Hi, this is my first post, really hope you can offer some opinions/advice.
It started thursday, our 6 yr old GSD seemed a bit quiter than usual and more clingy, she had come into season that day so put it down to that. Friday around 11am she vomited 4 times and started drooling.  We rang the vets up and got the 1st emergency appointment available at 2pm.  As we were worried we arrived at the vets whilst they were still at lunch and sat with Shadow in the car, at which point her breathing appeared to get more laboured and louder.

When examined she had a temperature of 40.3 and had an elevated heart rate.  The vet suspected Pyometra and kept her in. We then got a phone call friday night that she had aspirated and had pneumonia.  She was put on fluids and 4 different medications, her prognosis at this pointed is guarded.  She was xrayed which showed gas in her gut but not localised so that did not indicate a blockage and her uterus looks ok but they still have not ruled this out, her lungs were full of fluid. 
Whilst examining her under sedation they found a hole at he back of her throat where one of her tonsils should have been, and a lump under her neck.  They now suspect an abscess which could be draining into her lungs,  cancer has been mentioned she is too poorly to be anesthetized for them to biopsy and they favour the abscess diagnosis more.  We visited Shadow yesterday and the vet showed me the lump its not very big and it is in the same area as the hole inside but it feels hard and I could get my fingers around it, I didnt expect that with an abscess. The vets have manged to get a small amount of puss out of the middle of the lump but not a huge amount.  The annoying thing is we have never noticed it before, she has a very thick coat and I honestly don't know if its been there a week or a month, she has given no indication that she had any pain in her mouth and appetite, which has always been big, has never changed.

Whilst there yesterday the vet took more bloods, her white cells were not as high as the vet expected them to be, her electrolytes are fine but her albimum was very low, and they are now worried about odema on her legs developing. She has been on fluids in the hospital since Friday, her heart rate is still elevated as is her temperature, although not like they were and she vomited sunday morning after eating (her appetite still has not left her),although she is very weak.  She is urinating but not pooed whilst at the vets.

Does this sound like an abscess to you? She's having more xrays today on her abdomen and lungs, can you suggest any other tests I should be asking for? Has anybody had any experiences of pneumonia. What concerns me is that a healthy adult dog should not get it, in her 6 years she has never been to the vets for any illness. Would an abscess be enough to make her susceptible to aspiration pneumonia. Also upsetting that although the vet have theories they still don't know the cause, at the moment it could still be a blockage, abscess, cancer, pyo or something totally different. We have however been told that should her underlying condition require immediate surgery then she would not survive the anesthetic.

Thank you for reading, sorry its so long!

Can't offer any diagnoses that is the job of the vets and even they are having to do tests but that is to be expected.

On the positive side the high temperature would lead one to suspect infection rather than cancer unless there is more than one cause for her ill health.

Does sound as if there is an improvement with the treatment the vet is giving so we can only hope that this continues so that any treatment required can be safely given.

My best wishes to you and you girl.

So sorry your dog is so ill.

The raised heart rate is normal with a raised temp. She has either aspirated food or pus from the abscess,possibly whilst/following being sedated. They only need a small amount from the abcess to check for bacteria or anything else that shouldn't be there.

Her bowels may have slowed down due to lack of exercise, the vets should be monitoring that this doesn't go on too long especially if she is eating normally.

The vets seem to be on top of the investigations so you just need to be patient and wait for results and what they together indicate what is going on.

Hope she is much better soon.

cant really add anything just (((hugs)))

Thanks for the well wishes.

I've just had an update from the vets, Shadow's temperature has risen again and she is no longer eating, on the plus side her breathing has improved enough for them to consider a GA in a couple of days to try and aspirate some fluid and remove the lump, (they're not sure what they will actually be doing until they open the lump up) which may or may not now be an abscessed lymph node. They did try to xray her head today to see if she has any foreign objects in the lump to cause the problems but she would not stay still enough under sedation, they are also going to xray her chest again tomorrow.  I do have one concern, she has had a sedation every day since friday and will be having another tomorrow, can this be doing her any good?
The vet has said we can visit her again in the morning to see if we can tempt her to eat with some treats from home, so fingers crossed familiar faces will cheer her up.

Foxy I think this is one of those cases where you have to put your trust in the vet, because there just isn't time to research every development and give feedback to them. You just have to hope that you have a good vet and that she is in good hands.

It is very worrying to know there is so little you can do, but wait.  I hope things get better soon, it sounds awfully sudden and a real shock.

