Very poorly dog... please HELP!

Hi,

Jack, my 11 year old Staffordshire Bull Terrier x Labrador Retriever dog has been poorly for about 2 weeks in total now.

Some background on Jack:

He has always had bad allergies and food intolerances which cause ear infections and eczema (very itchy and sore skin). He has now developed a habit where he licks and bites even when his skin isn't reacting to foods, causing skin infections. We have to bath him once a week with an eczema shampoo.

His diet now consists of boiled rice and fresh minced lamb cooked in sunflower oil. He has 2 garlic capsule and 2 evening primrose capsules a day.

Jack's weight has always fluctuated. He's either overwieght or thin. I think he suffers from anorexia as he goes through phases where he will not eat, or eat very little, for days on end, lose weight and then he will eat like a pig until he becomes overweight. The cycle then repeats again. He also does the same with his drinking habits,

About 4 months ago Jack just suddenly collapsed onto his right side. He could not get back up and laid there frightened for a about 10 minutes. Eventually he got up and was sick. He unsteadily went back to his basket and fell asleep. Since then his back legs have been a little unco-ordinated, a bit off balance and stiff, limping occassionally.

Well about 2 weeks ago he started to limp all the time with his right hind leg being the worst.

Then he started to go off his food which we thought was nothing unusual as he has patterns of not eating. He just refused to eat and if he did, he'd only have 1-2 mouthfuls.

His drinking has increased dramatically and so he has to go to the toilet much more often, including several times during the night. He has also wet in the house a few times.

Things have got progressively worse since Saturday 6th September...

He has experienced bad diahorrea and lost a massive amount of weight. Jack looks absolutely awful, rather like a cruelty case which is very scarey. He is all boney with no fat or muscle on him.

Also since Saturday, his back legs have gone. They were hot and swollen for about 3-4 days. He cannot cor-ordinate them properly, so cannot walk much and when he does he will drag his right leg or curl his toes over and walk on them. He now has sores on his feet from scraping them on the ground. He is falling over and needs help to just get to the toilet. His back legs just won't do what he tells them to. He has problems sitting and lying down as his back legs won't go down under him.

Now he has a cough, wheezes and gags. It's sounds like he has something stuck in his throat. His mouth is very pale.

Jack's appetite has returned (he is almost ravenous) but eating is a big problem- he can't seem to get the food into his mouth, so I am hand feeding him by putting it into the side of his mouth. Though today he has managed to eat a little on his own and his mouth seems more co-ordinated.

We took Jack to the vet's on Friday night (we were worried to go any earlier because of his extreme loss of weight, and we have tried to deal with his problems ourselves, but it's not working anymore, so we had no choice to take him) and all he wanted to do was put Jack to sleep. We said we wanted to give Jack a try so he took some blood to test, gave him injections of steroids and antibiotics and gave us some electrolytes which we give him each 30-40mls, 1/2 to 1 hour apart. He also did a diabetes test which was negative.

Jack perked up by Saturday and we took him back to the vets that morning. The vet still wanted to put him down, but we decided to see if he gets any better by Monday. Jack's blood tests were all normal and the vet has no idea what is wrong with him, but still maintains he wants to put him to sleep on Monday if he sees no improvement.

The thing is, when Jack goes to the vets he put on a massive 'drama queen' act. He sulks and pretends that's he's almost dying- lays down not moving, head on the table, with sulky eyes. Obviously this is influencing the vet into thinking Jack should be put down, as he admittedly looks dreadful on the vet's table. Though as soon as we get Jack home again, he perks up and is back to normal.

Jack is now much perkier, is interested in what's going on around him (including what's in the bin!), is being stubborn again (Jack is a very stong-willed dog), is eating now, looks forward to his electolytes, but his legs are still wobbly and he's still very pale. We do not want to put hi to sleep. We want to find out what is wrong with him and not just put him down because the vet can't be bothered to investigate into what is Jack's problem. The vet is not in the slightest bit interested in Jack's leg problems. He says he thinks everything is due to diahorrea.

Can anyone suggest what could be wrong with Jack and what we should do. We think Jack should be given a chance as he is showing signs of 'being Jack' again (if you can understand that? It's qute hard to put into words but it's like he is himself again). How can we put him to sleep when he is starting to get a bit better?

I hope someone can help us save our dog, because the vet seems determined on putting him down tomorrow.

Thanks,

Samantha and family.

Find another vet. ASAP. Bring as many of his medical records as you can, and go somewhere else!

First of all I have absolutely no idea what is wrong with Jack, but I agree with Karen. He needs to see another vet and quickly! Don't be fooled into thinking that he is OK because he occasionally perks up. My dog, Ashley, was severely ill with liver problems, couldn't keep anything down and was listless, etc. but when someone would come to the door she was there with her tail wagging. Dogs are just different than we are. Even when facing horrible illnesses they somehow find the ability to do things that give us reason to be encouraged. I am so sorry to hear about Jack and will be following this thread. I do hope there will be a diagnosis quickly and one that can lead to his healing. (((hugs)))

Oh, poor Jack:( He sure has had a rough time of it, and your family as well. Your devotion to your friend is so touching. We can all realte to your deep love for him and your fear of losing him.

