Taking Stew to ER vet!! liquid stool & horrible guarding incident

[Jess & Stewart]

I finally found a job & started this week, on Wednesday!! I was worried about leaving Stew while I was at work but he was fine in his crate & was a perfect gentleman for the new dog walker. He also had started going in his crate on his own & hasn't guarded in a long time. He's been AMAZING recently, the PERFECT dog & I thought we'd really turned a corner. Great dog, great new job & I'm on a Waitlist for a great new apartment!

Then Thursday, he FREAKED out when I tried to put him in his crate & leave. Wouldn't go in, growled when I tried to lead him to it & guide him in, then snapped & came for me (biting at my boot & ankle , I could even feel his teeth through the boot but he didn't go through it or break any skin on me). He just stood in the middle of my apt, growling, I didn't know how to reprimand so I just practically ran from my apt & left him out. According to dog walker, he was fine, didn't get into anything, she found him on couch eating his KONG, was able to get him in his crate no problem.

Friday was even worse, I changed morning tactics & put his food in his crate thinking he'd walk in on his own, he wanted nothing to do with his crate. So I led him to the door, tried to put his EW harness to then guide him to the crate & take the harness off. This usually works & he walks right in when I said "in the crate!". He wouldn't even let me put his harness on, I knealt down to try, he growled, which started me (I spook unexpectedly VERY easily, even sneezes, fire alarms make him jump) & I dropped the leash. He dove for it & started guarding it. Wouldn't even leave it for a piece of hot dog. He just kept growling & would charge me when I'd try to get the leash. I left him out & left my apt in tears.

SO, my dog walker said he didn't get into anything except he chewed the loop on his leash in two. She said it didn't look like he injested any of it because it looked like he just chewed it straight thru. He was of course perfect for the dog walker, went in crate perfect. To be on safe side, I gave him hydrogen peroxide when I got home, nothing but dog food came back up so I figured we dodged a blockage!

He's been fine (normal appetite, energy etc) but Friday night had very loose stool, it's now completely liquid, brown water. I gave him chicken/rice on Saturday with pumpkin thinking it would resolve. Last night he had liquid poop 3 times in the middle of the night. This morning, he vomited his chicken/rice. I'm thinking I'll walk to the vet hospital ER after I get dressed. I'm SO worried now....

I ALSO HAVE AN APPT WITH PENN VET BEHAVIORISTS FOR 2 WEEKS FROM NOW, BUT THINK I NEED IMMEDIATE HELP. I'm really distraught & thought we'd turned a corner. I'm worried he'll never view me as his leader & I'll need to get rid of him. I don't want a dog I'm scared will snap & attack me.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

 First I hope you get to the bottom of what's going on with these severe GI issues.  Clearly this is serious and it's great you're taking him to the ER this morning.  Please let us know what you find out.  I also think it's great that you're going to see the Behaviorist before his behavior escalates any further.  From reading this, it seems to me that the issue is one of leadership.  I am certainly no expert, but it sounds like you're already fearful, and he will totally sense that.  That gives him power, and he will decide that he's the one in control.  I've found in the absence of a confident owner, the dog assumes the "leadership role".  The fact that twice you left him loose in the apartment because you didn't feel you could get him into the crate sends him a message that if he doesn't want to go into the crate all he has to do is bully you.  Inadvertently you are reinforcing that behavior.  I would put him on a "Nothing In Life Is Free" program and not deviate from it in any way until you see the Behaviorist.  There's a discussion with details in the Training Group.  Do whatever you have to do to get him into that crate....and don't back down.  You make that decision...not him. 

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Here's a link to the "Nothing In Life Is Free" discussion.  http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/trainingmindsets/forum/topics/not...

[Jess & Stewart]

Jane- Yesterday I had to leave him & I put his food bowl in the back of the crate, then said free (his release word), He walked in slowly a few times, barked, growled & backed away but after a minute he went in. When he was finished, I took his bowl from him, shut the crate door & left. I think this might be a good strategy to get him in the crate each morning because he needs to eat & it can only help him to associate good things with the crate.

I'm just putting his harness on & then we're walking to the ER. I hope I can pick up a stool sample this morning!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I'm glad that worked, but he needs to go into the crate "because you tell him to".....there will be times when you need him in the crate and it's not time for a meal.  Have you considered the "Doggy Dan" program?  I really think it's a great approach and seems like it would help you to begin to teach Stewart that he's not the boss.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Will be watching for the update from the ER Vet.  Hope it is nothing serious.  Hang in there.  That being said I completely agree with Jane.  When you said the dog walker was having no issues putting him in the crate it was sort of a light bulb that he is not seeing you as the pack leader.  Once they show aggression towards you I realize it is really hard to appear afraid, but you have to figure out a way to not let that show.  Glad you are seeing a behaviorist to get this under control.  Please keep us updated on how it is doing.  P.S.  Congrats on the new job!

[F, Calla & Luca]

I agree with all the comments.

[Gail and Bailey]

So sorry you are experiencing this with Stew!  Please let us know how it went at the vet.

[Jess & Stewart]

I'm sitting at Penn's ER now. I'm kinda scratching my head as to what's up with Stew since the hydrogen peroxide didn't produce anything. Unless, there's something stuck further down & it'll require surgery. They're going to do a ultrasound & fecal to see what's up. Thank god I have a job now & can afford treatment. I have insurance so if he does require anything else, it should be covered as I've met my deductible.

They're also going to have one of their behavioral docs talk to me if his schedule allows so I'm hoping I can talk to him!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Some of the GI issues could be his stress. I hope that is what it turns out to be.  Looking forward to an update.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

I too agree with the suggestions given about his behavior. I hope he is feeling better soon. Please keep us updated!

[Jess & Stewart]

Thanks for all the worrying! I know I can come here & get support! They did see what they think is a large piece of fabric in his stomach so they did an endoscope to try to remove it. They were optimistic that they could get it. It's strange that it didn't come up with the hydrogen peroxide.

They let me say hi before he went back and he came bounding out of the double doors and ran right into my arms. I don't think I've ever felt so loved in my entire life. There were a few people in the waiting room whom had just put down a dog and Stew greeted them all with licks and kisses. They all started to talk to me about Stew & laughed at his crazy antics so I hoped it made them feel better after a bad day :) Stew didn't know he comforted them obviously but I felt proud that my guy greeted them all!

He went back around 1:30 and I just got a call that he's done surgery, they recovered a large piece of fabric & a small piece of his leash. I went down the street to get something to eat & browse B&N which always makes me feel better. It'll be another 30 minutes before they bring him to me.

They let me use their computers to print out a PetPlan claim form so I'll be able to submit the claim right away. I paid from an interest free CC so I hope it goes through quickly so I can just pay it off. I hate have CC debt over me!

I also talked to one of the assistants at the Behavioral Clinic & she gave me a lot more direct advice about using lures to get him away from something he guards immediately so I don't find myself in a dangerous situation again. She gave the name of a trainer she recommends. Left a message & hope he can see us sometime after work or next weekend.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Glad they found something and he is going to be ok.   Make sure on your insurance forms that you send all the required paperwork.  Get the doctors file notes as well to send in.  I usually e-mail them in with the documents attached.