Senior Dog Health question (1 Viewer)

[snogger]

Thought while I wait for the Vet to call back I'd see if anyone here has run into this..

Twice in the last 3 weeks our 8 year old Mutt has become very lethargic and can't or won't move..

Both times when you'd call him he'd lift his head and look like he was going to attempt to get up and then just lay his head back down.. and both times by the next day he is back to his jolly, happy, normal self..

The first time I thought he was just sick so we opened a can of chicken noodle soup and he showed no interest in even drinking it.. and this is a mutt that will eat a piece of lettuce normally if you hand it to him.

Last night seemed different..

I called out to him to make his last trip outside for the night. He tried to get up and then just put his head back down. I thought maybe he was just weak so I tried to lift him and he cried out like he was in a lot of pain..

Really thought I'd be waking up this morning to make the dreaded drive to the vet to say goodbye.. Really a tough night of sleep :(

Then my alarm goes off this morning, I walk out of the room and there he is following me like normal right to the doggie door as if nothing happened.. went outside, came back in, drank and took his treat.. Like I said, it's as if nothing happened the night before..

Anyone here ran into this before.. are we looking at possible strokes?

But then I'd expect his demeanor, or the way he walks or moves would change, but so far same old Mutt once he recovers.

 

[sbonomo]

check his heart rythm....mine had a similar problem that ended up being an irregular heart beat.....she is on a blood thinner that has made her as good as new....

 

[Chemical X]

8 is young! my guy is 14.....

arthritis? hip dysplasia? maybe an antiinflammatory going forward. you could aspirin, that is dog friendly.

 

[snogger]

check his heart rythm....mine had a similar problem that ended up being an irregular heart beat.....she is on a blood thinner that has made her as good as new....

We have noticed when these episodes have hit, he's looked like he is breathing heavier then normal and I have seen some postings out there that heavy/struggling to breath could be a sign of that.. will ask the vet about it

 

[bigmarc27]

check his heart rythm....mine had a similar problem that ended up being an irregular heart beat.....she is on a blood thinner that has made her as good as new....

This was my suggestion. On my 8 year old Weim they found a heart murmur which turned out to be something more serious. Basically her heart only has 6 months left as it's weakening - she's on meds now to try and keep it going but she's a little more lethargic than ever before and we can tell she's slowing down.

Obviously hope it's not the same thing, but better to know and address it.

 

[snogger]

8 is young! my guy is 14.....

arthritis? hip dysplasia? maybe an antiinflammatory going forward. you could aspirin, that is dog friendly.

I don't think it is an "injury" or Arthritis as once the episode passes( both times by the next day he is 100% OK) he runs around outside and plays with our 9 year old beagle as he normally does.. which is why we are at this point..

 

[snogger]

check his heart rythm....mine had a similar problem that ended up being an irregular heart beat.....she is on a blood thinner that has made her as good as new....

This was my suggestion. On my 8 year old Weim they found a heart murmur which turned out to be something more serious. Basically her heart only has 6 months left as it's weakening - she's on meds now to try and keep it going but she's a little more lethargic than ever before and we can tell she's slowing down.

Obviously hope it's not the same thing, but better to know and address it.

Sorry to hear about your pup :(

On a side/happy note.. Many years ago we were told our Sheltie had 3 to 6 months to live and to just make her comfortable.. She ended up living another 2 years after that diagnoses

 

[sbonomo]

check his heart rythm....mine had a similar problem that ended up being an irregular heart beat.....she is on a blood thinner that has made her as good as new....

This was my suggestion. On my 8 year old Weim they found a heart murmur which turned out to be something more serious. Basically her heart only has 6 months left as it's weakening - she's on meds now to try and keep it going but she's a little more lethargic than ever before and we can tell she's slowing down.

Obviously hope it's not the same thing, but better to know and address it.

they gave my boxer 6 months 1.5 years ago....she is still kicking and acts as young as ever......

