Tootsy is very ill - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Franceen · 11-09-2017, 04:21 AM

A few days ago, my yorkie started to have an upset tummy. My husband and I were both ill with flu and decided to starve her for a day and keep her on fluids. The following day we tried some chicken and rice and after a few hours she vomited, bringing up undigested food. I tried to give her small amounts of food, but she was very reluctant to eat it. Raw lean minced beef was the only thing that she could tolerate. She was drinking her water. We took her to the vet yesterday and he said that she has a stomach virus, which is going around, and to keep offering her the chicken and not the beef.

Yesterday she had not eaten at all and I was so concerned. I had tried to get her to eat some chicken, which she was very reluctant to eat, but she ate a little. Her diarrhea started again.

Eventually I had to go back to the beef, as we were getting so concerned. The beef has stayed down well, I feel that it was the chicken, that I did get her to take earlier on in the day, that caused this, as the beef has not upset her before. She is passing a few very wet blobs of feaces - about a teaspoon at a time. The vomiting has stopped. She is just sleeping all the time.

I could take her to the vet again, but if it is a virus, what can he do, apart from keeping up her fluids? She is able to do this at home. My husband feels that if she is going to pass away, he wants her with us and not in a cage at the vet, both of which frighten her and cause her great stress.

We are both so upset and confused about what to do for the best.

pstinard · 11-09-2017, 06:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Franceen

A few days ago, my yorkie started to have an upset tummy. My husband and I were both ill with flu and decided to starve her for a day and keep her on fluids. The following day we tried some chicken and rice and after a few hours she vomited, bringing up undigested food. I tried to give her small amounts of food, but she was very reluctant to eat it. Raw lean minced beef was the only thing that she could tolerate. She was drinking her water. We took her to the vet yesterday and he said that she has a stomach virus, which is going around, and to keep offering her the chicken and not the beef.

Yesterday she had not eaten at all and I was so concerned. I had tried to get her to eat some chicken, which she was very reluctant to eat, but she ate a little. Her diarrhea started again.

Eventually I had to go back to the beef, as we were getting so concerned. The beef has stayed down well, I feel that it was the chicken, that I did get her to take earlier on in the day, that caused this, as the beef has not upset her before. She is passing a few very wet blobs of feaces - about a teaspoon at a time. The vomiting has stopped. She is just sleeping all the time.

I could take her to the vet again, but if it is a virus, what can he do, apart from keeping up her fluids? She is able to do this at home. My husband feels that if she is going to pass away, he wants her with us and not in a cage at the vet, both of which frighten her and cause her great stress.

We are both so upset and confused about what to do for the best.

It's a good sign that the vomiting has stopped, and that she is eating a little and holding down fluids. I would at least call the vet and tell them what you are feeding her and what is going on. Also, vets can do more than just keep fluids up. Sometimes nutrients can be given to a sick dog intravenously (parenteral nutrition). It's not desirable, but it might help get your dog through a bad patch. Or there might be secondary infections that can be treated. Please keep us posted on what happens.

Captainzing · 11-09-2017, 07:02 AM

Godspeed on your little girl’s recovery

pstinard · 11-09-2017, 07:41 AM

Here are a couple of websites with recipes for sick dogs. Again, consult with your vet first. I don't know why your vet would prefer chicken to beef, since your dog will eat beef but not chicken. The first website has a meal with beef and rice. The second website has recipes that can use either chicken or beef. Both sets of recipes use cooked ground beef, not raw. I assume that's to keep the bacterial count down, which is important if your dog's immune system is compromised by the illness. I would only use the raw beef if your dog won't eat cooked beef and you have no other option.

Making Ground Beef and Rice for Dogs With a Belly Ache

The bland sick diet for dogs! (What to feed your sick dog) - K9 Instinct - Dog Nutritionist in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. K9 Instinct Blog! Dog Nutrition consultations online!

yorkiemini · 11-09-2017, 07:44 AM

Thoughts and prayer for you and your Yorkie!
I would check with the vet, too!

ladyjane · 11-09-2017, 10:19 AM

She is more than likely dehyrdrated!!!!! As to letting her suffer and die....I am dumbfounded. Take her to the vet and get some fluids in her!! She is NOT able to get enough at home .... !!!!!

ladyjane · 11-09-2017, 10:21 AM

Dehydration in Dogs | petMD

from that link:

"The most common symptom of dehydration is the loss of elasticity in the skin. ... Another alarming symptom is xerostomia, in which the gums lose moistness and become dry and sticky, and the saliva becomes thick. In advanced dehydration, the eyes sink in and the dog may collapse with shock."

Franceen · 11-09-2017, 02:13 PM

Thank you for all the kind and supportive replies. We did take her to the vet and he did blood tests. These showed that her kidney enzymes were very high. She was only slightly dehydrated, as she was taking in fluids. She is in the veterinary hospital now, but there is not much hope for her. She is on a drip to try and get the toxins out of her body. He said there will be a chance if she gets through the next 24hrs and the blood test shows an improvement Thank heavens we took her back to the vet. I wish he had done blood tests the first time that he saw her, but it is easy to be wise after the event - especially as there is this gastric virus going around.

