JustAnswer > Pet
Ask A Question|Register|Login|Help
JustAnswer

Pet

Ask a Pet Question, Get an Answer ASAP!

Have your own Pet question?

13 Vets and Pet Experts are Online Now
characters left:
Not a Pet Question?

Related Pet Topics:

  • Dog
  • ,
  • Eat
  • ,
  • Low
  • ,
  • Lay
  • ,
  • Lot
  • ,
  • Vet
  • ,
  • Top
  • ,
  • Back
  • ,
  • Dogs
  • ,
  • Dose
Bookmark and Share

Question

Hello, My dog (Champ) a 11 yr. old Labrador had what appeared to be some kind of seizure on Monday. I was out of town and took him to a Vet. there that we have used before. His blood work came back good with the exception of his Thyroid not producing quite as it should and a supplement was suggested. Since the episode he won't hardly eat anything I've tried to give him and will only drink a little vitamin milk for puppies. All he wants to do is be near me and lay with his head down. He has no fever or vomiting or diarrhea, however his stool seems very black on the outside. Can you give me any idea of what I can do or try to help him? Up until now he has been a very healthy working dog. Thank you in advance for any help you can provide. Nelson Sjogren.

Submitted: 303 days and 12 hours ago.
Category: Pet
Value: $15
Status: CLOSED
+
Read More

Optional Information

Age: 11; Male; Breed: Dog /Labrador

Already Tried:
Giving him puppy vitamin milk and I can only get him to eat a little ham or turkey. Keeping him inside and trying to make him comfortable.

Accepted Answer

The thyroid supplementation may help him.

Seizures can be triggered by a low thyroid level and typically dogs with a low thyroid are lethargic, not eating well, but stay heavy. You can read about thyroid issues here

http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_hypothyroidism.html

 

Another possibility, as you are seeing dark stool, is that he has an ulcer or other cause of bleeding in the upper gastro intestinal tract leading to his lethargy, unwillingness to eat, and might have triggered a seizure like episode if he was in a lot of pain or if he lost blood making him suddenly weak.

I'd make sure your vet knows about the dark stools.

 

An over the counter med you might try for stomach upset would be Pepcid or Tagamet or Zantac.

Be sure to tell the vet when you see them if you use any of these.

You can read about dose amounts (and cautions) scrolling down on the pages here

http://www.petplace.com/drug-library/cimetidine-hcl-tagamet/page1.aspx

http://www.petplace.com/drug-library/famotidine-pepcid/page1.aspx

http://www.petplace.com/drug-library/ranitidine-hcl-zantac/page1.aspx

these are also used for ulcer issues.

 

If that helps then you can see if some bland food and plain pedialyte added to the water bowl will help.

I would suggest trying boiled chicken meat or hamburger with the fat drained off, mixed with really well cooked rice in a ratio of 1/3 meat to 2/3 rice to see if that works. It's not a balanced diet but OK to use for a few meals while working on controlling digestive upset.

 

However better than home care would be getting back with your vet about the refusal to eat and the dark stools and that would be my top suggestion.

 

Hope this helps you!

Picture
Expert: NancyH
Pos. Feedback: 99.5 %
Accepts: 
Answered: 1/23/2009

Pet Health Care, Rescue,Train,Breed

30+yrs pet vet care & nursing, rescue, behavior & training, responsible breeding, small animal care

+
Read More

Related Pet Questions

  • We have a white capped pionus that we have had for ...
  • I just found a small yellow parakeet----looks like a baby .....
  • She is staying 'puffed' out most of the time.
  • How should I treat a ringworm in lab pup's ear?
  • what is clavamox used for?
  • How often do you have to buy food for your horse?
  • When caring for wild birds, what is "baiting"?
  • I have a cow that just had a calf and the calf is not ...



Disclaimer: Information in questions, answers, and other posts on this site ("Posts") comes from individual users, not JustAnswer; JustAnswer is not responsible for Posts. Posts are for general information, are not intended to substitute for informed professional advice (medical, legal, veterinary, financial, etc.), or to establish a professional-client relationship. The site and services are provided "as is" with no warranty or representations by JustAnswer regarding the qualifications of Experts. To see what credentials have been verified by a third-party service, please click on the "Verified" symbol in some Experts' profiles. JustAnswer is not intended or designed for EMERGENCY questions which should be directed immediately by telephone or in-person to qualified professionals.
Question List | Become an Expert | Terms of Service | Security & Privacy | About Us
© 2003-2009 JustAnswer Corp.