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Peewee is sick

August 23rd, 2011, 01:02 PM
I picked up Peewee at doggie daycare having spent 16 nights there (omg...they charged me $470!!! but that's a different topic lol). Of course they said everything was fine, nothing in the notes. In this daycare they split the dogs into size groups and let them play all day together. Vaccinations are mandatory, but kennel cough isn't. He got 3-year vaccinations last year including kennel cough (which I know is only "good" for 6 months). He got a mild case of kennel cough after receiving the intra-nasal vaccination. He got kennel cough a second time after he stayed at daycare for a week last year...vaccine didn't do him any good at all.

When he got home from this years' stay he was gastrointestinally fine the first night, that was the 18th. However, he was sneezing and sneezing and sneezing. He would fall over sneezing. Not the reverse sneeze like kennel cough, though he would hack a bit every once in awhile too. I figure hmmm...maybe kennel cough again, but looks more like a cold.

On the morning of the 19th I fed him 1/3 of a can of Evo 95% venison which he hasn't had in quite awhile (he's been eating the Before Grain Chicken & Turkey flavors) along with the usual spoon of venison Tripett and fish oil, and he got his usual 1/3 cup Orijen kibble and plain yogurt in the evening. The morning of that night (7 am) he exploded in his kennel just before I got up to let him out. He didn't whine to go out or anything. One normal poo, one soft poo, a pile of barf, and a puddle of liquid poo. I puked cleaning it out of there. It was frickin disgusting.

So I figured it must be the Evo venison that he hasn't had in a long time. So I offered him half his normal meal of Before Grain Chicken with lots of water (cutting out the fish oil and venison Tripett he normally gets). He wouldn't touch it, so I put it in the fridge. He carries on the day with little puddles of mucous-y and sometimes slightly bloody (red) diarrhea. I figure...hmm maybe he has developed an allergy to the venison, but that doesn't make sense because he eats venison Tripett everyday. I don't offer him any evening meal.

In the morning (no mess in kennel) I offer him the canned food again. Won't touch it. So I give him 1/2 his normal size meal of kibble, he gobbles it up. Carries on his day with the liquid poo.

So I have tried a few things...pumpkin (won't touch it), brown rice with low sodium chicken bouillon (gobbles it). Nothing is helping. Now I'm thinking that it has been too long for him to still be reacting to the Evo venison, so he must be sick. I think he only puked the one time, the first night in the kennel. He hasn't messed overnight in the kennel since the first night either...linked to the evening kibble meal?? Not sure. More likely he's sick?

This morning more liquid poo, first one just liquid, second one (3 mins later) mucous-y and bloody, and only about 1/2 tsp. He licked his Before Grain canned food this morning, ate the kibble and yogurt fine lastnight.

I just made a vet appointment for him this afternoon. I'm going to take a couple liquid poo samples in, one with blood, one without. Anything special I should ask about? Got my bases covered with the poo sample?

Any ideas? I'm thinking Giardia...

Roxy isn't affected so far, and they share beds, yard, house, and water bowls.

Note: If you read this far, thanks! Sorry for the long one!

August 23rd, 2011, 01:22 PM
I'm sorry your little guy isn't feeling too good. We just went through something similar with Nookie. Still don't know exactly what happened. No blood in his poo, but everything you mentioned. He did, however, have a bit of blood streaking the vomit. His could have been worms, reaction to the HG or completely unrelated. They don't know :shrug:

Thorin, on the other hand, has this often. He has colitis. Once in awhile it will bring an onset of pancreatitis, very mild thankfully.

One thing to think about: were they feeding him canned food while being boarded? If so, it's possible the food was left out too long. Being that it happened shortly after being there, I would probably suspect something too. Nookie goes to daycare as well. They all say they require vaccines to be up to date, but all of them we have used only ask initially. I bet if someone were to go through their files, they would find that dogs that have been there long term will most likely not have any up to date records (hopefully the dogs are up to date though!), so who knows. One thing I do know is that there is a nasty strain of Kennel Cough going around right now. Our daycare has a warning up right at the front and ask if your dog is showing any signs to please take them home.

