Wondered if anyone can help or shed any light on this situation.  A bitch came to stay to be mated, she was here for a week, and we got 3 succesful matings/ties.  She is normally a very livley, outgoing bitch, and very greedy.  Whilst here she was very reluctant to eat, and had to be tempted, completely refusing her usual complete food, even turnig down chicken.  After 2 days (making sure she kept her fluid intake up) she decided she liked Caesar trays, but was only taking half per feed (making 1 per day).  Discussed this with owner and we both put it down to her making a statement about being away from home.  She seemed very happy, fitted in with the other pugs, had cuddle and lap sitting on the sofa, all in all a great visit.  I returned her to her home on Thursday, and Friday a worried owner reported she had vomited, and later in the day had refused a second meal.  I thought it might have been because she had bolted down a big feed after a week of light meals.  Saturday no more vomiting, but rather runny poo, this too cleared up in the course of the day, but she still did not "seem herself".  This morning she was eating fine, no other symptoms, but by this afternoon has been shaking, is not her usual lively self with either humans or other dogs, and has woken up with some facial twitches (which stopped), and after her evening feed was wobbly and losing her balance.  I am at a loss what to tell her owner, apart form agreeing that a phone call to emergency vet to get opinion is a good idea.

Has anyone experienced anything like this?  My bunch are all absolutely fine, so not a case of a bug.  Any ideas much appreciated.

Shaking or wobbling in a bitch is not a good sign, get her to the VETS ASAP.  Could be pyometra (an infection of the wound) she may have had it before coming to you hence the food refusal.  If she is not leaking any foul smelling discharge then it is a close pyometra which can be worse as it is harder to spot, it can be fatal if left untreated.

Apart from that dehydration from vomiting is the only other thing I can think of, but even then I would have her to the vets anyway.

Let us all know how it goes.

Emma

Thanks for the response.  The owners have her at the vets first thing in the morning.  The symptoms are not at all like Pyo.  She has no temperature, no discharge, no abdominal discomfort.  She is now eating and drinking normally, it was only while with me she was extremely picky about food.  The vet has said she thinks it may be neurological, but if she is eating and drinking fine then no immediate reason to panic.
It was straight after eating that she became wobbly, so wonder if having her head down made her dizzy?

Gwen this may sound silly, but is the bitch used to travelling? If not then she could have been suffering from travel sickness, made worse by the fact that she was left without her owner out of her own territory. The not eating and then vomiting when returning home could be lack of food followed by a good healty meal ;-) Her stomach may have decided it wan't ready for such a big meal after a few days of not eating very much.

Hope it's nothing too serious and things turn out ok.

Heard from her owner this morning, she had to take her to the vets in the early hours of the morning as she was experience breathing difficulties.  Vet has kept her in for blood tests, confirmed problem is Neurological, coudl have been triggered by sudden rush of hormones due to season/mating.  Has reassured owner it is only mild, but treatment will probably result in losing the litters (if she took to the mating).  Of course, the first priority has to be the bitch.  She is going home this afternoon.

Hi Gwen,

I can't help with what the problem could be, the vets is the only option, just my own thoughts though at first it sounded a little like the bitch may have been homesick, dogs often will get along with others but still miss their owner and main carer and that shows generally through eating habits, I used to have the stud dog I use come and stay for a week but I always had his owner come and stay too, my own opinion is that dog and bitch should be as relaxed and natural as possible, away from her owner for a week may very well have unsettled her, and being thrown into a pack that she does not live with even with lots of cuddles from yourself still does not make up for her owner being there and may well have caused unsettlement.

Often when dogs come out of kennels their behavior can be usettled for a few days/weeks, that can show in all different ways. My girl will generally vomit a week after mating just the once, she has always done that it is my early sign that she has taken, that part may be the same with this little girl too, it's the shaking that worries me.

Hope that she is well, but perhaps if she is to be mated again/or if she is not in pup having her owner stay too might have a different reaction.

Fingers crossed it is nothing serious. :-)

P.S. Sorry Gwen, my computer must have needed a refresh with the updates, they weren't there a moment ago, decided to keep my post in anyway as you received it and would probably wonder where my post had gone.  Poor girl, hope that she is ok.

Yes definately best for her to go home, its not a condition I have come across before.

Emma

Hi again,
A quick update, and some clarification - first of all, she is at home, apart form the picky eating, all the symptoms occurred about 24 hours after going home.  She has now seen 4 different vets in about the last 18 hours, and has been returned home.  At the lowest point  (at the vets) she was noted to have no sight in her right eye, and was very wobbly and walking in a circle before settign off in any direction.  She is now back at home and much better - although the staff at the  vets told her owner she was bright, waggy tailed and friendly, even when wobbling!  The vets have are almost certain it is Neurological, with one agreeing with my suggestion that a hormone surge could have triggered off something.  The last vet tonight suggested it might be Menengitis (I had no idea dogs could get it) but said it was not viral.  They have all said whatever it is is mild, and the chances are it will fix itself as quickly as it came on.

