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sick dog — Brooklynian

sick dog

opossumqueen
opossumqueen
edited November -1 in Brooklyn Pets
My dog has been extra lazy the last few days and is hardly touching his food. He still gladly takes treats and seems perky enough to play some in the park, but he tires quicker than usual. I thought we had his sleep schedule off (he needs lots of beauty rest!) but today he seems to have a fever and is a little out of character.

I just felt a lump on his neck/chin area. I pulled a tick off a couple of weeks ago (thought I got it all--I've pulled more ticks off of dogs than most so I'm used to doing it "properly"). I think the lump is in the vicinity of the tick. I'm guessing it's etiher from the bug or rough-housing with dogs in the park.

Normal poop so far. Just the large, hard, scabbed lump and I think a fever.

We have an appointment with his vet in the morning, but I'm wondering if anyone has had a similar experience. I've never had a dog get an infection from a tick bite so I'm wondering if this is how it goes.
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Comments

  • akm
    akm
    It's good you are taking him to the vet. My dog has also been a lot lazier and less playful than usual the past couple of weeks. I think it's the heat. During the heat wave, several people at the park were talking about how their dogs weren't interested in food.
  • akm
    akm
    It's good you are taking him to the vet. My dog has also been a lot lazier and less playful than usual the past couple of weeks. I think it's the heat. During the heat wave, several people at the park were talking about how their dogs weren't interested in food.
  • opossumqueen
    opossumqueen
    He was definitely glad when it got cooler, but he's kind of pitiful at home now. When he hears noises in the lobby, which he usually ignores other than getting excited about hearing one of us, he makes little woofs and goes to hide behind wherever I am. He's never really been fearful of anything but has that sad "comfort me" demeanor which makes me think he's actually feeling bad.

    I offered him tasty, unseasoned people food (chicken and beef with sweet potatoes, one of his favs) and he moved away. He eventually ate some, but didn't even sit in the kitchen while I was cutting the meat. I loaded the meal with extra water to get some fluids in him.

    Wish the poor guy could just tell me how he really feels.

    I'm trying to decide if a cool bath right now would be more soothing or more annoying to him :)
  • opossumqueen
    opossumqueen
    He was definitely glad when it got cooler, but he's kind of pitiful at home now. When he hears noises in the lobby, which he usually ignores other than getting excited about hearing one of us, he makes little woofs and goes to hide behind wherever I am. He's never really been fearful of anything but has that sad "comfort me" demeanor which makes me think he's actually feeling bad.

    I offered him tasty, unseasoned people food (chicken and beef with sweet potatoes, one of his favs) and he moved away. He eventually ate some, but didn't even sit in the kitchen while I was cutting the meat. I loaded the meal with extra water to get some fluids in him.

    Wish the poor guy could just tell me how he really feels.

    I'm trying to decide if a cool bath right now would be more soothing or more annoying to him :)
  • akm
    akm
    It sounds like it could be Lymes disease from the ticks.

    "Dogs diagnosed with Lymes disease may be lethargic, and can have fever ranging between 103°F - 105°F, along with poor appetite."

    From what I can tell from the quick on-line research, you will start to see improvements within 48 hours of treatment.
  • akm
    akm
    It sounds like it could be Lymes disease from the ticks.

    "Dogs diagnosed with Lymes disease may be lethargic, and can have fever ranging between 103°F - 105°F, along with poor appetite."

    From what I can tell from the quick on-line research, you will start to see improvements within 48 hours of treatment.
  • garfunky
    garfunky
    :(

    best wishes .
  • garfunky
    garfunky
    :(

    best wishes .
  • quijibo
    quijibo
    take him to the vet.

    if it's tick related, it can cause all sorts of horrible problems
    the heat is definitely something to be mindful of, but it shouldn't cause a marked loss of appetite

    i'm ususally hesitant to say "take your dog to the vet"
    but... take him to the vet

    and just so satisfy the paranoid in me.
    check his gums, make sure they're not pale
    if they are pale. take him to the vet
  • quijibo
    quijibo
    take him to the vet.

    if it's tick related, it can cause all sorts of horrible problems
    the heat is definitely something to be mindful of, but it shouldn't cause a marked loss of appetite

    i'm ususally hesitant to say "take your dog to the vet"
    but... take him to the vet

    and just so satisfy the paranoid in me.
    check his gums, make sure they're not pale
    if they are pale. take him to the vet
  • opossumqueen
    opossumqueen
    yeah, I tend to wait these things out a few days (he's out of sorts, but not really sickly or glassy eyed).

    We are going to classes right now, though, and I don't want to take him to class and off-leash if he's really sick. I did just drag him out to pee and he pulled in the direction of the park a bit.

    I still can't tell if the bump is from the tick or a tooth/nail wound. There is some dried blood and there was no bleeding when I pulled off the tick a week or so ago.

    His gums are normal thus far and he finally ate some of the really tasty food I made him (including the massive amounts of water I drowned it in), but he's definitely running a fever which I've never known him, or any dog I've had, to do.

    I'll let y'all know what the vet says.
  • opossumqueen
    opossumqueen
    yeah, I tend to wait these things out a few days (he's out of sorts, but not really sickly or glassy eyed).

