My collie needs help - long post

16 years ago

I have a female collie who will be 3 on Aug 27. I have taken her to the vet 3 times in the past 2 wks b/c she has so much going on right now. She is having trouble w/allergies and is on antibiotics b/c her skin is so bad. She also has a very slow thyroid, so just started on a med for that. She needs to lose some weight so I switched her food. She doesn't eat anything now, just the turkey I wrap her pills in twice a day. The most alarming thing though is that her legs shake, esp the rear ones. When she tries to poop, she ends up falling or lying down. Then, her back legs are so sore or stiff, she can only walk a couple feet before lying down again. She had a really bad patch of skin right at the base of her tail, I have washed it carefully and washed all the thick, crusty stuff off of it. The base of her tail seems very swollen. I am wondering if this is the reason for her falling, though her front legs seem shaky sometimes too. Has anybody experienced anything like this? I have switched her back to her old food, but she still isn't eating. I should mention that she has been constantly panting for several days. It is very hot here, but she does it even when the temp is comfortable. The vet thinks this could be in response to pain, though she is on pain pills.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

mes444
16 years ago
It sounds like she may be allergic to one of the meds she is taking. Pain pills can cause problems. Antibiotics not as much. And then it could be the thyroid med. Seems like she is taking too many meds. Can you just give her the antibiotics till the skin problems subside? And then try each new med, one at a time, so you can isolate the problem.

What did the vet say when you told him she wasn't eating and falling over? Was she OK, aside from the allergies, before all the new medications?
jennybird
Original Author
16 years ago
Mes444- In hind sight, her back legs have been stiff for several months. When I stopped to think about it, she hasn't been on the couch when I get home from work for months. (b/c she can't jump up there) We can certainly cut back on the other meds, b/c I agree, she is on alot of them right now. The vet doesn't know what to think and wants to start some tests on her if we can't figure this out.
Thanks, Jenny
Related Discussions
Update #1 to beginner needs help (Another LONG post)
Q
Comments (17)
We didn't answer your question about whether there are suckers on the first loropetalum you showed. With plants like these that are growing on their own roots, suckers are not a problem since they'll be the same as the rest of the plant. Those are just a concern on something that's been grafted onto the root of a different variety which can send up shoots of the root variety instead of the grafted one you want. For things like the loropetalum or crepe myrtles, the question is whether it's a trunk you want to keep. If you want a multi-trunk plant and need the new shoot to complete the overall shape, keep it. If not, cut it down. There's not enough of that particular plant showing in the picture to make a judgment, but it looks like there's one good straight trunk and the rest go off in strange directions and shapes. The one growing toward the house could be a problem. Personally, I prefer these with multiple trunks, but this close to the house and with the awkward side trunks, you may need to cut away all but the one good one. There may be other suckers later that will develop into nice side trunks with proper pruning, but that would take some time.
...See More
My To be Terrarium (long post but need help)
Q
Comments (22)
The bulbs I use are 36" long tubes like the one pictured here: http://www.hellolights.com/96wat6734jap.html You can also find them at www.ahsupply.com. Mine are the Coralife brand, but similar or identical to the above. It looks like I mis-spoke. I saw a site indicating that these get nearly 10,000 lumens, but everywhere else states that they produce around 8,100 - 8,600 lumens depending on type and light color. The problem is that you have to have a ballast and endcap before you can use these bulbs. I put my ballast/endcap assembly together for around $30 . . . but they are really tough to come by for that price (like I said, I had to buy a case of ballasts). Anyway, sorry about the apparent exaggeration--but 8,100 lumens is still pretty high performance, IMHO.
...See More
should i cancel my order of my fl washer --)warning long post!!!
Q
Comments (6)
If your current washer has been repaired and is working, why replace it now? You've already invested in the repair, I'd suggest continuing to use the machine until it develops another problem. Payback on energy/water savings depends on individual usage characteristics and local utility costs. Payback time at average of four loads per week likely will be longer than you expect, unless your utility costs are very high. Keep in mind that just because a frontloader (or any washer for that matter) has an exceptionally large capacity doesn't mean all your laundry should be bundled together so as to always run the largest load possible. Sorting according to color, soil level, fabric type, and special care items is still important, and even moreso with the newer HE-type low-water and high-spin-speed machines that are less forgiving at mismatching the cycle selection and load type. The wrinkle-prevent (or wrinkle guard, finish guard, wrinkle free, etc.) feature on dryers sometimes lead to misunderstanding of what exactly it does. It's intended for situations in which no one is present to immediately unload the dryer when a cycle ends. What it does is instead of the machine shutting off and sitting there with the clothes crumpled in the drum, it runs an unheated tumble for an additional period of time (either intermittently or continuously) to keep the items moving and fluffed-up. If you normally unload immediately when the cycle ends, the wrinkle-prevent function won't really do much for you.
...See More
Bought home with existing pool- need help! (long post)
Q
Comments (5)
As some previous posters have said, get some other opinions. There are home inspectors and then there are home inspectors. Depending on your local housing market, inspectors who do much more than pointing out an "easy to fix" problem or two may find themselves receiving no more referrals from the real estate agents in the market. The inspectors are really in a tough position - ethically they should point out exactly what's there and give you a realistic evaluation of what's needed to correct the problems (and there are some inspectors who do this) but if they develop a reputation for "ruining sales," they'll soon have no business. Despite assumptions to the contrary, a home inspection cannot replace evaluations from those professionals in the know (plumbers, electricians, pool builders, etc.). An inspection is a good starting point...
...See More
laurief_gw
16 years ago
Has your vet considered the possibility that your dog may be suffering from an oversensitivity to certain drugs? Many collies and related breeds are prone to a genetic mutation called Multidrug Resistance. You can read about it at the link below. You can also order a testing kit for Multidrug Resistance through this link. It's certainly something to discuss with your vet.