 

[bigmarc27]

That's what we're hoping for most definitely. We have her on an array of pills now and she seems ok most of the time but will occasionally get a hacking cough. Apparently this stems from her heart not pumping hard enough which allows blood to back flow into her lungs.

I'd be thrilled for another two years.

 

[snogger]

Ok.. after some more research I'm beginning to think it might be bloat or "twisted stomach" although right now I am leaning towards bloat/gas based on this:

" In early bloat the dog may not appear distended, but the abdomen usually feels slightly tight. The dog appears lethargic, obviously uncomfortable, walks in a stiff-legged fashion, hangs his head, but may not look extremely anxious or distressed."

Might explain the "everything is just fine" the next day.. and thinking further both times it was after he ate/drank "people food".. the first time he drank our daughters left over cereal milk... and yesterday morning we added bacon grease to his food. Both of these are things we've given to both dogs for years...

As much as they'll both give us looks we've decided to go no people food for them and hope that is it.

 

[Dragons]

It's not bloat, bloat does not cure itself the next day. It's usually fatal.

It could be food related, could be something he got into outside.

Get the opinion of your vet. Did you hear back?

 

[bigmarc27]

It's not bloat, bloat does not cure itself the next day. It's usually fatal.

It could be food related, could be something he got into outside.

Get the opinion of your vet. Did you hear back?

Definitely not bloat or gastric tortion. Your dog would be dead by now.

Our same dog mentioned earlier bloated -- they opened her up and were actually able to save her, but it was caught quickly and hit or miss during the procedure.

edit: this is what bloat surgery looked like on our girl: http://s12.postimg.org/dmhs714zx/IMG_1661.jpg

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

Might it be a parasite or somesuch? In humans that can be cyclical. I have no idea if that can happen to a dog.

Give the fuzzy guy a head pat for me.

 

[snogger]

It's not bloat, bloat does not cure itself the next day. It's usually fatal.

It could be food related, could be something he got into outside.

Get the opinion of your vet. Did you hear back?

Definitely not bloat or gastric tortion. Your dog would be dead by now.

Our same dog mentioned earlier bloated -- they opened her up and were actually able to save her, but it was caught quickly and hit or miss during the procedure.

edit: this is what bloat surgery looked like on our girl: http://s12.postimg.org/dmhs714zx/IMG_1661.jpg

Well thanks for that comforting thought

I found this on a couple different Vet sites and the reasoning I was thinking it might have been "Bloat"

Bloat, as it is commonly called, is a condition technically known as gastric dilation/volvolus, or GDV, which at first seems and is, similar to stomach gas. The abdomen becomes enlarged and distended, and the dog shows signs of discomfort – pacing, salivating, whining and trying to throw up.

At this stage, a dose of Mylanta Gas, Gas-X, or any product containing simethicone may help by breaking up any gas bubbles. Not every case is extreme, and the problem may go away, but if it does not, or gets worse, it becomes a medical emergency.

From pets.webmd:( the bold is the symptoms he had)

The classic signs of bloat are restlessness and pacing, salivation, retching, unproductive attempts to vomit, and enlargement of the abdomen. The dog may whine or groan when you press on his belly. Thumping the abdomen produces a hollow sound.

Unfortunately, not all cases of bloat present with typical signs. In early bloat the dog may not appear distended, but the abdomen usually feels slightly tight. The dog appears lethargic, obviously uncomfortable, walks in a stiff-legged fashion, hangs his head, but may not look extremely anxious or distressed. Early on it is not possible to distinguish dilatation from volvulus.

I'm bringing him in today to make sure it isn't something with his heart..

But seeing as he ran around yesterday and today and is eating and drinking normally since Sunday night, until I'm told differently I'm going with my "glass is 3/4's full" view and say it was gas

 

[eoMMan]

Do any of you guys have pet insurance? Is it worth it? Who do you have it through?

My dog just turned 5 and I'm considering it.

 

[bigmarc27]

It's not bloat, bloat does not cure itself the next day. It's usually fatal.

