I've just woken up to discover my 17month old border collie has ripped open an envelope and eaten a packet of immodium! (I buy all my otc medicines online), I was up at 1030 and the post hadn't been so it was some time in the last 3 1/2 hours. I panicked, done a quick google to confirm that imodium (loperamide) is one of the drugs that collies can be sensitive to and phoned the vet. They've given me an appt for 1500, I was hoping to go straight down Their thinking is it's too late to make her vomit so unless she is displaying any signs of poisoning then 3 is fine? So I've spent the last half hour googling some more, I believe there is a test to see if your collie has the mutant gene that causes this sensitivity, but I can't find what form that test takes? Anyone know? Presumably it's a blood test - but is it one your vets can normally do on site? Any help appreciated while I panic!

How far away is the vet ?

If I were you I would go now and sit it the waiting room that way if anything does happen at least they can get her treated straight away :)

I do hope she will be ok :)

Lucy
xx

The Ivermectin sensitivity test is DNA based, so not something your vet can do. It can be done by Optigen or their nominated agents. Not a help to you now, but just for info.

We're almost at 3 o'clock, so I won't offer anything there, except to say hope all is OK and let us know.

M.

thinking of you.fingers xd

Thanks all, so far she's absolutely fine. The vet didn't think there was any benefit in doing the test to see if she has the mutant gene, as we would know either way before the results come back. I've taken an emergency lieu day so am off tonight as she has to have close observation for 24 hours. If she does show any signs she's to go straight down, but really they can only offer fluids etc - there is no cure. If she's fine by 1330 tomorrow then she's in the clear - it's going to be a long night.

I'm so annoyed with myself, she's never touched the mail before, but it's still too big a risk to take - saving £1 on a pack of imodium versus risking my little girls life :(

One of the reasons to tape up your letter box and get an outside mail box or get a letter cage so that dogs are never put at risk from eating free samples of anything put through your door

Indeed.

My brother is at B&Q right now looking for a cage for me to put behind the letter box, a bit like bolting the stable door after the horse has bolted but will stop any similar/further incidents.

{{{hugs}}} for you - get yourself a large whatever you drink - you need it!!!  Dogs!!! Honestly .......you think you have got all avenues covered, that you have done everyone you can, to ensure that they are healthy and safe......:rolleyes:

No 3 son Nik reckons its their way of putting two claws up at us!

Margot

Thanks Margot, Gem has obviously been speaking to Thor, getting tips on how to keep your humans so worried about you they fuss after you all day long :)

Well it's 3am, which is about 13 - 16 hours after ingestion and no side effects as yet. Gem is really peeved with me though, she usually sleeps all night while I'm at work, and I'm waking her up every half hour to check her reflexes etc :rolleyes: :)

All sounding good so far :)  -  even if not for your personal beauty sleep!

Everything here remaining crossed that she's 100% OK and that you get the opportunity to catch up on some much needed R&R soon.

best wishes, Teri :)

Thanks Teri :)  I'm getting lots done inbetween harrassing the little collie - Christmas cards all written, costumes made for agility party on Sunday, hand made sweeties made for everyone in work tomorrow night, all shoes polished etc etc

What on earth are you doing up at this time though? :D

LOL - if I only attempted to organise myself as much as you're doing :rolleyes:  Is Christmas coming :D

I just can't sleep - maybe the inner child in me is excited by Santa's imminent presents, whoops, meant presence :P or maybe I shouldn't have devoured quite as much caffeine.............   hmm, I'm thinking the latter has more to do with it!

Pity we didn't live as neighbours - you could get a night's sleep and I could enjoy harassing the norty theiving pipsqueak :D

lol, I can just imagine shorties face if anyone else were to wake her every half hour and bend her back paw back :D

I had a friend who insisted they were an insomniac- we swapped all the coffee in work and her house for decaf and hey presto - she could sleep :)

Yeah, my OH tried that with me - boy did he live to regret it :D :D :D

lol :D :D

Just starting to think of stretching the girls' legs a bit - they've not been out much this last few days because the weather has been so dang fierce (they don't like the rain :rolleyes: but are partial to swimming in anything bigger than a deep puddle ..... maybe it's fair to say they're weird!)

It's dry now and seems to be wind free(ish).  I've been so good for weeks and now back to late night milling around - sooo boring!  I think we should make CD more international - there's bound to be a fair few American, Australian, Chinese and Indian folks around about now ......   

You might find this interesting Teri, it's a video site of the AKC invitational agility championships, the 24" was won by a british dog - if you click on diesel and maxwell it's an overlay of the collie and terv - shows you just how fast the terv can turn :)

Diesel in the states

They work well together don't they :) :) :)  Thanks for that!

Gonna go now - I'm supposed to be rising early to hit the town!

night, night :)

Night Night, Happy Shopping tomorrow :)