HELP We have a female collie that very suddenly stopped eating. She tries to urinate but very little comes out, just a sprinkle. Her hind quarters skake when she tries. She is 7 years old. I took her to the vet yesterday and they checked her urine and gave me antibiotics for a bladder infection. It looks like there is now blood in the urine. Called the vet back but they have left for the day and there is no answer at their home phone. She went off away from the house did not come when I called her which is very unusual. I finally found her way outside the yard in a nest she had made in tall grass. She doesn't act at all like her normal self. Is there anything else I should be doing? I'm worried that she is sicker than the vet thought. This is the second day she has not eaten and now shows no interest in water. I couldn't even get her to eat strips of ham which is her favorite.

-- Frank (fhill@absolute-net.com), October 20, 2001

Answers

I'm so sorry Frank. I don't have an answer. Has she started eating again? I would think that would be a good sign. Maybe the antibiotics haven't kicked in yet. I hope someone else here will be able to help.

-- rick K (rick@notmail.com), October 20, 2001.

It does sound like a bladder infection. The antibiotics may have upset her stomach a bit, so you may have to tempt her with something very aromatic. You might try a little boiled hamburger and boiled rice. The boiling cooks out most of the fat, which could upset her even more. Give it warm, not hot. You can also force a little water with a syringe (needle removed) or turkey baster. Hold her head up, place syringe or baster in corner of mouth and slowly introduce water. The upright angle of head will allow it to run down her throat and she will swallow instinctively. If it's cold where you are, bring her in from her nest, otherwise let her stay. It's where she's comfortable. At this point, the water and antibiotic is more important than food. She will survive the remainder of weekend without food, but could dehydrate. Believe me, a bladder infection is no fun for man nor beast. She's probably miserable and just needs time for the meds to kick in.

-- melina b. (goatgalmjb1@hotmail.com), October 20, 2001.

How many doses of antibiotic did she get in her ? It takes 24 hours to really start working .In the mean time get some plain yogurt and give her some ,put it in her mouth if you have to .This will help her stomach.Antibiotics dont know good from bad so it kill all bacteria.

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), October 20, 2001.

First let me say a heart-felt thank you to all those who took the time to answer with much needed advice. It's good to know that someone is out there that cares. I think I was beginning to panic. She wouldn't have anything to do with the boiled hamburger and rice, even when I put real small pieces in her mouth. It's not cold here in daylight but it will be tonight. She got 2 doses of the antibiotic in her so far. The vet said to give her 1 pill per day. The turkey baster idea worked! I managed to get about 1/4 cup in her in about 10 little drinks. After that she decided that wasn't so bad and drank a little from her bowl on her own. I'll get some yogurt tonight and try that. Once again, thank you Rick, Melina and Patty. I'll update with her condition.

-- Frank (fhill@absolute-net.com), October 20, 2001.

Did they run a blood test to check her kidneys? hope she feels better.

-- kathy h (ckhart55@earthlink.net), October 20, 2001.

Frank, antibiotics kill all bacteria, even the good kind that are normal and desirable in the digestion system, to replace them use acidophillias milk, found in larger store dairy cases, normally in the 2% milk. As a past victum of food poisioning, the joint pain is excessive, moving is allmost total torture. Carry the dog to a warm place, install the acidophillias milk by what ever means necessary. The yogurt will do the same thing, the milk was designed to do it quicker....

-- mitch hearn (moopups@citlink.net), October 20, 2001.

I see 1-2 bladder infections a week and it is unusual for your dog to go off feed from just a simple infection. Not impossible of course, but unusual. Another thing to worry about would be the possibility that she is trying to pass a bladder stone and it has lodged in her urethra. This is VERY rare but it does happen and would make her very ill over a 24 hour period. Watch her the next time she urinates to see if she is passing anything at all. However, it can be hard to differentiate the straining of a blocked dog from one that has an empty,irritated bladder. Sometimes you can feel an enlarged bladder in her stomach. The fact that you got her to take some liquids is encouraging but if she continues to go downhill, I would call your vet again and have her re-checked. Good luck

-- teresa (teresam@ascent.net), October 20, 2001.

Hello all. Sorry to report no change today. The vet called back late last night and said to call her tomorrow morning if the situation has not improved. The vet advised to stop the meds if she is not eating due to stomach upset (because of the med I guess). I made her all kinds of things to try and tempt her to eat with no success. I will keep trying.

-- Frank (fhill@absolute-net.com), October 21, 2001.

Frank, have them run blood work on her kidneys. Our sheltie had this and her kidneys needed to be flushed out as they wernt working well.Try giving her first stage meat baby food in a baby syringe, Had a cat once who wouldnt eat and this saved her.Hope she is better.

-- kathy h (ckhart55@earthlink.net), October 21, 2001.

I think Theresa could be right, that there might be a stone in her urethra. If you can't your vet to see her, take her to another one AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Not being able to urinate can cause a full bladder to rupture which will cause death. Keep us posted. Kate

-- Kate henderson (kate@sheepyvalley.com), October 21, 2001.

