My dog, my OH, my neighbours and the vet

[mint]

Not my usual sunny self today.  And, yes, I guess a bit of sympathy wouldn't come amiss!

My OH took our dog for a walk they go to a couple of times a week (moi, I had a problem with a dodgy knee and couldn't have made the walk.  This was yesterday.  Dog came back a bit on the quiet side (not a bit like her as she is a cocker spaniel of just 5 years old).

Anyway, through the course of the afternoon, she rallied a bit and ate her usual dinner.  The Brit neighbours (only there in the summer and we share some amenities such as a drive) invited us to go to the nearby night market and supper at their house afterwards.  Went for the evening, to be sociable amongst other things, and came back for the supper.  Didn't take the dog as it was a warm evening and I didn't want her to be trodden on and run over by people pushing prams and pushchairs.

At the end of the evening, the OH found a lump on the dog's throat.  I felt it and it was soft and "watery".  Went to bed.  Woke up this morning, poor little dog had a head the size of a St Bernard's, face and throat swollen by a factor of about 5.

Rang the vet's and told them I was taking her straight over.  New vet, fresh from Vet school, (from the "north")to take the place of the "normal" vet who is expecting a baby.

Vet said it looked like an allergy and that that was why she had the swelling.  I queried whether she might have been bitten by a snake or something nasty.  Vet said "no" because a snake bite would have produced worse symptons.  Anyway, put a needle into a vein, gave her an anti-inflammatory and Vit K because, apparently, she had a lot of bleeding into her gums.  Needle strapped in place in case she needs more jabs.

Dog is indeed better though the swelling is still very evident.  Madame la voisine called, as usual, and I launched into my story about the dog.  She went home and told her husband who hurried over to see the dog.  Monsieur said he was sure it was a bite from an aspic as he had seen many dogs bitten by aspics who had identical symptoms to ours.  Said the vet should have sent off a blood sample for analysis and that the vet obviously didn't know what he was doing.  By the way, this is his usual way of rubbishing everything I do; if I'm not being robbed, I am being taken advantage of, etc, etc.

He took an amazingly dirty handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped tears from his eyes as, crusty farmer as he is, he does seem to be very fond of our little dog.  Said he'd take the dog to his own vet if she wasn't "guerie" by tomorrow.

OH then threw in his tuppence worth and said she'd probably been affected by rat poison as rat poison kills rats by making them bleed.

I think the dog will survive as she is such a strong and energetic little dog and I am sure she is in no real danger.

If anyone has any theories of what might have happened, I'd be glad to hear them, in case of future incidents.

Now, I feel emotionally depleted and I am going to have a shower and them come back to see if there are any replies.

I might seem to be overeacting but, calming down the OH, commiserating with the French neighbour, taking surreptitious glances at the dog and dealing on the phone with the woman wanting me to place an order for frozen food and the man wanting to sell me double-glazing has taken its toll and I am in need of some reassurance and some calming down myself!

 

[Russethouse]

I'm afraid it's a long time since I had a dog and can't help with that, but in the circumstances I think a 'stiff ' drink is in order.

Hope things get better soon .....

[Christine Animal]

The vet says an allergy, but an allergy to what?  Why would she suddenly have an allergy and a lump after a walk?  Woolybanana doesn't seem to be about, but didn't he say his dog's nose or face was the size of a football after a snake bite.  Your husband suggests rat poison, but why would that make a lump in the throat?

If she's not back to her usual self early tomorrow morning, I would take the neighbour's advice and see his vet.  That's just my suggestion without of course being able to judge at a distance.  It's the lump that seems to suggest a bite.

 

[Judith]

[quote user="sweet 17"]

Not my usual sunny self today.  And, yes, I guess a bit of sympathy wouldn't come amiss!

[/quote]

Sweet

I know nothing about dogs at all, but sympathy you can certainly have -- in your situation I think I'd have had the screaming abdads - and I felt so sorry for you and the dog as I read your sorry tale.  It does rather sound like the case for a second opinion is called for - the lump to me would suggest a bite rather than an allergy, even if I'm only going on human reaction rather than veterinary knowledge.  Fingers crossed for you and the dog.  Hope the shower has helped too.

[mint]

Christine, I was, as a matter of fact, thinking about Wooly's dog and that was why I phoned the vet pdq and told them I was taking her over.

The lump was easily the size of a golf ball but, fortunately, it didn't seem to be restricting her breathing or, indeed, her eating!

She is such an energetic and plucky little thing, she was more or less OK, apart from shivering fits and seeming a bit off colour.

Anyway, she has an appointment with the vet in the morning and I will indeed get the neighbour to take her to his vet if she seems the least bit unwell after that.

My French neighbour did say that aspics can swim and, of course, my little dog was swimming in the leisure lakes yesterday.  She is a tremendous swimmer and can go for half an hour and more in the water without coming out.

As long as she recovers or is at least on the way to recovery, I shall be thankful.

[mint]

Thank you, Judith and RH, for your messages of support.  It's kind of you and I send thanks and appreciation.

[mint]

BTW, RH, I have just remembered the post you made recently, listing the things that are poisonous to dogs.  I think plum stones was one of the things and our Brit neighbours do have a plum tree and I was trying to stop the dog from eating the plums.

But would that really have produced such a result on the dog?

[Russethouse]

Heres the list again, but I think a bite sounds more logical :

http://www.mgbtraining.co.uk/docs/Foods%20Which%20are%20Potenially%20Toxic%20to%20Dogs.pdf

We once had a moderator who lost her dog due to it eating a animal that had ingested rat poison and I think it was quickly fatal, it doesn't sound like that to me.......

