Please Help Me....

[PrincessIndigo]

My little girl, Lulu, is 10 months old. One evening, she started vomiting. I panicked a little, since she only weighs 3 lbs, but I also wrote it off as stress. When she didn't stop, I took her to the vet. The vet put her on Pepcid and low GI food, and told me we'd have to move onto X-rays and blood work if she didn't get better.

The vomiting stopped, but then she started having diarrhea. Constantly. She went so much she started having blood in her stool. I took her back to the vet. He said the blood work and X-rays looked normal and prescribed Panacur and .25mg of Amoxicillin every 12 hours for 10 days.

I started both prescriptions, but stopped after 1 dose of Panacur because she threw up. She's still taking the Amoxicillin, but seems really tired and not quite like herself. She'll play every once in awhile, but it seems like she wants to sleep more than usual. We called the vet, who said the amoxicillin shouldn't make her tired, so now I'm even more nervous.

In addition, I tried to lift her tail today to wipe her, and she started crying....which has me wondering on top of this all if she just sprained her tail.

At this point, all I want is for her to feel better, and I feel like I'm not helping her at all.

Does anyone have any input on this? Is there something I should be doing to help Lulu?

[lisaly]

I'm so sorry Lulu isn't feeling well. She could be very sore from the diarrhea, and that may be what is making her cry. Are her gums sticky to the touch? I usually check that to test for dehydration and also pull the skin on the back of the neck to see if it goes back quickly when released.

The lethargy concerns me. She's been through a lot, and that could be the cause, but she's so young to be lethargic. I hope she starts to improve and gets well quickly.

[Yorkiemom1]

Was the Panacur liquid? She needs the Panacur PLUS the Amoxicillin....did you give it on an empty stomach? or did you give it after eating? You can actually split the dosage and with her only weighing 3lbs, it should have been a small dosage anyway? She needs the COMBINATION of the Panacur + Amoxicillin.....how much is she supposed to be getting in a single dose? Are you mixing the two doses together and giving it as a single dose?

[PrincessIndigo]

The Panacur was given at night following eating. It is .75 ml. I was supposed to give it for 5 days. We gave two doses, so there are three left. I can try to give it to her again. The vet didn't specify if it was to be taken at the same time as the Amoxicillin.

[Nancy1999]

I'm so sorry, yes those three pounders require much more diligent care and can go down hill rapidly. Does the doctor suspect some type of worm, how was this diagnosed? Stool sample? Worms are parasites, and can definitely suck the life out of a dog, also, diarrhea and vomiting means the dog is not getting any nutrition, so this too can explain lack of energy. Panacur is also given for giardia. It would be helpful to know what the doctor suspects. Diarrhea and vomiting, both can cause dehydration, which is very serious and I agree with lisaly, check the gums. Have you told the doctor that you stopped the medication? I would definitely tell him this, it may or may not caused the new vomiting. Had you been feeding any human foods before all this happened? Sometimes when they are sick it takes a while for their digestive systems to heal, but you have to be very careful in the meantime. A warm bath, with just your legs and butt in the water might help sooth the area. I doubt if she's strained her tail, it's probably the lifting of it irritates an already irritated area.


By the way, if she is being treated for worms you might want to start a monthly worm preventative, such as heartgard plus. It will most worms and all that can be transmitted to humans. Best of luck.

[Yorkiemom1]

Originally Posted by PrincessIndigo

The Panacur was given at night following eating. It is .75 ml. I was supposed to give it for 5 days. We gave two doses, so there are three left. I can try to give it to her again. The vet didn't specify if it was to be taken at the same time as the Amoxicillin.

Mix the two meds together....my vet does..... and give a little at a time, over a couple of hours....if she vomits it up when you give it on an empty stomach, give it after she has eaten and has a little food in her tummy....she NEEDS that med so change your methods of giving it so that she gets it in and keeps it down....the two mixed together is 1cc....give 1/4cc every 30 minutes, if she keeps it down doing it like that....try 1/2cc in split dose...you are supposed to give it once a day? ....split the dose and give it twice a day, a couple hours apart....

[PrincessIndigo]

The problem is....the Amoxicillin is in pill form, so I can't combine them. I called the vet ...they said keep giving the Panacur. I'm going to try to give it during dinner.

When I say lethargic, I'm not sure how accurate I'm being. She goes through bouts of playing and periods of rest. She'll run around to chase me, but she won't play tug of war or wrestle with her brother. She seems to need rest more often than usual. About half an hour ago, she was running and wagging her tail. I picked her up, but must have touched the sore spot, because she started shaking and didn't want to play after that. Now she is just laying here.

