gretchen,
What color are her gums?
Have you noticed any circling when she does try to walk?
Does she have a head tilt?
Do her eyes move in an odd side to side manner?
Does she want to eat?
Does she try and get up?
Can she get into anything around your house or yard?
Is anyone missing any medications?
Dr. M
Dark and gray. They are usually pink and mostly pink
No circling
A slight head tilt but no exagerated
She will eat meat, scrambled egg
She can get up but just stand still a bit and then she will walk through the house
Some type of wild mushroom comes up in our yard and she will eat them...this has been going on times several weeks. I pull them up but the come back
No meds missing - that was one of my thougts
Gretchen,
What size are her pupils?
Can you feel her heart rate? Slow or fast or normal?
What do you think of the color of her tongue?
Pupils seem normal. Change size when I put her under a light. Seem to enlarge when there is less light shining in her eyes
I would say heart rate is a little fast;
Her tongue seems to be on the pink side...about the same color as her sister who is not sick
Mushroom toxicity usually presents with small pupils, and slow heart rate, drooling and many gastro intestinal effects.
The other disease I was hoping to pin point for your dog would be idiopathic vestibular disease (inner ear inflammation). But her symptoms do not fit this either.
She is young for a stroke and these are very rare in dogs.
With the fact that you do see a change in her gum color away from the normal pink I would consider taking her in tonight versus waiting until tomorrow morning.
I would worry about an Addisons crisis--this is a metabolic imbalance that can lead to a heart attack.
There are so many possibilites at this point and it is true she may be OK until tomorrow but I would want to guarantee that.
Sorry if I left you with more questions than answers.
If I can try and answer anything else please let me know.
Not sure which way to go. She has been about the same for the past 2 days..no worst.
She rest comfortable and when she falls asleep, her breathing seems to slow down a bit. Any last thoughts to help me decide on ER now or Vet first thing in the AM
If she can rest comfortably and is not vomiting or having diarrhea (therefore not becoming dehydrated) then you may be ok to wait.
Watch for distress (cannot sleep, cannot get comfortable, breathing erratically -continuously), a change in her tongue color different from your other dog, erratic heart rate. If any of these start then take her in.
I have to agree that if she doesn't have a change for the worse then it is probably fine to wait until tomorrow first thing.
Ok. she is resting comfortable, is not vomiting or diarrhea (stools are solid and good), urinating, drinking water. Breating is same X's two days at least...no change to the worst. Does not appear distressed, seems comfortable and sleeps easily. The only things that makes me hesitate is her gum color but that does not appear to be worstening. I will watch her closely and go to ER if she appears to go south.
Thanks a million for your compassion for pets and animals. God created dogs, He loves them because He created them and He loves people who care for His creations.
Brad Bradshaw
John 3:16
Hope everything turns out well tomorrow for you both.
I would highlight the whole document and then go under the File tab. Go to print and when the print menu comes up pick "print selection". This should print everything you have highlighted.
Dog Veterinarian
12yrs as veterinarian