tdierikx

Thanks perse... I like to think I've picked up a few diagnostic skills along the way... lol! And getting even more experience with other animal illnesses and injuries at my farm job... loving the learning! T.

Starting to look much more likely than any really serious issue... Bloody dogs... love testing us out on odd occasions, don't they? Starting to think the vet isn't going to call me back... can't be 100% certain that the receptionist passed on the message. If he'd got it, he'd have called straight away, as he knows me well. T.

Gums all good, no ingestion of anything out of the ordinary, tummy sounds are normal - and she's non-reactive to loud sounds or storms (thank dog!). She's just had another round... and this time I felt (quite literally felt her all over) that the trembling was mostly confined to around the neck and shoulders, more on the left than the right, and she's knuckling over on the front left paw more than normal. Starting to think she's tweaked herself when she was rough playing with the foster pup this afternoon... *sigh*... probably twisted something in one of the potholes he's dug out there...grrr! I have Meloxicam here, so will see what the vet thinks if/when he calls me back before I give her some. Might have to get her lounge room bed into the bedroom tonight, as I'm not sure she's going to be able to get on and off my bed... *grin*... not that she tends to use it in the lounge room - prefers the couch mostly... I'm concerned, but not panicking... she seems fine in between bouts of the trembling... still going to fast her tonight (and the others too, just for good measure). T.

Hang on... you posted in another thread that your dog passed away due to Parvo 3 months ago, and that one of these 2 new pups you are now home treating for the same problem... I'm confused. T.

While I wait for the vet to call me back... This afternoon (about 2 hours ago), Pickles started acting very strangely. She seemed quite agitated, trembling, panting, pacing up and down the hall, in and out the back door, and just generally looked distressed. I went outside with her, as she looked like she wanted to defecate, and she paced about and did manage to poop a reasonable amount. Stools were firm but not dry or really hard. I've palpated her belly and internals and it all seems normal (not tight or hard or causing discomfort when I palpate). She is alert and responsive, and when I offered her some water, she drank ok. She seemed OK after she'd defecated, but we've had 2 more episodes of the pacing/trembling and looking like she wants to poo since. She's currently quite fine and sleeping between me and the heater. I'm thinking I'll fast her tonight (in case of a backlog in the colon), and monitor for any more symptoms... she's not going to be happy going without dinner... errr! Just waiting for the vet to call me back to confirm this course of action. Anyone think they may have an idea what could be going on if a backed up colon isn't the cause? Pickles is also mobility challenged - she walks like a marionette due to a scar in her brain she's had since before coming to me as a 9 week old pup. She is nearly 7 years old now, and is the picture of health apart from the funny walk. Diagnosing any type of mild siezure activity would be hard due to that's the way she walks normally... Anyways... please feel free to throw any and all suggestions my way... T.

I have no words... *sob* Poor little man Otis... get well soon buddy... I hope the "carer" is prosecuted and never allowed to "care" for any animal ever again. T.

Passes bag to DDD... it's yummy though... T.

HAHAHAHAHAHA! T.

I get my puppy fix by fostering them... have only 2 failures here (one is now 5 and the other 7) out of over 200 puppies in care over the years... I think I've been really restrained actually... lol! There is only one foster that I still wish I'd adopted myself - even though he went to an awesome home. He took a hold of my heart, and I still miss him. T.

This is better than watching TV... *grabs popcorn*... anyone want to share? T.

Any disinfectant (chlorine bleach or F10) used to try to control Parvo in the environment needs a contact time of at least 30 minutes... and it does not work completely effectively on porous surfaces. Just keep that in mind... T.

I'm happy to come over and see if I can get some nice photos of Orla for you DDD... feel free to give me a yell, OK? T.

Parvo stools have a VERY distinct smell... one that any vet that's ever treated it would recognise immediately. Also, if she'd been vaccinated within 10 days of the parvo test, it would show as positive for parvo - being that the vaccine used is a live virus. Mucous poo can also be indicative of worms, coccidia, or giardia. If the vet did not find regular worms in a float test, did he/she look hard at different magnifications for coccidia or giardia? Coccidia can be treated pretty quickly with Baycox (for pigs, but used off-label as a single dose for pups at 0.4ml per kg bodyweight). Giardia would need a different drug to treat, so another faecal float test to determine if she has either issue might be in order. The suggestion of Nutrigel is a great one... it is nice and sweet, and is also an appetant, so will increase her desire to eat. Parvo is not something to be blase about by any stretch of the imagination - it kills, and it kills very quickly once it takes a good hold on a pup's system. Not to mention that the pup will be shedding it for up to 4-5 weeks after all symptoms have gone... and the virus can live in the environment for up to 18 months, so you really don't want any other young pups or unvaccinated dogs visiting your place for at least that long. You can also track the virus from your place on your shoes, so I'd suggest a trigger pack of chlorine bleach at least 25% to spray on the soles of your shoes before leaving the house to mitigate that problem. T.

How long has she had symptoms, and when was she last vaccinated/wormed? Is she just off her food, or is she vomiting and have diarrhoea? If she's been vaccinated in the past week, I'd tip that as the cause of both her symptoms (and a positive parvo test) - basically she's possibly just having an adverse reaction to the vaccine. If she was wormed on the sameday she was vaccinated (within the past few days/week), then she's probably feeling bloody rotten and just needs monitoring for fluid intake... allow to fast for at least 24 hours, then try some boiled chicken and rice, slowly working up to her proper meals. T.

I had 2 Labrador pups get into a 30 pack of cans of Coke... not only drank the coke, but also a bit of the cans too! They were both fine, but had glittery poo for a day or two as the tiny pieces of can passed through.. *sigh* We did have x-rays of both pups to make sure no large pieces of can were in there... and the vet advised that they should be fine with the tiny bits that were. T.

Yay for Evie!! T.

Really it's no-one else's business who you rehome your fosters to... it comes down to who YOU feel the dog will do best with, OK? T.

The experienced home may also really appreciate an "easy" dog for a change too... *grin* T.

This... hit the nail on the head... I normally take any new pup straight to my vet for a checkup and to meet each other even before I go home... but I'd not ask a vet for breed advice that wasn't of a health nature. T.

Hi Ruffy... welcome to the madness that is DOL... lol! T.

He is a very handsome boy in his own uniquenes... Is Don... is good boy! T.

I so love "my" Pudden! T.

That is too cute! T.

He's just such a doofus... lol! But he loves his human so much... T.

Funny that my personal experience of dogs from those sorts of conditions aren't hard to socialise at all... and I've seen/rescued a few in my time... T.