What could these continuing symptoms be?

[TxVicki]

Originally Posted by Franceen

Thank you for all these replies. I did not realise that it could be so many things. She will be seeing the vet in the morning and I will see that she has all the tests and xrays. She did see the vet on Friday afternoon and she said that Tootsy did not look like an ill dog despite these symptoms and had not lost weight. her just a bit more time, providing she agrees to urgent tests and xrays, but she said she was going to do that

I hope her Vet appointment goes well.

A dog can look like the picture of health and sometimes their insides tell a much different story.

My Lizzie is 14 1/2 yrs old, to look at her you wouldn't think she was sick, but she has cancer and her blood work and the x-ray's tell a much different story.

[SophieandZiggy]

I would take her to an emergency vet asap. I lost my Rusty on 9/19/11. He seemed perfectly healthy less than 24 hours before he started not wanting to eat, vomiting and bloody diarrhea. If I had it to do all over again I would have rushed him right in despite the fact that the girl who answered the phone at the emergency vet clinic told me it was normal and to go to my vet the next day!

[Franceen]

Thank you all so much for the information you have given me. I thought she was getting the right treatment at first - antibiotics etc and three follow up appointments. I now feel the vet should have seen her every day until she improved, despite the fact that she had not lost weight and only had a slight temperature (it was a particularly hot day and the vet felt it may just be the heat causing a slight raise in temp.) I felt that I needed to follow the vets advice unless it was obviously suspect, as I am not a vet. I did voice my concerns and she seemed to be able to reassure me. Anyway, here is the follow up:

Tootsy went in to the vet this morning and she was admitted into hospital for tests and scan etc. The vet phoned to say that she wanted to do a spay immediately even though the scan did not show fluid in the uterus. She felt it was too risky to take the chance of possible closed pyametria. She said she also wanted to do an exploratory to check all her organs. She has just phoned back to say that the uterus was slightly inflammed and she feels 98% sure that this is the cause of the stomache problems. She has decided to keep her in hospital so they can keep a check on her. They will let me know when they feel it is quite safe to let her leave the hospital. The exploratory revealed that all her organs are fine, apart from some gas in her lower bowel, eveything else seems 100%. The lump in her mammary gland was removed, even though it is now very small, and has been sent for testing. She is on antibiotic injections, as well as painkilling and anti-nausea injections. She got through it all well and is resting without any crying. There will be a vet at the hospital all night and she will be checked regularly. I was assured that her lungs and heart are absolutely fine. I will be discussing the night time mucus on her chest (possible allergiy?) once she is over all this. I did speak to her about it this morning and was told that at the moment her lungs look and sound fine. I am still worried and will continue to be so until she is well.

I wish the vets over here were as efficient as they are in the US - you are SO fortunate. I have tried many vets here, but none of them seem anything like as good as the vets you have over there. I just don't know where to go next. At least she is being treated and doing well at the moment. I ask everyone I meet on walks, who their vets are, and if they are good. I have done this since I got her. I have tried the ones recommended and so far I am not impressed. I don't know what to do about it.

What a dreadful day it has been for me - I am totally exhaused from crying and crying. I have been questioning how I handled the situation what I should have done etc etc. I guess I made the mistake of trusing the vet too completely - that will never happen again. Luckily for me I did not lose my precious baby and, hopefully, she will recover. This vet is going away tomorrow and another vet will be taking over Tootsy's treatment until she returns.

Any more advice would be very welcome (but no critiscim please - I have done that to myself all day and I am absolutely at my lowest now and am finding it hard to stop crying for any length of time. I do know I should have done more and it hurts so much. I thought the vet knew what she was doing. I could not start looking for another vet at this stage this morning, so I just had to make sure that the tests and scans etc were done today, which they were. Please pray for my precious little baby.

[ladyjane]

Prayers for Tootsy. You need to put the past behind you and focus on her healing now. Thankfully she now has gotten the care she needs...hopefully she will have a speedy recovery.

[Ellie May]

My advice is to get an xray of her chest and not let a vet put this off too. They seriously mismanaged this case and I'd be concerned about whether or not they are competent to make medical decisions for my dog. Don't let them put the xray off like they decided to put the rest of the stuff off.