    We are going to classes right now, though, and I don't want to take him to class and off-leash if he's really sick. I did just drag him out to pee and he pulled in the direction of the park a bit.

    I still can't tell if the bump is from the tick or a tooth/nail wound. There is some dried blood and there was no bleeding when I pulled off the tick a week or so ago.

    His gums are normal thus far and he finally ate some of the really tasty food I made him (including the massive amounts of water I drowned it in), but he's definitely running a fever which I've never known him, or any dog I've had, to do.

    I'll let y'all know what the vet says.
  • underhill_mt
    underhill_mt
    Any news? How is the poor pooch?

    FWIW, our big boy has been super lethargic lately. It's the heat and the humidity. He's like me - not a summer person. I hope your boy's alright.
  • underhill_mt
    underhill_mt
    Any news? How is the poor pooch?

    FWIW, our big boy has been super lethargic lately. It's the heat and the humidity. He's like me - not a summer person. I hope your boy's alright.
  • quijibo
    quijibo
    como esta el perro?
  • quijibo
    quijibo
    como esta el perro?
  • opossumqueen
    opossumqueen
    high-pitched whimper fever dreams during the night...off to the vet now
  • opossumqueen
    opossumqueen
    high-pitched whimper fever dreams during the night...off to the vet now
  • opossumqueen
    opossumqueen
    Vet is skeptical that it's lyme disease but sure he has some infection. It's too soon for the tick disease tests but the vet was fairly certain my pup has an infection that needs antibiotics so we have that while we wait to hear the results of some of the other tests.

    Oh, and of course he lost his fever while waiting to the see the vet :)
  • opossumqueen
    opossumqueen
    Vet is skeptical that it's lyme disease but sure he has some infection. It's too soon for the tick disease tests but the vet was fairly certain my pup has an infection that needs antibiotics so we have that while we wait to hear the results of some of the other tests.

    Oh, and of course he lost his fever while waiting to the see the vet :)
  • tassidas
    tassidas
    OpossumQueen wrote: Vet is skeptical that it's lyme disease but sure he has some infection. It's too soon for the tick disease tests but the vet was fairly certain my pup has an infection that needs antibiotics so we have that while we wait to hear the results of some of the other tests.

    Oh, and of course he lost his fever while waiting to the see the vet :)
    Well, I'm glad you brought him and that fever is gone. Hope the antibiotics help make him feel better
  • tassidas
    tassidas
    OpossumQueen wrote: Vet is skeptical that it's lyme disease but sure he has some infection. It's too soon for the tick disease tests but the vet was fairly certain my pup has an infection that needs antibiotics so we have that while we wait to hear the results of some of the other tests.

    Oh, and of course he lost his fever while waiting to the see the vet :)
    Well, I'm glad you brought him and that fever is gone. Hope the antibiotics help make him feel better
  • opossumqueen
    opossumqueen
    He went from burning up to normal feeling in the waiting room, and the vet said that happens a lot.

    The dog is now zonked out on the floor and nose, skin, and paws are like a furnace. At least we have the meds now and he ate a few bites of chicken with his first pill.

    I'll probably never hesitate to take the dog to the vet, but you have to drag me kicking and screaming to a doc if I need it :)
  • opossumqueen
    opossumqueen
    He went from burning up to normal feeling in the waiting room, and the vet said that happens a lot.

    The dog is now zonked out on the floor and nose, skin, and paws are like a furnace. At least we have the meds now and he ate a few bites of chicken with his first pill.

    I'll probably never hesitate to take the dog to the vet, but you have to drag me kicking and screaming to a doc if I need it :)
  • garfunky
    garfunky
    sooo ... dog is ok ?
  • opossumqueen
    opossumqueen
    Seems to be responding the medication, but the med itself has him a little off in other ways. worth it for him to get better, though.

    Took him back upstate this weekend for more hiking and this time, his first camping night. He did not like it. We were at a small campground and he was nervous about all the people around, I think partially this is his pitiful behavior on massive doses of antibiotics. We took it easy on hiking, though. And he go a new does of tick killing oil just before we went.

    Hopefully he's on the upswing. I felt so bad for him when he had the high fever and no desire to eat or go for a walk. Yesterday he happily chased a fawn (for about 10 seconds) and enjoyed having extra people pet him.
  • garfunky
    garfunky
    well that sounds like a step in the right direction !
    best wishes
  • opossumqueen
    opossumqueen
    After a day or so, they doubled his dosage + didn't give me the full # of pills for the first dose (grr).

    went to the vet to pick up the extra pills yesterday and he's lost 1.4 lbs in the last 6 days. Oh, and I realized this morning that they still didn't give me all the pills :/ I think there were too many folks passing around the "problem".

    He happily chased dragonflies for a while this morning but is now sacked out, refusing to even get up for treats. I guess the meds will just have him lazy for a while.
  • opossumqueen
    opossumqueen
    thanks for all the well wishes. Having a sick pet is so stressful when you're not totally sure what's wrong or how to make them more comfortable.
  • quijibo
    quijibo
    any news?
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