I hope you find out what's wrong with him today :)

August 23rd, 2011, 01:42 PM
Thanks for your quick reply! I did read about poor Nookie's recent illness too.

The two times Peewee had kennel cough he didn't get diarrhea. He hasn't been on any medications, nor any food changes other than the one meal of Evo 95% venison.

Peewee did get the canned food while at boarding. You would think he would be better by now though...? This boarding facility checks files every time the dog comes in - they are very much "on it".

I called the daycare facility today to re-ask if Peewee had any issues there, and she did say there is a really nasty kennel cough "going through town". She asked me to call back after Peewee's vet appointment to let her know what is wrong.

August 23rd, 2011, 01:57 PM
I'm glad they're on top of it. Our daycare hasn't asked for Nookies updated records at all. He's a couple of months past now. I'm not going to offer them up. I want to see how long it takes them to actually request it. We have dealt with 4 in total over the last year and a half. None of them are on top of it, sadly. Thankfully, he only has to go 1 day a week on alternate weeks, and 3 days on the opposite weeks.

I hope it's nothing too serious, Myka. Could be he just picked up a tummy bug, or has Giardia. It could be colitis too. Thorin displays all the exact symptoms you described, including the loss of appetite (except for a certain few things he really loves). When Thorin has a bout, it lasts anywhere from 3-7 days, depending on how bad it is. We always have to him tested for pancreatitis when it happens (colitis can cause a pancreatitis flare-up).

August 23rd, 2011, 02:05 PM

Maybe, maybe not. It depends on what exactly it is that made him sick. If it was the canned food and was left out long enough, bacteria will grow in it and can make a dog very sick.

It could also be something in the food itself, that particular batch. We had bought some Blue Buffalo grain free cookies for the boys. They both got violently ill the following day. At first we thought it was colitis for Thorin, until Nookie started throwing up, then got diarrhea as well. Of course we took them both in. Our vet said it was most likely something in the cookies because that was the only common food they had eaten. They were both sick for days. We had to put Thorin on a concoction our clinic makes (pepto, entromycin and carob powder). Nookie couldn't have it because he was on Prednisone at the time. Then they both had to go on metronidazole and sulcrate to coat their tummies so they would eat. Needless to say I won't use anything by that manufacturer again.

One thing I just thought of is stress. Is it possible he was stressed from being boarded? Stress causes Thorin to have a bout of colitis. If that's what it is, it shouldn't last more than a few days.

Dog Dancer
August 23rd, 2011, 02:24 PM
Sorry I don't have much to offer you on this Myka. Sure hope Peewee's appt. goes well and you find out what's bothering him. I know sometimes when the girls get the runs badly there will be a bit of blood and mucous, but I don't normally worry about that unless it's excessive and continual. I sure hope this is something quick and easy to fix up.

August 23rd, 2011, 03:49 PM
Omg Rgeurts, I hope it is not colitis!!!! :wall: How is it diagnosed?

Peewee visited the daycare for 3 days a couple months ago and his vaccines were due (according to them, but we just had to prove 3 year vacs) on the middle day of his stay, and when we dropped him off they almost didn't let him stay without getting vaccinated (because we couldn't prove the 3 yr vaccines the day we dropped him off). The LAST thing I would want to do is shove a DHPP5 vaccine in an 8 lb Chihuahua the same day he's being left at a daycare. That is so beyond stupid. I don't want him getting the DHPP5 on the best of days... :frustrated:


Ya, me too. Now that it is continual I'm getting worried.

August 23rd, 2011, 03:57 PM
Sure hope you feel better soon Pee wee!!!