Laurie

Here is a link that might be useful: Multi-Drug Resistance in Collies
mes444
16 years ago
Jennybird, I just had one more thought I wanted to add. Is the pain med your dog is taking, Rimadyl, because that one is known for problems in certain dogs. Here is a side effect note I found at 1-800-Petmeds:

Side effects include loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, dark or tarry stools, increased thirst and urination, lethargy, incoordination, seizure or behavioral changes. Symptoms of an allergic reaction to this medication can include facial swelling, hives and rash.

Sounds like some of your dog's symptoms.
jennybird
Original Author
16 years ago
laurief- thanks for the link, I will get the testing done so I know a little more what we are dealing w/.
mes444- she is not on Rimadyl, but the side effects are the same, including the tarry stools. I wonder if the same side effects could be caused by a different drug, esp in a collie. I will call the vet this afternoon w/this info.
Jenny
laurief_gw
16 years ago
Tarry stool may indicate blood in the stool, and that's never a good sign. Discuss that will your vet. All NSAIDS have the potential to damage the liver and/or kidneys; that's not a problem exclusive to Rimadyl. If you haven't had it done very recently, you should strongly consider having a blood panel run to make sure her liver and kidneys are ok.

Laurie
spiritual_gardner
16 years ago
Jennybird, sorry to hear that you are going through all of this.

I had a Shepherd/Lab that had numerous issues all of her life including a thyroid and skin issues.

You need to find yourself another vet, he/she does not know what they are doing. I learned a valuable lesson when dealing with vets and how they handle things. I always ask what to look for as far as side effects, I research what they are taking, AND I always ask the vet to give me a schedule for what the meds are supposed to do. If you do not narrow down a time with the meds, things can go on and on as you have experienced.

You also need to find a "qualified" veterinary dermatologist. This is a completely different field from regular veterinary practice. They are trained in aspects of skin issues and recognize more.

You have what sounds like a serious issue on your hands and you really need to approach your vet and state that things are not going well and that you are not happy.

Good luck!

SG

My collie needs help - long post

Comments (7)

mes444

jennybird
Original Author

Related Discussions

laurief_gw

mes444

jennybird
Original Author

laurief_gw

spiritual_gardner

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

My collie needs help - long post

Comments (7)

mes444

jennybirdOriginal Author

Related Discussions

laurief_gw

mes444

jennybirdOriginal Author

laurief_gw

spiritual_gardner

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

jennybird
Original Author

jennybird
Original Author