Hi Foxy111,

Very sorry to hear about Shadow, vets are doing what they normally do giving a large list of possibles, truth is they don't know until they open her up what they will find and often it may not have even been something on the list. (The abscess may be a side problem, but still needs putting right regardless) The medication she is being given which generally cures a full range of illness is obviously helping to get her to the stage of a GA so as others have said that is really good. :-)

Not eating probably is because she is unhappy at the vets and missing home, so yes make sure you visit as much as you can, if they have no-one there on a night (many vets do not have night staff) ask if she can come home and stay with you for the night and come back early in the morning. (Did this with one of my mum's dogs he came home with tubes sticking out of him etc, but he ate and was happier to sleep with her watching over him rather than fretting alone at the vets)

Don't feel guilty that you did not spot anything due to her coat, it is hard with thick coated dogs, though it is good to run your hands over her daily to check for lumps etc make it part of your routine now, and of course a groomer is an invaluable friend for checking her over too.

Keep us informed and hope that all goes well with her and she will soon be improving every day, all will hopefully come clear once she is opened up.

Hi Foxy,
I had a gsd aged 5 with pneumonia, she went down overnight. In the morning she wouldn't get out of her bed for a walk which was unheard of. I took her straight down the vets where they told me it was pneumonia. She had a high fever, awful noises from the chest with laboured breathing and would not eat ( due to the fever) She had antibiotics and bed rest and 2 weeks later she was nearly back to normal, she just tired easily, so she only had short walks for a while. If she has this PLUS the abscess she will feel really poorly. Fingers crossed that she recovers quickly and big hugs to you both

hugs and best wishes from me,too.

(((hugs)) hope all is ok

Big hugs from me too and I do hope she is now improving.
Snowflake xxxxxx

Thanks for all your support xx
Vets have been in touch a couple of times today, they asked for permission to operate as Shadows condition is not improving. Her temperature is still raised, the lump has grown and she is still not eating. The plan was to repair the hole in her throat and remove the lump.  She was given a GA but in the end they did nothing except look at the hole, as it was granulating ok they didn't stitch it. They didn't touch the lump as it involves her lymph glands so difficult to remove. Got to be honest I feel a little down about it all, she had a GA, not to mention the added expense for them to look at her throat which they have been doing whilst she's been awake all week.
Have asked about caring for her at home at night as she is alone at the vets, but they won't let us until she is off the drip and they won't take her off the drip until she eats. So we are over their tomorrow now with food to tempt her, as we couldn't do it today because of the GA.
Fingers crossed she will eat so we can get her home. 

I would get her transferred to a vet hospital as she shouldn't be left on her own. She is your dog and they cannot tell you she can't leave. Ring around and see if you can fine somebody else to take her and get her transferred.

I hope you get things sorted as can imagine how worried you are :-(

I agree,no animal should be left alone all night at the vets when poorly,hope you can sort somthing out,fingers crossed for her.

Sheila

She shouldn't be on her own at night when you're paying!  Think I'd rather take the chance and just give her TLC at home rather than her be pulled about. :(

Ask to have her referred, a specialist would be far better at a time like this. Vets are usually wonderful, but sometimes you need someone with that extra knowledge to help a sick dog

I agree, I am starting to get a bit concerned about your vet now...  If they are not making progress and it is a complicated case, she should be at a specialist hospital.  After so many procedures, all week, and little rest, she is going to start getting weaker and be an even worse case for a GA then. 

She is your dog, not theirs, and you have the right to seek treatment wherever you like.  What area do you live in?  Someone here may know of a well equipped vet hospital in the area. 

Speak to your vet asap and insist STRONGLY on a referral to a vet hospital.

I would not leave a dog of mine alone, scared, and dangerously unwell.  It breaks my heart to imagine it.  :(

What area are you Foxy?

Hi, we're in Norfolk.  I have a lot of faith in my usual vet the senior practice owner. At the moment we appear to only be dealing with 2 young newly graduated   vets.  We are there this morning to see if she will eat and I will ask for him to come and talk to me and get his opinion, if I'm not happy with that then we will have to get her moved. I am quite confident that we will get her to eat, as she is very attached to myself and my daughter, we have some royal canin starter mousse and some boiled chicken and fish to try. Was also thinking about taking some goats milk to get her to drink is this a good idea?

If you have confidence in your regular vet then I think you have reached the stage where you demand to be dealt with by him. It is your dog, it is your money, it is your right.

If you are not happy with the treatment Shadow is receiving from the newer vets, that is going to make you feel more upset and that doesn't help for when it comes to you caring for your dog. New vets have to gain experience but it doesn't have to be on your dog. It doesn't need to be done confrontationally, just be determined and say you want to see your regular vet. I've had cause to do this in my own practice recently, it wasn't immediately liked, specially as the vets concerned I've known and trusted for years. But, I wanted the person who started dealing with us on a particular issue and I wasn't budging til I got her. They all still talk to me and they're still happy to have my custom. At times of illness you need to have confidence in the people treating your precious ones.

