Mac's First Vet Appointment. The good and the sad.

[jenn D]

So based on a gut feeling I ended up calling the vet about Mac and they were able to get me in today. She looked at, and rotated his legs and did not think he had any dysplasia. She said she couldn't guarantee that he didn't without xrays but she said he had full range of motion with no resistance or visual discomfort.  She said at this point she didn't think xrays were necessary. So that is the good news.

Now onto the sad part. Fixable but sad. First, he had been licking his bum a lot and his feet when we picked him up. The fur was very red. I thought maybe allergies after posting to you guys. Upon inspection from our vet followed by microscopic analysis for samples, she said that 2 nailbeds on the back right foot and 3 nailbeds on the back left food have bacterial infections. As for his rump, she said his anal glands were so impacted it was one of the worse she had seen (and boy did he smell like that fishey anal glad smell after getting expressed). She said the left gland was bigger than a large grape and was very hard to express. In addition, she did a fecal to check for parasites and worms. I don't know how long that test takes. She did say he also had a bacterial infection around his rectum and showed me clipper cuts made around that area.

Also, she said he has very bad ear infections in both ears. And yes they both smell very yeasty. She said on a scale of 1 to 4 of ear infections (4 being the worst) both ears were a 3.

She said she could not tell me if he has allergies because she said that is not her area of expertise but would refer me to a canine dermatologist if necessary. She wants to see how he is doing after all of the infections clear up first.

Sooo, for the various infections on his body she prescribed an earwash, a topical ear antibiotic, steroids (prednisone) and an oral antibiotic. I need to pick up the later two at my pharmacist in about an hour.

Questions and comments are welcome. I feel bad for Mac. I am also frustrated by the rescue orgs as we paid $400 for a supposedly "vetted" dog looked at by a qualified vet before we got him. While I know they cannot fix hips issues etc and they don't know everything, the fact that they left his anal glads impacted and he had these infections (which granted could have occurred by very aggressive grooming and then sent back to an outdoor kennel) has me a bit frustrated.

Im glad I took him in today. We go back in 2 weeks for recheck.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I'm so sorry for him but it is a relief to know he will soon be better thanks to YOU!  No wonder he looks so distant.   Look out--when he starts feeling better you may have a wonderful new Mac on Attack

[F, Calla & Luca]

I am glad the vet thinks there is no dysplasia. The infections are an easier fix. Let's hope by two weeks he will be much better.

[BG and Gavin]

Hopefully he will be fit as a fiddle soon.  Thanks for looking after him.

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Well, just awful but better than my crazy thought.  No wonder he's looking so glum.  At least he's got a person(s) who care now and are taking care of these infections.  

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'm glad you took him in today, too. And very glad you took him, period.

Don't judge all rescues by this one. JD came to me fully vetted, with the paperwork to prove it. 

I love your vet. It's so rare for a GP vet to admit that allergies are outside their area of expertise and offer to refer you to a specialist. Most of them seize the opportunity to sell Rx food. 

I'd be sure to give him an antacid while he's on the prednisone, and you may want to order Proviable if you don't already have it, as he may get diarrhea from the antibiotics.

I think you might see a little of that light in his eyes once he's feeling better, poor guy. 

[jenn D]

Karen, can dogs take famotidine? Grace took 10mg of famotidine before she took her steroids during Chemo for heartburn the steroids gave. The steroids messed with her sleep schedule as well and made her very thirsty, wonder if it's the same for dogs. I like my vet as well. She gave me the scripts she could so they could be filled at my local pharmacy so it would be less expensive. I go all the way across town just to go to her clinic.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Dogs can absolutely take famotidine. JD gets ranitidine, but he has taken famotidine in the past as well and did fine with it. 

The prednisone may very well make him thirstier and hungrier than usual, and he'll probably have to pee more. 

[jenn D]

Thank you Karen. Anywhere I can find good dosing amounts for it? Mac is 65 lbs.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The recommended dose of Famotidine to be administered to pets is 0.25 to 0.5 mg per pound (0.5 to 1.0 mg/kg) every 12 to 24 hours.

For ranitidine, it's 0.25 to 1 mg per pound, administered once every 12 hours (twice daily). 

JD gets one 75 mg. tablet twice a day on days he doesn't get his prednisone, and one and a half tablets (or 112.5 mg) twice a day on the days when he does get the pred. He weighs about 78 lbs, but he also has IBD, so he needs a little extra help. 

[jenn D]

Thanks for the awesome help!

[Marni and Hanna]

Hang in there !  You are doing so awesome taking in Mac and showing him what a good life is like!!  I bet once his ailments have cleared up, that light will some back in his eyes too !!  Good Luck !! Best Wishes !!  : )

[Julie, Eloise & Beasley]

Aw, Mac - poor boy.  He's on the mend now thanks to you taking care of him.  I agree with everyone else, I bet his eyes will start to light up once he's feeling better.  Feel better, sweet guy!