I can't keep putting them through this!!! ***UPDATE***

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

I am at the end of my rope with the heart worm, flea & tick meds!!!!  I just don't know what to do.  Rooney does not tolerate any meds very well but did manage to keep down 1/2 of a Tri-heart Plus (for up to 25lbs) with his breakfast - tonight he'll get the other half with dinner and I'll hold my breath that he doesn't throw some or all of it up.  I'll skip a day to let his system rest and then start the process over cutting in 1/2 a Comfortis, dosing a.m. & p.m., which ALWAYS causes him to be sick but the vet says if it stays down for an hour or longer there should be coverage.  Rooney has done o.k. on the topical BUT after seeing it cause head tremors in Stuart - I'm too scared to use it any longer.

Stuart got his entire Trifexis tablet (heart worm, flea & tick all together) with his breakfast today.  Rooney can't take the Trifexis at all - makes him violently ill, Stuart has spit up a little bit on it UNTIL today.  I'm scared as he just did a big vomit all over his bed (which is now in the trash) and he is acting strange.  Trying to hide, repeatedly licking his lips, eyes glassy.  Dog Poop - I am getting mad.  I've never had this problem with any of our other dogs - what gives?********************

Stuart appears to have made a full recovery.  I tried to keep him calm and quiet yesterday but as the day went on he felt better and better so by early evening we even went to the dog park for a little while.  he ate his chicken and not so much the rice for breakfast and for dinner I mixed in a small amount of his kibble and raw topper to slowly get him back on his food.  I do want to check with the vet to see if we should give him a seperate heartworm pill in a week or does she feel that he is covered for now.  Next month I will try him on the Frontline but I am going to start slow and under dose him to watch for any head tremors.  Thanks everyone for all your support and advise - I truely don't know how I would survive without all of you!!!

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

That is such good news Jane.  I bet Stuart slept through the night just fine.  He probably wondered why you kept touching his tummy every hour!!!  It is amazing how much we love our Doodles and how we will do ANYTHING for them.  You are a good Mom.  I hope he is over it and you can move on to whatever the next adventure is with your boys!  I would love to hear what medications for fleas, ticks and heartworm you finally end up with. 

[Donna K & Quincy]

So happy to hear that Stuart is better, now you can relax and let go of the stress.

[Pam & Trixie]

Im so glad Stuart made it through the night ok.

Here is a Symptom chart from the Great Dane Ladys Link I posted back a few pages:

http://www.gdca.org/Bloat%20Chart.pdf

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Good to know Stuart had a good night.  Keeping you all in my thoughts and hoping this will all be over very soon.

[Leslie and Halas]

Glad he had a good night.  I hope he continues to improve.

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

yay Stuart! chin up bud, sunny days are just ahead!

[Susan and Sasha]

Just checking in to see how you and Stuart are today...

Great to know he had a good night...and is getting better.

Keeping all of you in our thoughts and prayers!

Try to get some rest today Jane...

Hugs...

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

First thing I did this morning is check in on Stuart.mrelieved he had a good night. I'm hoping he starts eating and drinking normally today and this whole issue is over for you both.

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

Jane, I just now saw this post and am glad that your little guy made it through the night without needing to be rushed to the doggie ER.

I wanted to comment on the trouble you have been having with the flea/tick meds.  We used to use First Shield on Cubbie but it would always make him act lethargic and I told the vet that I had to try something else.  She put him on Comfortis, but that made him throw-up every time.  I talked to her about using the natural flea/tick topicals but she said that the success rate of those isn’t very high;  I told her that I was sick of feeling like I was poisoning my dog every  month.  She suggested that I try another topical brand before I went the less effective natural route.  I spent a lot of time researching the ingredients in the different topicals and decided to go with Frontline Plus because it didn’t use any of the same ingredients as First Shield (Advantix and First Shield use the same ingredients though).  So far it has been working out ok.  The first time I put the Frontline Plus on him, he had some vomiting and diarrhea but based on the timeline, the vet felt that it wasn’t related to the topical.  We tried it again the following month and have used it since then and haven’t had problems.  (knock on wood and fingers crossed).  I make sure to put it on him on a Friday night so that I will be home with him all weekend in case we have another problem though.  I also read somewhere that you shouldn’t use the flea/tick and heartworm at the same time and that it is best to spread them out about 2 weeks.  I don’t know if there is any real truth to that, but I do it anyway.  The Frontline Plus package says that it kills fleas for up to 3 months so I decided to only apply it every other month (unless I will be boarding them).

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

That's a really good option for dogs that may be sensitive to either med. Spreading them apart. I also only give the Frontline every 6-8 weeks during the winter, but every month in the summer. They have never been boarded so no threat there, but we do go to the dog park often. Although the city says it is sprayed for fleas and ticks often, it only takes one dog coming in with them on him to pass them around. So I agree with limiting the MEDS as much as safely possible. They do get their heart guard every month though.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I spread everything when it comes to meds, vaccinations, etc. That way, if your dog does have a reaction, you know what caused it. I also think it's easier on their systems.

JD seemed a little sensitive to the feel of the Frontline (first dog I've had who is) so the vet suggested I apply it in a line down his back rather than all in one place, even though that contradicts the package instructions. It did seem to help.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'm glad you all got through the night okay. Hopefully, Stuart will continue to feel better and this will all be behind you.