Gnarla's Story

[Little Gifts]

Noooooo, we can't let anything bad happen to Bazza! Tell Aunty T, the Queen of Puppies all his symptoms and let's see what the collective knowledge here on DOL can suggest.

[Loving my Oldies]

Oh no!! Poor little Bazza.

Lots of positive and healing vibes headed his way.

[RuralPug]

Best of luck for little Bazza ... Are you able to compare the roof of his mouth (as far as you can see) with that of the other puppies? If there is no obvious abnormality and he is not actually suffering at this stage, I would probably adopt a wait-and-see attitude.

[chezal58]

What exactly are Bazza's symptoms Cheryl?

Does he still have a good appetite and decent energy levels?

What are you feeding him and how (bottle, or semi-solids from a bowl/plate)?

Vets can be wrong...

T.

Thanks everyone. We have all had a good look at Bazza's pallette and it appears normal. He is eating semi solids from a bowl ravenously. He is still suckling but can't hang on for long as he doesn't seem to be able to grip on and suck. He is noticeably smaller than his brothers as well. His breathing is very snuffly and you can hear wheezing in his throat area but not so much in his lungs. The vet said the problem appears to be in the sinus or throat region and his lymph glands are a little swollen. He gets distressed when you touch him in the lymph area as well. The wheezing and snuffling continues even when he is asleep and he does have some bubbles from his nose from time to time. When he had the two wounds to his facial area, he was bleeding from his nose for about 6 hours - not profusely but just a trickle of watery red blood. That was when the first vet gave him the medication that I am still giving him. There is no blood now - just watery discharge from time to time. Any advice is welcome as obviously I am wanting to give him every chance. He does not appear to be suffering but the vet says he suspects his oxygen stats would be way down and he is definitely working harder to breathe than he should.

Edited June 12, 2013 by chezal58

[SchnauzerMax]

What exactly are Bazza's symptoms Cheryl?

Does he still have a good appetite and decent energy levels?

What are you feeding him and how (bottle, or semi-solids from a bowl/plate)?

Vets can be wrong...

T.

Thanks everyone. We have all had a good look at Bazza's pallette and it appears normal. He is eating semi solids from a bowl ravenously. He is still suckling but can't hang on for long as he doesn't seem to be able to grip on and suck. He is noticeably smaller than his brothers as well. His breathing is very snuffly and you can hear wheezing in his thought area but not so much in his lungs. The vet said the problem appears to be in the sinus or throat region and his lymph glands are a little swollen. He gets distressed when you touch him in the lymph area as well. The wheezing and snuffling continues even when he is asleep and he does have some bubbles from his nose from time to time. When he had the two wounds to his facial area, he was bleeding from his nose for about 6 hours - not profusely but just a trickle of watery red blood. That was when the first vet gave him the medication that I am still giving him. There is no blood now - just watery discharge from time to time. Any advice is welcome as obviously I am wanting to give him every chance. He does not appear to be suffering but the vet says he suspects his oxygen stats would be way down and he is definitely working harder to breathe than he should.

Maybe a change of antibiotic? On rare occasions, we have had to try a different type of antibiotic because the usual one (Clavulox?) wasn't doing the trick.

[tdierikx]

Another vote for change of antibiotic here... sounds like he may be a little vociferously snuffling up his tucker, and maybe a little bit is getting snorted up his nose and causing some reaction/infection?

The good sign is that the issue doesn't appear to be with his lungs, and that he's got a good appetite and energy levels - regardless of the fact he's a bit runtier than his siblings.

Does he hold his own when playing with his siblings?

T.

[chezal58]

Yes he plays well and bites and chews away on the other boys as they do with him. I have some other AB's I can try. He has finished the first lot anyway. Just gave last half tablet tonight - he eats really well! I'll just keep trying and helping him with food and wait and see how things develop.

[tdierikx]

Make sure that the AB's are broad spectrum, and the dosage is right for his size/weight.

I have no doubt that your care will have this little man catching up with his sibs soon enough...

T.

[yellowgirl]

I hope little Bazza is doing okay, the poor little mite.

Cheryl, could you send me a PM or an email ([email protected]) please with your vet's details so I can make a donation for your darling mum and bubs with the proceeds from our recent fundraiser. Is your vet okay with a credit card donation to your account over the phone? The fundraiser went pretty well and we sold five of the eight scarves plus another one after it closed but I still want to raise more money for my little group of needies so I'll put my thinking cap on :)

Jo xx

[k9angel]

How's little Bazza going Cheryl? any improvement with the new meds?

And how kind of you Jo, to offer the proceeds of your fundraiser.

Edited June 11, 2013 by k9angel

[chezal58]

I hope little Bazza is doing okay, the poor little mite.

Cheryl, could you send me a PM or an email ([email protected]) please with your vet's details so I can make a donation for your darling mum and bubs with the proceeds from our recent fundraiser. Is your vet okay with a credit card donation to your account over the phone? The fundraiser went pretty well and we sold five of the eight scarves plus another one after it closed but I still want to raise more money for my little group of needies so I'll put my thinking cap on :)

Jo xx

Thank you Jo that is so kind. Vet is Mivet Narrandera. Ph 69592039 and happy to take donation over phone. Speak to Sophie or Marnie.

k9angel - Bazza is not really showing much improvement and I am thinking to let him grow up a bit more - (he's doing well with weight gain and eating Ok) and then get a second opinion. He will be stronger and should be bigger too. :-) Its just a mystery but I am personally not convinced it is congenital like the vet said as he surely would have shown some sign before he got the "bite" wounds to his snout, if he had been born with it. Bazza is getting loads of special treatment and is doing Ok for now. We will continue with the meds until they run out.

