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Pawbly | 9 years ago
My 13-year-old Beagle Has, Over The Course Of The Past Five Days, Been In Very…

My 13-year-old Beagle has, over the course of the past five days, been in very poor health. It started on his birthday when he had an edible rawhide birthday card. He chewed on it all day and I don’t believe he ate dinner that night or if he did it, was a small amount. He did go to the bathroom normally, but the next morning, he wouldn’t eat again and from there the symptoms progressively worsened. He threw up some 24 hours after first eating the rawhide and it was mainly unchewed bits of his regular Science Diet dry food (about a handful). He did not go #2 at all that day and though I initially thought he might be constipated, I realized that’s not really a common thing with dogs so it must mean there’s something more going on. The third day, he refused food again and was still having trouble using the bathroom. Peeing fine, but not drinking enough water (maybe going to his bowl 2x that day). He was reluctant to move and didn’t want to climb the stairs. He normally likes to walk forever and ever as he is a Beagle, but he went to pee, slightly sniffed, and returned home. The fourth day, his breathing appeared quite short and in rapid bursts. He wasn’t wheezing or coughing or anything. It just seemed like he was constantly out of breath. Same symptoms as before. The fifth day, we took him to the vet as he was really beginning to worry us. Symptoms maintained and he was unwilling to walk down the stairs to go outside. The vet said it looked as if there was food or possibly a small bit of rawhide in his stomach. Considering his lack of eating, I assumed it was the latter. She ran a general blood test and said that his blood was thick coming out, but the results were perfectly normal and all of his organs seem to be in good standing. There were no specific tests, only the X-Ray of the abdomen as she was aware of his consuming the rawhide. The fourth and fifth days, his hind legs would cross over as he walked and his hind feet would drag almost like he’s dizzy and was trying to catch his balance, but only in his hind legs. Te vet said she didn’t feel anything obvious in his tummy and whilst performing an overview of his teeth, she found he had pus coming from his upper canine teeth and the gums were pale and swollen. She followed up with anti-diarrhoea meds and recommended anti-nausea meds, but didn’t say they were necessary. Nothing was given for his teeth or any possible stomach pain. He was then given 300mL of fluids before giving the go ahead to take home.
The vet visit was two full days ago, nearly three, and we’ve seen little improvement aside from him eating the wet Science Diet food the vet recommended we put his anti-diarrhoea meds in so he would take them. He is still having trouble getting food down and around 6 hours ago, we began force feeding Pedialyte as he threw up once tonight and we thought the electrolytes might help. I’m concerned he may have Renal Failure or IVDD. These seem to be the two which match up the most with his symptoms and breed type, but I wasn’t aware he may have one of them when I took him to the vet and therefore didn’t mention it. I’m concerned the vet may have also missed something considering she seemed to overlook his hind leg situation and his teeth situation. Please give me advice on what I should do and he obviously needs to go to the vet again, but I think I’ll take him to a different one with records from his visit a few days ago. I dropped all of the money I had on his visit then and can’t afford anything more than the exam fee, so any recommendations on what to tell the vet that way we can bypass anything that isn’t absolutely necessary would be amazing and if he does need surgery (I hope with everything in me he doesn’t as I don’t know if he would make it out of being sedated given his short breathing which is still going on), are there any pet surgery fund donation sites anyone could possibly recommend?? Please, I beg of you, any help at all would be great!!!

4 Responses

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  1. Anonymous

    In your shoes, I would definitely get a second opinion.  Has he passed any stool since this started?

  2. Bria Rachele

    I’ve called about fifteen different vets in and around my city, some of which said it could possibly be IVDD and two said maybe TCC. He has passed stool, yes. He hasn’t within the past 36 hours I would say, but he has done it 2-3 times since it all started. He hasn’t had food within the past 18 hours though and because he was refusing most everything we gave him before, he really can’t afford to involuntarily fast right now. He’s lost quite a bit of nutrients and we’re still doing Pedialyte hoping that will help to at least replace some of them. His hind legs seem to have worsened a bit as well. I saw it could also be a disc within his spine, but it seems none of the symptoms for any of these completely match his, so I feel there a million and one things it could be. I just realized I inadvertently failed to include in the post above that the vet said he seems to have a swollen colitis as well, but she attributed that to his lack of adequate food, dehydration, and vomiting. I’m not sure if that would tie in with everything else to point to a diagnosis, but any symptom shouldn’t be overlooked. Please do ask any more questions you may have if you feel you might have an idea as to what it could be and I’ll answer the second I can! Thank you!

  3. Anonymous

    You’ve done quite a bit. I’m tapped for ideas…hopefully Dr. Magnifico or Ferara will pop in with suggestions for you.

  4. Bria Rachele

    Thank you for your input though and yes, any suggestions from any of the other two doctors would be helpful as well.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
Hi, I Have A 16 Year-old Female Chihuahua/Lhasa-Apso Who Has Been Prone To Seizures For…

Hi, I have a 16 year-old female Chihuahua/Lhasa-Apso who has been prone to seizures for several months and has been taking medication to prevent this. However; several days ago she had a convulsion – and since then, she has had an increase in jitters, seems mostly unresponsive to petting, has lost appetite, her tail is nearly always limp, and she appears lethargic.