She is drinking water and there is a little flow when she goes but she still hasn't eaten since Thursday. We will be at the vet when they open at 8 this morning. I'll try the baby food meat, that's a good idea. I'll find out what's wrong and fix it cause she's my collie girl. Thanks Kathy and Kate.

-- Frank (fhill@absolute-net.com), October 22, 2001.

As you all probably already know, animals that are not well will fast. That is normal instinct. Dehydration is the fear and make sure you check that by pulling the skin on the back of her neck. If it snaps back, she is hydrated, if it slowly pulls back, you have a dehydration problem and will need to put her on fluids. Stones are rare in females, however it does happen. Feel her bladder and see if it is full - distended. If she pulls away from you, or if she is hiding and being protective, then it is stones. You will need to see a vet, so they can remove the urine in the bladder (if it is hard) and then try to flush the stone. It is an emergency, as the urine will back up into the body and poison your dog. I would put her on Vitamin C, to start, break a 250 mg. tablet in half and pill her. This will start to balance out the acid and alkaline in her urine. A chicken broth or beef broth put in front of her would be ideal. Vit. C. every day, and even for life. She then will be put on Stone dissolving food through your vet. Some dogs are prone to stones. If you keep her on Vit. C. you should not have the problem again. If she gets the runs, lower the dose as I don't know your dogs weight. You will be able to give her 250 mg. a day for life once her body adjusts to the amount. To note, I am a veternarian technician, now a homemaker / farmer. Good luck and definately look for a different vet. This one sounds like a vet to only take your animals to for shots, not for care! Also, take her right away if her bladder is hard!! No time to waste! Good luck.

-- Jackie in Northern New York (homefarm@webtv.net), October 22, 2001.

O.K., 2:30 pm, I just got off the phone from the vet and they said the x-rays show the bladder and urethra are clear, no stones. The bladder, however, was huge and they had to give her happy gas to catheterize her cause she isn't a light-weight. She is now empty and resting. They are doing blood work and a urinalysis to find out what antibiotic will work the best. She (Shelly Lee BTW) is going to spend the night at the vet so they can monitor her and see how she is first thing in the morning. I hadn't heard about giving vitamin C to dogs, Jackie. The broth sounds like something she would really go for though. The vet will call me tomorrow with whatever they find out about the tests. Sheesh, I'm a wreck.

-- Frank (fhill@absolute-net.com), October 22, 2001.

I'm glad you have her at the vets. These darn dogs are like second children to us! Keep us posted and we will be thinking of you. Kate

-- Kate henderson (kate@sheepyvalley.com), October 22, 2001.

Hello Frank, Glad to hear she is resting quietly. Please note that dogs can take any general type of medicine you do i.e. tums, coated aspirin, Vitamins, Bengay for soreness, etc. Cats CANNOT!!! Cats can die taking aspirin.!!!

Vit. C will help her not get another bladder infection, if that is what this is. Also, hip displaysia and hip infections, etc. in large dogs could be prevented if they are given Vit. C from 6 weeks on for life. We give our St.Bernard and German Shephards Vit. C 3 - 4 x's a week 500 mg.

Good luck and you are in our prayers!!

-- Jackie from Norther New York (homefarm@webtv.net), October 22, 2001.

Frank, you didn't say if blood in your collie's urine had stopped. Has it?

The reason I ask is, if your collie hasn't been on heart worm preventive, it could well be she has heart worms. Blood in her urine could be an indication of advanced heartworms. I was a vet tech in my former life, and saw a lot of heart worm cases. Many dogs came into the office with the same symptoms as you are describing. I don't mean to scare you, and hopefully you have your "baby" on preventive medication. There is treatment to kill the heartworms which is less toxic then it was years ago. Around my area of the South, we have a lot of country boys who hunt with dogs, and you can't get it through their heads to make sure their dogs are on preventive heartworm medicine. Only when Spot is near death do they bring him in and stare blankly at you when you ask if their dog has been on heartworm medicine. Also there is a once a year treatment out now, instead of the monthy pill. Keep us posted on the progress of your collie. We care.

-- Carol from Dixie (plantlady51@webtv.net), October 23, 2001.

Hello to all. First I guess I should ask if I should continue to post here in reply or make a new post? We have apparently turned the corner on the infection. Yes, the blood is gone from the urine. The vet said that the culture of the infection that tells them which antibiotic to use only indicated 3 that would work when there are usually many to choose from. I asked them how did we come up with such a virulent bug and they didn't know but said it was a good thing you brought her in when you did. (Whew) She gets 1 of these huge pills twice a day and has to go back to the vet for a check-up when the pills are gone to make sure the bug is dead. Otherwise, we get a re-run with a bug that is resistant to that antibiotic too. Anyway, she is once again her bright-eyed, loving self and it couldn't have been too soon. Hungry too....did I mention that? Wow!

-- Frank (fhill@absolute-net.com), October 25, 2001.

Glad to hear she is doing better!

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), October 25, 2001.

Glad to hear it. I was hoping she would get better [ have a special love for collies after reading Albert Payson Terhunes collie books].

-- kathy h (ckhart55@earthlink.net), October 27, 2001.

Frank I know you are happy now!

-- rick K (rick_122@hotmail.com), October 27, 2001.