Just In Case*UPDATE # 4 - Improving/Question

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Update #4 - My boy is back!  Not 100% yet but his loving, goofy self is slowly emerging.  He is still sleeping alot but has started to smile and interact with Rooney and I.  We are convinced he went into anaphylactic shock after stepping on a bee or wasp (you all were right!).  Stuart was stung once as a young puppy so here you have the first exposure, then this.  Vet thinks the next time could kill him so we are getting an Epi Pen to carry.  Stuart also went into anaphylatic shock after having Trifexis so we believe that he is allergic to some meds, we are going to have to be on lifelong alert but ANYTHING for my boy.  Finally pooed after 48 hrs - whew was that a poo I was giddy to pick up - lol.  Back to the vet tomorrow to re-check his slow heart rate - I'm betting is was the benadryl - and to re-check his paws.  Question - what is the best shoe type foot cover - I'm worried that the black top is too hot for him (maybe Rooney too).  Not sure what to use - Mutluks?  Thanks for all your advice and concern!!!

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Update #3 - Stuart was back at the Vets several things are going on.  The vet believes that Stuart was stung, is very allergic and is getting the correct dose so we will be carrying an Epi pen for the rest of Stuart's life.  I'll get the pen next week and until then - I'm so afraid it could happen again.  He is still very lethargic also believed from the Benadryl so at least for now - no walks - just out to potty and right back in.

After running several different tests on his diarrhea - that believe it is cause by a reaction to the Benadryl - so he is off of that as of now.  For his diarrhea he is on Proviable Cream and Pill.  Also on Flagyl.

The Vet is concerned as Stuart's heart rate is very low - we are hoping this is from the Benadryl but he is returning to the Vet's on Monday - I think if he had a problem it would have been caught before now so I'm trying not to worry too much about this - but still.  If it isn't down they want to do a chest x-ray and an Echo.

They couldn't find the stinger in his paw but they did give me a spray on medication - Vet dispense only called GenOne Spray.  Not our biggest problem at the moment but I'd like to see those paw pads clear up.

KAREN - Stuart is eating and keeping his food down but Doc says bland diet do to diarrhea - Stuart doesn't really eat many grains so is white rice and chicken broth going to upset his tummy? 

Dh is out of town for another 2 weeks and giving all these meds is hard by yourself, Stuart is afraid of me because I keep giving him meds or spraying his paws - he isn't the dog that I know at all, I'm worried him getting stung again and now the low heart rate.  Think I'm making a cocktail and going to have a good cry.  On the upside - WE HAVE INSURANCE!! 

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Stuart is slowly starting to come out of his fog.  He had one good poop and the last 2 were diarrhea - the last one has blood.  Needless to say Stuart is off to the Vet later today.  I am now convinced he was stung, that he stepped on it with his back left foot - that was the "fit" as I called it.  Last night I washed his feet and put anti-biotic creame between his inflamed paw pads.  He didn't want me touching that back left one - I wounder if the stinger could still be in there - I'll be having the vet check.  So QUESTION - DO THEY MAKE EPI PENS FOR DOGS?  He clearly has a bad allergy and I'm afraid the next time could kill him.    

 

Stuart has slept ALL day long.  He will wake up for me to take him potty - he pees, drinks some water, he is eating and did a normal b.m. but he is like a zombie.  No smiles, no playing, no interaction AT ALL.  I'm so hoping this is the effect of the meds which they said would make him "drowsy".  We are way past that.  If he doesn't start to pert up tomorrow - I'll be seeing the local vet.  The weirdness seems to be gone, no frantic licking - thank goodness!

 

    Rooney, Stuart and I have been having such a fun summer here in Michigan along the lake - until last evening when Stuart very suddenly became ill.  We went for one our evening walks along the bluff overlooking the lake - and Stuart just seemed "off".  Suddenly he had a little fit I guess I'd call it - not a seizure but his back leg wouldn't go down and he was twisting and jerking - then he plopped down in the grass panting and drooling and excessively, very frantically licking his feet and clawing at his head.  I tried not to panic - let him rest for a few minutes, got him back on his feet and then he had diarrhea.  We walked home with him "out of it".  Once home he wanted on my bed, bypassing an water (not normal).  

   I had brought up and given a copy of both the boys entire medical records & stopped in to introduce both doods to the Vet we used to use in Michigan - planning to never need him but just in case.  While I had been there I got their recommended 24 hour E.R. information once again for just in case.  Thank goodness I had done that because my just in case was coming into play.

