# Douglas is very sick



## Moonfall (Nov 16, 2012)

So last night in the late evening he vomited. I didn't think a ton of it- he still ate his dinner and seemed fairly normal.

During the night however he went downhill really fast. Diarrhea all over my room, repeated vomiting all over the room also. I woke up early this morning to a huge mess. Did my best to clean it up and tried to coax water down him, then put him in the crate to rest a while so I could sleep until I could call the vet office. 

I woke up at 8 to call and they could not get me in until tomorrow morning. So I made the appointment and got him up. He had vomited and had more diarrhea in the crate, everywhere all over the blankets and everything. Still wouldn't drink and turning his nose up at food, which for this dog, who loves food, is an emergency. He was very lethargic just staring at me and shivering. 

So I called around to try and get a vet appointment. I finally did at a different vet and they looked him over, took blood and what not. Gave him an injection for the nausea. Now we are home and he is trembling violently next to me, but he ate a tablespoon of prescription food and had a bit of water.

My wallet is in tears because that vet was so expensive, but at least he got looked at. He was getting dehydrated really fast from the vomiting. 

Poor baby boy. 

Any ideas on how else to keep him comfortable? I'm going to take him with me to work so he can be monitored.


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## elaina (Jul 1, 2008)

ohhh, nooo. i'm so sorry to hear this :-(. What did the Vet say that saw him ? did you get the blood test results back yet?


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## Moonfall (Nov 16, 2012)

Blood came back normal- elevated white blood cells and dehydrated but nothing too alarming.


So it's watch and wait at this point. If he goes downhill again I will probably end up at the e-vet tonight. I don't know. But he's resting beside me now.

Vet said that he did not feel a blockage or anything, and to monitor him. The injection he was given should help control the vomiting and he was given a medication for the diarrhea also but I have to wait another hour to give that to him- it needs to be given with food and he needs to be holding food down for that to happen. He was covered in poop so when he starts to feel less awful he's going to have to get a bath.

This poor dog's had a rough year. This puts him at 3 emergency sick visits this year all of them very expensive. One surgery. Two blood draws. He's just got the short end of the stick this past little while.


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## Sunshine_icicles (Jan 5, 2015)

I hate it when my puppers are sick!

It helps that I'm a medical professional, and a lot of medications/materials for illnesses in dogs are the same as for humans so I can get them a bit cheaper but I totally understand what you mean by wallet tears! You want the best for your dog but sometimes several thousand dollars is just painful.

I sure hope Douglas is feeling better soon. Did he get an injection of Cerenia then, for his nausea? I haven't had good luck with Cerenia, but I know others who have. 

Keep us posted!


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## michele (Jan 12, 2009)

You are not alone had the same with Chichi a week or so ago,being sick diarrhoea,vets gave her an injection and meds she was fine the next day,then Dottie got it,but as she's so tiny and frail it's taken her 3 weeks to get over it,white blood cells high ,red ones low .Hope the meds work .


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## susan davis (Mar 25, 2011)

Hope that Douglas is better. I'd be gently syringing a little bit of water every hour or so to keep him hydrated. Can you get some pedialyte? Get the none flavored kind, and maybe add a little bit of chicken broth to it? Good luck with him. 

I know about the $$ bit. Zarita just had cruciate ligament surgery. $$$$$!!


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## Moonfall (Nov 16, 2012)

He's not thrown up again this evening and has had three tablespoons of the prescribed wet food (a few hours apart each) to keep his strength up. Still having diarrhea and very weak.

I am not sure the injection name but it stung him badly, he screamed- the vet said it would sting.

I know how to make pedialyte and will if he needs any- he hasn't wanted water so I probably will, and will try to make a gruel and get some down him using the wet food.

He is just resting more now. I won't let him out of my sight. He's just so small that this much fluid loss is more serious for him than a larger dog- if my lab was vomiting and such it'd be ok till morning but he is so tiny and delicate that he could not wait even 24 hours for care. 

