Breathing, drooling, vomiting...

[Tim D]

Hi all - it's outside vet hours here so I'm hoping to get a couple of answers for my friend.  

 

Fred is a lab, 10yo, in otherwise good health but has gradually been wearing down.  

 

It's very hot where we are. 

 

Fred's breathing is rapid and laboured.  He's drooling a lot. And when we just took him for a walk he threw up.  The vomit was clear with a bit of froth, partially digested food from last night's dinner and some light brown, sticky substance in there as well.

 

The most troubling symptom though is that he stops breathing for about three or four breaths and then starts up again.  

 

I've listened to his abdomen and there's a noise prior to the breathing stopping.  It sounds a bit like a rumbly tummy but is clearly in the chest not the lower abdomen. 

 

His temperature is about 39.3 C. 

 

The vet has seen him in the last day and given him a Histamil / Dexapent injection.  He also prescribed Prednisolone tabs 20mg and Fred has had one of those this morning. 

 

The main thing we're trying to determine is whether this is  a temporary thing that we just wait out or, at his age, whether these are signs of something more serious. 

 

Any information, especially about the breathing stopping and starting again would be great.  

 

 

 

 

[bianca.a]

Hi,

 

I'm not sure what to suggest other then I would find a vet that your friend can contact asap. I personally would not wait and see if it is a reaction to the steroids. I live in a small rural town and no after hours vets but I can call my vet and he will come into the clinic if I am worried so I would hope something similar could be the case there. Good luck.

 

[persephone]

Try & phone a clinic somewhere

keep fred cool ..this is essential first aid  . NO WALKING  .  keep him cool, with a good flow of cool air ... plenty to drink, but don't worry about food ... I'd be phoning the vet's out of hours number . 
We are not vets and therefore can't really help poor Fred. 

[Tim D]

Good advice.  We've kept him really cool and with good airflow too.  Seems to have stabilised him quite well.  

 

Thank you so much for replying.  Very much appreciated. 

[Tassie]

Another one who'd be calling the vet's number and see if they have an emergency contact on there.   I'd also add .. keep checking that he's hydrated .. (check that his gums are not getting sticky ) .. and check the colour of his gums and the capillary reflex (press thumb or finger in and check the time before the pale are where you pressed pinks up again.

 

Hope he settles down with continued cool and rest.