It could be food related, could be something he got into outside.

Get the opinion of your vet. Did you hear back?

Definitely not bloat or gastric tortion. Your dog would be dead by now.

Our same dog mentioned earlier bloated -- they opened her up and were actually able to save her, but it was caught quickly and hit or miss during the procedure.

edit: this is what bloat surgery looked like on our girl: http://s12.postimg.org/dmhs714zx/IMG_1661.jpg

Well thanks for that comforting thought I found this on a couple different Vet sites and the reasoning I was thinking it might have been "Bloat"

Bloat, as it is commonly called, is a condition technically known as gastric dilation/volvolus, or GDV, which at first seems and is, similar to stomach gas. The abdomen becomes enlarged and distended, and the dog shows signs of discomfort pacing, salivating, whining and trying to throw up.

At this stage, a dose of Mylanta Gas, Gas-X, or any product containing simethicone may help by breaking up any gas bubbles. Not every case is extreme, and the problem may go away, but if it does not, or gets worse, it becomes a medical emergency.

From pets.webmd:( the bold is the symptoms he had)

The classic signs of bloat are restlessness and pacing, salivation, retching, unproductive attempts to vomit, and enlargement of the abdomen. The dog may whine or groan when you press on his belly. Thumping the abdomen produces a hollow sound.

Unfortunately, not all cases of bloat present with typical signs. In early bloat the dog may not appear distended, but the abdomen usually feels slightly tight. The dog appears lethargic, obviously uncomfortable, walks in a stiff-legged fashion, hangs his head, but may not look extremely anxious or distressed. Early on it is not possible to distinguish dilatation from volvulus.

I'm bringing him in today to make sure it isn't something with his heart..But seeing as he ran around yesterday and today and is eating and drinking normally since Sunday night, until I'm told differently I'm going with my "glass is 3/4's full" view and say it was gas

It could be gas for sure. If the insides actually turned though, he/she would've not recovered to be running around. Basically their innards pinch so nothing can go in or out and your dog would immediately vomit everything back up.

It's good news. I wasn't trying to be morbid, jut saying a dog wouldn't make it as long as yours so that's not it.

 

[snogger]

Well good news.. except for my bank account...

Vet checked him out and didn't see anything to be concerned about from a general checkup. No heart or lung issues... Ran blood and urine test and came back and said he is healthy, all levels within excepted levels.. nothing wrong that they can find.

$170 for a ... but good to know there is no underlying issues..

she said that if it happens again do whatever I can to bring him in at that time so they can take xrays and/or ultrasound.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

Good news. Yea!

 

[snogger]

Good news. Yea!

Normally you go in and they either find something, or give some speech about you should treat them for this, even though the test came back fine..

Can't remember ever being in a Vet office, have them go through all the test results and give a big old at the end..

 

[Angry Beavers]

FWIW, I have the had the same issues with Bo, a 6 year old Rat Terrier mix. One day, no energy, no appetite etc, and the next day like nothing was wrong. I've always attributed it to getting into something he shouldn't have. I've had him checked out regularly by the vet and nothing ever comes up. Luckily, he has never been that way for more than 24 - 36 hours so while I have gotten worried I haven't truly panicked... yet!

 

[snogger]

FWIW, I have the had the same issues with Bo, a 6 year old Rat Terrier mix. One day, no energy, no appetite etc, and the next day like nothing was wrong. I've always attributed it to getting into something he shouldn't have. I've had him checked out regularly by the vet and nothing ever comes up. Luckily, he has never been that way for more than 24 - 36 hours so while I have gotten worried I haven't truly panicked... yet!

Vet kept asking if he got into anything.. My answer was "Heck, I've seen him catch a Rabbit and start eating it and no changes in him then."

 

[Spin]

Well good news.. except for my bank account...

Vet checked him out and didn't see anything to be concerned about from a general checkup. No heart or lung issues... Ran blood and urine test and came back and said he is healthy, all levels within excepted levels.. nothing wrong that they can find.