I do hope she starts to improve.

Dick White Referrals are amazing and they cover Norfolk. I am just going to collect my dog from there after requesting a referral from my local vets as I did not want the trial and error medication that was being offered. Best thing I could have done.

Hi Foxy

Too far away for me to be of help, but I do agree with others that it's your choice of vet.  As Trialist points out, it's your money. 

My practice get a lot out of me financially, so don't want to lose my custom.  They may not like it when I insist who and what I want, but they have to smile and say yes. 

I don't see what harm it would do for her to have some warm goats milk - I would tempt with anything that makes her happy.   Good Luck and sending positive vibes.

Jean

I would be DEMANDING something to be done.  Your poor dog has put up with enough from the younger vets, it's time the partner/senior vet took over and got her well again.  And TBH, considering it's taken so long, I would not trust that vet at all.

My poor old girl had an appointment to be PTS after a long illness.  I knew it was time and we had all said our goodbyes so off we went to the vet.  When we got there, my usual vet was out and I had a newly trained vet taking my appointment.  Well, she completely messed it up and without going into very upsetting details, my dog started to suffer so much, that I stormed out the vet with her.  I was so upset. 
My own vet came to our house later that day and when she was eventually PTS, it was easy and peaceful but I will never let 'new' vets 'practice' on my animals at all.  That vet left the practice not long after that(thankfully).  She did phone to apologise but I couldn't accept it.  How could she mess up something so simple?
Just because they are qualified, doesn't mean they know best.  Sometimes TLC cures better than anything.
And like my doctor always says, "Nothing compares with instinct".

>How could she mess up something so simple?

It's only simple if you're not trying to take care. I've seen how difficult it can be to find a strong enough vein in an elderly or sick animal whose blood pressure is low and veins fragile. It's distressing for everyone, including the vet who, despite what we feel at the time, isn't making a hash of it deliberately.

Had similar with my 2 year old with a new vet taking bloods.  My poor girl was there for an hour whilst she messed about trying to get blood out of her neck, legs everywhere.  Thankfully Poppy was fantastic and sat there all that time.  I did get annoyed and said that I wanted to leave but she eventually did it.  Poor Poppy is now called by my friends Poppy Pincushion!

No vet [or Dr for that matter] should do more than 3 attempt without getting help, all they are doing is ruining the available options for the next persons attempts as well as distressing the patient.

Hi, thanks for all the advice. We went to visit Shadow to day who was so happy to see us, she ate everything we offered her like she hadn't eaten for a week, boiled chicken and warm fish poached in goats milk. She ate so well we had to slow her as she was rushing.  The senior vet saw her and agreed that being at home was the best thing for her and we brought her home there and then.  She has been sent home with a 2 weeks supply of Metacam, Synulox, Baytril and Metronidazole. I suspect that we are not finished with tests, the lump is still there and she has developed a head tilt now due they think to the infection moving to the inner ear, but at the moment i'm just happy to have her home and get her over the pneumonia and hopefully the cocktail of drugs she's on will sort out everything else. She also had her first poo since thursday as soon as she got home. Think she may have been shy at the vets!
I will keep updating on her progress, she's due for a check up after the weekend so fingers crossed for some good news x

Hi there, so sorry to hear what you and your girl have been through (I've got 2 precious dogs at the vets as I write). I really hope she's on the up soon.  Just in case you may be interested, I've heard great things about the vet, Roger Bannock at Taverham vets near Norwich I think?  I'm in Suffolk. Really hope you have a turn of fortune soon but glad you have her home x

i hope your dogs are ok,too.

So pleased to hear she is home, she should come on in leaps and bounds surrounded by familiar things and her family.

Great news Foxy.  Do come back and let us know how well things go as her meds kick in.

Aaaw that's great news- hope all this will be behind her soon :-)

So glad she's home, I bet you and her feel much better already!

Just a little update, Shadow is eating well and her pneumonia has improved, her breathing is better all she does now is a loud retch/cough occasionally.  She still has a the lump and head tilt and is very unsteady, often falling over but hopefully that will improve soon as its heartbreaking watching her struggling to stay on her feet.  Shes back at the vets on tuesday so hopefully they will shed some light on it.

Thanks for the update.  Fingers x'd here for Shadow.

She is obviously happy being back at home.

I hope she continues to improve :-)