August 23rd, 2011, 04:12 PM

I hope not too! For both your and Peewees sake!
It took us 10 yrs to get a diagnosis for Thorin :eek:
I can't tell you how many times we took him in to the vet because of bloody diarrhea (sometimes, after he'd had it for a few years, he would poo pure blood, freaked us out!), vomiting, loss of apetite etc. When we moved from Sylvan Lake to Leduc, he had a bout from stress. We took him in because it was going on the fourth day, wasn't slowing down and it normally would calm down a bit by then. I'm not sure what tests they actually did, but I have the paperwork somewhere, so I can look for ya. But it cost us almost $500. Then a few days later I went to buy his food from a different clinic that was closer to my work, and the vet there aksed me why I was feeding him that. When I told him Thorins symptoms he said "Oh, he has Colitis"
I just looked at him, then laughed and asked why I didn't see him a few days earlier. He could have saved me $500!! :loser:


It's good that they actually check. None of them we use do. In fact, the first time I took Thorin I had left his at home. They just told me to bring them the next day. Well, I forgot, and so did they. They have not asked me for his again:shrug:
So I get very worried for both Thorin and Nookie. Neither one have a very good immune system :(
But we don't have a choice because Nookie can't be left alone, and hubby and I both have to work to pay all the vet bills :laughing:

August 23rd, 2011, 08:16 PM
Oh jeez, and such an easy diagnosis for the one vet eh? Argh!!!

Well, Peewee is back from his checkup. The vet took an internal butt swab. The swab was $155 all in, plus $58 for checkup, so bill was $233. Seems a bit steep to me. :shrug: Vet told me to feed him plain cooked brown rice and make sure he is getting enough water until the test results are back. She said it's ok to add low sodium chicken bouillon to his water so he will drink more. I told her he will probably be better before the results come back now that I took him in, because that's just my luck! :laughing:

Lastnight and today though I'm not feeling so well (headache, nauseated, brain fuzz), and Roxy's stools are looser than normal (halfway between turds and cowpies), so I'm really wondering if something is up over here... :confused:

August 23rd, 2011, 08:22 PM
Sending some positive vibes your way! hoping you all kick what ever is going on over there! Does pee wee like yogurt? maybe that will kick start his belly into feeling better? :thumbs up


August 23rd, 2011, 08:40 PM
Peewee gets yogurt everyday. I asked the vet about that. She said that yogurt doesn't do much for dogs in the way of diarrhea because it is not the right bacteria. She said the best probiotics for dogs is Bifidobacterium. She suggested trying the Iam Veterinary Formula Prostora probiotics. I opted to just go for the butt swab because if he needs antibiotics they will just kill those expensive probiotics anyway.

August 24th, 2011, 05:12 PM
Well, the dogs didn't get fed lastnight. I forget sometimes, which I don't think is a bad thing. Peewee got plain brown rice for breakfast this morning, and had a semi-firm turd. The turd had red jelly in it (assumed to be bloody mucus?). I forgot to put yogurt in the rice, will do that tonight.

On top of not feeling too well lastnight I had a bit of a freak out. I was peeing blood! I got on the phone with my mom (a nurse), and discussed the dogs and my own urine. She suggested I go to the doctor, and probably call the vet to tell them about this. So we carried on chatting, and my mom suddenly says..."Didn't you say you had beets for dinner lastnight?" That was the first time I ever ate beets, and apparently they turn your pee red!!! :laughing:

August 24th, 2011, 05:55 PM
OMG Myka!! Peeing red too for you! I'd likely run screaming from the bathroom!! Don't have much to add about Peewee's problems. Bayley will get loosey goosey poops if she eats a dentabone, I discovered, so she doesn't get them anymore! She had the poops a couple of months ago, don't know if she ate something or not, but she had an accident in the house, poor dog was mortified. So I cut way back on her food and just gave her light meals and an Immodium. I find that if she doesn't have any other issues, like throwing up etc, that works the best, if it doesn't stop the poops completely it slows them down so she can at least get outside. Of course, if they are lasting more than a day and if there's blood or anything then she'd be going to the vet fast!!

August 24th, 2011, 07:14 PM
Myka, what a scare for you!!! I hate the sight of blood, especially my own :laughing:. If that happened to me, I'd freak!

As for Peewee, be careful with the yogurt while he has the poops. Even though it has some benificial bacteria for tummies, the yogurt itself can cause upset the tummy. We were told to avoid all dairy (cheese, yogurt and eggs) because it can cause the diarrhea to get worse :eek:

August 24th, 2011, 08:14 PM
Ok Rgeurts, I will just stick to the plain rice then. Thanks!

Ya, it was quite the scare!

