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Original poster

Bella are you around???? Or anyone else with some animal care knowledge - pretty urgent I think!

32 replies

SarahSon · 07/12/2009 21:13

Hi, I am worried about pup but I am not sure if I am responding to his behaviour rather than to anything real IYSWIM?

Basically he has just started running around and around the house looking like something is after him. Back up, tail in, head down, licking and chewing, not making eye contact, lies down for about two seconds then up and off again...

He keeps trying to get upstairs where he is just sitting on the top step and "watching" the stairs. I tried to confine him to onme room but he is pacing around then standing by the door, then pacing again, back to the door.

He is also almost retching, not from low down but just the mouth action, I can't see anything stuck in there.

This has just come on in the last 15 mins he litterally got up off his bed having been totally normal and started all this. He looks scared

This all probably sounds much worse than it is because I am panicking, the symptoms are not that pronounced because I really am torn as to wether he is just having a bit of a mad moment or not IYSWIM.

He is not drinking extra and he has had his tea earlier on.

So, watch and wait, sit him down and make him stop, vet...shrink (for me!) ??? Please help!

OP posts:
BellasSparklyBaubles · 07/12/2009 21:25

Call your vet - could be some type of poisoning or fit. Best of luck x

Original poster
SarahSon · 07/12/2009 21:33

I got to that conclusion too - better safe than sorry and all that (I had also been thinking poison but was trying not to)

So, spoke to vet, he thinks not poison, no salivating, no thirst.

Of course Pup has totally settled down now, whilst I was on the phone he phlumped down with a big groan and sigh and sat looking at me as though I was mad. All symptoms gone.

So, basically it could be nothing or it could have been a fit, no way to know at this stage so I have to watch and wait over night and take him in tomorrow.

Oh the joy, another sleepless night - I got 2.5hrs last night!

Thank you for the reply, one of those moments where you already know the answer but need affirmation IYSWIM!

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BellasSparklyBaubles · 07/12/2009 21:41

Or trapped wind?!

Hope it was nothing too.

Personally, I prefer to be on the list of vet clients with Munchausen's by Proxy than the list of people who can't be arsed to pick up the phone

But of course vets and vet nurses do not keep such lists ....

...much

Original poster
SarahSon · 07/12/2009 21:53

lol - I am firmly on the M.b.P. list don't you worry!

Basically he seemed to be saying that it could be a fit or something but in isolation not to panick, if the symptoms repeat or worsen then call back, if nothing then pop him in but there would be little he could do if pup is back to normal tomorrow as there will be nothing to see IYSWIM.

Of course I am now thinking about twisted bowel/gut etc .... oh goodness, there is no way I am sleeping now - and I am going to end up micro analysing him and going to the vet with a full A4 pad of symptoms

Ahh well, I am, of course, the mad old dog lady!

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BellasSparklyBaubles · 07/12/2009 22:00

Trapped wind was a joke!

If he had bloat he'd be distressed and his abdomen would swell. Bloat is as urgent as it gets - if you ever suspect it get in the car and go straight to the vet. If it's out of hours call them on the way.
Has he pooed today?

Original poster
SarahSon · 07/12/2009 22:05

I have no reason to suspect bloat, other than my own finely tuned sense of paronoia!

Just doing breaths etc, hang on...

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Original poster
SarahSon · 07/12/2009 22:09

Ok, breathing seems normal, heart rate slightly fast - but this is my judgement only compared to what I think is normal for him. He is not liking me messing with him, when I start to do anything he is up and pacing again.

He is still not comfortable and I think he is starting again with it all.

I am jsut giving it a minute or two to see if it is just because I wa trying to mess with him.

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Original poster
SarahSon · 07/12/2009 22:10

Poo...don't know for sure, not with me but he hates to poo in front of people so I just leave him to go in the garden when he wants. Of course I clean up in the mornings so difficult to be sure tbh.

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Original poster
SarahSon · 07/12/2009 22:12

dd2 is up and worried

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BellasSparklyBaubles · 07/12/2009 22:13

Turn lights and anything noisy off and do not touch him unless he comes to you seeking assurance.

controlfuckingfreaky · 07/12/2009 22:14

how old is puppy ss?

daisydotandgertie · 07/12/2009 22:16

Call the vet and get him seen if you're that worried. It's what they're there for. And even if it's nothing, it'll stop you worrying for the whole night.

My dog has had bloat. It was obvious she was deeply distressed with fast panting, a very clearly distended stomach and a pulse rate which was sky high. I got her to the vet in time and they were just fabulous, but it was very fast and very scary. To be honest, the symptoms you describe are not the same as mine had though. She was too ill to run around.