Fingers crossed

[Christine Animal]

Has the swelling gone down now?

 

[woolybananasbrother]

Sorry to hear this Sweets. Not sure that I can offer any extra advice except that Destroyer's muzzle was huge, but that was the only obvious symptom really, though looking sheepish and being quet might count. And I did see the snake which was very small, a  baby.

Don't understand the lump in the throat. Could indicate something else . Not an expert though.

If it is a snake, they mainly pull through if that is a consolation.

Anyway, hope the dog is a bit better and that you are coping.

Regards,

WB

[mint]

Christine and Wooly

Lump in throat still there but perhaps a little smaller.  Face still swollen but, again, perhaps a little less.  She's tired and wants to sleep (could be due to the drugs).

Will post vet's comments tomorrow after OH has taken her there.  I myself have a rendezvous with my doctor for more asthma drugs as I have run out.

Thanks for your concern.

[nectarine]

Sweet 17,

I was very concerned to read this and hope that your dog is recovering well.  Please post again today and let us know how she is doing today.

[mint]

Thank you, everyone, for the messages of enquiry and support.

OH has returned from the vet.  Poor dog still has the needle strapped to her leg.  Apparently, the bleeding (in her gums and could also be internally) has stopped as the blood staining has darkened.

Vet was apparently very relieved that the treatment is working.  She has had more jabs and due to have some more tomorrow.  But, the good news is she is definitely on the mend.

OH queried the snake bite theory with the vet but he was emphatic that it wasn't that.  Said it looked like she had swallowed something which apparently could even have been a frog!

Anyway, tout est bien qui fini bien, as the French say!

Thanks again, everybody.  Dog and I send love and kisses.

[Christine Animal]

Thank you for the update Sweet 17.  What a peculiar thing.  I wonder if it could be an allergy to a wasp or bee sting, or something.

The most important is that she seems to be recovering.  Love and kisses back.   [kiss]

 

[Patf]

Glad to hear that your dog is on the mend, S17. We just have the one dog now, and I often think, what would we do without her? They give back so much and always support us.

[ali-cat]

Haven't been on-line for a few days & just seen your post.  It must have been terrible to have suddenly seen him like that & I can imagine only too well what you must have been going through.  So glad to hear the little one is doing much better & on the mend.  [kiss] - from our 3 cats!!

[mint]

Thanks and kisses to Patf and ali-cat also.

She is now well enough to go off next door at dinner time tonight to see if she could scrounge something!

[Judith]

Sweet

Just like children - rebound very quickly. Glad to hear that she is improving. Going exploring sounds very much like on the mend to me.  All's well that ends well it seems.

[mint]

Yes, Judith.  All well now.  Face back to normal size and now on antibiotics for 5 days.  But very bouncy and full of joie de vivre.

Thank you for posting.[:D]

[WJT]

Sweet17, that must have been very scary for you so happy to hear she is recovering. Will be watching the thread to hopefully see an update on how she is doing.

[mint]

WJT, thank you for your concern.  She's looking and acting much more like herself now.

The young vet was clearly very pleased yesterday and he said he hoped he never had to see her again with anything similar!

Whilst I don't know it was the leisure lakes for sure, I have said to OH that we won't take her there until the holiday season is well and truly over.

There was some sort of pop concert in the place only a day or two before and someone might have discarded some scraps of food carelessly.

Whilst OH was convinced she had ingested rat poison, I really don't think that the municipal people would put rat poison down in a public place where the locals walk their dogs.

 

[WJT]

Sounds terrible. Very happy to hear all is well. [:)]

[5-element]

"I really don't think that the municipal people would put rat poison down in a public place where the locals walk their dogs."

 

Sweet, obviously I know nothing about your local council's policies. All I know is that in my little town, they put rat poison all over the river banks. I discovered this as we had organised a "cleaning-up the river banks day"... with the support of the Mairie, - who even organised a late breakfast for all participants, as well as their employees removing the many, very full black dustbin bags with all kinds of débris.

Amongst the things we kept finding, were those little trays with rat poison. When I queried this, you guessed it, the gallic shrug, with a bit of a lecture as to how bad the rat problem is around here... The river banks are an obvious place for dogs to go here.....

[mint]

Eek!  5E, I am truly shocked!

This is a leisure lake complex in a nearby town where they hold fishing competitions, triathlons and, as mentioned, pop concerts.

We have been using the lakes for nearly a year now as our dog, being a cocker spaniel, can swim nearly as well as the fish.

She has never had such a problem before and I, in my naivety, could not imagine that the Council would do something that could be potentially so hazardous to dogs and possibly small children.

Thank you for your post, 5E.  I hope this would alert everybody who has come across this thread.

I must say I am speechless (not at all a common occurence) with shock and disbelief!

[ali-cat]

[quote user="sweet 17"]

The lump was easily the size of a golf ball but, fortunately, it didn't seem to be restricting her breathing or, indeed, her eating!

[/quote]

I was just re-reading these posts when Mr Cat noticed your comment above & reminded me about his own leg!  About 3 weeks ago he took an allergic reaction to a bite from a mosquito which developed into a lump “the size of a golf ball” (which is exactly how he described it) & his whole thigh was swollen to about twice the size.  It took over a week to return to normal with anti-histamines & cream.

I wondered if this could be what the young vet meant by having an allergic reaction – rather than just a bite? So glad that she is improving so well!!