August 26th, 2011, 07:41 PM
Heard back from the vet. Peewee has a bacterial infection of Clostridium perfringens. The vet said this is a naturally occurring bacteria in dogs (and humans) colon, but for whatever reason (stress?) the bacteria went rampant in his system. I'm on my way to the pharmacy to pick up antibiotics that the vet said may or may not work. I have my fingers crossed because he hasn't gotten a sniff better yet!

August 26th, 2011, 09:06 PM
We have pretty good luck with metronidazole. I hope Peewee is better soon! :goodvibes:

August 26th, 2011, 09:25 PM
The vet prescribed an Amoxicillin suspension 3x per day. She said it may not work, in which case we will switch to a different antibiotic.

August 26th, 2011, 09:43 PM
:grouphug: Paws crossed

August 26th, 2011, 09:52 PM
I hope it works and poor lil Peewee starts to feel better soon!! :pray: :fingerscr
I bet it was the stress that caused a dip in his immune system. Thorin gets like that too :(

August 26th, 2011, 09:58 PM
I just googled it, Myka. It looks like the antibiotic Peewee is on is a commonly used one for this particular bacteria. I hope it does help, and soon... for both of your sakes!

August 26th, 2011, 10:13 PM
Crossing eyes, fingers, toes , legs, and bra straps..that the anibio's do the trick and that peewee is back to being peewee VERY SOON.

August 26th, 2011, 10:15 PM
Bra straps? :laughing: Good one!

Thanks for the link Rgeurts! That's a great reference.

Thanks everyone for the support, Peewee just got his first dose. I will wait until morning to give him a second dose as he has never been on antibiotics before so I want to make sure he doesn't have a reaction. Not sure if dogs have allergies like people or not...?

I have to be VERY careful handling the antibiotics as I am quite allergic to them. My pharmacist reminded me, which I thought was good of her for paying attention! I used gloves partly because of the antibiotics, but also because I don't want to get infected from Peewee, and I still have itchy eyes and am getting a bit of asthma. So annoying since I am otherwise very healthy! When I was a kid I had antibiotics quite a few times with strep throat, and I remember loving the taste...Peewee's antibiotics smell this way, and it's hard to resist a taste! :eek: :laughing:

August 26th, 2011, 10:18 PM
Myka..>RESIST the urge. I know ..that bubblegum smell is devine. But somehow if you swell up like a big red balloon...I dont think you'll remember that it smelled and tasted so good. LOL

August 27th, 2011, 01:12 AM
LoL renegaderuby and Myka, the 2 of you seriously made me giggle :D

Myka, dogs can have anaphylactic reactions, just like people. Though it isn't too common. Hopefully he tolerates it well. My Nookie Monster has a really hard time with all of the antibiotics. He isn't allergic, his little tummy just can't take it. We have to dose him up with sulcrate in order to get him to eat when he's on them.

August 27th, 2011, 04:36 AM
:laughing::laughing:@your red pee, Myka, that was so funny, albeit alarming for you. :D
One of my cattle dogs from the past , Beejay, had clostridial enteritis. Did you notice a really terrible smell with that diarrhoea? That bug produces ammonia, so if Beejay had an accident inside, I would smell it the instant I opened the door. :eek: :yuck: I can look up what we gave her if you don't have any luck with the med's you are using. I do know it was a yellow powder that they give to sick piglets here , and we renamed it powdered gold as it was quite expensive. I hope Peewee is over this soon.

August 27th, 2011, 10:57 AM
:goodvibes::goodvibes: that the antibiotics do the trick and that Peewee is back to his old self very soon.

August 27th, 2011, 01:34 PM
As of yesterday morning, Peewee is eating brown rice with a teaspoon of canned food mixed in to get him to eat the rice. He is gobbling this up now...the additional of the canned food is what tempts him as he won't eat the rice plain. The vet wants him on this until he is better.

Peewee I think is reacting a bit to the antibiotics, but maybe it's just in my head. He has had two or three "fits" where he just goes nuts barking/yapping aggressively like he does when someone knocks on the door except there is no one there. He is normally jumpy and yappy, but the aggressive yap is something he only does when there actually is a "threat" (in his mind).


