Doggie Vanity. Any animal vets out there?? My dog is having issues.

[BigBlueJon]

Sorry for the vanity, but....I have a doggie concern, and I need some advice for caring for the situation. My vet is out of town and I have a sick dog. This has been ongoing all day with no relief. My dog is unable to stand any longer. He was able to walk earlier, but with difficulty and with leaning to the right. His eyes are also darting from left to right.

I was able to get through to the vet's assistant and they advised to keep watching my dog and that the earliest I could get in would be Monday to see the vet. The assistant said that strokes in dogs are rare. I checked online and found a couple possibilities, but no immediate treatment or care options.

Are there any vets out there or people of canine knowledge that could offer any help?

Prayers and advice is welcome. Thanks....

[goat granny]

I certainly understand what you are going through. Being an old nurse my first thought was stroke also....take a deep breath and it probably is not going to be serious, but definately needs to be seen by a vet...Being the 4th of july week-end, expect it not to be cheap...

[Hildy]

Please keep us posted....

[BigBlueJon]

His name is Jake. He is our family dog. We always tell people that we have three kids.....a boy, a girl and a dog.

[HighWheeler]

both symptoms are SIGNS of a stroke in dogs.

Get him to a vet fast, there are highly effective clot buster drugs out there that can immediately curtail a stroke.

[Texas Eagle]

Well, tell Jake we said, “goo’ boyyy”.

[BigBlueJon]

Yep...I’ve received a lot of great answers and words of support here. We all have family and friends, but....we also have Freeper friends and family. Thank you all for the great support, thoughts and prayers.

[HighWheeler]

Check this site:

http://www.yourpethealthmatters.com/YourPetsHealthTranscripts/YourPetsHealth153.htm

[ellery]

Yes, the darting eyes plus the lack of coordination sound like vestibular disease to me (I’m not a vet — we learned about the disorder when my dog was having problems). Jake and the rest of your family are in my prayers — please let us know what the vet says Monday.

[DoorGunner]

Even after all the excellent advice given here, please consider SWAMPSNIPER’s word on “tick paralysis.”

An ordinary looking tick, but paralysis slowly creeps up the legs, etc, until the tick is removed. Then, almost immediately well.

This is real. It has happened to my dog; and to me.

Besides, in any case, it will comfort your dog to have your hands on it.

DG

[the long march]

Did your children manageto feed him some chocolate? I had that happen to a dog of mine. Neede some IV and stomache lavage. Pretty scary stuff.

[combat_boots]

It was kinda like that for my fella. Took me 20 years to get another dog. He was my guy.

Hope all goes well with the Lab here.

[combat_boots]

Hope Jake gets better.

Dog is, after all, God spelled backwards.

Boots

[LaybackLenny]

Can't believe this turned out to be my first post on FR, but I was taken aback by the symptoms you described. Had this very same experience with our 15-year-old female shih tzu about a year-and-a-half ago. I was lurking on this very site, when out of the corner of my eye I saw her legs collapse from under her. She was drooling and her eyes were going back and forth very rapidly. I rushed her to the emergency vet where we were located at the time and she immediately diagnosed the vestibular disease referenced by other Freepers. They immediately started an electrolyte IV. I was told this was standard procedure for this particular disorder. She was on the IV for about 45 minutes before I could take her home. After a night's rest, she seemed fine the next day. Unfortunately, a month or so later she relapsed and she never returned to normal...had a limp, kind of rolled side-to-side when she walked, almost like she was drunk. But she did live another year, and seemed not to be in pain. Had to put her down several months ago, but she lived a good life and was my "baby!" God bless, hope everything works out okay. Prayers up.

[mrs. a]

We have livestock and have found that a large animal vet will ALWAYS come to the farm, no matter the day or hour. If you are near any stock farms - dairy, sheep, goats - give them a call and ask if they will share the name of their vet. That may be a chance for you to get a vet out to see your dog today.

Good luck to you!

[RegulatorCountry]

How’s our buddy Jake doing this morning, any improvement?

[vetvetdoug]

Post 37 is very informative. Rule out vestibular syndrome. It could be a stroke in the right tympanic bullae region, an infection there or involvement with the Vagal or Vestibular Cochlear Nerve. Since the eys are involved the cranial nerve that involves the eye is also involved. A tumor in that region on the right side is also a concern. It will take a veterinarian to make the diagnosis. Trauma or parasitic involvement in the right tympanic bullae region are lesser differential diagnoses.

[BigBlueJon]

Hello all.....

Jake is doing better today. He is eating and drinking well. I still have to help him get outside to do his business. He is having some obvious dizziness issues and is causing him to be wobbly. I have given him Dramamine and it seems to help a little with the motion sickness. His eyes are darting from side to side less and less. The vet wants to see him Monday as long as Jake is doing as well as he is right now.

Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers. I really think that Jake is gonna pull through this just fine.

[goat granny]

Glad to hear it........take care.......have a great 4th of July weekend....

[goat granny]

Interesting post, years ago I had a Snoodle, (schnauzer / poodle.) that started having epileptic seizures at around 2 years old....They lasted only 20-30 seconds, but the vet told me as he aged the seizures would be longer with possibility of brain damage...Years later, when I had him put down the seizures would last up to 45 minutes with loss of bladder and bowel control..In the interim, I use to get a few Valium from my father and after a prolong seizure (lasting over 5 minutes) I would pop him a Valium to relieve the stress on the voluntary muscles that could become painful after the seizure..(once in a while, I'd pop one for me also :O) He always seem to know when a seizure was coming because he would run to me...With some humans that have epilepsy, they get whats called an "aura" that lets them know about 10 seconds before a seizure that one is coming...Dogs also seem to know when a seizure is beginning..

There is nothing you can do. Even stroking the dog would not be good, sitting by him so that he knows he's not alone is all you can do...

Vet also told me that 2 breeds, poodle and Schnauzer were both prone to epilepsy..

[RonInNaples]

Our vet told us that once the seizures became more common he would put our dog on medication. As they happen very infrequently he didn’t want to start the meds now. Once the meds start you can’t ever stop them and they significantly shorten the dog’s lifespan. Our dog can go months without having one so we’re following Dr. Drew’s advice.

It is strange though how he knows one is coming. He runs to me and tries to sit on my lap - and at 110 pounds that is a lot of dog to hold. Our son and I have carried him outside and sit or lie by him in the grass until he feels better.