I think I overreacted! (kinda long)

[craZ4HERKIE]

Yesterday am Herkie woke me up panting @ 6am wanting to go out, he kept persisting so I knew he had to go.Well, got to the bottom of the steps and he had already peed in front of the door!Who knows how long the poor thing had been trying to wake me.We went out, and he had a bit of an upset tummy.Not diahrrea, just soft stools.This am, when I woke up, there was a surprise waiting in the hallway for me, he had pooped in the hallway & back bedroom, once again, soft stools.I have very light carpet, so it was fun cleaning up. And then he had peed in front of the door again!He's been acting perfectly normal, except for the fact that he's acting like a water buffalo...drinking tons of water.Then today, I noticed him shaking his head a tad, and his right ear was a touch red. So , of course, I decide a trip to the vet is in order.I wanted to nip an ear infection in the bud, and also a possible UTI. They did a urinalysis, it came back fine.An ear Cytology, and that came back fine also. His vet thinks he may have a touch of allergic dermatitis in his ear.She also said we could go ahead with antibiotics for the UTI, because she said it may be too soon for anything to show up yet, but we decided to wait and see. As far as the soft stool goes, no parasites there.We figure it's just a combo of him being on a strictly blended canned diet, his stools will never be the same quality as a dog who eats just kibble.So with him drinking lots of water, she said that will definitely soften his stool. She did prescribe ear drops(Burrows-H solution) and prednisone to help with an itchy ear. However, I think at this point I am not going to give him the prednisone, just the eardrops. I don't like him having to take meds if he really doesn't have to. I am thinking I probably jumped the gun a little bit, and just gave my vet $112 for Thanksgiving! But thats how it goes with our babies sometimes, better safe than sorry!

I really wanted to see if ya'll thought it would be okay for me to skip the preds right now?He's already drinking alot, and peeing a lot, and we know what the preds will do for him!Anyway, thanks for lending an eye!

 

[Cami]

One of my biggest vet pet peeves are the fact that ALOT of them seem to prescribe antibiotics with no clear signs of infection, much less WHAT TYPE of infection they are trying to kill.

If the symptoms of a UTI are present but the test show no infection then I would "assume" that there is something else going on.....more input of water would mean more output right? Not necessarily an infection. I, personally would opt for adding some vitamin C to his diet (if you are thinking UTI), bacteria has a hard time growing in an acidic environment. If you opt to give the antibiotics I would also add some probiotics such as natural yogurt a few times per day.

Also, sometimes antibiotics can cause diarrhea. I hope all goes well and he is back to his old self soon.

 

[craZ4HERKIE]

Cami....I don't mean to sound like an idiot, but since he is on blended canned food, how would I add Vitamin C. I have opted to not use any antibiotics right now since the tests show there is no UTI. As far as his stools go, when he pooped this evening, started out firm, then went soft. I am thinking I may need to switch his food again. He's on NutroMax, and was doing well on it. But I fear that because he'll be on canned food forever, that I will always be on firm/soft rollercoaster with his bowels. He's doing great otherwise...not much gas, no eye boogers, his coat looks great. And from what I can tell, there aren't many people on here who are just on strictly canned diets, so I can't seek their advice as far as poops go.

 

[PawPrintBoxers]

Just to respond to if you over reacted or not. I am a total freak about my dogs and their health. I will rush into the vet in tears over anything being out of the ordinary. It is never a bad thing to rush to your vet when there is a problem

 

[Scrapper's Mom]

Did they test Herkie's blood sugar? I had a diabetic dog and the way we discovered it was when she started drinking water like a camel and peeing in the house after always being so good about holding it.

And don't worry about over-reacting! I had an episode myself with Holly last week when she hurt her leg and I was in that office about 15 minutes after it happened. Long enough to lock the doors, get my shoes on and drive the mile down the road to the vet's office.

Hope everything turns out well for you. I hate it when they just "guess" at a diagnosis. Probably so we will go away and not bother them. Good luck to you and Herkie!

 

[craZ4HERKIE]

I am thinking most likely they didn't test his blood sugar, and of course, I didn't think to ask! It seems like yesterday evening and this am, that his water consumption has tapered off to a more normal level. I think I am just a paranoid Mommy!

 

[delilahbelle]

I am a TOTAL hypochondriac when it comes to my dogs. I take them to the vet for the least little thing - he tells me I overreact at times, but he knows that I care deeply for my babies.

I would have done the same thing - rushed him right over......As for the meds and what to take and when - I have no advice. Just wanted to let you know that I feel the same as you and hope your baby is steadily improving!!!

Happy Turkey Day!!

 

[lafsalot]

Don't blame you for rushing off to the vets - I'm a nervous nellie when it comes to my dogs. Glad to hear that his symptoms have tapered off, and I hope that he continues to improve ~ Cathy

 

[craZ4HERKIE]

Well, it seems I did jump the gun a tad! But that's okay, I'd rather spend the money, and be safe, than to have my baby suffering with a possible ear infection and UTI. Today there was no redness in his ear at all! I am thinking we had lots of wind yesterday, and that possibly could have irritated it, also his water consumption seems to have evened out some, today he doesn't seem like a water buffalo. And when I took him out after his meal this evening....we even had a firm poop appicon. He was eating grass last nite, so I know his tummy was irritated, I also gave him a Pepto tab, I don't know which helped more. He seems to be same ole Fathead tonite. Oh well, the vet got some of my hard earned money, but my baby is fine ( no accidents this am either), and he enjoyed his "field trip" to the vet.