Salivation & Unsteady On Back Legs

[k9angel]

One of my resident dogs is at the Vets this morning. ;)

I went out to tend to them this morning and found him laying in his kennel head out. There was a small puddle of saliva and he was turning looking at his back end as though in pain or like it wouldn't work for him.

I had to practically drag him from the kennel (gently) and was saddened to see something was terribly wrong.

He was extremely unsteady on his back legs, like he was drunk and they were giving out on him. All I could think of was a tick but I didn't think we had them around here.

I bought him inside and observed him while I got the kids ready to go to the vet. All the while Whitey sat on the floor and watched. Every now and then he would let out a gentle howl or little cry.

I rushed him down to the vet.

The vet agreed the symptoms resembled that of a tick and one of the first things the vet asked was "Where has he been lately?" I told him no where, just local. I asked if ticks were around here and he said no.

He observed him, took his temp, (normal) checked his eyes etc etc while I chased the 2 kids around the surgery.

He then gave have him a shot of steroids and put him in a cage to stay the day for further observation.

Before we left, he said to me the symptoms were also very similar to distemper but that he had not seen that for years.

(Whitey is up to date with shots too??)

I have to call tonight for an update. (I will go there so I can see Whitey)

I only bought Whitey inside last night and he was fine. Running around playing with the kids and Luki. He fetched the teddy and was his normal self. He ate his dinner ok and was fine when I put him out for bed.

I am really worried for him.

Has anyone seen this before and what did it turn out to be??

[The Ark]

Sounds like some sort of poisoning. Fingers crossed for him k9angel.

[Animal House]

A stroke? Sorry to hear about Whitey, is he old?

Edited August 24, 2010 by Cazablanca

[k9angel]

A stroke? Sorry to hear about Whitey, is he old?

No. He is only 6.

[Animal House]

Hopefully the vet will have some news soon.

[persephone]

;) spider?poison?

Whatever it is, I hope the vets can help.

[~Anne~]

I hope he is ok.

[Nekhbet]

my dogue was the same a few weeks ago, turned out he had put his back out when he went to sleep and got a massive case of sciatica and fluid build up in the lower back. He couldnt walk, was crying and wobbling. Chiro fixed it for $10. Check for stomach and lower back pain ASAP he sounds like he's done something to his leg or back.

[oakway]

Oh boy what a worry.

I know you have discussed it but it sounds so much like a tick.

I can't think of much else with those symtoms.

Good luck with him.

[Tilly]

I am thinking tick or some sort of poisoning ... ticks are really bad in some area and could even be brought in by other animals.

Fingers crossed it isn't something too serious ... some days you just wish dogs could talk so they could tell you what is wrong or what happened

[OSoSwift]

HAve no idea about ticks, bit for here snake bite would be high up, and yes two warmish days are enough to bring them out. The vet hospital usually has a couple bitten over the July August period.

Our old Stafford recently did not want to get out of bed and when he did could barely walk. He does have spinal problems so some degree of wobbliness in his back end is normal. He had a temperature and was dehydrated. Subcutaneous fluids and some antibiotics and fingers crossed he seems to be okay at the moment.

Sending all our get well wishes to your boy

[Adza]

Oh noooo ;)

I am so sorry I really hope he is ok

I never heard of distemper before a virus is it?

Lots of hugs

[k9angel]

It's not looking good.

I just rang the vet and he says he is showing more and more signs of distemper. ;)

He is doing full bloods now and should have most of the results back tommorow.

However this will NOT diagnose distemper - thats a whole other test.

I will go and see Whitey this afternoon. Ross is baffled.

Ive been trying to keep busy all day to keep my mind off it, but I have butterflies and a bad gut feeling. What if he dies overnight? I am so scared....

I have searched the yard high and low for anything that he may of chewed to make him sick. There is nothing. There WAS a small treated pine log that looked to of been chewed but the vet says that is highly unlikely to be the cause.

I can't beieve this is happening.

Althought there is several other dogs in the yard, it still feels empty.

Blacky (his sister) has been doing a deathly howl all day on and off. That frightens me because when I lost my husky boy Claude in 2007, his sister Jay Jay did the same thing. They know when something is wrong.

[Jaxx'sBuddy]

when i was a child in the UK my dog had distemper and survived it so dont loose hope for him.

[persephone]

Yoiks! I haven't seen distemper for about 30 years..I remember the first signs as being fever,gunky, inflamed eyes and nose running, loss of appetite, and just looking really flat.

We used to often lose pups way,way back when... and the few that survived had the post-distemper neurological problems.

Hopefully whatever it is , he will be ok.

So sorry....

[sas]

distempter?! Goodness!

I hope your boy will be ok!

[k9angel]

Yoiks! I haven't seen distemper for about 30 years..I remember the first signs as being fever,gunky, inflamed eyes and nose running, loss of appetite, and just looking really flat.

We used to often lose pups way,way back when... and the few that survived had the post-distemper neurological problems.

Hopefully whatever it is , he will be ok.

So sorry....

I know Pers. That's what the vet said, he hadn't seen it for years.

I was only watching one of those animal police shows the other night on foxtel and they had a case of distemper.

Very sad. I remember thinking Thank Dog for vaccines.

It's a worry when they are sick.

Whitey suffers allergies. He always has. When he starts to show symptoms I have to put ointment in his eyes and give him 1 claratyne a day until it starts to clear, which is usually a few days. He doesn't have it atm but when he gets it, he loses all pigmentation in his nose and it goes pink and crusty. His eyes weep (he has damage to them due to this - he is not blind but does not see aswell as the other dogs - he has a cloudy layer that covers his pupil).

When I mentioned this to the vet he said it sounded more like distemper, however Whitey has had this on and off all his life and was diagnosed with allergies at my other vet??? Ross said if it was distemper it would of only taken 5-6 mths for his eyes to get like that, but theyve been that way since he was a year or so old so it doesn't add up.

[flux]

Just wanted to say good luck, very sad news, but keep your chin up.

[KJ]

Just a thought, a couple of years ago I had a pup with neosporosis When I took her for a consult with an internal medical specialist he said the symptoms very similar to that of distemper.

[becks]

i'd check the back, could have put their back out and the drool was just from being in pain.