Help! My 6 month old puppy won't eat drink and is very lethargic. i can't figure out what is wrong with him. We live in the country and my cat catches rabbits and squirrel (bird) all the time and sometime the dog eats them. What could be wrong with him?
I adopted a heartworm positive 3.5 pound Pomeranian from a local shelter a little over a week ago. He is an estimated four years old, unneutered, could benefit from a dental and had to have most of his fur shaved off due to matting. He also had lots of scabs from flea infestation and very itchy skin. The skin has improved, but he got very sick a couple of days ago and it was discovered that he had hookworms. He is also underweight (his hip bones stick up in the back) and should maybe be around 4 or 5 pounds. Before we can begin heartworm treatment, he has to recover from this issue. He is making slow improvements with firm stool, but is still vomiting a little despite taking a medication to prevent this. He is making slow improvements with less and less vomiting, but I have noticed a cough he has been having (which I know heartworms cause). This is the one heartworm symptom we have noticed. When the vet listened to his chest he did not hear anything abnormal. The heartworm test read a strong positive. My question is, I know that heartworms don\'t instantly kill a dog, but how quickly do they progress? I know some dogs live for years and years until the worms result in death, but how long is this process normally? He will finish his medications in about five days, but has to repeat the Panacur in 14 days from now (for a length of 3 day). Is it safe to begin the treatment before the Panacur treatment is complete or should we wait to be on the safe side? Can the heartworms kill him or do a substantial amount of damage in two weeks at the stage they are in now?
I have 2 dogs one is a male min-pin chihuahah (spelling?) mix the other is a female beagle basett hound mix. My question is why is my male dog eating my female dogs poop? Is there something I can do to stop him? Thanks
My dog is digging up my plants and trees in the back yard and eating them. HELP
Parvovirus
Is your puppy at risk for Parvovirus?
Parvo is a virus that can survive extreme conditions and live in the soil and environment for years at a time. Parvo is ubiquitous and it is impossible to completely protect your puppy from exposure, but there are many things you can do to limit their exposure to this awful virus. Here is some information that will help give you more insight to this disease and how to protect your pup from getting sick with it.
How do puppies get Parvo?
This virus is hearty, has been in known existence for about 20 + years. It’s hard to disinfect (susceptible to 1:10 bleach solution with water) and it is highly contagious. Bottom line? This disease is everywhere, but can be more prevalent in dog parks, places that house puppies, places where dogs are walked or where they have played. The route of transmission is fecal-oral route. This means a dog has to ingest fecal material from a dog that is infected. This is easier to do than most people think! Remember, this is highly contagious and in most cases, a puppy on need ingest a small portion of infected stool to be exposed. This can happen with a meet and greet interaction between dogs, sniffing and licking rear ends, mouths, sharing water sources. The virus enters through the mouth this way, and can even be as the puppy cleans itself or eats food off the ground or floor. So, you don’t have to see your pup physically eat fecal material to know there is possible exposure. The incubation period is roughly 3-7 days.
Is Parvo only found in puppies?
Puppies are definitely the most common age group found with Parvo. It is rare for an adult dog to be positive for Parvo, but it is possible. Most adult dogs have immunity to this virus because they have been vaccinated as puppies and have a good immune response to this disease. Adult dogs that develop Parvo are usually not current on their vaccines, never received them to begin with or have some decreased immunity due to other disease, such as auto-immune disorders. Puppies that have a few vaccines, but never complete their full vaccination series are still at risk for Parvo. Please see vaccination information below to prevent Parvovirus in your puppy.
Is there a certain time that is more crucial for puppy protection?
Puppies at birth do not have antibodies against disease. They have maternal antibodies they get from their mother that helps protect them initially from disease. They get most of these protective antibodies from nursing their mother’s milk the first few days after they are born. So, why aren’t they protected forever? Gradually, starting around the age of 8-9 weeks, they start to lose these protective antibodies and start making their own. It is critical that you begin booster vaccines on your puppy at this age and continue them every 3 weeks, until they are 16 weeks of age. This is the most critical and susceptible age for Parvo because puppies are at their weakest immunologically, as they are losing maternal antibody production and they are not quite fully protecting themselves yet with their antibodies for vaccination.
We recommend that puppies be restricted from public outdoor areas until their vaccination series is completed at age 16 weeks.
Reducing your puppy’s risk of exposure is the best preventive care along with Parvo vaccines starting at 8-9 weeks or age and given every 3 weeks until they are 16 weeks of age. Please keep in mind that there is about a week somewhere in that time frame in which the puppy has no maternal antibodies and they are not yet responding readily to vaccines.
How does it infect and damage the body?
