# Dog sick...help?



## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Well, I hope I can get an ear to beat or any help at all with my "Old Man".
Max is a Cocker Spaniel that just turned 14 years on the 4th, He's been getting a 325mg aspirin every other day or so as needed, he has arthritic hips and knees. He started throwing up this morning before I left for work at 5 am and hubby has been with him all day, I came home at 2 seeing newspaper covering spots on the floor...my old dog has been vomiting all day, he wagged his stump when he saw me, even went outside just to start heaving again, I took his temp and he's normal, no fever (101.3) He has refused food and water, did get a small amount into him but he threw it back up. I got a bit of pepto into him hoping it would calm his stomach...a little over 3 cc, offered him an ice cube and he refused it...I 'm not ready for him to leave me yet and I am hoping it's just a bug or upset stomach...he's had a raspy sounding nose for a year now and the vet says allergies. I hope he gets better but at the same time I don't want him to give up yet, I'm not ready to dig another hole.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Could he have eaten something like a sock...bag...fabric...toy...etc.? I would watch him close and take him to the vet if it continues through the evening, if it's not gone by morning you'll want to have a vet look at him ASAP. Good luck, he sounds like a doll and a cocker spaniel...awwwww.


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## goathappy (Oct 5, 2007)

What kind of dog food are you feeding him? Has there been any recent changes in his diet? I hope you can figure out what is wrong with him.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I had the same symptoms with him 7 or 8 years ago and he was diagnosed with pancreatitis...he's been well monitered when it comes to his diet and he hasn't been much for chewing/eating things he shouldn't be, I don't know how long a Cocker is supposed to last but at 14 he is pretty old.
He's been on the same food for the last 5 years, no changes ,Dad's Bite Size Meal...it's soy free and vet even said the fat/protein ratio was good for him.

Here he is in February, looking pitiful like he usually does with his winter coat.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Awww...he's so cute! I love the cockers! Great little dogs! Good luck with him and hope you can get this all figured out.


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## goathappy (Oct 5, 2007)

What a handsome guy!


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

Liz,

Did the vet tell you to give him an aspirin? Aspirin in dogs destroys the liver and kidneys as they can not break it down like humans.

I would have him at the vet. With it being summer, his age, and not eating or drinking - he can become dehydrated very quickly. 
If you lift his lip and push on the gums, when you let go - how long does it take for the gums to turn pink again? 
Are the mucus membrains pink, red, or white? 
Are they damp, dry, or really wet? 
What is his temp?
How long has he been doing this for now?
Did he or could he have gotten into any garbage or human food?
Is he on any other medications?

Typically, he is getting to the "very old" stage of his life at 14 y/o. If he can not keep anything at all down - even water there is an issue going on that needs attention.

I hope that I or someone else can help you!

Allison


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Allison his temp is holding at 101.3, his mouth is wet and gums pink, nose is dry on top but damp around the front, eyes are not bright, though he has beginning cataracts, he's looking "puzzled" to me, no other meds and the aspirin was advised by the vet due to his stiffness on occassion, he doesn't get it daily, just when he has a problem rising, walking so it's not been a "constant". He did go out and pee with my help, but has gone back to being under the bed....has not vomited since 2:30, but then he hasn't eaten or drank either since he got the pepto at 4:30....his vet isn't available on weekends so please pray that he recovers enough to wait for Monday morning. I understand that dehydration is a big issue and believe me I'll do as much as he tolerates to keep him going, if thats what he wants.
As it stands though, he has numerous fatty tumors and this awful snorty sound like he can't breathe through his nose...this latter has been going on for a year and his vet said allergies, the tumors started to develope 9 years ago and he has one the size of a football on his ribs..it looks like a football cut in half lengthwise and goes from his shoulder to just over his last rib, the other bigger one is as big as a tennis ball and is on his chest under one nipple and he has at least 4 marble sized ones in various places, these have never bothered him and he has continued to run and play and fend off the puppy..8 month old Katie as well as bark at the cats and DH , he has his cantankerous moments but he is my first "dog" as an adult and it is something how they can just break your heart when something isn't right.

At this point in his life...and I know he had a great one, I "rescued" him at 4 months old from an abusive "waste of space" person and he has been with me since, I don't know if it would be selfish of me to want him to last forever or just let him decide.
His eyes are droopy...not just Spaniel droopy, I can tell he's troubled, his lids are pink and moist and he turns away from me when I put his face in my hand, I have him comfortable and the pup is outside but his "pain in the butt kitty" is next to him and he's ok with that.


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

Is there a pet emergency clinic near you? I would be real curious to see what his Chem blood screem would show. Can you get lactated ringers, IV line and needles at the Farm store. I would give him some Sub Q fluids. Does he seem like he is sore when he gets up? Are the tumors Fatty Lypomas or actual cancerous tumors? Cockers are known for growths 

I sure hope that he is going to be ok :hug:


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Emergency vet clinic is in Pittsburgh.....too far for me to stress him, vet said these tumors are fatty tumors because they are "moveable"?? and not attached like a cancer growth would be. I gave him another ice cube and he's licked at it so maybe thats a plus??


