Brinkley and I just had an emergency vet visit

[Heather & Brinkley]

As I've mentioned before, my hubby works overnights so Brinkey will often sleep away the morning by my husband's side... but by noon he's ready to break free from the room and watch his big screen TV (aka: the 6 large picture windows in our sunroom). Well today, my husband called me after waking up and said "it's 5pm and Brinkley is still by my side.  I hope he's okay."  I got home at 6 to find a very lethargic dog.  At first we thought he was just sore because he swam hard yesterday but as minutes passed I noticed his eyes looked glassy and they glazed over.  When I called his name he didn't respond... he just sat there looking like he had fallen asleep sitting up.  And then he started drooling.  He hardly greeted me at the door when I arrived home.  I brought his water dish to him and made him drink--- which he did-- but it was obvious he hadn't touched his food or water all day.  After a few more minutes, I threw him into my car (P.S. I bought a new crossover three days ago.  I now have a doodle-mobile! It's a Nissan Rogue) but I digress.

 

They said he was dehydrated and that his bacteria levels were high.  They said a lot of times a dog's bacteria levels can elevate and aid in dehydration if the water's bacteria levels are high.  That coupled with some gulping of sandy salty beach water dehydtrated him.  He's now pumped full of liquids (he has a water camel hump now that will disperse water to his body for the next 12 hours.)  

 

He's sleeping but already seemed a little more perky by the end of the visit.  WHen I took him to the vet I had to lift him in and out of the car b/c he didn't have the energy to jump... but when we left the vet he got in and out on his own.

 

Phew.   

[Heather & Brinkley]

Another symptom she said was to see if when you squeeze their skin, it should be like elastic and bounce back on a hydrated dog. Brinkley's took longer to bounce back. She did laugh at Brinkley's fur and said "man, the squeeze test is a little harder to do with all that curly doodle fur!"

[Melody & Bruin]

Wow, that sounded very scary, glad he is going to be ok!

[Denise & Sophie]

Glad that Brinkley is feeling better.

[Bonnie and Kona]

Oh Gosh! I am so sorry about Brinkley getting dehydrated. Hoping he feels fine soon.

[Traci -Bexter & Maggie]

Wow!  Does he have to take an antibiotic for the bacteria?  That's all it was?  That's scary!  I would have been freaking out.

[Heather & Brinkley]

They are going to call me tomorrow once they get the full results from his lab.  We'll know tomorrow how high the bacteria levels were... but she thinks he'll be okay without antibiotics.  I love my vet.  They were getting ready to close and they waited for me to get up there and squeezed me in.

[Tina, Clover, Plus 5 More]

How scary!!!  I hope he will be okay, it sounds like he doing a little better already.

[Heather & Brinkley]

Thanks!  He is doing better.  Still not normal but a little more bounce in his dehydrated step. :)

[F, Calla & Luca]

Very scary really. I'm glad it all got treated swiftly and that he is feeling better. I've seen dogs have explosive diarrhea, not too long after drinking ocean water. Did this happen to your dog? Surely that might contribute to dehydration.

[Heather & Brinkley]

Nope, no diarrhea.  In fact the opposite. The vet said his poop was really hard.  The funny thing is that we go to the beach all the time (we live around the beach and are always there) and this has never happened.  It was the first cool day in weeks so I took advantage of it-- I never take him when it's hot... and it has been VERY hot until recently.  Strange.

[Rose]

That is really scary! Glad to hear Brinkley is o.k.

[Donna K & Quincy]

So glad to hear that Brinkley is feeling better, it is always scary when our doodles are unwell.