Sid's Not Good ..

[TheFullHouse]

Gosh, I thought he was doing better. Hope you get some answers soon.

[greyhead]

Hope you get the fecal test results soon! Btw, Spencer's intestinal troubles (SIBO, IBD) arose after a dental. It was suggested that the post-dental antibiotic might have upset the balance of intestinal flora and allowed the overgrowth of Clostridium. Don't know that this has anything to do with Sid, of course.

 

Lots of prayers for you and Sid. I know this is beyond tiresome for both of you.

[Magdalyn58]

Sending good wishes and prayers for Sid today from PA.

[Guest trevdog]

I'd opt for xrays. The fact that you mentioned the sharp edges and such would make me still consider a blockage particularly with the way he is acting. Xrays may not show the dentagen, but they would be able to see if there is any backup or gas. And there's always the barium test. Dallas' blockage didn't show what it was, but we could see her insides were gassy and distorted and the baruim showed it was blacked.

[GreytHurleyDawg]

I hope Sid is feeling better!! My hound Hurley is down in the dumps from being injured too, he sends his love and positive healing thoughts: he is busy creating extras and wants to share!

 

And I hope we both find out what is wrong!

[silverfish]

Hope you get the fecal test results soon! Btw, Spencer's intestinal troubles (SIBO, IBD) arose after a dental. It was suggested that the post-dental antibiotic might have upset the balance of intestinal flora and allowed the overgrowth of Clostridium. Don't know that this has anything to do with Sid, of course.

 

Lots of prayers for you and Sid. I know this is beyond tiresome for both of you.

 

Thanks - Sid didn't have any antibiotic cover after his dental. It was just a little incisor which had broken, and it wasn't infected. The rest of his teeth were cleaned only because he was under anyway, they really didn't need it - in fact the vet felt guilty for charging us for the GA! His mouth healed up just fine .. and now this!

 

I'd opt for xrays. The fact that you mentioned the sharp edges and such would make me still consider a blockage particularly with the way he is acting. Xrays may not show the dentagen, but they would be able to see if there is any backup or gas. And there's always the barium test. Dallas' blockage didn't show what it was, but we could see her insides were gassy and distorted and the baruim showed it was blacked.

 

I'd be more worried if Sid weren't so lively and in such good spirits! He's eating like his usual self now, doesn't seem to be in any pain, except when he poops and he squeaks a bit sometimes. There's no tummy tucking, no look of misery or self pity (except after walks when he doesn't get his usual chewy treats) and he's doing his usual happy grumbles and half roaches. It's all very puzzling. I will certainly bear the possibility of a blockage in mind though. I know bits of Greenies have stayed in hound stomachs for weeks, causing symptoms but nothing major.

 

 

I hope Sid is feeling better!! My hound Hurley is down in the dumps from being injured too, he sends his love and positive healing thoughts: he is busy creating extras and wants to share!

 

And I hope we both find out what is wrong!

 

Thank you! Yes, I hope we both do. Sending love and positive thinking right back at the lovely Hurley.

[silverfish]

Latest on Sid:

 

No campylobacter, no salmonella, no giardia, no worm eggs or larvae, negative to everything they tested for. So tomorrow he's going in for an x-ray. Thank heavens my new vet will do this with no GA - yay for vets who know greyhounds!

 

I'm going to take a Dentagen stick in for her to put on the table with him so she can see what she's looking for. And my iPod. Might as well fill in the time learning some Italian while I'm there, huh?

 

The good news is that although he's still producing nasty stuff and yelping while he does so, he's in fine spirits, looking for food, asking for walks, generally acting as if he hasn't a care in the world apart from when he's going to be back on the good stuff and TREATS!

 

*Sigh*

[Remolacha]

I hope the x-rays pinpoint the trouble and it's an easy fix!

 

[EllenEveBaz]

Sending extra ear scritches to the Sidster.

[Guest 4dogscrazy]

When I gave my dogs smoked bones (I know...it was a long story) Fancy, of all the dogs!, got bloody D and threw up shards and blood all over the house. Rugs got thrown away after that little life lesson. I called the vet and she told me to feed her mashed potatoes for 24 hours! I couldn't believe it, and was REALLY surprised when it worked! She went back to normal the next day, by 5pm, and didn't have another problem after that! You could tell she was a bit bound up, but she finally pooped normal at 5pm turnout and I could have thrown a party! Just thought I'd mention it since you were talking about shards. Obviously check with your vet first, but it sounds like you are working as a team so that shouldn't be a problem. I will mention that Fancy is a lab mix, and I have no idea if she would have given me the same advice for a hound. Good luck, poor baby.

[silverfish]

I called the vet and she told me to feed her mashed potatoes for 24 hours! I couldn't believe it, and was REALLY surprised when it worked! She went back to normal the next day, by 5pm, and didn't have another problem after that! You could tell she was a bit bound up, but she finally pooped normal at 5pm turnout and I could have thrown a party! Just thought I'd mention it since you were talking about shards.

 

Thanks! Yes, I was wondering last night about a stool bulker, which is what I imagine the mashed potato was for! I hadn't thought of mash, though. The only problem with that is that he's not a lab and would probably look at me as if I was insane if he found mash in his bowl! But I guess I would cook up a batch of chicken thighs and mix the meat and stock in and he'd probably eat it if he was hungry enough.

 

Thanks for all the good wishes, everyone. He's screaming when he poops now.

 

The vet mentioned colitis, but this was so sudden, and he's always been a hound with a cast iron stomach .. till he went in for his dental and I started those dental chews. The timing seems too much of a coincidence to me.

[Burpdog]

Sending many prayers. Your experience with the dental chews is why I don't feed rawhide any more. Had too many incidents

[silverfish]

Well, he had his unmedicated x-rays. At first the vet just took pictures of the bowel area, but at my request took him back out and did a stomach film as well. Nothing showed up, but as we all could see, the dental chew didn't show up at all on the x-ray. The vet said that the pattern of gas in him didn't point to a stomach blockage but I'm still not totally convinced because I'm thinking it could be a partial blockage ... anyway, she called a colleague in for a second opinion, who seemed to be senior to her (we haven't been at this vet long), and they both agreed that the likely cause was Antirobe. Yep, I'd completely forgotten, because DH dosed him, but he did have antibiotics after his little extraction and they used Antirobe.

 

The other possibilities being discussed are IBS, protein losing enteropathy, or colitis, but gosh, it was so sudden and this dog has had an absolutely iron stomach till a few days after the dental! Anyway, he's on a different, easily digested, low fat food and he's to have nothing else at all. Poor dog, he's used to so many treats! Dental chews and training treats and suitable scraps and biscuits before bed. He wonders what the heck is going on, but there you go. He has to be on this for two weeks minimum and see if he improves.

 

Now, can anyone tell me why they would use an antibiotic with a reputation for causing serious bowel problems on a dog who merely had a tiny incisor extracted? It seems to me a bit like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

 

Thanks for all the good wishes. Keep 'em coming, poor dog is still screaming when he poops.

[queenwinniesmom]

This must be so very puzzling and frustrating---wish I had some insights, but can only join in with prayers for you and Sid.

Edited July 6, 2010 by queenwinniesmom