We are devasted and our hearts are breaking. I am making some bone broth in case she survives. I will take it to her in the morning.

Please pray for my baby to survive. Our hearts are breaking and we are living in fear of the phone ringing to tell us she has passed away.

Jasminemom · 11-09-2017, 06:16 PM

Thoughts and prayers for Francine and for y'all.

anakarydas · 11-09-2017, 06:38 PM

prayers for Francine..........(((HUGS)))

chattiesmom · 11-09-2017, 08:06 PM

Franceen, prayers going up for both you and Tootsy.

ladyjane · 11-10-2017, 05:04 AM

Don't count her out yet! I have a pup, Rookie, who has chronic renal issues. I almost lost him last September but he rallied after being hospitalized for IV fluids. He was recently ill again (three weeks ago) and his renal numbers are pretty high and he is anemic .... After one day of fluids, he looked awful and both vets in my practice who treat him said that his chances of survival at this point were slim. I decided to take him home for the night and then take him back in the next morning to let him go.

The next morning he looked a bit better and I couldn't do it....but, I also made up my mind I was not leaving him for a full day at the vet as I don't want his last days to be like that. We put him on subcutaneous fluids daily and also Mirtazapine to stimulate his appetite. (he was losing weight and not eating). He turned around again!! He is now on subcutaneous fluids 2x/wk and is on Mirtazapine ... he is doing really well!

I am sharing this with you to give you a bit of hope....these little ones are resilient. Renal failure is tricky....it can take them quickly or they can hang in for some time. His original diagnosis was PLN (protein losing nephropathy) and that was I think about 4 years ago. I would have to look it up...but, the point is they CAN do well.

I am SO glad you got Tootsy to the vet....I will keep her in my thoughts and prayer...and you as well.

chestermama · 11-10-2017, 07:58 PM

does she like wet food a lot of moisture in it, hope she is better soon

chestermama · 11-10-2017, 07:59 PM

I just saw the latest post, sending lots of prayers

Juliealfies mum · 11-11-2017, 03:36 PM

I hope that Tootsy is doing well ,we had the same issue with Lottie a couple of months back and straight to the vet school she went and she was kept in for 2 days , and even then she was back and forward to the vet , but she did pull through and she is still with us. Thankfully.
I'm sure she is getting this best of care and we are thinking of you all.

11-09-2017, 04:21 AM	#1
Franceen YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 581	Tootsy is very ill A few days ago, my yorkie started to have an upset tummy. My husband and I were both ill with flu and decided to starve her for a day and keep her on fluids. The following day we tried some chicken and rice and after a few hours she vomited, bringing up undigested food. I tried to give her small amounts of food, but she was very reluctant to eat it. Raw lean minced beef was the only thing that she could tolerate. She was drinking her water. We took her to the vet yesterday and he said that she has a stomach virus, which is going around, and to keep offering her the chicken and not the beef. Yesterday she had not eaten at all and I was so concerned. I had tried to get her to eat some chicken, which she was very reluctant to eat, but she ate a little. Her diarrhea started again. Eventually I had to go back to the beef, as we were getting so concerned. The beef has stayed down well, I feel that it was the chicken, that I did get her to take earlier on in the day, that caused this, as the beef has not upset her before. She is passing a few very wet blobs of feaces - about a teaspoon at a time. The vomiting has stopped. She is just sleeping all the time. I could take her to the vet again, but if it is a virus, what can he do, apart from keeping up her fluids? She is able to do this at home. My husband feels that if she is going to pass away, he wants her with us and not in a cage at the vet, both of which frighten her and cause her great stress. We are both so upset and confused about what to do for the best. Last edited by Franceen; 11-09-2017 at 04:23 AM.

11-09-2017, 07:02 AM	#3
Captainzing YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Vandalia Il. Posts: 18,923	Godspeed on your little girl’s recovery __________________ Dexter's dad

11-09-2017, 07:44 AM	#5
yorkiemini Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: USA Posts: 4,285	Thoughts and prayer for you and your Yorkie! I would check with the vet, too! __________________ . Cali , and Cali's keeper and staff, Jay No, not a "mini" Yorkie - She loves to motor in her Mini Cooper car

11-09-2017, 10:19 AM	#6
ladyjane Resident Yorkie Nut Donating YT 20K Club Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 27,451	She is more than likely dehyrdrated!!!!! As to letting her suffer and die....I am dumbfounded. Take her to the vet and get some fluids in her!! She is NOT able to get enough at home .... !!!!! __________________ CLOUD NINE BEDS--YORKIE HAVEN RESCUE MY ETSY SHOP

