Don't Think It's Poisoning, Do You?

[suezija]

On Friday while I was interstate my OH came home from work and found the Boston male all roached up, unable to stand, his ears quivering and eyes watering. The bitch in the same run was ok.

Called me on his way to the vet and said that it didn't look like poisoning as he was a good colour, hadn't vomited or diarrhea, just the above symptoms.

Our vet was at a funeral so the vet nurse called ahead to the next vet who is 15-20 mins away. OH raced there and then waited another 30 mins until the vet arrived who then saw two others who were waiting before looking at the boy.

Said he had rat poisoning as his blood clotting time was 2.5 mins, not too bad I thought, should be 2 mins. OH called me and I spoke to the vet who said that the initial cost was about $400.

"So?" says I.

He gave him Vit K1 and said he would keep him. I was not happy with this but OH was worried so agreed.

Vet called next morning and said his clotting time was now 3 mins. OK, stress could cause this, never been away from home.

Colour still good and no vomiting etc.

I told OH to go get the dog and make sure he got some Vit K1 tabs.

He was a little improved so I decided that OH was handling the situation so didn't go home then.

When I arrived home on Sunday evening he was a little roached but eating well and by Mon morning he was much improved and now, Tues evening looks great and has never vomited or had diarrhea yet.

Still giving him Vit K1 and watching him but I just can't get the idea that it was rat poison.

OH has checked every where and has no idea how he would have got the rat poison if that's what it was.

Anyone got any ideas?

Edited July 21, 2009 by suezija

[gundoglover]

Perhaps a mouse that had eating rat poison elsewhere, crawled into your yard to die & your dog ate the mouse?

[kendall]

Agree with the mouse possibility. Sadly, we lost my heart cat in what the vet thought was a similar scenario - ate a mouse with rat bait poisoning.

Hope he is ok. Not sure what else it could be - any ideas? Hopefully a one off.

[suezija]

No, any poison for rats, mice that we use has no secondary residual effects.

But his colour would be very pale, even grey, if he had a dose of poison.

Neighbours don't poison as they don't have horse feed etc around and we checked with them. Others too far away.

Edited July 21, 2009 by suezija

[kendall]

What else do you think it could be?

[Staff'n'Toller]

His colour would be very pale, or grey, if he had serious internal bleeding, which by then is generally too late without blood transfusions etc.

Dogs have 2 days worth of Vit K stores in their body so that may explain why his colour was still good.

Is that all the Vet did just a clotting time? I guess you could run a full blood profile given that you are positive there would be no talon in or around your property.

Is it possible he may have had back pain from playing with the other dog in the run?

Edited July 21, 2009 by Staff'n'Toller

[Kirislin]

I'd be getting a second opinion. Have you felt him over for painful areas? Is it possible he has a back injury, or pain somewhere else? I realise it doesn't explain the clotting but you suspect it's something else anyway, dont stop looking just yet. Poor little fella, I hope he's on the mend soon.

[Munchin]

The way you described how he was found was very similar to what my boy was like with his first pancreatitis (sp) attack. He was all hunched up and wouldnt sit or lay down, just looked all together uncomfortable and he was shaking all over. My first thought was poison but the vet said it was pancreatitis.

Could be worth looking into if you are sure that they didnt get bait.

[persephone]

Pancreatitis was my first thought as well. Hope he's ok.

[oakway]

Hi Suez,

What about a spider bite.

Another thing you might not believe is that I found a cane toad in the yard the other day.

Well it's worth thinking about. Not much difference in the temperature from my place to yours

so it may be worth a think. Although one would think a bit of frothing would of occurred.

I also found a red back so be careful.

[suezija]

Never even thought of pancreatitis. Just didn't occur to me.

Definitely worth a look at when he goes for another blood clotting count at our own vets in the next few days. (will continue with this regime)

Looking at him now there is nothing at all wrong except he seems a little lean.

He was also very weak in his hind legs for a good 4-5 days, but that's ok now. Not so bad that he can't try to rape the Kerry who is thinking about coming into season.

Oakway, we don't usually get spiders around their kennels as they are sprayed so regularly to keep mossies etc at bay. We have Pestrol.

Staff'n'Toller, it appears the vet didn't bother to explore any other avenues even though OH told him there was no way he could see how poisoning could occur, especially as there was no vomiting, diarrhea, frothing etc.

By the way, this little man has been poisoned before, that's why we changed to the non-residual poison and his reaction was not at all similar to these symptoms.

He will stand out of the way and bark at a snake and does not attack so why can't the little bugger leave other things alone.

Thanks for all your help and I will explore all other possibilities, especially pancreatitis.