   I, for the first time ever took Stuart's temp myself (yes I will be buying my bff a new thermometer), googled how to do it and what the results should be - in was 102.5 - high end of normal.  Entered the address of the E.R. into my GPS in the puppy hauler, packed vet records, and Orijen in my purse - just in case.  Once he again started with the licking and clawing off we went to the E.R. an hours drive on the highway.

   Long story but they believe he is having some kind of allergic reaction, white blood count normal, but his ALT - which I think is kidney function is high 280 when it should be 10-100.  He has to do follow up blood test in 2 weeks on this but they weren't concerned.  They gave him a shot of Diphenhydramine 50mg/ml and send me home with pills, he was also given a steroid shot - Dexamethasone.  I'm also putting Bitter Apple on his feet (2 have inflamed pads from licking).

  The moral of the story - Just In Case sometimes does come true.  This whole thing would have been way more stressful if I hadn't prepared for it.  Having a local vet lined up (who will handle follow up care), knowing where an E.R. was available, having complete vet records, and Stuart's PetPlan Insurance Info with me was invaluable.  So while we all travel about this summer plan for your Just in Case.

    What would cause this reaction?  My guess is that while at K9 Camp on Tuesday - they held a party for another camper and gave all the dogs treats.  When they told me I never thought to be concerned but as Orijen eaters who get almost no grains - could this be the cause.  Would it have taken 24 hrs to manifest symptoms.  Could he have gotten into something else?  Advice welcome.

A pitiful Stuart being enticed to eat breakfast while laying on the sofa, yes I'm pampering him - lol!

  

 

 

[BG and Gavin]

Best thoughts for poor Stuart.  I have no advice for you, but appreciate your advice on being prepared.  I travel with Gavin's medical file and have the number of the vet that is near to our cottage, but never thought of visiting/making myself know to them.  This is a good idea.  I know our home vet will not see animals on an emergency basis unless they are clients.  I will need to look into this.  Thanks.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I am sorry to hear about Stuart. I doubt it was a treat. The ALT is more a measure of liver function. I don't know what it was but I do hope he's better soon.

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

His ALT was 280 - should be 10-100 but they didn't seem concerned about it.

[F, Calla & Luca]

The liver enzymes can go way up, this isn't that high.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

You must have been scared to death!  I feel so bad for this poor guy (an you), but hopefully with the meds he'll be just fine.

[Colleen, Jake & Baxter]

ahh....how frightening that must have been.  It's so hard to stay calm when something like this happens but it sounds like you managed to do so with flying colors.  Kudos to you for being prepared and having an action plan in place.  Stuart I am sorry that you are not feeling well but your mommy knows how to take good care of you:)  She's watching your back and Rooney's too.  I hope that you are able to find why this happened.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Oh, Jane, I am so sorry this happened to Stuart, but I am in awe of your preparedness.  I am glad that the vet thinks it is an allergic reaction rather than something even more serious.  Stuart is your more delicate dood.

[Pat and Traveler]

Kudos to you for being prepared!  Hope sweet Stuart feels better soon.  That would have scared me silly.  I do always carry Trav's shot record in my bag--I guess that's the equivalent of a medical record.

[Charlotte and Bo]

It could be the vegetation where you are staying.  My last dog "BJ" used to get symptoms like you are describing and he was a real grazer.  The vet gave me some phenolbarbitol to give him at the start of an episode to shorten the duration.  A builder bought out several properties next to me and put in a retaining wall which apparently entailed destroying all the plant life on the left side of my back yard.  As angry as I was at the time, it seemed to have cured BJ.  I couldn't tell you which plant or weed was the culprit but I do think it was something he was eating.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

What a scary thing to happen but great you were prepared with all that information re the vet.   I don't know what this might have been but am hoping it was a once off thing that is now over and darling Stuart is back to normal.

[Janice Hammond]

ALT concerns liver function .

[Jarka, Monty & Auggie]

Oh, poor Stuart. Hopefully he is feeling much better. What a scare. But you are totally right about the "just in case" preparation. We did the same before leaving for San Diego. I knew exactly where to by healthy food and treats and had addresses of a couple of vet's and emergency clinics. You never know what might come up and there is no time to start looking for such information if something goes wrong.