Archie is sick!

[Sam, Risa and Archie]

So Archie hasn't eaten anything in 24 hours and has loose stool and a little constipation.  He has been drinking a little which is good, but not as much as usual.  He has been sleeping at every chance and when we go outside to the bathroom, we walk like each block (We live in the city) and he just sits there and stairs aimlessly.  He is very lethargic and just walking slow with head down.  He tends to get upset belly here and there and I think he just had a tummy ache, but I always get a little nervous with the little guy when he's not acting his crazy wild fun silly self. 

But I am most confused by his walking a block or so and then just stopping, sitting down and starring at me.  When I say lets go and start to walk he pulls back and won't move a budge.

[Sam, Risa and Archie]

Very awesome!  Yeah, I wanted to get Archie that because he LOVES chicken!! So I figured a chicken formula would be up his alley.  The only negative is....its not grain-free right?  That may scare me a little because Archie has a sensitive stomach.

[Jen W]

It's not grain free.  She had been on a grain-free food (Taste Of The Wild) but didn't like it and it was suggested to me that unless I had a valid reason for feeding her a grain-free diet the food was probably simply too rich for her.  

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Fromm has grain free formulas, too. I wouldn't switch any food right now until you figure out what is causing his illness. Good luck!

[Sam, Risa and Archie]

Yeah, I am going to wait until he is better to switch foods.  I may do a Fromm and Acana taste test.  Put out the Wild Prairie and get the From Chicken A La Veg and see what he likes best.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I'm hopeful that things are better this morning and you get good news from the Vet.  I just want to share something for the future.  When the dog is having these symptoms (sick stomach, loose stools, lethargy, loss of appetite) pancreatis is a potential cause.  You would not want to give the Pepcid covered with cream cheese (or peanut butter) to a dog with these symptoms due to the high fat content.  Ask your Vet to show you how to give the pill by just placing it at the back of their mouth.  I had to learn to do this because my guys have IBS and Guinness is also susceptible to pancreatitis, and it's actually very easy.  Please let us know how you make out.

[Sam, Risa and Archie]

Thank you!  I actually have a feeling Archie may be allergic to PB.  He never has really liked his PB flavored treats now that I think about it.  And since having his new treats he hasn't been feeling well.  Should I take a sample of the treats to the vet? 

Also, with cheese, he loves it! So I doubt the cheese part has anything to do with it.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

What are the new treats?  Also, I'm really not saying the cheese on the Pepcid tablet is causing the problem, just that you need to carefully watch the fat content on anything they eat when they're having symptoms like this....and cream cheese is high in fat.

[Sam, Risa and Archie]

Buddy Biscuit soft chews by Cloud Star are his new treats.

[Stephanie and Ragley]

We LOVE buddy biscuits in our house! We try a new flavor each time we run out! Also- fun fact- you can save the UPCs and trade them in for free stuff on their website! I just saw that and wish I had earlier...

Sorry for going off-topic a bit!

[Sam, Risa and Archie]

What do you mean UPCs? and on what website? I ordered them off of Chewy.com or get them at our local Organic Pet store down the street. 

[Jennifer Tramell]

I'm not an alarmist and don't rush to the vet but I want to give a heads up.  Hopefully this has nothing to do with Archie, but can be filed away in the "knowledge I hope I never use" category :-)

Last Spring my Charlotte lost her appetite and was extremely lethargic.  I would take her outside and she would walk haltingly for a few feet and then stop.  She had eaten chicken the day before so I initially wasn't worried, but her lethargy was increasing and she was uninterested in eating and drinking.  This was so odd that I called the vet and made an appointment for that day - I was supposed to come in at 5pm. 

By 5 pm, she would barely lift her head off the vet floor.  She had an emergency blood transfusion (from her bff Webster), spent a few days at the vet, and came home with a diagnosis of an auto-immune disease.  The vet says that this is a common disease in poodles and it can come on quickly.  Sometimes it is triggered by a vaccination, sometimes by a tick, sometimes the trigger is unknown.  Charlotte's blood count was 9 when it should have been around 40.  It was scary!

Anyway, this is hopefully unrelated to Archie, I just want doodle owners to be aware of this threat!

 

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

Good luck with your vet appointment this morning, please keep us posted on the outcome. Hoping everything is ok.