If you are unhappy with your vet's approach and you are determined to try and treat him...at least get some definitive answers from someone you have trust in. I would consider taking him to another vet for a second opinion. Have you considered a homeopathic vet? It sounds like he has a lot of allergy related issues going on and many have had great success with the hollistic approach. Being 11 yrs. old, I'm sure there are also a lot of senior issues to deal with as well which may account for some of the difficulties he's having with walking:( You mentioned he tested negative for diabetes...did the blood tests show any abnormalities, i.e. kidney, liver function?? Did the vet rule out any type of cancer???

I'm sure you don't want Jack to suffer, but you also don't want to lose him if he can be treated/made comfortable. Seeing our friends not wanting to eat, not able to walk, not wanting to play or enjoy life is heartbreaking. If it were my pup, and there was any chance that his quality of life could be improved to where he enjoyed life, I would do anything to achieve that the end and keep him with me. I think, as you have little faith in your current vet's sincere interest in treating him, you should get a second opinion. You don't have to make a decision by Monday. See how Jack's doing, and if you can manage it, have him evaluated by another vet, and then talk it over with your family. Jack sounds like a very special boy. A Lab/Staff mix......:) He must be beautiful!! Please check back! I'm hoping Jack 's doing better today. Sending positive thoughts and prayers for some encouraging news. Hugs to you sweet Jack!:)

Thank you so much for all your replies. You've all made me feel so much better ...and so much more hopeful!

I am going to take him to the vet's tomorrow evening and try to make him listen, but if he won't and still insists on putting Jack down, then we will have to take him to another vet and see if we can get him tested for what's wrong with his legs and loss of weight.

Do you think there is a probability that Jack may have had a mild stroke 4 months ago ie. when he collapsed, and has now had another one which has caused all these problems? Anyway, I'll put that idea to the vet tomorrow. I have been looking on the internet about stroke and prognosis is good: most dogs learn to live a 'normal' life even if they have mobility problems. If this is Jack's problem then I am very willing to buy him one of those doggy wheelchairs if it improves his quality of life!

Jack has definately improved today- he's sticking his nose into bins, is more alert, is extremely eager to have his dinner and electrolytes, seems brighter in himself and visually (bright eyes and alert head position). He even bought my Mum and I his Teddy when we came back from the garden. it must have been a huge effort for him- he was very wobbly, but there he was, Teddy in mouth, tail wagging and a beautiful expression on his face. Made my day!

Though I doubt the vet will think he's improved at all... :(

Thanks again and I'll let you know what happens at the vet's asap,

Samantha :)

Oh Samantha, what a happy update!:D Such a precious image of your sweet Jack, welcoming his Mum and Grandmum at the door with his stuffie!:) Perhaps he could have had a small stroke, though I have read that many vets believe dogs don't have strokes in the same sense that humans do. But others on PT have said that their dogs have suffered strokes and recovered well after a time! Is he on any medic. for his joints... glucosamine or Rimadyl? Being 1/2 Lab, he may be especially prone to hip issues. Anyway, I'm so encouraged to hear he's enjoying his food and his electrolytes!:D You're a wonderful Mum to Jack and I wish all the best tomorrow at the vets! And don't give up hope!!:) We'll be saying a prayer for your sweet boy and keeping all paws and fingers crossed!! Check in when you can!:) Sandra, Cody and Star...(HUGS to Jack!!)

I have just read this whole thing. My fingers and all paws and claws in this house (that's a whole lot) are crossed, hoping that your vet will listen!! If not, then I agree, go find someone who will listen!!! Our thoughts and prayers are with you and Jack!!

Logan

Hi Samantha and welcome to Pet Talk. I'm so very sorry to hear about Jack and it was good to see he was feeling a little better and even brought you his Teddy. That is so heartwarming.

I do think it is possible that he may have had a stroke. My childhood dog had several before she went to the Rainbow Bridge in 1999 at the age of 15. Even though she had a few strokes, she could move around ok, if only a little stiffly. Her head was also cocked to one side, but she still had that precious eskie smile the whole time.
Concerning his food allergies, there is also a possibility that some of the other symptoms could meerly be caused by what he eats. Have you tried any chicken based foods with supplements? My vet swears by diet and says that chicken based foods are the best. There is also the option of a natural diet also. I very good friend of mine feeds a raw chicken, chicken liver diet ground up with supplements and it has done wonders.
Also, since he's a senior dog, some of his stiffness could be age-related. As long as he seems to want to go on, it's worth every chance to help him feel even better. All fingers and paws crossed here and I will also follow this thread to see how Jack is doing.
**hugs**
Karen