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

Oh Liz i hope he pulls through for you ray: 


We just burried my grandmom's dog on Thursday.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Well he went out on his own, came back in and had a drink.....it's been 20 minutes and he's held it down...so far and when I gave my older(16 1/2 years) cat her "special food" he seemed interested as always with that....this is a good sign so I pray he keeps the water down.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

sending prayers your way that he can hold it down


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Thank you Stacey...very much appreciated as he's held it down now for over an hour! :leap:


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## goatheaven (Oct 18, 2007)

Can you get some pedialyte or gatorade in him? That will help with hydration until you can figure out what else is wrong. I gave that to my basset who was dying of cancer on days when she would vomit he food. Also the raspy sound could be congenital heart disease. They used to diagnose my bulldog with just allergies too but he had heart disease. Hope he's feeling better soon. Thought are with you. :hug:


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## deenak (Oct 10, 2007)

I hope Max is feeling better soon. It is so hard to know what to do as they get older. My shepherd/husky mix is 13 and he takes more medicine than I do. He has his own prescription card at Walgreens to get a discount on his meds! The things we do for our animals.


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## 2goatjo (Jun 29, 2008)

How long as he been given the aspirin? That will upset their stomach or cause ulcers in dogs. I have a beagle that has arthitis that the dr gave dermamax to. She is the one who told me what aspirin would do.


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## Muddy Creek Farm (Oct 5, 2007)

Don't know how I missed this! I am glad to hear he is doing better! :wahoo:


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

He is doing better today, no vomiting and he has had a bit of food and kept it down. He is moving alot slower but still greeted me at the door when I got off work today. The aspirin has been on an as needed basis for the last 4 months, since his checkup and I was advised to give it with food as it can upset the stomach...the raspiness in his breathing isn't in his chest it's in his nose, vet said he had a strong ticker at that time also so I don't think it's a congenital heart defect...I think it would have shown up in his "first years", theres no interest in his regular food though he is eating a bit of cooked chicken and brown rice...and has held that down, I am going to try and get an appointment tomorrow, and if it's something that can be fixed with meds or diet, so be it but if not I'll decide then..but right now I won't go there. At 10 years old he was the equivalent of 65 human years so now at 14 I can only imagine just how old he would be.


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## laststraw (Oct 7, 2007)

Oh Liz, I just logged on and saw this! I am so glad that he is licking ice cubes and keeping some water down. When the meds started wrecking Daisy's stomach we gave her goat milk which seemed to help a lot - we would often give her the meds after drinking the milk. You also might try getting some raw honey in him - all sorts of good stuff for the body in honey. I hope he pulls through this - I am praying for him! :hug: ray:


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## laststraw (Oct 7, 2007)

Chicken and brown rice, too!! That is great news!! :leap: I'm pulling for him!!


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

He's definately feeling better now, still slow moving but he is drinking and eating, though he won't touch the hard dog food, he ate the chicken and rice....when he had the pancreatitis years ago I was told by the vet no milk or soy....the milk is too rich and the soy protein he has trouble digesting it so if he has to live the rest of his life however long or short I'll continue with the chicken and rice...and if we can see the vet tomorrow I'll ask if he can continue with his veggies...he loves tomatoes and greenbeans right out of the garden....well it's just about any fresh veggie or fruit he loves. But for now we'll keep it simple. Thank you all for the heartfelt concern and the shoulder to cry on..I know he won't last forever and I don't expect him to, I just don't want the old boy to suffer in his last days however many they will be.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

thats good news Liz.


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

Liz, I have a 13 year old dog that has been hit by three cars and the first one crushed in the side of his face. He is getting pretty bad and is having a hard time moving a lot. He does a lot of laying around. I watch his food and water intake and I give him his own special food. But any way I was going to tell you what I give him instead of the asprin. I give a pill that is for arthritis and it has Arnica Montana in it. I get it at the health food store in the same place as the Arnica Montana. It is for Arthritis. He is a totally different dog when I give him that. If I don't he lays around abut if I give him the pills he acts like my 2 year old dog. 

Glad to hear he is doing better.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Lori, Thank you for that info...would the Arnica be available at a GNC store? There is one of those stores about 15 miles from here...I can check into that. 

I also think I will be finding a different vet, took him down this morning at 8:30 and vet did the checkup no blood draw, just told me "his ticker is strong" and the upset stomach was the aspirin he got Friday night, which of course I understand but at the same time he pretty much told me that "he's an old dog, he is going to have bad moments before he is ready to go"

Max is doing much better, ate his breakfast and enjoyed the ride and now is beating on the door to come back inside, Lori, you are lucky to have been able to save your dog after those accidents..I had to bury 2 border collies, one last May and the other 3 years prior because of car/truck hits.


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

About the only place we can get Arnica Montana is at like a Whole foods or a Vitamin Cottage. 
I am glad to hear he is doing better. :leap:


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