11-09-2017, 10:21 AM	#7
ladyjane Resident Yorkie Nut Donating YT 20K Club Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 27,451	Dehydration in Dogs \| petMD from that link: "The most common symptom of dehydration is the loss of elasticity in the skin. ... Another alarming symptom is xerostomia, in which the gums lose moistness and become dry and sticky, and the saliva becomes thick. In advanced dehydration, the eyes sink in and the dog may collapse with shock." __________________ CLOUD NINE BEDS--YORKIE HAVEN RESCUE MY ETSY SHOP

11-09-2017, 07:41 AM	#4
pstinard YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Urbana, IL USA Posts: 3,648	Here are a couple of websites with recipes for sick dogs. Again, consult with your vet first. I don't know why your vet would prefer chicken to beef, since your dog will eat beef but not chicken. The first website has a meal with beef and rice. The second website has recipes that can use either chicken or beef. Both sets of recipes use cooked ground beef, not raw. I assume that's to keep the bacterial count down, which is important if your dog's immune system is compromised by the illness. I would only use the raw beef if your dog won't eat cooked beef and you have no other option. Making Ground Beef and Rice for Dogs With a Belly Ache The bland sick diet for dogs! (What to feed your sick dog) - K9 Instinct - Dog Nutritionist in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. K9 Instinct Blog! Dog Nutrition consultations online!

11-09-2017, 02:13 PM	#8
Franceen YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 581	Thank you for all the kind and supportive replies. We did take her to the vet and he did blood tests. These showed that her kidney enzymes were very high. She was only slightly dehydrated, as she was taking in fluids. She is in the veterinary hospital now, but there is not much hope for her. She is on a drip to try and get the toxins out of her body. He said there will be a chance if she gets through the next 24hrs and the blood test shows an improvement Thank heavens we took her back to the vet. I wish he had done blood tests the first time that he saw her, but it is easy to be wise after the event - especially as there is this gastric virus going around. We are devasted and our hearts are breaking. I am making some bone broth in case she survives. I will take it to her in the morning. Please pray for my baby to survive. Our hearts are breaking and we are living in fear of the phone ringing to tell us she has passed away.

11-09-2017, 06:16 PM	#9
Jasminemom Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Lawrenceville, Ga, USA Posts: 34	Thoughts and prayers for Francine and for y'all. __________________ RIP my little Jasmine 12/21/2002-10/13/2017

11-09-2017, 06:38 PM	#10
anakarydas Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: hou,tx,usa Posts: 238	prayers for Francine..........(((HUGS))) __________________ 3yorkies mom

11-09-2017, 08:06 PM	#11
chattiesmom Donating YT 10K Club Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Alabama Posts: 17,674	Franceen, prayers going up for both you and Tootsy. __________________ Silk Step-In Harnesses www.foxypups.etsy.com

11-10-2017, 05:04 AM	#12
ladyjane Resident Yorkie Nut Donating YT 20K Club Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 27,451	Don't count her out yet! I have a pup, Rookie, who has chronic renal issues. I almost lost him last September but he rallied after being hospitalized for IV fluids. He was recently ill again (three weeks ago) and his renal numbers are pretty high and he is anemic .... After one day of fluids, he looked awful and both vets in my practice who treat him said that his chances of survival at this point were slim. I decided to take him home for the night and then take him back in the next morning to let him go. The next morning he looked a bit better and I couldn't do it....but, I also made up my mind I was not leaving him for a full day at the vet as I don't want his last days to be like that. We put him on subcutaneous fluids daily and also Mirtazapine to stimulate his appetite. (he was losing weight and not eating). He turned around again!! He is now on subcutaneous fluids 2x/wk and is on Mirtazapine ... he is doing really well! I am sharing this with you to give you a bit of hope....these little ones are resilient. Renal failure is tricky....it can take them quickly or they can hang in for some time. His original diagnosis was PLN (protein losing nephropathy) and that was I think about 4 years ago. I would have to look it up...but, the point is they CAN do well. I am SO glad you got Tootsy to the vet....I will keep her in my thoughts and prayer...and you as well. __________________ CLOUD NINE BEDS--YORKIE HAVEN RESCUE MY ETSY SHOP

11-10-2017, 07:58 PM	#13
chestermama YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: washington Posts: 3,383 Blog Entries: 1	does she like wet food a lot of moisture in it, hope she is better soon

11-10-2017, 07:59 PM	#14
chestermama YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: washington Posts: 3,383 Blog Entries: 1	I just saw the latest post, sending lots of prayers

11-11-2017, 03:36 PM	#15
Juliealfies mum YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: scotland Posts: 2,224	I hope that Tootsy is doing well ,we had the same issue with Lottie a couple of months back and straight to the vet school she went and she was kept in for 2 days , and even then she was back and forward to the vet , but she did pull through and she is still with us. Thankfully. I'm sure she is getting this best of care and we are thinking of you all. __________________ From Julie Alfie & Lottie