Limping/Coughing/Sounds like a hairball?!!

[sarahheartmaddy]

Ok, yesterday when my hubby got home, he told me that Maddy had left little bloody paw prints all over the bathroom floor. Well, I didn't see a cut anywhere on her paws and I checked her nails. She is now limping on her right paw/leg. She won't jump or leap like she normally does.

This morning, she was in bed with me and normally is very alert in the morning (hopping around, barking a little, playing with our other dog, etc.) and this morning she just was right next me to me whimpering. She was also coughing, about 5 times, like a depp hacking cough. I checked out her leg again, and still no visible marks. She would not eat at her dish standing up, she just laid down at her dish, curled up and was shivering. I had to hand feed her. She wouldn't put hardly any weight on her leg.

I recall the other day she was making a strange sound. The only way to explain is it sounded like a hairball?! Weird.

My hubby thinks we should give her a couple days to see if she gets better/worse. I am worried tho.

Suggestions?!

[bchgirl]

Personally with her demeanor this morning...I would take her to a vet.

[BonBon]

She's obviously in pain. Please take her in to see the vet so she won't have to keep suffering.

[sarahheartmaddy]

Originally Posted by bchgirl

Personally with her demeanor this morning...I would take her to a vet.

I do feel like I should. She was totally not being herself. Thanks for the insight. My hubby thinks dogs can just "bounce back" and I am a worrier.

[bchgirl]

Dogs aren't like children and "fake" feeling ill.

The cough you describe sounds like kennel cough. A hacking cough that ends with a gag. If it's not kennel cough it could be an upper respiratory infection...and they can feel pretty sick from those.

You can check her nails and make sure she hasn't ripped one off...that's the only thing I can of that may have caused the blood.

[NanaJane]

Sounds like this little dog needs the vet. Normally not a good sign when dogs stop eating and seem lethargic.

[sarahheartmaddy]

She DID have Kennel Cough. She was put on antibiotics about a month ago. Still signs, or progressing?

[bchgirl]

Originally Posted by sarahheartmaddy

She DID have Kennel Cough. She was put on antibiotics about a month ago. Still signs, or progressing?

Sometimes it takes a long time for the cough to disappear. The antiboitic isn't a cure for KC...it's a preventative against it becoming pneumonia.

Any time they are lethargic...they need to see a vet. Not eating and drinking is a cause for concern too. They become dehydrated very quickly.

[sarahheartmaddy]

She would eat when hand fed... she seemed like it hurt to stand on the leg.

[veraglo]

make sure you take her to the vet if that cough is not checked yorkies are prone to all types of things and the worst is collapsed thrachea which is my current heartbreak with my yorkie.

Originally Posted by sarahheartmaddy

Ok, yesterday when my hubby got home, he told me that Maddy had left little bloody paw prints all over the bathroom floor. Well, I didn't see a cut anywhere on her paws and I checked her nails. She is now limping on her right paw/leg. She won't jump or leap like she normally does.

This morning, she was in bed with me and normally is very alert in the morning (hopping around, barking a little, playing with our other dog, etc.) and this morning she just was right next me to me whimpering. She was also coughing, about 5 times, like a depp hacking cough. I checked out her leg again, and still no visible marks. She would not eat at her dish standing up, she just laid down at her dish, curled up and was shivering. I had to hand feed her. She wouldn't put hardly any weight on her leg.

I recall the other day she was making a strange sound. The only way to explain is it sounded like a hairball?! Weird.

My hubby thinks we should give her a couple days to see if she gets better/worse. I am worried tho.

Suggestions?!

[GeorgiaOnMyMind]

Your puppy is giving you all the signs to take her to the vet. You said it yourself, “I feel like I should” Always go with your gut instinct. You have something to be very concerned about so your worrying is justified. Something is definitely wrong with her or she wouldn't be having all these symptoms. It may be 2 separate things? I don't know.

1. That blood is coming from somewhere and since you can't find it, you need to let the vet find it for you.

2. Her leg needs to be seen, since this happened yesterday and she's no better. Esp since she's is not acting the same with it.

3. With her coughing, maybe she was licking her legs or paws, and began coughing and maybe the blood is coming out of her mouth. Does she have any signs of blood anywhere on her body? Check around her mouth and at the edge of her lips.

She has no one to rely on taking care of her and making decisions for her except you. She needs to go to the vet. Even if she were to "bounce" back like your husband said... that's not getting rid of the underlying issue(s), and when it resurfaces next time she may not have symptoms - she could just die. OR she could have all the same symptoms, but be 100 times worse and the pain she has to go through may be excruciating by then; and then you have to watch her go through it. By then, it may be too late to save her.

Please go to the vet. You will feel so guilty for not doing anything if she something is horribly wrong with her. I’m hoping by the time I post this you have already been to the vet’s office. She is just adorable in your album pictures, I hope she is okay and I pray it’s not something serious. Good luck to you and your baby girl. Please post again and let us know how she is doing either way.

[mscat]

Your dog is unwell and needs to be seen by a vet as soon as possible. She will not just bounce back at this point. Please take her in.