mint Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 We have a Working Cocker (that's her official breed and she is pedigree and, no, we didn't pay for her, we adopted her) who is now at the ripe old age of 13.Always been unbelievably active and us old fogies just managed to keep her occupied and walked twice daily.Recently, she was lacklustre and "flat" so we took her to the vet's who diagnosed a tick infection (despite regular treatment with Avanstix). She had an injection and we were told it would take about a week for her to show signs of recovery. At the same time, the vet said she could do with a tartarage.So doggie duly got better and, after about 3 weeks or so, I booked her in for her teeth to be cleaned and I asked the vet to look in her ears whilst she was under the anaesthetic.She was in for the day last Friday and the vet cleaned her teeth and débouchoné her ears. Spaniels and their ears, but that's another story! She also has to have antibiotic ointment in her ears for a week.Anyway (coming to my point!) she seems to be very slow in getting back to how she was. Totally exhausted for 3 days and then slowly getting appetite and energy back. Today, 4th day post op, she is still not her usual self. Eating fine but not mad keen on chasing wild life, her walks have been drastically reduced in length and duration but she still seems tired and sleeps for hours day and night.So, to my question, is it normal that, after an anaesthetic (and bearing in mind her age), she should still show such signs of tiredness and not much inclination to do anything physical? Eats and drinks fine and all elimination systems go but she is nothing like my "normal" dog. Or is this the new normal and she will never fully recover from that tick bite infection and the anaesthetic?Don't spare my feelings, just TELL me what to expect? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pommier Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 Was she last full of life in the cooler weather before summer? She's quite old so it could be a mix of being too hot and still carrying some of the infection. Maybe she'll liven up when the weather cools down.There's a vet who posts regularly on the 'other' forum; maybe she could advise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judith Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 Mint, I've no idea about dogs, sorry, but if you think about humans, often after an anaesthetic it can take some time to get the energy back .. along with the hot weather it may be this, plus some ongoing infection still remaining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyh4 Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 Did the vet say what sort of tick infection she had?There are several and one is Lyme disease - which can be recurrent and may need stronger treatment.It could equally be just the heat, but I would go back to the vet to be sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 At 13 she's a good age for the breed (acc to Wiki.) Our day foster dog is that age and he tires very quickly. He's always hungry. But his problem is arthritis of the hips.Our BC is the same age and their average lifespan is about 15. She had piroplasmosis from a tick a few years ago and was quick to recover after the injection.She had a phase lately of being off her food so I changed her diet. She does sleep a lot and gets tired quickly when we walk. But so do I ! We've just been out for a walk, I leave it to the evening when it's so hot during the day.It sounds as if it's probably just old age, but perhaps best to go back to the vet. He might do a blood test. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted August 2, 2016 Author Share Posted August 2, 2016 I am most grateful to everybody who has replied for your interest and responses.Andy, I am sure the vet would have said Lyme disease if it was that. The vet, who was young and unknown to us, warned us the injection would hurt as it had to go into the muscle between her shoulder blades. Poor dog did yelp which in itself was very unusual as she hardly ever makes a noise or bark.We thought long and hard about having her teeth cleaned because we were nervous about the anaesthetic but we trusted the vet who is super efficient and does a very good job. However, we were glad we took her in because the vet said she cleaned out the dog's ears very thoroughly and I could never have done such a good job.She's been slowing down over the last couple of years but she could still take off like a bat out of hell if she saw something she wanted to chase. This, however, looks to me like a very sudden drop in form.And yes, the vet did warn us very firmly about keeping her in the cool.So I will wait till the antibiotic treatment is finished and, if she is still not herself, I will return to the vet with her.Thanks again, kindhearted folks[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suein56 Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 mint said : So I will wait till the antibiotic treatment is finished and, if she is still not herself, I will return to the vet with her.Not that I went to the vet's but nevertheless I have recently finished one course of antibiotics which really knocked me for six. Horribly aggressive they were, though they did work - unfortunately only whilst I was taking them. So if your poor sweetheart is feeling like I did then let her meander rather than expect her to charge full steam ahead. I felt awful.At least the 6 week course ? of anti-bios I am on the moment are kinder to me, I just hope they do the trick.Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judith Posted August 3, 2016 Share Posted August 3, 2016 And with antibiotics, the full course of treatment often has to be achieved before the cure is effected ... maybe it just needs time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted August 3, 2016 Author Share Posted August 3, 2016 [quote user="suein56"]mint said : So I will wait till the antibiotic treatment is finished and, if she is still not herself, I will return to the vet with her.Not that I went to the vet's but nevertheless I have recently finished one course of antibiotics which really knocked me for six. Horribly aggressive they were, though they did work - unfortunately only whilst I was taking them. So if your poor sweetheart is feeling like I did then let her meander rather than expect her to charge full steam ahead. I felt awful.At least the 6 week course ? of anti-bios I am on the moment are kinder to me, I just hope they do the trick.Sue[/quote]Poor Sue, to have to take these things for SIX weeks! I do not take well to antibiotics, especially long term.As for our dog, the vet said she'd give us ointment instead of pills on account of her age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted August 3, 2016 Share Posted August 3, 2016 I had the company of a vet today and showed them the thread. They said someting about ideally a blood sample being taken first to determine the correct amount of anaesthetic (bear in mind I am repeating what I recall said on a subject i know nothing about) if it isn't done then it can be hit or miss and can often result in the way your dog is. They said as others have said, all you can do is be patient and wait. not sure if that is of reassurance or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardengirl Posted August 3, 2016 Share Posted August 3, 2016 So sorry to hear about your dog being unwell, Mint; I've nothing to say to help, but I hope a little more time will bring some improvement. I know I need longer to recover from a general anaesthetic now than I used to, and I'm sure that animals must react similarly as they age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted August 4, 2016 Author Share Posted August 4, 2016 Thank you, Chance and, yes, your information has been of great reassurance.I have had to clean traces of blood from her left ear and so the vet must have taken a blood sample (they normally take blood samples from the ear). I can now be almost certain that the anaesthetic was correctly administered.GG, thank you for the kind thoughts and how right you are about everything taking longer to get over![:)]Indeed, she is definitely brighter today. Greeted me this morning by wagging her tail enthusiastically, something she hasn't done these many days.Relief all round! The inevitable will happen of course but let's hope it doesn't for a while yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyh4 Posted August 4, 2016 Share Posted August 4, 2016 So glad she has perked up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suein56 Posted August 4, 2016 Share Posted August 4, 2016 [quote user="andyh4"]So glad she has perked up.[/quote]+1Sue [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted August 4, 2016 Author Share Posted August 4, 2016 Andy and Sue, merci [kiss] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardengirl Posted August 4, 2016 Share Posted August 4, 2016 Enthusiastic tail wagging must have been very heartening, Mint. ;0) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted August 4, 2016 Author Share Posted August 4, 2016 GG, yes, very happy to see her more like her usual self.She sat up in the car today, looking around when we took her to her favourite walk. She has that alert look back, being interested instead of sleeping or looking dazed or looking down in the dumps.Spaniels do have that very doleful look when they are not right!Meanwhile, please send me a brief email or PM to tell me how G is doing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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