Sick greyhound

[user1496484946]

Hi looking for any bright ideas. My grey hound has been ill for 3 weeks. Suddenly became lethargic, not eating vet gave anti biotic jab and he rallied for 2 days. Then went down hill again, apart from a temperature vet could find nothing we suspected teeth as he has always had problems. Vet took out some and found an abscess on one. He recovered from the surgery after a week eating normally, but he's still lethargic, panting and had a temperature. On third course of anti biotics. Blood test shows infection but can't locate the source seems a long time to have an infection, and he's not responding to anti biotics

Did the blood test look at liver & kidneys too? My last dog became lethargic and would not eat and turned out to be kidney disease. What is your vet doing to progress matters? I wouldn't be happy in your position to have a poorly dog not responding to treatment 3 weeks in. I'd want a full blood screen - are you covered with pet insurance?

Bugs from mouth abscesses can affect the heart, so I would be asking the vet to check for any more so far untreated, more bloods, perhaps swabs to try and identify the bug.

Is he up to date with worming, vaccinations, etc.? Has anything changed, anything new happened? Swum/paddled in strange water? Does he have anything else odd going on? Skin issues? Are you in an area where ticks are common?

Hi vet has tested blood and all okay apart from high white cells, and others raised relevant to infection. The teeth came out after week 1, then he took a week to recover from that. I'll get him to check his heart. Nothing else has changed, food same, no swimming, skin all looks good, ticks not an issue where we are and I've checked for signs and can't see any. Vaccinations up to date, worming not but vet said it doesn't look like lungworms symptoms aren't right.

How old are they? My 11yr old grey got very lethargic and runny poos and lost weight. Turned out she had intestinal lymphoma and there was nothing we could do for her.

Hi, Thanks for your message - he's 10 and a half so elderly in greyhound terms. How did the vet diagnose the Lymphoma? It sounds similar. The anti-biotics havn't worked, the vet is trying steroids - but we're reluctant to put him through lots of tests as he's elderly. He also has a high temperature and is panting a lot, and seems very stiff and shaky.

Appreciate you responding it all helps.

Sorry just seen this. It was a bit guess work initially as she didn't respond to anti biotics and her white cells were up. Her lymph glands in her groin and then her neck were very enlarged. A formal diagnosis would have required a syringe biopsy of her gut and/or lymph but she'd lost so much weight and had waterlike poo and the vet was convinced. There are no treatment options for us so we put her to sleep at home.

I hope you have a better outcome.

thanks, he's continuing to get worse and not responding to anything so we've decided to call it a day. It's alwYs such a tough decision. Thanks for your messages.

So sorry to hear that but you are doing the best for him

Poor pup. Look after yourselves op.

So sad. Run free

- horrible to have to make that call, but a necessity sometimes. Look after yourself.