Zamba Is Sick

[Zug Zug]

My older poodle x girl Zamba never EVER gets sick. She is 12 years old and has never had a sick day in her life. She was fine last night and this morning.

But I got home from work today and she is very, very sooky. She keeps following me around and shaking and looking worried. She won't eat and she won't leave my side.

When I asked her to do some heeling (she is an obedience junkie) she did that fine and looked quite well. Used her legs and paws no probs. Moved quickly and smoothly. But as soon as we stopped she went back to shaking and sticking to me like glue.

She has only ever been out of sorts like this once before - about 7-8 years ago. That day I took her to the vet and said 'I have no idea what's wrong but I know something is wrong' and they said she had a broken tail. Mind you, that didn't stop her wagging her tail frantically in the vet's office while we were waiting. She looked absolutely healthy in their waiting room. I felt like a fool taking her in there, but there really was something wrong.

I'm worried about her tonight. Thinking I will take her to the vet in the morning if she's still acting strangely.

The only other thing I can think of is she gets worried with thunder and lightning. But I can't hear anything like that here in Adelaide tonight. So I don't think it's that.

[chuckie500]

Is she usually outside or inside when you are out? If outside, I wonder if another dog or cat or person, gave her a fright today. If inside, I guess that isn't a possibility. What about anal glands?

[chuckie500]

Is she usually outside or inside when you are out? If outside, I wonder if another dog or cat or person, gave her a fright today. If inside, I guess that isn't a possibility. What about anal glands?

[Zug Zug]

She is outside during the day. Both dogs were outside when I got home (thoughtless teenagers didn't bring them in with them when they got home - grrr).

She might have got a fright. So hard to know.

[Zug Zug]

I had her anal glands cleared by the vet about 6 weeks ago when her teeth were cleaned, so I don't think it would be that.

I wondered if she'd swallowed something bad.

Sorry I know this is a bit silly because if I can't tell what's wrong, then none of you could possibly know. I'm just a bit worried that's all.

[Erny]

... in the vet's office while we were waiting. She looked absolutely healthy in their waiting room. I felt like a fool taking her in there, but there really was something wrong.

I know the feeling, but never let that stop you responding to your gut feeling. At worst you'll be up for an unnecessary Vet Bill. At best, there'll be something found wrong and it will be treated earlier rather than later.

In one 'stint' I spent 10 or 11 months dotting from Vet to Vet, telling them "something is wrong" with my avatar girl (bhcs). I got told by one Vet who up until then had no answers "there is another disease - over investigation", he told me as he looked up under his eyebrows at me. The other few Vets I saw shrugged and gave me funny looks. Of course, they couldn't see what I was talking about. It was subtle at the best of times, although definite, and that was disguised by the effects of adrenaline that pumped through my dog any time we entered a Veterinary Clinic. Finally I took her to Dr Bruce Syme in Castlemaine and, having gone through her chequered health history, informed me about adhesions that can occur from surgeries such as what Kal had gone through. We were lucky - this was an instance where there WAS something wrong, but where it would resolve in its own time. And in that instance, it did resolve, just as Bruce Syme told me it would. Point being, all those other Vets either didn't have a clue and I copped the brunt of their lack of knowledge in that department OR they didn't believe me in the first place and I copped the brunt of their disbelief/lack of faith in me.

Another stint, a little while on, had me doing much the same (again). When Vets, yet again, turned their backs/shrugged me off, I ventured to the University of Melbourne Vet Hospital where I consulted with Dr Russell Mittan (now retired) and Dr Guy Yates. They listened (hallelujah) and investigated and it was then we discovered a tumour on Kal's adrenal gland.

Unfortunately this ended up being Kal's demise. If the Vets had listened to me earlier, could we have found it in time? I'll never know. But that is a question I will NEVER forget.

Follow your gut instincts. And even if you're not sure of them, follow them any way.

I look back now and am pleased to know that I tried. And I continued to try (even though the Vets had me doubting even myself at one stage). And in that, I didn't fail her.

Edited June 10, 2010 by Erny

[Zug Zug]

Sorry to hear that Erny. You're right we know our dogs best and we know when something isn't right. I wish it had turned out better for you and your girl but I agree you did what you could for her and in the end that's all we can offer isn't it? None of us have magic wands.

I'm just keeping close to Zamba tonight. She is sleeping now. I'll see how she is in the morning and take it from there.

[chuckie500]

how is zamba today?

[Zug Zug]

Back to her normal self - no shaking and nothing unusual that I can see. Whatever had her upset yesterday seems to be long forgotten today.

It's a mystery. I'll keep an eye on her but for now all good.

[FHRP]

Glad to hear your girl is back to normal Zug Zug. My old boy went through something similar sounding a few years back. He was about 9-10 years old at the time and I was away for a big agility event, travelling with friends. One evening he became glued to me, and was a trembling mess, very very sooky. He would settle down and then it would happen again. We soon found that the trigger was my friends dog barking, in particular telling my other Vizsla off, which sent Flynn into an anxiety attack! Flynn and this other dog had spent many many hours together, had travelled literally thousands of kilometres on the same back seat of the car over the years, and he had heard her bark many times!! We don't know why it suddenly made him so worried and anxious and we still wonder if something happened when we were away from the car. There were no physical signs of an attack, and he had no problem being near her when she was quiet. He was not sound sensitive in any other way either. My vet checked him over and physically he was fine. She suggested using a DAP and to control the situations and said that it could be signs of demntia starting. He is still sensitive to this certain bark, but otherwise all good

So, my first thoughts are that something may have upset your girl when you weren't there. It may be something she has never previously worried about, but it now concerns her. She may never exhibit the anxiety again, or she might be triggered again. However, I wouldn't hesitate in taking a dog to the vet if at all concerned, no one knows your dog like you do. My vets have never dimissed me when I've come in with a subtle problem with my dog, and usually we do find something going on.

[Zug Zug]

Thanks - God I hope it is not early signs of dementia. She is an anxious thing at times so I guess something like anxiety is pretty likely. Especially given her sudden and miraculous recovery.