$170 for a ... but good to know there is no underlying issues..

she said that if it happens again do whatever I can to bring him in at that time so they can take xrays and/or ultrasound.

Glad to hear it! I was dreading opening this thread when I saw you had posted an update. I have a 12 year old Rottie/Lab Mutt that was given the old "She'll probably only be around another 6 months" following a string of seizures about 3 years ago. Still go to sleep some nights worrying that tomorrow will be the day I wake up and she doesn't get up from the foot of my bed :(

 

[snogger]

Just a quick update here.. Everything had been great until....

Sunday morning he woke us up howling in pain and was favoring his right leg.. I was able to calm him down and massage his shoulder area and he was fine the rest of day.. Running outside, playing, eating, etc..

Then Sunday night around Midnight he wakes us all up again howling out in pain.. Again a little massage and some pain medication left over from our other dog helped him go to sleep.

Called the Vet Monday and the response was "Oh, we did get some other test results back and he did test positive to Lyme disease ..but since you said he was fine now we didn't call"

WTF?? A positive test, that has the symptoms of what he had:

Stiff walk with an arched back
Sensitive to touch
Difficulty breathing
Fever, lack of appetite, and depression may accompany inflammation of the joints

and you don't think to call us?

So off to a new vet we go, on medication now for Lyme disease and he gave us some pain medication for him to use nightly for a week to help..

 

[Bucky86]

Yeah, that vet sucks.

 

[John Bender]

Good news.

usually with my dog, it's something she got into our ate and she's got an upset stomach to go along with it for a day, maybe 2. By the end of day 2, I get her to a vet, but typically don't need to take it that far. Dogs have stomach troubles pretty often the older they get and many show with lethargy.

Luckily with mine, she's so hyperactive even at 7 years old, I notice right away when somethings wrong.

I do have my own question...

Yearly check up for Saturday for my Jack Russell. Last time she received the shots for distemper and parvo, it really woke up her Lyme disease symptoms (she's Lyme positive). I don't want her getting these shots any longer. She's never off leash or around other dogs - EVER. Her chances of contracting Lepto/Parvo or Distemper are near zilch. These shots, put her in the dog hospital for 3 days. She couldn't get up off the floor, slept all day, didn't eat or drink and was absolutely miserable and dehydrated (not to mention in pain).

EVERY time I get talked into these vaccines even when defiant somehow with, now, 4 different vets. Any suggestions for just being firmer about NO vaccines other than rabies for the rest of my dogs life? She's middle aged, and I'm not going to go through another 3 days worrying she's about to keel over and die due to a vaccination.

Am I just being foolish and are these Lepto/Parvo - distemper shots REALLY important?

 

[snogger]

Good news.

usually with my dog, it's something she got into our ate and she's got an upset stomach to go along with it for a day, maybe 2. By the end of day 2, I get her to a vet, but typically don't need to take it that far. Dogs have stomach troubles pretty often the older they get and many show with lethargy.

Luckily with mine, she's so hyperactive even at 7 years old, I notice right away when somethings wrong.

I do have my own question...

Yearly check up for Saturday for my Jack Russell. Last time she received the shots for distemper and parvo, it really woke up her Lyme disease symptoms (she's Lyme positive). I don't want her getting these shots any longer. She's never off leash or around other dogs - EVER. Her chances of contracting Lepto/Parvo or Distemper are near zilch. These shots, put her in the dog hospital for 3 days. She couldn't get up off the floor, slept all day, didn't eat or drink and was absolutely miserable and dehydrated (not to mention in pain).

EVERY time I get talked into these vaccines even when defiant somehow with, now, 4 different vets. Any suggestions for just being firmer about NO vaccines other than rabies for the rest of my dogs life? She's middle aged, and I'm not going to go through another 3 days worrying she's about to keel over and die due to a vaccination.

Am I just being foolish and are these Lepto/Parvo - distemper shots REALLY important?