Parvovirus attacks rapidly dividing cells in the body, which are the lymph nodes, the bone marrow and the gastrointestinal tract. The virus replicates here and then destroys the cells that are needed protection. Parvo basically destroys the immune system that acts to protect the body and it also destroys the gastrointestinal cells that are needed for digestion and protection from other bacteria and toxins. This is where the heaviest damage occurs and sloughing of the GI epithelium occurs, leaving the intestines ulcerated, raw and bleeding, open to infection and toxins. In addition, these pups cannot properly receive nutrients through the digestive tract and lack the energy to fight infection. Parvo usually kills puppies through secondary infection – the virus does the damage to the cells and the body and bacteria kill by invading the body through the gastrointestinal tract and causing sepsis or systemic bacterial infection. These puppies become weak, develop shock and dehydrated from vomiting and diarrhea, cannot absorb nutrients and develop severe infection with no way to fight it. All of these factors combined make this disease deadly.
How do we test for Parvo?
The most common clinical sign for Parvo is vomiting and diarrhea, followed by dehydration and inappetance. There is a simple snap test for Parvo that requires a swab of fresh fecal material from a puppy’s rectum. This test is quick and reliable. Puppies also develop a low white blood cell count and we can test for this with a blood test. These clinical signs with diagnostic results help clinch a diagnosis of parvoviral infection. Also, a veterinarian may choose to monitor white blood cell count or even attempt to artificially raise the white blood cell count in an infected puppy through treatment. It is also important to note that other diseases and secondary complications are possible alongside of initial diagnosis of Parvo. Anemia, or low red blood cells can develop with Parvo puppies and blood transfusions are not uncommon. Intussusception, or telescoping of the intestines is a possible condition that can develop in puppies with Parvo. If this is suspected, abdominal radiographs can be performed. Gastrointestinal parasites can also complicate Parvo disease.
How do we treat it?
All of the factors involved in Parvo make it difficult to treat and it is not an inexpensive treatment. The recommended treatment is hospitalization, IV fluids, supplemental electrolytes, parenteral nutrition, antibiotics, anti-emetics, antacids and anti-ulcerative medications, pain medications and GI protectants. Most pups stay an average of 5 days in hospital and it is not uncommon for treatment to cost several hundred to several thousand dollars. Treatment does not guarantee survival, however, and prognosis must be measured on a day to day, sometimes even hour to hour basis. Treatment for parvoviral infection centers on supportive care. There are no anti-viral drugs that can be used, so we must rely on supportive therapy to help through recovery and depend on the patient’s immune system to fight off infection. This is intense treatment and it is not easy to watch a pet be treated for this awful disease. They are often painful, uncomfortable and feel awful. The first 24-48 hours of treatment are usually the most critical in terms of response. Please also keep in mind that oral medication do no good in this scenario because their GI tract is affected and cannot appropriately absorb what they need. Often, they vomit the medication as well. Intravenously administered antibiotics are the treatment of choice in a hospital, critical care environment.
Home Treatment for Parvo
Home treatment for parvo infection is not preferred when compared to hospitalization and intensive care. With home treatment, mortality rises substantially. However, if financial concerns preclude hospitalization, home care may be the puppy’s only chance for survival. This treatment is around the clock and involves fluids given under the skin, constant cleaning and decontamination. Antibiotic injections are usually given in hospital and antibiotics of some kind are sent home with the owner to administer frequently. This care is very involved for an owner at home and is not recommended over hospitalization. It is rare for a puppy to survive Parvo with at home treatment.
Preventing Parvo Disease
Vaccinating Puppies
As mentioned previously, puppies obtain their immunity from their mother in nursing. This protects them from Parvo, however these maternal antibodies also inactivate vaccine.
So, the hard part is knowing when each individual puppy starts losing these maternal antibiodies and become receptive to vaccination. This age is different for every puppy and is impossible to pinpoint. To get around this, we vaccinate puppies in a series, giving a vaccine every 3 weeks until age 16 weeks. By age 16 weeks, we know that maternal antibodies are gone and vaccine should be effective. Please keep in mind that we cannot wait until 4 months of age to vaccinate, this will not adequately protect your puppy. We recommend beginning vaccinations at 8 weeks of age and continuing boosters every 3 weeks until they are 16 weeks of age.
Vaccinating Adult Dogs
We recommend yearly vaccination for adult dogs against Parvovirus. If the vaccine history is unknown, it is recommend to start with the vaccine and give a booster 3 weeks later, then repeat yearly.
