Visited the Vets... Now I'm even more confused!
 

I knew Dr's were bad but I had no idea vets were just the same. I went to the emergency vet yesterday because my Oliver spent two nights at a doggy hotel (which I'll NEVER allow again) anyway he ate their food and has been really sick, vomiting, lethargic, he had 1 spell of diraheea(sp?). I took him to he vet and he examined Oliver for about 2 minutes, spoke to me for about 10 about what it could be (all 20 different things) as well as all the possible treatments, and then left, he wouldn't even give me time to ask questions, and when I tried he would just interrupt me. I'm even more confused than I was... All I know is that he weighs 4 1/2 pds and needed his anal gland popped....

The nurse gave me some medication and told me to feed him a baby food chicken and rice or potatoe diet. The medication is metronidazole - Has anyone else ever used this? I'm not 100% sure I want to use it - the side effects seem worse then the problem at hand... they gave me 20 - the bottle says to give him 1 every 12 hours. Should I give all of them to him? Also how long should he be on this chicken/rice diet? How should I winge him off of it? I'm so upset - I pretty much paid the guy a hundred dollars to hear himself speak :(

As if I wasn't upset enough.

Does your regular vet ever take emergencies?
Emergency vets are not a lot of help sometimes.

I would give the Metro but were any tests run at all like a fecal?
If he isn't better after this you may have to get into extensive testing.
It wouldn't hurt to do that now but it can get pricey.

How is he today?
Is he still vomiting?
Do they give him something for nausea?
If he isn't getting any better today, I'd consider more testing.

All he did was test his tempature and pop his gland. He didn't do a fecal but he knew he was up to date on his worming, etc. (The one good place about the puppy hotel was that they checked for all vaccines luckily).

He hasn't thrown up since I got home last night, he seemed much better after the vet. I fed him a few spoonfulls of baby chicken and this morning I gave him a little bit of rice/chicken. He is better - he's still not himself though. He just seems sad and sleepy. He sat in his bed all night from 7p - this morning :(.

I suppose I'll give him the meds today for lunch.

If he start throwing up again I'll take him to a different vet. Do you know how long he should stay on the diet?

I'l probably leave him on it til a couple days after he gets totally better and slowly transition back.

Metronidazole is an antibiotic (fights bacterial infections). Normally you need to complete the whole course of medication. I would definately check in with your regular vet for clarification. Just tell them what happened and you were not happy with the communication at the ER vet.

Sounds like it could be the food he ate. I would keep him on the chicken & rice and then slowly add back his regular food! How is he? Hope is doing better!

Thanks guys, I think the medication is okay. I looked at other sites and they said it did help their dogs. Oliver is doing a bit better, still very sleepy and looking sad. He loves his new diet though :). The nurse said that it was probably a mixture of the food and him being there all together - he has seperation anxiety so I guess that might make sense.

Metronidazole as stated above is an antibiotic.
Its one predominate complication is for those who have hepatic disease, these patients metabolize the drug slowly, resulting in accumulations of of metronidazole and its metabolites in the plasma.

Its other side effect is the destruction of the natural yeast in the body, (vagina,mouth ears etc), so you are going to want to give her a pro-biotic, such as yogurt during this course. Otherwise yeast infection, candidiasis, is definitely a possiblity.
Best of luck , I hope Oliver is up to his wonderful self soon.

Can I give him yorgurt like I eat - Like Activia? Also should I just mix it with his food and medicine or give it later? Thanks!

I love greek organic yogurt and try desperately to get mine to eat it.
However it is a little sour, and they refuse.

Activia on the other hand, they love!!
I just spoon some out into a bowl and let them eat.
I try to do this at least twice a day when mine are on antibiotics.
It really seems to help.
Andromeda was on Antibiotics for a month due to Lymes Disease.
So gave her the yogurt just about everyday and she did not develop
any yeast issues.
Hope this will help.
Please keep me posted.

Okay, great thanks! I think he'll like that anyway :D

Cali is on the same medicine. My pom was on it a lot. They didn't seem to have any bad effects. It does usually help pretty fast. Hope he feels better soon.

Okay, great thanks!

I do have one more question, I tried putting the medicine in with his food.... but he knows that pill is in there and wont eat it. What should I do?!

Get a pill gun or drop it in his mouth and push it down with your finger so he has to swallow. You can also try putting it in his mouth, closing it and rubbing his neck or blowing on his face.

Aww :( Okay. It sounds mean but I know it needs to be done. I can't wait until he is all better.

Or try the pill pockets.... he might like it better

Actually I've been needing to run by petco so I think I'll go after work and get him some of those :) Thanks!

Just remember that that is like adding another new thing to his diet and they are small but it still may not set.

I always bury the pill in a little bit of peanut butter on my finger. Works everytime!

What strength is the Metronidazole? Should say on the prescription bottle.

I believe it was 20/mg. I'm supposed to give him one every 12 hours for 10 days.

If his little tummy is upset, I keep it simple (food you bury the pill in). Not sure what he's kept down, but peanut butter works great.

Also, the putting it in deep in their mouth and rubbing their throat does work. That's the only way I ever gave my schnauzer pills. Works with Bernie too. Although he loves food so much, he never takes time to inspect his contents,so that works well too. Ginger the amazing houdini is capable of storing a pill in her mouth and getting rid of it when I'm not looking!:eek: Even with food I have to watch her very closly after I give her a pill.

I give my guys their pills with either a little peanut butter or cream cheese. Hope your little one is feeling much better today. :)

hi i took my furbaby to emergency vet and i was out of there in 5 min .i would never go back again . i felt hurt he gave all these things to give chico and when i call my regualar vet she said dont give him that he even change his food luckly i called .the only reason i went to this dr was because my fur baby had took my son ritalin that why i took him there what i find that was help full was poison controll there where more understanding

Lol this is what I did - he tried to spit out the pill but I just closed his mouth and messaged his throat until he swallowed.

Chicos - I know how you feel, I was pretty upset when I got home.
But thanks to all of you my little guy is doing SOOOO much better :D:D

best way to do any pain meds or antibiotics is give 1/2 of meal then give antibiotic then give the other 1/2 of meal as my dd is simplicef for bacterial infection in skin and dermatologist said this is the best way as to avoid stomach upset as antibiotic is covered in food

i bake organic chicken i get from costco -- i wrap that around the pill and never have an issue of them swallowing a pill they gulp as they love chicken

sounds to me like it was the sudden diet change - i prefer probiotics and use dds plus from vitamin shop in fridge as non-dairy and most dogs are lactose intolerant so lowfat stoneyfield does not work in many. Did they just put him cold turkey on a new food and not transition over?

also how much does your dog weigh as that seems like a high dose of metronidazole as a maltese on my other group is on 1/8 of table of metronidazole. Tylan powder is the lowest form of antibiotic lower than metronidazole. Metronidazole needs to be dosed down or compounded for toy breeds per our internal medicine specialist so double check with your vet about that