[temperamentfirst]

Just a thought - you could try giving him Manuka honey - it has done wonders for my dogs, as it is a natural antibiotic and also helps with fungal and viral conditions. It certainly will not do any harm, and may do a lot of good.

[Dmayma]

Hi Cheza58

I am not a veterinarian, but often, if you noticed something similar to bite wounds and there was a watery bloody discharge, it means there was some kind of trauma. Puppy bones are very soft and I am wondering that, perhaps, there is a small bone fragment puncturing the inside of this puppy's nasal cavity and therefore, causing an infection. If his lymph glands are swollen, it indicates his little body is actually fighting an infection.

If there is a bone fragment actually dislodged and continually puncturing his nasal cavity, the antibiotics will initially work, but the infection will surely return due to what is causing it be left untreated.

You are 100% correct in getting a second opinion. Is it really necessary to anesthetize a young puppy to get X-Rays from his snout?

I think it is wonderful what you did for Gnarla and her puppies. Sadly I don't live close to you, but would like to help you and Bazza. Would you please book an appointment with a second veterinarian (the best you can find) and have little Bazza's face X-Rayed straight away? I'll cover the full cost.

[_PL_]

I agree on second opinion. It could still even be a very tiny hole in his palate that you can't easily see.

Then there's weird things like fungal, nasal mite, botfly, an abscess. He's had some really good care since he came to you but you don't know what he was exposed to before that or if his immune system is what it should be yet.

Get better Baz!

[harley]

Hi Cheza58

I am not a veterinarian, but often, if you noticed something similar to bite wounds and there was a watery bloody discharge, it means there was some kind of trauma. Puppy bones are very soft and I am wondering that, perhaps, there is a small bone fragment puncturing the inside of this puppy's nasal cavity and therefore, causing an infection. If his lymph glands are swollen, it indicates his little body is actually fighting an infection.

If there is a bone fragment actually dislodged and continually puncturing his nasal cavity, the antibiotics will initially work, but the infection will surely return due to what is causing it be left untreated.

You are 100% correct in getting a second opinion. Is it really necessary to anesthetize a young puppy to get X-Rays from his snout?

I think it is wonderful what you did for Gnarla and her puppies. Sadly I don't live close to you, but would like to help you and Bazza. Would you please book an appointment with a second veterinarian (the best you can find) and have little Bazza's face X-Rayed straight away? I'll cover the full cost.

Wow! What a generous offer!

[mita]

Yes, a lovely generous offer & very wise advice.

I don't know if this will help, especially given I'm in Q'ld. But whenever we had any really puzzling problem with our pets & needed a 2nd opinion, we'd take them to the UQ Veterinary Clinic. There were a number of teaching/treating vets there & a puzzling case could become a talking point.

Any clinic like that in Sydney?

Edited June 15, 2013 by mita

[Loving my Oldies]

Plenty in Sydney, but Chezal is back of beyond west of Wagga Wagga.

[raineth]

Hi Cheza58

I am not a veterinarian, but often, if you noticed something similar to bite wounds and there was a watery bloody discharge, it means there was some kind of trauma. Puppy bones are very soft and I am wondering that, perhaps, there is a small bone fragment puncturing the inside of this puppy's nasal cavity and therefore, causing an infection. If his lymph glands are swollen, it indicates his little body is actually fighting an infection.

If there is a bone fragment actually dislodged and continually puncturing his nasal cavity, the antibiotics will initially work, but the infection will surely return due to what is causing it be left untreated.

You are 100% correct in getting a second opinion. Is it really necessary to anesthetize a young puppy to get X-Rays from his snout?

I think it is wonderful what you did for Gnarla and her puppies. Sadly I don't live close to you, but would like to help you and Bazza. Would you please book an appointment with a second veterinarian (the best you can find) and have little Bazza's face X-Rayed straight away? I'll cover the full cost.

Chezal,

I'm in Wagga and the Uni vets here are excellent.

If you would like him to see the uni vets I would happily collect him from yours, take him to the vet and bring him back to you. This might work out with Dmayma's generous offer?

It would have to be Tuesday or later though as I have an exam on Monday.

I can understand if you don't want to, as you don't know me at all, but PM me if you want to take up my offer.

I am in such awe of what you have done for Nala and these puppies :)

[Loving my Oldies]

To the DOLers who are offering assistance for Bazza. Very heartwarming and it would be so good if "nasties" could be ruled out for the little fella.

[mita]

I'm in Wagga and the Uni vets here are excellent.

If you would like him to see the uni vets I would happily collect him from yours, take him to the vet and bring him back to you. This might work out with Dmayma's generous offer?

I know it'll be up to Cheza.... but this sounds so, so good.

As I said, it was to the UQ we headed when there was a puzzling problem .... because of the collaboration, access to specialist research areas & interests in sharing problem-solving with students.

Like our rescue Sheltie had odd eye condition developing which defied local diagnosis. Off to Uni where the examining vet said she thought it might be a rare condition. And, by chance, a vet eye specialist was currently lecturing to students, so she'd pop in & ask him.

Within minutes, our Danny was up on the lectern-table with the specialist asking him why did a fine Scots lad like him have an Irish name. Lovely man put the Sheltie so much at ease. Then with the technology which allowed sharing with the student class, he diagnosed it as a certain rare eye condition. And explained to the class (& us, in the doorway!) treatment options & prognosis.

Edited June 16, 2013 by mita