amforol

[nancy]

We just got back from gettign my husband's folks settled in a progressive-care retirement community. Which means we had to board Fergie. My dousghter had picked her up because the vet where we take her and board her closes at noon today - before our plane landed.

 

Mari was told that Fergie has hemorrhagic gastroenteritis - bloody diarrhea that started the day we left her off. Ferg is sleeping a bit more and drinking more water - but that has been true this summer with our heat and humidity. Otherwise, she's acting completely normal - playing and all.

 

First, I am planning to change vets. This is the second time out of the last two (previous was March of 2001) when Ferg has had either vomiting or diarrhea or both.But I am really upset that they did not call Mari, whose number I left on their form, or email me at the address I also left. And I can't get in touch with them until Monday according to what they told Mari.

 

Second, could this be something contagous at the kennels? They have given is amforal, which is listed online as being for bacterial enteritis. That sounds like an infection to me. And, as the only thing different if Fergie's life between Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning was the boarding, that makes me suspect the source.

 

We are following their pill regieme and are to feed her a can of I/D tonight and then start mixing parts of another can with her regular food tomorrow.

 

Am I off base in questioning the vet and her boarding staff? And in planning to look elsewhere for both services - not that we plan to board her again in the foreeable future as we prefer to drive with her along. And does anyone have any opinion on the course of treatment at this point?

 

Thanks. Gonna go cuddle with the pup (a 6-1/2 year old one).

[Dawn Bailey]

Hi Nancy,

 

I checked my UC Davis book of dogs (recommend everyone getting this book!)

 

this dz is common in smaller breeds, and seems like stress can bring it on. the best thing I could tell you is

 

1. get a good vet book like the one above.

 

2. get a second opionion, call the treating vet and ask why they think your dog has the dz, and what exactly they did for her.

IV fluids, and antibiotic injection is the protocal (sp?), dogs can go into shock quickly.

 

this dz shows up in dogs that have the very best of care and environment!

 

hope this helps.

 

Dawn Bailey

Eatonville, WA

[Guest borderkatahdin]

When I was working at a vet clinic, grooming and helping with the boarding dogs, occasionally I would bring my Whippet in for some reason or other. He would always get diahrea that day from stress of being there. This was with me there. Some dogs don't take well to boarding. You might try a home sitter, or possibly a good friend?

[nancy]

But Fergie has always loved to go to "puppy camp" either at the vet's or at the local big boarding facility. Until spring 2001, anyhow. And she still drags me into the vet's when we go and is up loving everyone there. That's what she did at her check-up a couple of months ago and what she did when we brought her to board on Tuesday evening.

 

Is HGE something that can develop as a reaction suddenly at 5 years? Or could it be realted to a change in staff and an expansions of their boarding. This is not, from what research I've done on the Web, simple diarrhea, whcih I could understand with different food, different surroundings, and missing us. This is sudden, unexplained, and can cause shock and death.

 

And I'm still upset that they did not us notifiy either of the two ways we provided on their own form. I think that is what bothers me the most.

[diane allen]

Hopefully you'll get some answers from them what's more knowledgeable than me....but it does sound to me, like others who have replied, that it may well be stress-induced. Apparently bloody diarrhea is dogs is NOTHING like it is in humans - just a more severe case of the usual. One of my dogs used to get diarrhea every time we traveled a long distance - until we switched to a raw diet (not that I'm saying this will cure your problem, but it did for us!). If it was particularly hot, or stressful (in her mind), it sometimes was bloody.

 

As far as them not calling you....yeah, that seems wrong. However, perhaps they see it often enough and did chalk it up to stress.

 

I'm wondering if antibiotics are really necessary....did the dog continue to have symptoms long after you brought her home?

 

If you do change vets, I'd be sure to let the first one know WHY. Maybe it will save someone else the worry you've had, or maybe they'll change their tune.

 

Hope all is better soon.

 

diane

[nancy]

Talked tot he vet this morning. She wanted me to come in to talk face to face. I said I din't need to see her, jsut hear from her!

 

Her opinion is that this has nothing to do with stress (evidently started first thing in the morning aafter the evening when we dropped Fergie off)is all from some kind of pollen. Has had her own dog and two beloning to a tech have the same thing recently. Got angry when I asked if there just might be soemthing at their clinic that was involved.

 

She was also rather snippy when I asked for the details of the event. Asked why I hadn't read the generic handowt she'd sent. I said I read that and allt he info I found in Web searces. But I wanted the details of Fergie's specific case. She also insisted that, although this can be life-threatening, she felt no need to contact any of us because she felt she had it under control Guess that's why she geve me printed directions of how to get to the emergency clinic and "!!!!!"ed info about continuing bleeding?

 

BTW, since 30 minutes after leaving the vet's boarding kennels, Fergie has been fine and had no sign of blood. Just soft stool - and I suspect that is partially related to the rice-filled canned food they sent(and charged $1.20 a can for).

 

Although I am suspicious about the cause, I am most upset about the handling of this situation. It may seem an exageration, but I'll bet she'd get upset if the daycare for her 4-year-old did something similar. And it had my poor daughter feeling that it was her fault for not visiting daily to check Fergie - wehn Mari has a baby, a preschooler, a husband, and a full-time job (and a hedgehog and 6 hermit crabs, too).

[Chrysta]

With symptoms starting and ending at the vets office, sounds like stress to me!! A staff change could definatly be the problem. A new person could be less gentle, make more noise, any number of things. Viral and bacterial things don't incubate fast enough to start a bloody diarrhea in 30 minutes.

 

However, the vet did not handle things very well from the sounds of it. Since she was not very nice when you tried to get more info I think you are right to go elsewhere.

 

That's my 2 cents.

 

Chrysta