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I'm waiting to bring my English Bulldog to the vet this morning. He has been sick for almost a week. Loss of appetite, not able to hold very much food down when he does eat, decrease of activity (well as much as a bulldog has), and very loose stool.
He is 8 which is pretty darn old for bullies so I'm just afraid this is going to be a bad visit to the vet to find out what the problem is.
Any vets in the house have any ideas what may be causing this? I can deal with the harsh truth if its bad (which I have already brought myself to think it is).
Not a vet, but maybe he ate something nasty and it upset his tummy? Not sure if that would last a week, but if it came out of nowhere it seems like a possibility.
not a vet, but worked with animals for a few years-- is he drinking normally? are his gums pink/bright or white/pale? has anything changed in your normal routine (moving somewhere new, change of food brand, houseguests, etc.)?
you can give him just some simple cooked rice and boiled chicken, it's a super bland meal that will sometimes stay down when other things won't? however if you're already on your way to the vet this morning, hugs and rest might be your best bet until a doctor can look at him.
@bookworm88: thank you the vet did tell me to start a chicken and rice diet tonight.
he has started 4 different meds so here is hoping for the best.
if he has loose stool, you can put a spoonful of pureed pumpkin in with his chicken and rice. it helps firm things up. good luck!
@Miss. Meeps: glad to hear that he's on some meds! hopefully things will go back to normal soon! try and be patient and relax while the meds take their course-- days seem like years when we're waiting for pets to get healthy!
I'm a vet assistant (by trade.. but sadly don't practice)
It could be such a lot of reason. Did he get into anything strange? Does he go outside unsupervised? Perhaps he did there and you didn't see.
Is there any blood in his stool? Are his vaccines up to date? Have you changed his food recently? Have you changed even his dishes recently? (ie: plastic vs: metal)
Perhaps bring a fecal sample with you. If it is nothing else that is perfectly obvious, your vet will probably do a fecal float, along blood work.
In the meantime try adding a little warm water to his food just to ensure he stays as hydrated as possible. I personally wouldn't add anything else to his food until he is seen by a vet however.
Good luck with it all and I am anxious to hear how it all goes.
Thanks to all, Brutus is very sleepy but when he woke up a few times yesterday he was able to drink a bowl of water and eat some chicken/rice. :)
Did your vet take an x-ray? If not, and Brutus isn't feeling better within the next day or two, I would go back and make sure that everything looks normal.
@redherring: No xrays, she did some feeling of organs with her hands and they did a CBC to make sure the liver was ok. CBC results came back within normal range so she wanted to treat for a stomach virus (and a ear infection).
He is notwable to keep food down so I am just monitoring the other end and if it doesn't get better by this evening he is going back
Is he able to keep food down now? Wasn't sure from your last post.
Hopefully he's feeling better!! I like that you covered him up with a blanket :). Keep us updated!
@so_said_ellie: he was totally miserable. I now know how parents feel when a child is sick.
@serabell: yes he is now able. This evening he decided that jasmine rice is not his favorite. But he did eat two chicken breasts....then I went and bought a quarter pounder and he ate half of that.I know thats horrible but he has lost so much weight I wanted him to eat some red meat.
Thanks everyone. Brutus is on his way to a full recovery.
@Miss. Meeps: I know you want him to eat, but even if he wasn't sick, a burger is a terrible thing to feed a dog. There is a high risk of developing pancreatitis especially with him already not feeling well.
Plain boiled chicken breat and plain white rice are the standard homemade bland diet. Outside of this, until he's feeling better no treats/no added goodies.
I completely agree with RedHerring...if he's not showing significant improvement within 48hrs, take him back. I'd have xrays done if it were my dog. I hope he continues to feel better!
@twentyeleven: Excellent information, thank you. I am still monitoring his outside "activities" if they do not continue to improve I will be going back to the vet. But it seems he is improving :)
I have to say the Vet is very good they have called me every morning asking on his progress. I have never experienced a animal hospital that did this.
@Miss. Meeps: Well it sounds like you found a good practice then! Hold on and don't let go, lol. I have worked for a few and some are definitely better than others.
Oh my, the poor guy! Hope you can post a "Brutus is feeling better" picture soon. :)
Don't give him any more burgers-- that might be what's causing the tummy trouble in the first place!
And burgers from McDicks are hardly even meat.
@Miss. Meeps: Aww, I hope he is doing better. I feel your pain. My bully is 3 years old, and I know how special they are!
Well Brutus received a X-ray and a ultrasound today since he stopped eating again. A mass was found behind his tummy. Based on his current weak condition surgery is not an option. But shots for nausea and pills to help increase his appetite have been started. If he starts to eat and improves then more options will be available to us.
Now its up to Brutus and whatever doggy gods look over him. I want to thank all of you for the kind words and great advice on this matter.
Cheers to our furry friends and all the joy/love/happiness they bring our lives.
Have you tried giving him chicken broth? Or cooked plain chicken, hand fed?
The grange coop sells a bottle of vitamin spray that you spray on the dog's food. My dog LOVES the spray & she'll eat her entire bowl of food so it must be tasty. It will help give your dog extra vitamins since he's not eating much & also may make his food more appealing.
Have you tried canned food (ask the vet what kind would be ok, you want something gentle & bland)?
I'm so sorry :(. You're doing everything you can, I really hope he bounces back very soon!!