Haha, Ruby I would not swell up like a balloon if I had P's tongue would swell and I would start to lose consciousness...much more serious! :eek:

Goldfields, yes the diarrhea smells absolutely horrendous! He really hasn't pooped much lately though. His turds are so hard to find in the grass at the best of times, and he hasn't pooped in his kennel or outdoor cage in quite awhile now. I haven't actually found a turd in a few days now. The amoxicillin is white, and was only $15 for a 2 week supply. I hope it works because Peewee has cost over $800 in the month of August! :eek:

Thanks Mikischo!

August 27th, 2011, 03:10 PM
Well, I was being totally obnoxius when I said swell up like a big red baloon. I know it's quite serious. I had an allergic reaction to "something" (we still dont know what it was) and my lips swelled, and then I could feel my throat closing on me. Emergency trip to the hospital...iv's , monitors, medications going all in me at once..."that" was "fun".
(NOT). and what was the worst of it is, doctor said, since we dont know what it was that set you off (i have no "known") food allergies...and hadnt taken anything different that I can think could happen AGAIN at ANYTIME.
for MONTHS I was petrified.
Its not happened again. so....I've been lucky.

Back to the point. I TOTALLY understand the seriousness of it. Thinking back on it now, even though I was joking...I really shouldnt joke about something like that. Having been thru it myself...its not a "funny" ...really its not.
Forgive me?

August 27th, 2011, 05:06 PM
Oh Ruby, no no's not like that! Stupid typing gets rid of all intent. I was laughing when I read your post! The funny thing is (well maybe not) is that I always forget how allergic I am as it is something I have grown into. I almost tasted Peewee's antibiotics without thinking! :eek:

August 27th, 2011, 06:44 PM
LOL, I knew you took it as funny. Just reliving my own not so funny episode, made me "rethink" my post. ...and wanted you to know that I do indeed know how serious it is.
No werent upset..and I wasnt thinking you were. Just wanted to make my "second" thought clear was all.

And please dont taste peewee's medicine....we'd like to keep you around. No croaking on the job myka :D

August 27th, 2011, 08:32 PM
Haha, I will try not to croak! I am wondering though if administering the antibiotics is bothering me...I just feel awful today. :yuck:

On the brighter side, I found a kind of normal Peewee turd today. I can tell it was his because there was lots of rice in it. Oddly enough there isn't much size difference in the dogs turds.

August 27th, 2011, 11:22 PM
We have five dogs, and all thier turds are different...oddly. I can always tell rubys cause its a different color..with her different food. and everyones elses is different size, or consistency. WEIRD. you'd think with four of them being on the same food, and being the same size dogs, they'd be the same.
Anyways..thats enough about dog turds for the moment.
Glad he's doing a little better. Maybe your having a slight reaction to the smell of the medication.
Try breathing in and out of your MOUTH only.
Reason I say this, is because alot of people that have an anifilactic (sp) reaction to something they injest..can also have it thru scent.
Or if you can hold your breath long enough to get it in him....that may be even better.

August 27th, 2011, 11:34 PM
As funny as it sounds...I was sniffing it. So you might be right! :o

August 27th, 2011, 11:48 PM
Well, try NOT sniffing it...and avoiding inhaling its scent while giving it...and see if you dont feel better.
I kept a child for a little while that was HIGHLY allergic to PENUT. she couldnt eat it, touch it OR smell it. Things were rather difficult..because penut is in ALOT of things you dont know. And if someone touched penut butter, then opened the door (thus touching the doorknob)..and then she touched the doorknob...wham...antifilactic.
If someone walked thru the room with a penut butter cracker....and she was in the same room anytime less than an hour afterwards...wham.
I know it sounds horrible. But I would have her put on a nose mask for at least an hour , if there had been ANY penut butter in the area at all. Lysoled all the doorknobs ..and so on.
THATS what made me think that you sniffing the meds, may have had an ill effect on you.

August 27th, 2011, 11:59 PM
Omg :eek: that's horrible!! So scary too! Good thinkin...I will try to resist the urge to smell it. It's so gooooood smelling though Ruby!