Jack won't eat or drink!

[Jennifer and Jack]

Jack is home with me and my dad and step mom....we have been home together for a few days and he has been fine....eating great, playing and going for walks with my step mom. Yesterday he had his heart guard chew....and he ate extra food ....some salmon, some egg...(small bites) and all his regular food.


Today he is. It himself.....he ate NOTHING...this boy loves cheese...he walked away from it..wouldn't eat an egg...unheard of....no salmon...no treats nothing...not even a sip of water.....

He doesn't have diarrhea ..he is not throwing up. His poop is reported by my step mom as normal. His breathing is non labored.....but he is sleeping deeply but wakes up when I call his name. I can't find any tender spots on his body...his gums are a little tacky.

He only weighs 16 -17 pounds so he doesn't have much reserve.....you know me I am worried....I can't help it I love him so much.

My dad and step mom are here....not really dog people but my step mom is good with Jack.....I am unable to leave house.....so I would have to send Jack to the ER with my dad and step mom which he doesn't know that well..

Can anyone tell me how long he can go without any fluid? Should I try to force him via syringe some chicken broth or water....or just let him be?

Thanks for any help....I don't remember going through this with him before ,....I may have..I just don't remember.

[Brenda Updike]

.Praying Jack is OK, Hard to see our babies sick.

[Janie, Jackson and Jilly]

I hope you get some answers today Jenn.

[Anne & Mr. Haley]

Hope today brings some answers and Jack is feeling better.

[BG and Gavin]

Poor Jack.  Awaiting good news...

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Just checking in for an update on Jack.  Hoping and praying he's doing better today and that you get some answers.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

I hope he is better today. Nothing worse :(

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

Sending good thoughts

[Pat and Traveler]

So sorry to hear Jack is ill!  Sending good wishes for him, and for you.

[Hua]

Hope Jack gets better soon!  Please keep us updated on how he's doing.  Sending good thoughts your way!

[Three Doodle Life]

Sending thoughts and prayers to you and Jack. <3

[Jennifer and Jack]

Thank you so much for everyone that responded. Gosh nothing like getting your heart racing and your mind automatically going to the worst case scenario ……..

Today we discovered Jack has few herniated discs that actually ruptured.   The saddest thing is that I did this to him, not on purpose but I sleep on a ventilator now at night and Friday night my sweet happy go lucky boy hopped into bed with me and in my sleep I rolled over on him.  I didn't think about it or remember it until this morning…… I take medication to sleep because it is extremely hard for me to breathe even on the vent and when I rolled over on him he didn't make a sound, not even a yelp…..

I didn't sleep a wink last night and Jack wouldn't come on the bed with me so we sat on the floor together until it was time to go back…. 

They think he may possible have been starting an addison's crisis from the  pain of his back.. but more likely he just was hurting so bad from his back… He isn't usually a dog to hide when he is hurting, the only thing I noticed is he was shifting sides.

His blood pressure was a little lower today but still really elevated so we will go back when he isn't in pain to see if it has come down.. Believe it or not, here BP is not a standard VS they take on dogs….   

He still has large protein in his urine so he may have sustained a little bruising to his kidneys…. but it isn't chronic dumping of protein or hasn't been to date because his Albumin and Pre -albumin are perfect.

He is on narcotics, muscle relaxers and anti-inflamatory medications.. No walks, no running, no jumping …..

My breeder who has been amazing to me suggested some laser treatments for his spine as she has found that works well on all her dogs over the years that may have needed it (not breeding dogs)    and his insurance covers hydro therapy as well as alternative medicine….. 

Our ritual since he was little unless my mom is here is for him to sleep in my arms…. He won't go near my bed now and who can blame him…. and since I thrash in my sleep and have the vent attached to me I am not safe to sleep with.  I am so grateful it isn't anything else, I hope once the bruising goes down on his kidneys he stops dumping protein ….

I feel awful that I did this to him and worse it took me two days to remember…. The ER had the same x rays as this doctor today and didn't see the discs at all…. so weird… Alll that money you think they would read an x ray properly.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Gosh Jennifer just seeing all this now and hoping that now that you know what happened that Jack is on the right pathway to getting better. No point in beating yourself up over it. Boris has done very well with hydrotherapy. In his rehab. You can see how it works on a video on my page if you want to look.