Call the vet!

Original poster
SarahSon · 07/12/2009 22:18

He is trying to settle again, he seems to be having trouble getting comfy. Comes up and lays down then up and off, turns round, lays down... however, he is now investigating things on his travels rather than just pacing he is stopping and sniffing, moving things etc so better from that POV I think?

OP posts:
BellasSparklyBaubles · 07/12/2009 22:20

Yes. Did the vet ask you to call back if he started again?

Original poster
SarahSon · 07/12/2009 22:22

CFF, 8/9 months.

Daisy, thank you, the symptoms do sound very different. I have called the vet who is suggesting a cautious managed type approach (ie no sleep for me, dog not left alone) so I suspect he is pretty certain it is not bloat either.

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Original poster
SarahSon · 07/12/2009 22:23

Yes he did - I am just not sure if this is the start of a new episode or the old one stirred up because I approached him and disturbed him IYSWIM. He is in the garden now, hang on...

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Original poster
SarahSon · 07/12/2009 22:25

Bella, can I ring you or is it too late? Don't want to wake anyone up!

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ABetaDad · 07/12/2009 22:29

I could be wrong but my mother who breeds dogs used to describe puppies doing this sort of thing as a 'having a mad half hour'.

Not sure why it happens but I have seen similar to what you descrbe and then inexplicably they calm down.

The other thing is I wondered if the puppy had some hair down its throat. Hence the chewing slightly retching behaviour.

Keep a close eye and watch out for puppy refusing to eat or drink or if does not empty its bowels as normal. That may indicate a block bowels which may happen if puppies say swallow bits of a toy (e.g rubber ball) or other things including, wood, hair, soil, leaves. Puppies like children put anything in their mouth and swallow.

Original poster
SarahSon · 07/12/2009 22:43

Thank you betadad! He is prone to his mad half hours - actually he has one every evening around 8pm lol! tearing around on sofa, off sofa, in bed out of bed up down...and so on! This was definitly different than the usual though.

For eating - he is pretty good for a pup, he tends to go for dead animals more than anything else - he shreads many things but tends not to swallow - of course it is quite likely he will have got a thing or two when I was not watching!

He has settled more now, he came for a big cuddle and fuss, got a bit playful and has now curled up by my feet.

If I am honest I strongly suspect some kind of fit, the behaviour was totally unlike him but I will see what the vet says tomorrow - assuming nothing more happens in the night of course - I have visions of me driving across town in my dressing gown! I will sleep on the sofa tonight and see how we go on.

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and ideas - and especially you bella - bet you never thought you would be opening up a phone counceling service!

OP posts:
BellasSparklyBaubles · 07/12/2009 22:46

Lol - like I always say, bella needs to get out more
Hope he's okay xxx

Original poster
SarahSon · 07/12/2009 22:53

Sleeping like a baby right now - typical!

Will let you know when I have seen the vet tomorrow! xx

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amazonianwoman · 08/12/2009 10:19

Can't offer any advice at all, but just wondering how he is??

Original poster
SarahSon · 08/12/2009 19:06

Hi AW, thank you for asking!

There has been nothing more since last night, he is perfectly normal and happy - I, on the other hand, resemble the walking dead!

Vet has said that there is no obvious reason for the behaviour and that it is pretty much a watch and wait thing now, it may never happen again, it may be fits that will worsen or it may be something else altogether!

The major worry now is that a dog who fits is potentially very dangerous.... but I suppose that is a worry for another day

OP posts:
BellasSparklyBaubles · 08/12/2009 19:12

As your vet said, it may never happen again. A dog of mine started fitting (much more severely than what you described last night) and he went on to have several more episodes, but they were very close together time wise (I think no.2 happened within a few weeks, and the time intervals got shorter and shorter). What I'm trying to say is that I didn't have to wait a long time to find out if it was going to happen again - not sure if that's always the case.

Did your vet give you any sort of timeframe?

Original poster
SarahSon · 08/12/2009 19:24

Not really, he said it was hard to say. If it is epilepsy or similar it should be relativly quick to see, if neuro damage then, again, could be very few and far between or could be close and get closer....or course it could just be a teen hormone thing and he will grow out of it.

My major concern is the fear that it will turn out to be bad - with the best will in the world fitting dogs and small children do not go - where do you go from there? I am happy (kind of) to make tough decisions for the good of my animals, that is fine but making tough decisions in spite of what is good for my animal (where the good of the dc and the good of the dog do not match)????? Anyway, must not get caught into that stuff yet, it is very early days!

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