New here with a new yorkie that is sick

[kbay]

Hi everyone,

We just adopted a 4 year old yorkie (Abby) 11 days ago. I have been reading your forum since adopting her and have learned so much. Unfortunately on Friday, she became very ill and I could use some advice. Early last week she vomited yellow foam. I searched on this forum and found that can be caused from not eating enough. She hadn't been eating great, we figured it was stress from a new family. We were given dry dog food from Costco and told that was what she always ate. After researching dog food though, we were planning on changing that, but hadn't yet. Other than that she had been very playful and a happy dog following me everywhere like my shadow.

On Friday afternoon she started vomiting yellow foam again, this time more than once. When I let her outside to go potty, she started gulping down grass and then vomiting. I know dogs sometimes do that for an upset stomach. The problem is that she kept doing it all day. She would vomit in the house, I would take her out, she'd eat grass and vomit some more. She quit drinking water and eating her food. By late Friday night, she was shaky and lethargic. We stayed up with her all night trying to get her to lick ice cubes and putting a little Karo Syrup on her gums. First thing Saturday morning we took her to the vet. They gave her fluid, a Cerenia injection and did a bloodwork panel. It came back negative for everything they tested her for. They also are checking a stool sample, we won't get the results until Monday. She was diagnosed with dietary indiscretion. The only thing we are aware that she ate other than dog food that week were a couple scraps of cooked ground beef and pot roast from our dinners. (We thought that would be okay, but I guess it's not?) We also suspect she may have eaten some cooked potato but aren't positive. We were sent home with Metronidazole and instructions on how much water to give her and bland food to offer for the following 6 days.

She came home from the vet and had diarrhea all Saturday/Saturday night. She has refused to drink or eat the boiled chicken and rice. We didn't know what else to do so my husband started giving her water from a syringe. The vet gave us baby food and we tried that by syringe but she just spit it out. We have been continuing the water by syringe and today we just fed her some plain yogurt by syringe. We haven't given her the Metronidazole yet because she was supposed to hold down food for 2 hours before taking it.

She hasn't vomited since the vet visit, and so far she hasn't had diarrhea today, but when we take her outside she doesn't go potty either. She has just been lethargic and laying on the couch without much movement. The vet said to bring her back Monday if there was not improvement so that is what we will be doing tomorrow. I guess my question is, has anyone had something similar? Is there something else we should have the vet check for? Should we be forcing her to eat with the syringe when the vet instructions say just to offer food even though she won't eat? We have been beside ourselves with worry and haven't left her side since Friday, but I don't know what else to do for her. I am worried that the fact that she won't get up and walk around is a bad sign. I am thinking that if the problem was just something she ate, that she should be showing signs of improvement by now?

Thank you for any advice you can give.

[lillymae]

Did your vet offer you NutriCal ? Also your vet should have a prescription food that is highly palatable & most dogs will eat it freely, I would call & ask about that. You can go to Petco & get a couple of diff flavors of good quality canned food & see if she'll eat any of them.

[ladyjane]

This sounds very serious. I don't know that waiting until Monday is a very good idea. These pups can go downhill quickly.

There is no way that you can get enough fluids in her by using a syringe. Have you checked her gums to see if she is dehydrated? If she is, she needs to go to an Emergency Clinic tonight!!! Her gums should be wet to touch...not dry and tacky/sticky to the touch.

Yes, this could be from something that she ate...yorkies generally do not tolerate table foods. She very well could have pancreatitis...it is painful and it can be deadly.
Again, I would be at a vet tonight.

[ladyjane]

Here is an emergency clinic in Gilbert:

Arizona Veterinary Specialists

The fact that she is lethargic really worries me. Of course I could be over reacting...but better that than under.

[kbay]

The vet didn't offer us Nutrical. She did give us Purina EN Gastroenteric along with the baby food, but she won't touch it. We have tried offering those, along with the boiled chicken and rice. We are giving her 1 tbsp of water every half hour (what the vet recommended) by syringe. I just felt her gums and they are tacky. Thanks for the clinic number, my husband is talking to a vet technician on the phone now. The vet told us the blood work panel came back negative for pancreatitis, but in reading the symptoms it sounds the same. Although I have read so many different things in the last couple days and everything sounds like something she has.

[kbay]

Oh, and I forgot to mention that she has gone potty since my original post.

[kbay]

I'm sorry, it looks like I didn't I reply to the previous posts, but it said a moderator had to approve it.

[My lil friend]

Your posts will probably be read by a moderator for a few more posts,then things will begin to show up imedately. Lady Jane has given some good advice. I would be at the Emergency Clinic.

[cummins]

Hope she is better today

[dottiesyrky]

So sorry to hear little Abby is sick. Hope she is feeling better now and eating and drinking. If not I am sure you will be seeing the vet again. Praying she does not have any disease, and that she is just settling in to her new environment. Always so worrying when our babies are not well.
Good idea to change the Costco food as soon as you are able.
Get well soon Abby. Please keep us posted as to how she is doing.

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by kbay

The vet didn't offer us Nutrical. She did give us Purina EN Gastroenteric along with the baby food, but she won't touch it. We have tried offering those, along with the boiled chicken and rice. We are giving her 1 tbsp of water every half hour (what the vet recommended) by syringe. I just felt her gums and they are tacky. Thanks for the clinic number, my husband is talking to a vet technician on the phone now. The vet told us the blood work panel came back negative for pancreatitis, but in reading the symptoms it sounds the same. Although I have read so many different things in the last couple days and everything sounds like something she has.

Blood tests for pancreatitis are not always reliable. I did not see your post last night...hoping that, with tacky gums, perhaps you took her to the EC. If not, hopefully she is ok this morning.
Please update when you can!

[dottiesyrky]

I must say the symptoms were much like my dog had with pancreatitis, but pray it is not. I thought the cPL test was a good indicator, is that not always the case?
Hoping little Abby will be ok.

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by dottiesyrky

I must say the symptoms were much like my dog had with pancreatitis, but pray it is not. I thought the cPL test was a good indicator, is that not always the case?
Hoping little Abby will be ok.

Nope, the cPL is not conclusive. It is a better test than simply relying on the amylase and lipase results, but it is not perfect. They really have to weigh all factors..symptoms, blood work and ultrasound when making the diagnosis.

[ladyjane]

I might add that any pup of mine that exhibits symptoms of pancreatitis is taken to the specialists now. My son's pup died after one day at the regular vet and died four hours after being taken to the EC for fluids for the night. They can turn on a dime...I would rather put the money out and hospitalize from the get go than take that chance. I am very, very afraid of pancreatitis. My George was hospitalized this year...and had he been with my vet (no disrespect to her but they are limited in their ability to deal with some of these things) I believe he would have died. His symptoms had only started that day. I took him to the specialists and they did a full work up..thank God...because he had fluid on his chest and abdomen. The specialist suggested plasma which I approved and it was what turned him around. The criticalist told me a couple of days later that it was a great call and that it had indeed saved his life.

A link to the thread about George:

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sic...creatitis.html

[dottiesyrky]

Thank you for the info. I am very sorry for what happened to George, I followed his traumatic story. Praying that little Abby is diagnosed and treated soon.