Her owner has noted that she is almost back to her normal bright self, eating and toilet duties still normal, she is still a bit wobbly but no longer doing circles, owner does not want to hassle her more tonight by checking eye sight.  So it looks like she is on road to recovery - although why the vet has sent her home with antibiotics is anyones guess!  It has been a terrifying experience (even more for her owner) and still no idea why or what really happened. 

Thanks for all the input from everyone

wondering if it could be anxiety/excitment related ...symptoms sound similar to eics exercise induced collapse syndrome , where the dog gets over excited, excessive panting then becomes dizzy and wobbly (they stagger as if drunk) the eyes go a bit glazed  once they have had a drink and cooled off they can be back to normal in half an hour then look as if nothing happened.

I realise the girl hadnt been exercising and the breed isnt one known to suffer with this it is normally a Labrador/shepherd/collie  working type breed type but the symptoms sound similar.Of which there is no treatment .

Just a thought.

Roni

Another update, after 24 hours or rapid improvement, no wobbling, sight returned, her owner was ecstatic, then today she went down hill again, back at vets, and they are almost sure it is non bacterial meningitis.  Just pray ti is the sort which responds well to steroids.  Praying for her.

Poor thing :-( I hope she recovers from it. I've only heard of one dog that has had meningitis and he recovered, but don't know any more details.

When people have meningitis they tend to give AB's to anyone who had been in close contact with them. Is it the same for dogs? Just curious.

Sorry to read this, poor wee thing ,hope she recovers.Praying for her.

>

> When people have meningitis they tend to give AB's to anyone who had been in close contact with them. Is it the same for dogs? Just curious.

Apparently meningitis in dogs can be 1 of 3 forms - viral, bacterial or "steriod responsive".  The cause of the steriod responsive type is not bacterial (so ABs non effective) or viral - it is just known to respond to steriod treatment (hence the name).  Apparenlty there is a very good chance of recovery if large enough doses of steriod are given as quickly as possible, so here's hoping .  (Wish there was smiley face for fingers crossed and praying hands!)

Hi Gwen,

I have a young dog with non bacterial meningitis, infortunately quite a bad case which he has had from 14 weeks old he is almost 18 month old now and stil has it! He was orginally treated with steriods which did not work so is having 6 months of chemo treatment. Most dogs respond to steriods so I think this little girl will recover well, will be crossing fingers. If you need anymore information on SRM please let me know as I know a speicalist vet who has been fantastic.

Gwen, fingers crossed for the little girl - hope she makes a speedy recovery.

Bertbeagle, without trying to hijack this thread (I guess it is still kind of on topic though) - is meningitis particularly common in Beagles? Just wondering as my friend has a Beagle who got meningitis at quite a young age.

Hi Alice,

Yes, SRM is also commonly known as Beagle Pain Syndrome. For some reason it seems to effect beagles more than other breeds, however many other breeds do suffer from it. Could I ask you a massive favour, the Animal Health Trust are currently conducting research into SRM in Beagles and we need as many samples of infected dogs as possible, do you think your friend would mind providing a blood sample and vet treatment history. It would really help and I can email you the forms she will need to complete, it does not take long and would be so helpful. Really appreciate it.

Many thanks :)

P.S If your friend would like anymore information or advice please feel free to pm me and I will email you my email address.

Hi, of course I will ask her, I am sure she will be happy to help.  Just heard from her today, Minnie is still eating fine, but is moving with a very stiff, stilted gait, however vision is back OK.  I am a bit confused by the cocktail of drugs she is on - I understand the prednisolone, but then she is on 2 different antibiotics, and 2 drugs (Zantac and 1 other) for the treatment of stomach ulcers.  This has been such an up and down week, one minute good news about her, the next bad, I can only imagine how her owner must be feeling

> (Zantac and 1 other) for the treatment of stomach ulcers.

These are commonly given with antibiotics to counteract the nausea that they can cause.  Perhaps the antibiotics are to cover any possibility of a bacterial element.  I am not sure how definative veterinary diagnosis of this would be.  Do they do a lumber puncture?

My boy has had two spinal taps and will have another at the end of the chemo (this is really the only way to confirm it is actually SRM).

> These are commonly given with antibiotics to counteract the nausea that they can cause.

I wondered if that was the reason.  Waiting for an update from her owner to see what way forward, they are disucssing MRI, Lumber puncture etc.

Bertbeagle, thank you for that info. I have sent you a PM with my friend's email address details. Good luck with the research :-)

"(Zantac and 1 other) for the treatment of stomach ulcers"

Fingers crossed here for the little girls recovery!
Just thought I'd add that Zantac is given with orally administerd cortisone (ie Prednisone in this case)  because the cortisone can cause ulcerations in the stomach tissue. So it's important to give both to the dog, as long as the cortisone treatment lasts.