My dog is really unwell- any thoughts?

[SirVixofVixHall]

My dog (two and a half) spend a day with a friend on Friday as we had to be in the city for the day. She had two long walks, seemed fine when she got home and yesterday morning. Early evening yesterday a friend called round with my dog's great pal, another young terrier. They played like mad and then my friend offered to take Vixdog out for a short walk with hers. While on the walk friend noticed Vixdog limping, by the time she got her back to us she was limping badly. My friend is very caring and careful, she hadn't noticed any sudden movement or squeak, or anything that might have led to the limp. At first we thought maybe she'd just had too much walking the day before, perhaps her paw was sore, perhaps her muscles etc. As the evening wore on she really looked in pain and wouldn't eat, so we took her to the OOH vet. He gave a painkiller jab, and thought she might need an x-ray on Monday. This morning her whole foot was badly swollen, and she looked really unwell and in pain- straight back to the OOH vet (we saw a different vet on call) who was baffled. She has a really high temperature, so she's had antibiotics, and more painkillers. The foot is hot and swollen, she is panting and her eyes look sticky and dull. Both vets (and DH and I) have looked gently all over the foot and there is no obvious puncture wound. It is a mystery- anyone had anything similar? We are in a rural area and she did briefly wade in the river as it runs into the sea yesterday. I wondered about Weever fish, but they are normally further out, and she surely would have squealed and swollen up right away? Vet asked if a cat could have bitten her, that is a no. An adder bite would have made her very ill very quickly. Spider? Anything else? I am really worrying, she isn't getting out of bed at all and looks very unhappy.

[CharminglyGawky]

Could he have been bitten by a tick? I know some areas are worse than others for ticks and I know a dog who had similar symptoms after a suspected tick bite.

[SirVixofVixHall]

Yes, that is possible, given that she was in woodland etc. There is no sign of an actual tick on her, but she could have been bitten. She hadn't had her anti-flea/tic stuff for a while, I only put it on her late yesterday as I found a flea in my bed (no signs of fleas on her at all, but she'd been in the bed and had been mixing with lots of dogs the day before).

[SirVixofVixHall]

Charmingly, did the dog you know have any signs that indicated a tick? She looks so ill still. Won't eat anything at all (last night she ate a few cubes of cheese) and we are having to syringe water into her mouth. We have to call the vet again at 3p.m. and probably take her in again. : (

[ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe]

Can it be cellulitis?

Red, swollen and very painful?
vet should have recognised it though.

[ExitPursuedByBear]

Poor pooch.

[SirVixofVixHall]

I am even more worried now. She looks so ill. We are waiting for the vet to call us back and will take her back in. It is red, swollen and painful, yes. She had antibiotics earlier, but not last night as then they were thinking sprain/hairline fracture etc.
Vet called back as I was typing, DH is taking her back in.

[ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe]

Definitely ask about cellulitis. Antibiotics should clear it, but have to taken continuously.

Did they shave the area to see what's there?

[SirVixofVixHall]

DH mentioned cellulitis to the vet. He was non-commital . She hasn't been shaved as they felt it would hurt her. They can see a small break in the skin inbetween her pads and the vet nurse thought it could be an adder bite, possibly from a young adder, or one that just caught her slightly. They are keeping her on a drip and under observation. I am so worried about her.

[ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe]

Sorry!

Hope she gets better soon.

[DramaAlpaca]

No advice, but sorry to hear about your dog.

Hope she's feeling better soon

[snowgirl29]

I was thinking cellulitis too. Perhaps suggest it again to the vet again? Assuming cellulitis has same effect in dogs as it does humans. I needed several different abs before they combated mine.

Hope she's better soon bless her x

[CrossfireHurricane]

I honestly don't know what may be wrong but hope your dog is better soon
Very worrying for you

[NeedACleverNN]

I was also about to suggest adder bite

Hope she gets well soon x

[LocalEditorEssex]

Snake bite?

Hopefully she'll be back to normal soon.

[Veterinari]

Sounds like an adder bite
Often difficult to see without shaving - hope she's ok - they're very sore

[SirVixofVixHall]

Vet wants to keep her in overnight now. He is leaning more and more towards an adder bite- he was pretty concerned that she had started to look "toxic" , but says she has brightened slightly on the drip. Dogs can die from adder bites though, so we are all on tenterhooks here. Thanks everyone for posting.

[NeedACleverNN]

When the weather warms up always look out for adders in warm spots.
Especially in wooded and grassy areas. It's good news she's responding to the treatment though

[SirVixofVixHall]

She was in the woods with my friend, but mainly on the (narrow) path, it was early evening and not sunny, but we do have adders locally, so it seems she must have disturbed one somehow.

[2plus1]

My Labrador disturbed an adder and got a bite. I didn't realise as she was in the trees and bushes. After we walked home she swelled up in the face, body and legs, I had no idea what was wrong. Her eyes were slits, she was wheezing and staggering. I took her in the car to the emergency vet where she was taken in for treatment. She responded really well with all swelling gone the next day. We couldn't find the bite point but it was a known adder area. She had this at age 6yrs and went on to live a happy life to 13yrs.

[villainousbroodmare]

How is your dog, SirVix?
I thought of Alabama rot. Not a nice possibility.
Hope she's okay.

[TheoriginalLEM]

it doesn't sound like alabama rot at all. iirc that tends to present as lesions in the skin followed by renal failure.

i would hope that antibiotics and fluids will see your pooch through. let us know how he gets on.

[TheoriginalLEM]

are you in the south Sirvix? could possibly be a tube web spider bite although they aren't woodland dwellers.

[SirVixofVixHall]

No, I'm in Wales. She is staying in overnight. They don't have someone there all the time , so DH suggested driving her to a vet hospital but the vet felt she was too ill to move. He said its too early to say how it will go. I am so worried. I've just lost my mother, i think losing my dog would break me. She's only two and fit, but has a congenital heart condition. It isn't causing her any issues at the moment but obviously it is an extra worry in this situation. Thank you 2plus for the positive story, am so glad your dog recovered. I'm off to bed now, but will update tomorrow. Please keep fingers crossed everyone, she is a lovely lovely girl.

[ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe]

Fingers crossed here.

Let us know tomorrow pls?

[SirVixofVixHall]

Vet feels fairly certain it is an adder bite. I'd never heard of Alabama rot, bloody hell that sounds horrendous.