM	#11
Ellie May And Rylee Finnegan Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Metro Detroit, MI Posts: 17,928	Consumer complaints about Nutro Pet Foods I'd pull the Nutro and see what happens. If a dog's gums are not pink, they need to see the vet. It is often an emergency. There is somebody on YT who has a Yorkie who was throwing up out of nowhere for no reason. Owner stopped Nutro and dog is fine so far. __________________ Crystal, Ellie May (RIP), Rylee Finnegan, and Gracie Boo🐶 Last edited by Ellie May; 01-20-2009 at 07:43 AM.

01-20-2009, 09:43 AM	#12
codence Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Hesperia, California, USA Posts: 55	Wow. I'll definitely stop Nutro. Yikes! And I truely though Royal Canine didn't have corn, so should I pull this too? What is a good puppy dry food? Especially for sensitive tummies since Murphy might just have that? __________________ Cody "Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole."