Huge Mucus Discharge
 

Crystal and I had our usual walk along the beach today, except she insisted in rolling on the wet sand, laced with Seagull poo - yuk, not all ladylike! Looking like a drowned caribou, she was unceremoniously placed in the bath for a corrective shower. I lifted her out and onto her big bath towel, whilst I emptied the water. When I turned to commence her rubbing down there was an enormous deposit of clear viscous mucus upon it (no blood). Even now I'm quite shocked how such a small creature could have left such a large and presumably vomited deposit. Much larger than I've ever coughed up, and completed without a sound that I could detect. Her health is exceptional and after the bath (which she hates) decided to careen around the flat like a whirling Dervish chasing her tail and play growling whilst giving Dad some seriously querulous looks. Could the discharge be due to the stress of the bath? Can they create mucus (none in her stools) to emit in times of such nervosity? Is this a side product of not having her mom around for two weeks? Alternatively perhaps she ingested something on the shore that has acted as an emetic? She had the devil investing in her today, wouldn't come to call, almost it seemed to get even with me for missing yesterday's run, (due to huge storms and continuous rain). She's now dozing as if nothing has happened? I'm more puzzled than anxious, any experiences or thoughts appreciated...

This would appear to be the most likely cause.


Alternatively, your choice of bath towel was perhaps offensive to her and she displayed passive aggressive protest in the absence of her mom!

Thank you, both could be right, especially your last comment, as mom always bathes her and she has a feisty spirit. I've noticed she has a tendency towards sea weed, which at this time of the year is very prevalent, Ive not noticed her ingesting it, but then perhaps only a little in necessary. There was a good deal of sand in the general sputum too!

:eek: Oh dear....poor little girl - and poor daddy!!! :)

Martin, are you sure it came out of her 'front end'?

Since you don't know what else could have been in anything she ingested, I would wake her often, be sure she is capable of being roused and check her frequently today. At any sign of lack of appetite, N or V, or change in habits, breathing, coughing, or behavior, I'd have her at the vet clinic ASAP.

Dogs that are highly anxious or very aroused by something can accumulate vast amounts of very viscous saliva in their mouth and it could have been that due to the bath, though you describe it as more as mucus so that is a puzzle. But don't assume she's okay because she is sleeping unless you can easily rouse her and she behaves and looks absolutely normally.

It could have been sputum, but it was quite viscous and I had to apply the shower head at full blast from a few inches, just to loosen it from the towel. I have noticed that when we come back from the beach and I clean her in the sink, (legs feet belly first) her little lady beard has been a bit gooey, when I wash her little face. We have very fine sand here and at the moment the levels can vary anything up to two feet with the Autumn tides, so there's a lot of it about just now. I think it's good for those little feet and joints to 'soft land' on, but perhaps when she picks up her tennis ball, she's ingesting the salty sand and the sputum is maybe a natural expellant?

Presently (two hours on, she's having her usual afternoon nap) I've aroused her a couple of times and she's very alert, indeed I got the little grumpy reactionary snatch the first time! When she gets on the beach she'll chase her ball at full pelt for anything up to 40 mins in 60 yard return bursts and sometimes gets to the ball before it lands! Other Yorkie owners express amazement at her sustained energy and she never wants to stop, but I rest her when she pants profusely, even though she's still only 20 months old. Whilst she's missing Mom as much as I am, we're good company for each other and I make sure she's never alone for long. Here's a pic taken 20 mins ago.

Hello Sal, yes I think so, it was so very clear. She also had her mandatory mucus free little dump before going for her afternoon kip. She keeps me busy one way or another that's for sure?

My guess is that she consumed something that made her tummy upset, so it's good she got rid of it.

You're sure it wasn't from the other end, right...it wasn't mucus from the anal glands?

I really can't say definitely, the more I think of it I'm sure that had she vomited such a large deposit up I'd have heard it? I remember a year ago, when Mom went away she went through an episode of loose tummy and mucus. This year her motions are firm and no mucus?:(

Hope she eats and poops normally and keeps playing, behaving normally, and you can rest assured it was just one of those scary times we have with our dogs, never really knowing what happened. Bless her little heart, I hope Crystal will be just fine.

Hello a little update, she's been just fine since, eating well and being her usual effervescent little self. I try to give her as much exercise as possible whilst Irina's away, conscious of the fact that I'm the only company she has. Doesn't seem to bother her though. I'm always talking to and playing silly games with her. She hardly leaves me 24 hours a day and certainly never lets me out of her sight. Mom's away for another 5 weeks yet! One of my neighbour's said that their Yorkie was very off with him on his return from Australia after a couple of months. Indeed adding that their relationship was never quite the same after. I do hope Crystal's not like that, she loves her Mom dearly. Tonight when we were on Skype, she was very animated at the sound of her voice. Back on subject I guess she may have ingested something not too nice on the beach and the bath and stress maybe acted as an emetic?

Bless her heart - she's been through a traumatic time with part of her little pack missing and no doubt wondering when she'll see her again or where she is. My Tibbe is really on the outs with me for just leaving him for the day at the vet's(though he loves it there, gets excited as we approach the building, strains toward the counter as I take him in and happily lets them take him from me) and totally ignores me when I come to pick him up, drive him home and for a good while after we're back home. It really upsets his day when I leave him anywhere. Gradually, though, he comes up for a cuddle and licks me, deigning to forgive me.

When I was in the hospital and he stayed with my son and his dog, he came home fine, happy to see me at first blush, but that's the only time he didn't get disoriented by his pack being separated for even a little while. He doesn't seem to mind my leaving for a few hours while he stays home, though. He greets me acting like a crazy dog, whirling and running around me as I walk in, not satisfied until I get down to his level and he can greet me properly with kisses and sniffing and more kisses, pressing into me as I hug him.

Sure glad to hear Crystal is fine. Scary though, anytime something new comes up.

Hi Jeanie, Crystal continues to be fine this morning, uber alert - woke me up on time and wouldn't accept "no" to me trying a little extra snooze! Ate a good breakfast, motions normal - phew, you may remember this time last year when you talked me through another little wobble, whilst Mom was away. Made a lot of fuss of me last night too, so perhaps she realizes Dad's only trying to help? Also seems to have become very sensitive and protective. 'Buffs' at every little sound and insists on checking our private lobby up here afterwards - is she looking out for her mom? Your thought provoking words 'little pack' really put things in perspective too this end and so far away, I'm glad we have and look out for each other. If only we were as loyal and loving?:thinking:

Thank you,
Martin

I am glad that your Crystal is okay in your seemingly more than capable hands..


I picked the aforementioned from your post because I thought I was the only one who described what Teddy does as 'buff'. How very naïve of me to think this was unique to him as a result of my 'training' him to "BE QUIET". I thought it was an alternative he devised as a way of not fully engaging in an all out BARK.


Ha - thanks for that :)

Thank you for your kind wishes. I've noticed from the other 'Yorks' we meet on our walks, their common traits. Crystal also (in my terminology) "gruels". This a low tone fast tempo throat sound rather like suppressed gargling - they all seem to do it? Another is the frenetic 'excavations' of the bed, heralding a finite 'plonk down' at night, rather like a furry hen preparing to lay an egg! Funny little creatures and so endearing.:)