@serabell: sadly everything you listed we have tired I even bought doggy ensure hoping he would drink it. the meds to help his appetite didnt do too much. This spray what is it called? I will go out and get some today. (Im willing to try anything).
But he seems to be giving up on his own. Which Im sad about but I am OK with as well. Its natures course for all of us eventually. I can just at this point take suggestions and try to help him before this gets too far.
I got the spray from my vet, it was $17. It was called Catalys (idk if I'm spelling this right). You can also get them from those feed supply stores. I know California Natural (actually the brand of food my dog eats) makes it in liquid form.
There's this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Vitamin-Mineral-Spray-Puppies-235ml/dp/B000C22YNC/ref=pd_sim_k_1
But you can get different ones for different things, I believe. I'm going to to a little more searching.
@serabell: THANK YOU I am calling my vet to see what she says and if they have anything similar.
I wish you had a grange coop, I'm going there soon to pick up some more bones for my dogs so while I'm there I'll ask if there's anything they recommend for a dog who's not eating.
I was trying to find a store similar to my grange store in you're area, but these seem to sell only very good products, you may want to call them.
http://www.animalnature.net/ideas%20for%20particular%20needs.htm
This is the one I recommend talking to & I think they're local to you:
http://www.healthypetproducts.net/products.html
They aren't vets but they're really knowledgeable about dog health & what you can do. This is from their blog:
Probiotic has been the latest buzzword in the human supplement world and they are even being added to foods. As you would guess, this new healthy trend has now trickled over into the pet industry. It seems that a host of brands are adding probiotics to their food and new probiotic supplements for pets are showing up all the time. But what are they and does that necessarily mean our pets can & will benefit from them? The answer is absolutely! Probiotics are and always will be an essential supplement for improving the overall health of our pets.
So what are Probiotics? They are live microorganisms AKA “good bacteria” that live in the digestive track where 75 % of our immune system support develops and lives. There are more than 500 different bacterial species that keep intestinal linings healthy and assist in breaking down food. Beneficial organisms are also believed to help regulate healthy immune response.
The balance of this friendly bacteria can be disturbed by such things as simple aging, poor diet, stress or antibiotic use. For these reasons and many others it’s important to complement your immunity system with a probiotic supplement. Although some pet foods have now started adding probiotics, I’m still recommending that we give and or take them in supplement form. Reason being, probiotics are live microorganisms that begin dying immediately after they are manufactured. This process also exposes them to a high degree of heat, which also takes away from their effectiveness. So, if they are added to the food before the cooking process, most if not all will die. Some companies will spray the probiotics on after the cooking process. This procedure is better as long as the company allows the food to cool before hand. So, depending on the ethics of the company it’s essentially a marketing ploy. Not to mention that the probiotics would have to pass through hostile stomach acid and bile to get to the intestine. The intestine is where the probiotics need to plant in order to seed the dog’s intestinal tract with healthy flora .
One more thing to consider when shopping for a good probiotic is to see if prebiotics are added. “Pre”biotics are the nutrients that act as the energy source or food for the “good” bacteria that live in the intestinal tract. They help the beneficial bacteria thrive. Prebiotics are a specialized form of fiber that occurs naturally in foods such as chicory, asparagus, artichokes, garlic, honey, wheat and oats. One of the most common prebiotics is FOS or fructooligosaccharides. These, unlike “pro”biotics, are not vulnerable to heat and have a stable shelf life.
1. Help maintain a healthy digestion
2. Help treat diarrhea and prevent diarrhea and constipation.
3. Help eliminate smelly stools and bad-smelling gas
5. Help counteract the destructive side effects of antibiotic therapy
6. Help prevent shedding and scratching caused by stress from digestive imbalances
7. Improve dog smell overall.
9. Help control yeast and yeast related rashes and skin problems.
10. Helps reduce hairballs in cats.
I just saw the update. I'm sorry to hear he has a mass :( Did they say how long they were going to give him to improve before surgery might be an option? I hope you are able to keep him nice and comfy. Thinking good thoughts for Brutus!
@Miss. Meeps: awwwwww. I hope he gets better! My dog had lots of stomach problems for 8 years. He ate chicken and rice with Eukaneuba kibbles everyday. He also took Tylon and metameucil for his stomach problems. This seemed to help him a lot with the loose stool and his "sick days."
To answer the questions Brutus no longer will be eligible for surgery based on a few different physical reasons...He is now 9 yrs old (old for an English bully) which also makes him not a candidate for sedation due to English bullies and their airways. He would be compromised in his malnourished state on top of just the age factor.
Both my Fiance and I have been trying everything to get him to eat. I have even been injecting with a syringe baby food into his mouth...he just spits it out. He is drinking water on his own which I am thankful for since dehydration is horrible.
After talking to the Vet we have determined I will schedule a day next week to put him to rest if he still continues to not eat. I do not want to keep him lingering for my own selfish reasons. Quality of life is the deciding factor, that diminishes each day he goes without wanting to eat.
Until the day comes when I have to put him down next week we will continue to try. But, I believe he is ready to pass. Thank you to everyone for their well wishes and wonderful information to try to help Brutus. Mr. Meeps, Brutus, and myself and very greatful.
I'm so sorry for you and your cute dog. Putting a pet to sleep is never an easy decision, but it is better than watching them needlessly suffer for longer than they need to. Take care!
@Miss. Meeps: I am sorry to hear that your pup is not doing any better. I just wanted to let you know that you are wonderful pet owner for thinking of his needs and not your own. I am about to cry for you and Brutus.
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