Anyway, here if the owner his concerned about breathing/mucus/coughing issues, even if the vet hears nothing on auscultation an xray is taken. Particularly because this happens at night when the vet can't listen, it is always best to take a look in there and see if anything is going on (is there fluid in the lungs, etc.).

[TxVicki]

Prayers going oit for Tootsy. I'm glad she had her surgery done and she is doing well. Yes please do discuss the lungs issue ask them to please x-ray the chest just to be on the safe side.
I hope Tootsy will able to come home soon. Glad to also know that someone will be with her overnight.

[gidget529]

Poor little Tootsy. I'm glad this vet finally did something to help her. I also would lean towards getting a chest x-ray, especially since this sound is concerning you at night.

[BlueBelle]

Best wishes and Prayers for healing for Tootsy!!

[miabellaamoure]

Glad to hear that Tootsy (love her name!) is on the road to recovery from whatever was ailing her!

Also, something that is beneficial when your pet can't seem to replicate the symptoms that you observe at other times (when it comes time for the Vet to see or listen to)...is to "video-tape" these episodes that you witness. Then you can play them back for the Vet to see & hear.

When my Bella was displaying symptoms that I was concerned could be Collapsed Trachea my Vet was first to suggest that it could just be a reverse sneeze. Long story short...I ended up trusting my gut that it was more and video taped an episode for him to see & hear. An x-ray later and voile' my instincts were correct and my girl was properly diagnosed...she unfortunately has CT

[Franceen]

Thank you so much for your replies and kind wishes for my little girl. I am very grateful for the advice about the mucus on her lungs at night. I would not have know all this. I will insist that an xray is done. They told me that she has to be anesthetised in order to do an xray. Is this the case? They said that she was a handfull when they were doing the scan and it had been very difficult. Should I insist that the xray is done tomorrow or should I wait until she is over this operation? Ellie May, what do you mean by it is best to 'go in there' to see if there is fluid on the lungs - do you mean another operation?

'SophieandZiggy' I was so shocked to hear about Rusty and send you my sincere sympathies. How heartbreaking. What was the reason he died so quickly? Did they ever find out? This is terrifying to hear about!

I will now have to search for yet another vet. This is just a nightmare - I have no idea how to find a good one - I have asked so many people and seen so many practices. I will go further afield into the next towns, which is not convenient in an emergency, but better than getting poor treatment. The things I have looked for in the past, apart from personal recommendations, are up to date surgical facilities, nursing facilities, up to date equipment, scanners, Xray machines ECG machines, blood testing lab for quick results etc. plus things like examination tables sterilised between patients and vets sterilising their hands between patients and general standard of cleanliness. What else would be an indication of a good veterinary practice? I cannot tell if any veterinarian is good at his profession unless I try them, and so far it has not been successful, despite them being recommended. It is so stressful as this is my precious baby's life I am dealing with - thank heavens I can ask all of you here for advice. I would give anything for the quality of care you have over there, in your veterinary practices. At least I now know to demand treatment if I am concerned no matter what the vet may feel, or find yet another vet. Thanks again.
hugs xx

[gidget529]

I have never heard of a dog that needed to be anesthetized to have a chest x-ray. I grew up w dogs and have had them in my adult life. I do not work in vet med, though, so who knows. Maybe EllieMay or some of the other exp vet med ppl here have heard of it.

[SophieandZiggy]

We never did get answers as to what happened to Rusty. The vet says e probably will never know. I just wish I would've rushed him in right away. I try not to beat myself up over this but it's so hard not to regret decisions even though they can't be changed. I am in the middle of filing a complaint with the attorney general's office against the Dr. we saw at the emergency clinic who didn't even try to save Rusty and sent me out the door to my vet in another town.

I wish you the best for your little one. I will be praying for both of you to get through this as painless as possible. Don't dwell on things you can't change. Stay positive and focus on the future. I hope Tootsy has a speedy recovery!

[Ellie May]

Nope, not "go in there". "Look in there" (with an xray).

