Lethargic yorkie - need suggestions please!
 

Hi. My year old yorkie is my total baby. Everything was fine until about a month and a half ago she went into her first heat. I am/was planning on getting her spayed after that first heat but am waiting for her "boobies" to go back down. During all this time, she has been extremely lethargic. She walks like an old, old dog, tail down, sits kind of funny sometimes and goes into her crate (the door is always kept open) to sleep most the day and all night when she always used to be by my side constantly, next to or on top of me, hop in the carrier when I went somewhere, etc. I took her to the vet 2 weeks ago. CBC and temp. were all good. He put her on antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory for 10 days for the "boobies" saying they were hard, and that maybe she was having a false pregnancy. (She is a virgin - NO chance of being pregnant). She then developed an eye infection. Couldn't get in her regular vet, wanted it taken care of so took her to a vet the lady I got her from used. He said she may be having a false pregnancy also and said she had conjunctivitis so I have a cortisone cream for that. My dog is NOT doing well, sleeps all day and it is so obvious to me and I know in my heart something more is going on. I am very upset. Does anyone know - can a false pregnancy make a dog like this or any clue what it sounds like? No diarreah or throwing up - no other symptoms other than the above and she doesn't want to eat much. Any suggestions??? Sorry so long - I am just so upset!!!

If this were my dog, I would take her to a vet ASAP to be sure she does not have pyometra.

Pyometra in Dogs ~ Pawprints and Purrs, Inc.

My Piccolo's biggest symptom was lethargy, when she was ill a couple of years ago. It went on for two months before things got figured out. I knew in my heart there was something wrong and kept going to the vet over and over again and finally specialists.

Please don't give up. Lethargy is a symptom and you will get answers eventually. Will be thinking about you and your little one as you seek answers from your vet or some type of vet specialist. My heart is breaking for you right now. Hang in there....

I am so sorry your baby is so sick. I hope you find out what the problem is and that she recovers quickly.

Thanks guys. I already have an appointment to see the vet tomorrow morning again and am going to be very firm and insist that something be done. Today she is even worse than she has been. Is hardly eating and has done nothing but sleep most the day or just lie there. I was just wondering if any one else knew if a "False pregnancy" could cause symptoms like she is having. In my heart, I feel that there is much more going on and am extremely upset - which the vet is going to see tomorrow and then I think he is going to take this more seriously. All I had wanted was to let her have her first heat and then get her spayed and I never expected all of this to happen...Some people spay before the first heat - I believe in letting them have their first one and then doing it but now I'm wondering if I did her a disservice....

And don't stop being persistent in talking to the vet because you might feel foolish. You're the only one to speak for your dog and you know when something is not right.

Please give us an update after your appointment today.

I am no health expert, but wonder if the doc will be looking at things besides the heat/false pregnancy thing? Just wondering... has your pup had vaccines recently? Has your vet done blood tests?

Just to keep you updated...I brought little Gucci in this morning. He drew more blood and is keeping her there to do an x-ray of her chest and abdomen. My poor little baby...I am hoping I can bring her home this afternoon. He told me to call. I just wanted to fill you all in on the latest because I appreciate so much hearing from those of you who replied to my post. It somehow is comforting to "talk" to other people who love their babies as much as I do, when something is wrong. I will update when I hear, hopefully later today.

Checking for an update. I hope there is good news.

I just got home with Gucci and the news doesn't sound so good. They aren't sure of anything yet but are letting me know what they are looking for at this point. He said her heart MAY be enlarged - that he is going to consult with a cardiologist and if so, he would refer me to him for that. I have to bring her back in early tomorrow morning for an ultrasound and they are looking at her kidneys and her liver. He said there was some sediment in her urine so he is looking to see if she has kidney colic and something about seeing if she has bile acid if it could be a liver shunt or something. Blood has been sent out and a I guess we won't find out the results of those blood tests for a couple of days but he said the u.s. tomorrow should show them more. So that's the story so far...she did eat one healthy doggie treat and a couple of bites of kibble by hand feeding her but she's getting chicken breast tonight for a treat and to get her to eat something! Again, thanks for listening and caring!