On top of this, she also sounds as though she has fluid/mucus in her lungs, as she takes raspy deep-breaths every now and then. Since this morning, she has begun coughing up clear/bubbly + thick fluid every so-often, is refusing to drink/eat/ take seizure medication.

Her last check-in with the vet indicated that cancer was not present (At least, in her organs) and her blood did not indicate high cholesterol or diabetes.

Given the symptoms listed, what do you believe my dog is suffering from, and is there any medication/preventative measures I can treat my dog with to combat this illness?

Thanks 🙂

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  1. Brayden Poole

    Dog has almost made a full recovery over the last few day. After discussing with my vet, this can occur if she doesn’t take her medication or vomits it up, as well as if she had eaten food that is high in protein. I think that she must have vomited her pill up, and as such we’ve been increasing her dosage until we’re certain she’s completely well again. On top of that, we’ve changed her diet slightly by removing kangaroo meat from her food and only using white meat. The food we give her is always home-made and has been approved by the vet. Sadly, due to my dog’s conditions and already prescribed medication, if this were to occur again, the best they could prescribe is either antibiotics or, if it gets very bad, we may have to have her put down.
    However, like I said earlier, she is back to her normal and happy self, demanding food and is playing madly with our other dog. Thanks for your comment 🙂

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
My Yellow Lab Keeps Coughing And Ultimately Retching. Foam And Spit Come Up. …

My yellow lab keeps coughing and ultimately retching. Foam and spit come up.

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  1. Cybil Preston

    added note he went swimming in the creek yesterday and now his foam looks like algae from the creek in it…..could he have creek water in his lungs? When he lays still no coughing…..when he is active….coughing and retching.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
My Dog Has Kennel Cough. Is It Safe If I Go Visit My Pregnant…

My dog has kennel cough. Is it safe if i go visit my pregnant friend . She has adog as well.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
Her Eyes Are Watering, Excess Snot, Sometimes It’s Mixed With Blood, Excess Sneezing, Lethargic…

Her eyes are watering, excess snot, sometimes it’s mixed with blood, excess sneezing, lethargic, her appetite is down. Shes been having trouble breathing and coughing. Sometimes her breathing sounds “wet”. My vet said there’s a chance something could be stuck in her nose or could be cancer. I’m very short on money but if theres a really good chance she could have something stuck in her nose I’ll find the funds to get the tests done.

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  1. Alexis Renee Wood

    Also I forgot to add she is a 12 year old German shepherd/lab mix

  2. Anonymous

    honestly, if my dog were obviously miserable, i’d do anything and everything i could to figure out the cause and a treatment plan.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
I Have A 8 Year Old Min Pin That Is 6 Pounds And Has Been…

I have a 8 year old min pin that is 6 pounds and has been coughing off and on can I give her cough medicine

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
My 10 Year Old Chihuahua Has Developed A Cough That’s Been Persisting For A Little…

My 10 year old chihuahua has developed a cough that’s been persisting for a little over a week. It sounds like there is something stuck in his throat. The cough is dry and sometimes sounds like honking. Could this just be kennel cough?

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  1. debra yuhasz

    I’d take him to the vet as soon as possible. A cough can indicate many things other than kennel cough or something stuck in the throat. It can be an upper respritory infection, the start of a heart problem…some scary things. The best thing is to see a vet.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
Hi, We Are Sitting For Some Friends And Pedro The Pincher Mix Seems To Be…

Hi, we are sitting for some friends and Pedro the pincher mix seems to be trying to cough something up. we think its bark from a tree. is there a home remedy for us to try?

1 Response

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  1. B PJ

    I had a dog for 15 years, she Loved to chew apart a log or stick and this same sound of coughing would happen but only for a few hours, so I know thi IS a common problem. Thanks anyway.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
My Chitzu Coughing And Molly Getting Up Litte Phlem Molly Always Threw Up Mucus Molly…

My chitzu coughing and molly getting up litte phlem molly always threw up mucus Molly is 15

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
My Chit Zu Has Always Threw Up But My Sister Died A Year Ago And…

My chit zu has always threw up but my sister died a year ago and I have her and a few days ago she started coughing like she can’t get something up but molly does a little plem

6 Responses

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  1. Anonymous

    I would get her to the vet. A persistent wet cough could be something related to heart problems.

  2. Amy Cagle

    Will do that. MOLLY HAS ALWAYS THREW UP PHLEM BUT IT’S JUST HACKING MOST ALL TIME NOW

  3. Amy Cagle

    Molly has always threw up phlem nut I’ll take molly cause it hacking most all day now molly was my sister she passed and I got her I’m on a fixed income so are there any free vets that take her and me pay payments

  4. Anonymous

    I don’t know what is in your area. Contact your local shelter for suggestions.

  5. Amy Cagle

    OK I’m in Tennessee and I will molly 15yr she’s getting sicker in the last year Pearlie passed I don’t no bur I’ll check into it I’m fortunate my mini you keep is in good shape where I have gotten all her shots she got really bad since Sammy died she been with him long time

  6. Amy Cagle

    Laura thank you so much I love my babies like always I love all animals