All we get are the rabies shots.. Vet recommends other things of course but we have told them NO, just rabies and so far they haven't attempted to force us to get the other ones..

Maybe it is a state/region requirement in your area??

 

[John Bender]

Good news.

usually with my dog, it's something she got into our ate and she's got an upset stomach to go along with it for a day, maybe 2. By the end of day 2, I get her to a vet, but typically don't need to take it that far. Dogs have stomach troubles pretty often the older they get and many show with lethargy.

Luckily with mine, she's so hyperactive even at 7 years old, I notice right away when somethings wrong.

I do have my own question...

Yearly check up for Saturday for my Jack Russell. Last time she received the shots for distemper and parvo, it really woke up her Lyme disease symptoms (she's Lyme positive). I don't want her getting these shots any longer. She's never off leash or around other dogs - EVER. Her chances of contracting Lepto/Parvo or Distemper are near zilch. These shots, put her in the dog hospital for 3 days. She couldn't get up off the floor, slept all day, didn't eat or drink and was absolutely miserable and dehydrated (not to mention in pain).

EVERY time I get talked into these vaccines even when defiant somehow with, now, 4 different vets. Any suggestions for just being firmer about NO vaccines other than rabies for the rest of my dogs life? She's middle aged, and I'm not going to go through another 3 days worrying she's about to keel over and die due to a vaccination.

Am I just being foolish and are these Lepto/Parvo - distemper shots REALLY important?

All we get are the rabies shots.. Vet recommends other things of course but we have told them NO, just rabies and so far they haven't attempted to force us to get the other ones..

Maybe it is a state/region requirement in your area??

I guess I'm a push over. they basically have scared me into it every visit. I get ideas in my head that my dog is going to contract lepto tomorrow and keel over and die. Unmarried with no kids or family in my mid 30's will scare you when you hear your dog is about to die if they don't get a shot

 

[CGRdrJoe]

That is great news, my friend just yesterday had to put her Husky down because he had a tumor attached to his heart. On Sunday he was happy and healthy (appeared anyways) and come Monday he was lethargic and not moving. I'm still upset and he wasn't even my dog

 

[snogger]

That is great news, my friend just yesterday had to put her Husky down because he had a tumor attached to his heart. On Sunday he was happy and healthy (appeared anyways) and come Monday he was lethargic and not moving. I'm still upset and he wasn't even my dog

:(

 

[snogger]

Not so great of an update here :(

Yesterday morning he started having one of his episodes.. No pain, but he had zero energy, wouldn't eat even a piece of ham and when I did get him up to walk he'd only go so far, then hang his head and lay down wherever he was.. so off to the vet we went again..

Vet ran more blood tests and took x-rays.. Came back that he had a very low Blood Platelet count which explained his low energy levels.

X-rays showed that he may have fluid built up in the belly area( not in the stomach as Urine test were fine)..

Vet thinks there might be a Mass/tumor in his belly area that keeps bursting, releasing fluid that causes the episodes but they don't know for sure..

They recommend at first doing an Ultrasound and if they found a mass/tumor, drain it and test it and then possible surgery to remove it.. and then recommended a full blood transfusion..

Then again, they could go through all of that and still not find anything.. stinks to have spent around $1,000 in the last month and not be any closer to an explanation..

At this point of his life I'm not sure I want to put him through all of that..

4 years ago we had a tumor removed from his face that came back as Malignant and we decided at that time to enjoy him while we had him...

Vet did gives us a new medication that they thought may help with the low platelet count so we are going to try that for now..

Today I woke up and he was back to his normal self again.. Drinking/eating/ going outside, playing..

So wife and I decided at this point to play it by ear and hope these episodes don't get worse for good old Marty.. :(

ETA - did some searching this morning and found this link and this:

As tick bites are responsible for low platelet count in dogs, pet owners must regularly check the dogs for ticks and use tick preventives.

so, it is possible that his positive test for Lyme disease is related and hopefully the Lyme disease medication + the Predisone we got yesterday will help.