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by PrincessIndigo

The problem is....the Amoxicillin is in pill form, so I can't combine them. I called the vet ...they said keep giving the Panacur. I'm going to try to give it during dinner.

When I say lethargic, I'm not sure how accurate I'm being. She goes through bouts of playing and periods of rest. She'll run around to chase me, but she won't play tug of war or wrestle with her brother. She seems to need rest more often than usual. About half an hour ago, she was running and wagging her tail. I picked her up, but must have touched the sore spot, because she started shaking and didn't want to play after that. Now she is just laying here.

Sounds pretty normal, they sometimes forget they are sick, until pain reminds them of it.

[PrincessIndigo]

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

I'm so sorry, yes those three pounders require much more diligent care and can go down hill rapidly. Does the doctor suspect some type of worm, how was this diagnosed? Stool sample? Worms are parasites, and can definitely suck the life out of a dog, also, diarrhea and vomiting means the dog is not getting any nutrition, so this too can explain lack of energy. Panacur is also given for giardia. It would be helpful to know what the doctor suspects. Diarrhea and vomiting, both can cause dehydration, which is very serious and I agree with lisaly, check the gums. Have you told the doctor that you stopped the medication? I would definitely tell him this, it may or may not caused the new vomiting. Had you been feeding any human foods before all this happened? Sometimes when they are sick it takes a while for their digestive systems to heal, but you have to be very careful in the meantime. A warm bath, with just your legs and butt in the water might help sooth the area. I doubt if she's strained her tail, it's probably the lifting of it irritates an already irritated area.


By the way, if she is being treated for worms you might want to start a monthly worm preventative, such as heartgard plus. It will most worms and all that can be transmitted to humans. Best of luck.

The doctor didn't really provide a diagnosis. Lulu had been in earlier this summer and through a stool sample, they found she had a higher level of bacteria (I forget the name, but it's the bacteria that increases through stress of trying new foods.) She took two liquid meds....I'd have to refer to the paperwork to see what it was.

This past time, the vet began treating her symptoms per my request, with the understanding we'd do further testing if the symptoms did not go away. The tests done were X-rays and blood work. The vet told me he saw some colitis, but never specified the source.

[Yorkiemom1]

Tell your vet you want the liquid Amoxicillin....it is a powder in a plastic bottle, you add the water to the bottle and shake it up...and it is very palatable....for dogs and kids alike!!! I can not believe a vet that prescribes a med then just says "oh well, just dont give that one" when you report back that the pup wont/cant/take the med!! ESPECIALLY when there are options!!! Unbelievable! And, pups like the taste! They may not fight you to get to the bottle, but you wont have to force it down the pups throat!!!

Ask your vet to please give a prescription for the liquid Amoxicillin....if he does not carry it, you apparently can now get these prescriptions for your dog at Walgreens or Walmart....the pup needs the medicine, your vet apparently does not carry it, so he just says skip it, rather than sending you where you can get the med.....wow......

[SGMCR]

Originally Posted by Yorkiemom1

Tell your vet you want the liquid Amoxicillin....it is a powder in a plastic bottle, you add the water to the bottle and shake it up...and it is very palatable....for dogs and kids alike!!! I can not believe a vet that prescribes a med then just says "oh well, just dont give that one" when you report back that the pup wont/cant/take the med!! ESPECIALLY when there are options!!! Unbelievable! And, pups like the taste! They may not fight you to get to the bottle, but you wont have to force it down the pups throat!!!

Ask your vet to please give a prescription for the liquid Amoxicillin....if he does not carry it, you apparently can now get these prescriptions for your dog at Walgreens or Walmart....the pup needs the medicine, your vet apparently does not carry it, so he just says skip it, rather than sending you where you can get the med.....wow......

Find a new vet. Any vet that would prescribe a pill for such a small puppy when the liquid is easier on the baby and more palatable is crazy! The baby needs nutrition. I would also try adding Nutrical to help supplement. Between vomiting and diarrhea the baby is tired out trying to fight off whatever it has.
Praying your baby gets better. Should have an IV infusion of fluids in my opinion.
Praying for you.

[matese]

When any of my babies had to take 2 or 3 diff. meds there were 2 questions I would always ask.
1-can all the meds be given at the same time or spaced out.
2-Are meds to be taken with food or without.
There in the office I write down the vets or techs answer.
Since having a computer and technology has greatly improved, when I come home I google the meds for the side affects. and what other info. goes with the meds. this I save to my computer for future reference.