He is going to have to sleep in the crate tonight because of the amount of bodily functions he is expelling. But he will be comfortable and I will set an alarm to get up and give fluids and a bite of food and take him outside, and change his bedding if it's got poo or vomit in it.


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## Sunshine_icicles (Jan 5, 2015)

Yeah, that cerenia burns when injected!  I'm surprised they didn't have you do some home subQ fluids for your poor guy. Dehydration stinks.

I would continue to try a teaspoon of the wet food every hour if he'll take it. Low sodium beef broth or pedialyte mixed lightly with rice or made into oatmeal gruel if he'll accept that, has worked for me when my little guy was in kidney failure. 

If you have one of those microwave heating pads or discs that you warm up or even a heating pad set on low would make him more comfy tonight too. Just be sure to have a warm side and a cool side by only having the heat on half of his kennel so he can thermoregulate if he needs to.


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## Moonfall (Nov 16, 2012)

He just had a pedialyte and wet food gruel that he took gladly. I bet he'd love broth, I will see if we have any floating around. 

I have a human heat pad that I could try. I worry he might cover it in poop though. More my mom who'd have issue with that than me, I'd just wash the thing off, but what can you do.


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## Kalisee (Jun 1, 2012)

Moonfall said:


> I have a human heat pad that I could try. I worry he might cover it in poop though. More my mom who'd have issue with that than me, I'd just wash the thing off, but what can you do.



Glad he is eating, so he is feeling better!! Poor little guy! At least he has you, even though I know its making your wallet a lot thinner.

I had to laugh, though, at the washing the thing from the poop and your mom. I would think nothing of cleaning off my dog's poo or vomit from something, it seems so normal -whereas I know many people who would vomit just at the thought. 

Good health vibes to Douglas!


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## Huly (Mar 5, 2012)

How is he today?


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## Moonfall (Nov 16, 2012)

Much improved.

He has not pooped or vomited at all since yesterday (now I'm worrying he is constipated!) and he took his medicine and at a bit of canned food this morning. He has been doing a LOT of shaking though- he isn't usually so shivery. But he's still just resting a lot, wrapped up in a blanket beside me.

I love the little guy and I really don't mind spending a fortune on him but I am disabled and work a low pay job so it does eat my vet fund up! I add money every month though to try and balance the big bills out.


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## Sunshine_icicles (Jan 5, 2015)

I'm so glad he's doing better!!

Vet bills. Ick. But what can ya do? 

The cerenia injection shouldn't make him constipated, and the wet prescription diet should have enough water in it that he shouldn't bind on it. I would just give him a little time and see what comes out. (No pun)


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## Moonfall (Nov 16, 2012)

Am doing exactly that. His breathing seems a bit labored right now like he's stuffy. So I'm watching- he has trachea issues (minor, but he makes odd noises sometimes) and I am having trouble figuring out if it's how he is laying or if he's maybe got some mucus build up in his nose and chest.


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## Jayda (Jun 15, 2012)

Kisses to you. Hope he is doing better. It is so hard when one of our fur babies aren't well.


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## Moonfall (Nov 16, 2012)

He seems so much more cheerful this evening, he was wagging and trying to be a vacuum. 

Glad he's more cheery though.


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## woodard2009 (Aug 4, 2010)

Glad he's doing better. Whenever they seem stuffy, you can always boil a pot of water on the stove (add salt for more steam) and hold them on your lap (put a blanket over your head and the pot to keep the steam in. Or you could lock him in the bathroom with you when you shower. Run a humidifier. I always add the eucalyptus oil to the humidifier and pot of boiling water to speed up drainage. My chis been a little stuffy lately. She's better now.


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## Chiluv04 (Dec 19, 2013)

So glad Douglas is feeling better, can't wait to hear another update on this.


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## Moonfall (Nov 16, 2012)

He seems to be back to normal now.


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## Zorana1125 (Oct 24, 2010)

Yay that's great news!! So happy for you both! Bet ur so relieved!


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## Moonfall (Nov 16, 2012)

I am! He went for a long walk today. He had fun.


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