In the case of needing to be anesthetized, it is really important to have a solid vet that can weigh the pros and cons and make a good choice for your pup. In this case, I don't know what to tell you. They should have done it while she was under for her spay... As far as I know, in all places throughout the US they don't have to anesthetize. In some other places, I had heard that is not the case. The problem is the people restraining the animals are exposed to radiation all the time. We allow that here (with protective gear on). So I'd try to find out if this is a law over there or if it's vet preference based on just not wanting to make their techs do what they are supposed to do. If she is snapping, that is one thing. If she is just wiggling, they should be trying it. If Ellie the wiggle queen can be xrayed, just about any anxious dog can be.

[Franceen]

Thank you for your replies, once again. I have had a dreadful day. I phoned this morning to ask about Tootsy and they tolld me she was doing okay and that the vet would call me after she had finished her surgeries. I told them that I wanted a chest Xray before I would take her home. The vet phoned and said that she will not sedate Tootsy until she is a lot better. (She did not mention anesthetising her, only sedating her) She did not know why it was not done yesterday, but that she knew the vet treating her was more concerned with the uterine issue being possibly pyametra and very dangerous, so wanted to get in there fast. She said her lungs still sound absolutely clear. I asked if the vet had not heard the miucus on her lungs during the night. She then told me that at 8.00pm they decided that Tootsy was well enough not to need overnight checks and so the decision was taken not to upset her by transporting her to the facility where they keep chiecks on them during the night, as they felt she would was fine to be left!!!!!!!! I said, did that mean my dog was alone all night!! She said that a vet sleeps 'on site', they just don't check up on them if it is not thought necessary. I shouted at her, yelled, sobbed, and got completely hysterical - my hubby had to come and take the phone from me. I couldn't believe that they had left my baby alone all night when she was ill, after reassuring me that she was going to be cared for during the night!!. The vet told my husband that, when they examined her at 8.00pm, and she was doing well and not in pain - they had given her a 24hr pain-killing injection- they took the decision not to upset her by transporting her to the other hospital facility. When she was checked at 7.00am (!!!!!!!!!!) today, she was alert and looking better and her temperature was normal. SHE WAS STILL LEFT ALONE AFTER SURGERY - WHAT IF SHE HAD SUDDENLY DETERIORATED!!!

They had also tried to give her food, which fortunately she did not eat!!!!! She cannot eat canned food even if it is the Science Plan for allergies. They told my husband that I had not made that clear. I quickly made her some salmon and rice and my husband took it to the hospital, as I could not stop sobbing. Evidently,she ate the food, thank heavens. My husband spoke to the vet later in the day when I was in another room (he said he could not risk me going crazy again, so waited for an opportunity to phone her while I was not around)and she told him that Tootsy is not showing any signs of pain and is much more alert and keeping the food down. BUT she has decided that Tootsy cannot be released today as her temperature has become a little raised again and so she has to spend another night on a drip!!. My baby is to be left in the hospital by herself another night!!! I am so distraught and so upset, you just have no idea. I am quite beyond myself My husband says I cannot take her out of hospital against the vet's wishes at this stage, as she needs hospitalisation and we do not know where else to go yet. He says it is also highly unlikely that another vet will take over her treatment mid-way. Good Grief what am I to do - I am frantic. Am I over reacting? My husband feels that the stress of all this has just got to me and that I have worked myself up into hysteria and need to try and calm down and think rationally. He keeps saying that I must remember that her temperature is only slightly raised and that she is keeping her food down and more importantly getting fluids into her. I AM THINKING - what if she is not getting the right antibiotic, how long will they wait to change to another one, will they leave it too late! etc etc etc. Oh God I am so desperate. I am terrified of losing her. I know I have worked myself up into a complete state but I am so frightened of losing my darling baby and heartbroken to think of her all alone wondering where I am and why I am not fetching her. I have never left her alone ... EVER. I have got to stop sobbing.

[Ellie May]

She is your dog and completely within your rights as an owner to pay the bill and take her immediately to another hospital. Yes, another vet can pick up treatment.

Whether or not an xray needs to be done bad enough to sedate is only a decision that a competent vet should be making.