So glad you seem to be getting answers and that they are looking at everything. Did they do a BAT to check for a liver shunt? From what I've read, it may not be detectable on an ultrasound.

I hope Gucci is feeling better tonight and enjoys the chicken.

Oh, dear. I am glad you were persistent with your vet.

Make sure they do a bile acids test. It's two simple blood draws and is the best way to determine the health of her liver. Ultrasounds can be as low as 60% effective and a waste of $$$ at this point.

I'd really suggest getting a referral to an internal medicine specialist. Your little one seems to have a lot going on.

Thanks so much for the update. Keeping you and your little one in my thoughts today.

She ate chicken and some rice last night and walked around a bit. I had her in the bed with me last night and after a little while she went right back into her bed in her crate (not normal for her - she's only done this since she's been sick). This morning I put her on my bed and all she did was cry and is sitting hunched over again. She hasn't walked this a.m. at all. She is back at the vet's. I'm so upset - she's obviously in pain and my heart is breaking...is my little one going to make it??? How can a dog be so fine and then after the heat all this happened...

Sending prayers to you and Gucci. Please keep us posted on her condition.

I hope you will find some comfort in the knowledge that you are doing everything you can to find out the problem.

It sounds like she wants to isolate herself when she is feeling ill. No reflection on you.

Did the vet say why she might be hunched? Is this a pain thing or maybe a symtom of something else?

Hang in there and we are keeping you both in our thoughts and prayers. Will be checking this thread for updates.

Oh, I know how scary it is. Poor little thing. When Lucy had her first 'episode' or whatever you call it, she totally hid away from the rest of us. Once we determined what the problem was and were able to address it; she was fine.

I hope you can find out what is wrong. In the meantime, just hold her on your lap if she will let you.

I know I spent one entire week-end sitting under Lucy; worried that she wasn't going to make it. My son jokes (now) that her feet never touched the floor. She really didn't want to; but I couldn't stand her being upstairs - hidden away all alone. I got a big blanket and wrapped her up in it and just sat down with her; blanket and all.

I hope she is o.k. Do you really love and trust this vet? Please keep us updated- sending prayers for you and Gucci- I really hope she feels better soon!!!!!

You all have been such a comfort for me during this trying time...The good news is, Gucci is back home again tonight and ate really well some boiled chicken and rice. The ultrasound did not show any abnormalities, shunt, or enlarged heart - all of which he was looking for and thought it might be. Said everything looked great. Also, all the bloodwork came back and it was all perfect, including the bile test. The ultrasound was actually done by an internist vet and a radiologist with my doctor and the doctors are all in agreement that the mammary glands are just all swollen and hard and that is the issue (back to the false pregnancy theory which was the original diagnosis 2 weeks ago). So - she is on prednosone, an antibiotic and a muscle relaxer (on top of the eye medicine for conjunctivitis) and she seems more comfortable now (of course, she's all drugged up), and the hope is that the mammary glands will go down and she will feel better. It would be wonderful if this is all it is. She was so miserable and I have been so upset seeing her in obvious distress. It's just so hard to believe that her glands being so swollen could cause all this in my little baby (she's 4 lbs). So, time will tell and I will update my post and let you all know how she does in the next day or so. Thanks again for your kind thoughts and prayers:)

Sometimes the least little thing can do it; especially when they are so small. I took Lucy to the vet once because of how she was throwing herself around - running and hiding; could not get comfortable . . . and she had GAS. I thought she was near death!

My son still laughs about that one. I hope they have caught the problem and your little one will soon be comfortable.

Just seeing this. Clearly you have been taking very good care of your little Gucci and getting good vet care for her! Sounds like she is going to be just fine.
Welcome to YT :)

Thanks for the update and glad she ate well. :)

Prednisone... I know when Piccolo started taking this she felt better immediately. Really bumped her out of being lethargic. Of course, it has many side effects, so I imagine your vet is balancing the use of this drug with all her symptoms. (Hope that makes sense)

I do hope your vet can get to the cause of all these problems soon. Keeping you both in our thoughts today.

Glad Gucci is home with you and that they've ruled out some of the bad stuff. I hope the course of treatment she's on works and that she is feeling much better soon.

I am so glad it doesn't seem to be very serious! Thanks for updating us.