Tag Archives: vet visit

Sick dogs – the downside to having a pack

We always say that two dogs is better than one. There are lots of advantages (dogs learn from each other, keep each other company, play together, etc.). The only downside is when a virus rampages there’s a houseful of sick dogs. They drop like dominoes, one by one.

Cue the spew

It happened to us last November. Torque was the first to fall prey to whatever plague it was that turned our house into a spew festival. Unsavory, unmentionable, unattractive, and unaromatic secretions were coming out of every opening. And he was just the first sick dog.

Torque was a sick dogThey fell, one by one, prey to the vicious little bug that crept in. Next it was Tango, then Booker. We were hoping, when Teddy seemed healthy after a week, that the onslaught was over. No such luck. He resisted like a trooper, but succumbed in the end.

Why are we revisiting this unpleasantness? Because we were afraid (and are still somewhat worried) that it was about to start again. Last Friday was the last time Torque kept a meal down. Sometimes we’d see it again almost instantaneously. Other times, hours would pass.

Sick dogs – time to visit the vet

By Monday, we figured it was time to see the veterinarian. After a couple of days, dogs, like people, can get dehydrated, so we wanted to make sure that wasn’t happening. It wasn’t an urgent situation (Blue Pearl lists the symptoms that would require an emergency vet visit.) But in our case, it obviously wasn’t going to resolve on its own.

Worrywart that she is, Hope started imagining all of the horrible things that it could be: obstruction, ulcer, or (heaven forfend) a repeat appearance of the spew virus that ruined last November. That would be particularly alarming with a new puppy in the house. (Have you seen Fran’s Simon on social media? He’s a little joy!)

Our vet is an old-fashioned, calm, go slow, don’t-panic kind of person. She’s definitely a hands-on-the-dog vet, and since she’s know all of ours since they were pups, she knows when they’re not normal and we have sick dogs.

Inquiring minds want to know

So – while she’s examining all of Torque’s bits, Hope’s getting the inquisition:

When did it start?

Did you see him eat anything unusual?

Is anything missing? (This one was specifically directed – about 15 or more years ago, our Razzmatazz (Brussels Griffon)  ate one of Hope’s shoe insoles. She never missed it.)

Has there been a change in his food?

Is the schedule different?

Is it a new batch of food?

When does he throw up – right after he eats, or later?

What does it look like? Do you recognize bits of food?

Does it smell like food or sour?

Is he acting normally?

Playful?

Sleepy?

Grumpy?

Any coughing or sneezing? (Running out of Snow White’s dwarfs now.)

When did he poop last? Was it normal?

Has he tried to poop and nothing happened?

Is he drinking water? More or less than usual?

And every single question gives the vet a little more information about my sick dog.

Take note of changes

We’re hopeful that it was just a rather severe tummy upset. From her exam and our answers, the vet didn’t think it was an obstruction. Torque’s treatment is a bland diet for a few days, and a couple of medications to get him back on track. After two days (knocking madly on wood), he seems better. And there are no other sick dogs in the house (knocking more!).

You might ask why we’re trampling over your delicate sensibilities to go over all this. Because all those questions are things that every dog owner should pay attention to. When your dog is out of sorts, or sick, we need to notice differences. That information could help our sick dogs get well.