My 6 year old cat was treated for tape worms after I saw rice looking worms on her back side-that was about2 1/2 weeks ago.She had a bloody protruding rectum for at least 2 months previous to being treated and it seems to have gotten worse-it looks like blood was driping out of her-not horribly like shes bleeding inturnaly or any thing-but she keeps licking herself as though she is in pain.What could this be? Could she still have worms or hemmeroids(spell?)I just want your opinion on what I'm dealing with.Thank you for your help
I'll be making an appointment with you to bring in Mojo. He is about 7 years old and about 2 years ago started having very watery diarrhea (no blood) deposited in certain parts of the house where we normally often do not go. He also uses the litter boxes when he has more firm stools. We have multiple cats and 3 huge little boxes. No other cat has this issue.
He has been on prednisone and I believe methisazone with really no positive results. He is virtually impossible to pill or use liquid medicine.
Appreciate your thoughts prior to bringing him in to the good doctor.
So you have some questions about parasites and your pet? That's okay, I'm here to let you know what you need to worry about and what you can relax about.
What most pet owners don't realize is that our pets are exposed to gastrointestinal parasites constantly - they live in the soil, in potted plants, in fecal material, in wildlife (including birds, mice, lizards, etc.) and water sources (even outdoor water bowls, bird baths and ponds). If our pets have exposure, then we, too, have exposure to these microscopic critters...not to mention risk for all pets in the house.
You might be thinking that just because your dog or cat doesn't have diarrhea that they should be parasite free. Not exactly the case. Though common clinical signs for worms and other GI parasites are vomiting and diarrhea, we don't always see these signs with dogs that have parasites. Pets with a higher risk for exposure include dogs that socialize and play with other pets, go to dog parks, hike or camp, dig in the soil.
So, should you run to your vet to get your pet tested? Well, I've certainly given you plenty to worry about, so now let me settle some nerves. Most mild cases of GI parasites are not life threatening, except in the case of young puppies. Extreme cases most always present with clinical signs and you will be able to see a loose stool, at the very least. I definitely see more parasites in dogs than cats, and we screen for some different ones in cats. It is usually adequate to test dogs and cats once a year for GI parasites (as long as they haven't had problems in the past). Dogs that are currently on a heartworm preventive with a dewormer monthly are also less likely to get parasites.And the best news is that for the most part, GI parasites and very treatable with the correct medications.
I always recommend testing puppies, as about 50% of the puppies I test are positive for something. I recommend yearly screenings for other "at risk" pets. If you want to get your dog tested, first ask your vet which parasites are most prevalent in your area. Different areas may require different tests depending on the parasite we are ruling out. A fresh fecal sample is almost always preferred because there is a better chance of recovering parasites. I typically send this sample to the lab to be evaluated for Roundworms, Whipworms, Hookworms, Coccidia and Giardia. Some fecal tests do not test for Giardia, so it is important to make this distinction if Giardia is a common parasite seen in your area.Other fecal tests specifically ignore parasites and look for bacterial overgrowth and have to be run as separate tests. Cats are commonly screened for toxoplasmosis, which is seen routinely in cats and can cause complications with human pregnancy if you are exposed. Tests can range from $30 to $150, depending on which tests your vet recommends.
Other things you should always do to prevent exposure to GI parasites in your pet include washing your hands after handling your pet, using gloves and plastic bags when handling and disposing of fecal material, and trying to refrain from kissing your pet, especially near the mouth and feet. If you are concerned about your pet, talk to your vet about risk factors and what he/she recommends. Let me know if you have any specific questions about fecal testing!
Hello Dr. Spohn, my husband and I took our two pitbull puppies to you a couple of weeks ago. You gave them some shots and heartworm preventative. They are the ones with the cropped ears. Anyways, they both have had a tinge of diarrhea. The male has had a little bit of blood in his. I am wondering if they ate something they shouldn't have since it has been so windy and garbage has been blowing in the yard? We actually found a clothing tag in the boys poop. They are still very active. We have not changed their food or anything. My husband was wondering if there is anything we could do for them at home or if it is serious enough to be looked at by you.
Bernadette Frietze
Hello Dr. Spohn, you have seen my dog Biggie at the Taylor Ranch Vet Clinic. I usually feed him 1/4 cup twice a day. I put hot water and carrots in his morning food and then he just eats dry in the afternoon. Lately, he has had no desire to eat in the afternoon. Sometimes he will eat if I handfeed him or mix hot water in with it. I am just wondering if I am spoiling him. If he doesn't eat, should I just let him skip that meal and not worry about it? Sometimes if he doesn't eat, he will throwup yellow. I am just thinking that he is hot.When I put his dinner down, he hides under the bed. He is still very active and drinking water and eating his breakfast. By the way, he is a Shih Tzu and he is 4 years old.
Thank You!
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Questions Answered By:
Dr. Lauryn Spohn, DVM
