I have a 5 month old Rottie and although he was his usual self up until last Saturday, I found a bad smelly diarrhea in his bed when I went to feed him on Saturday morning. He is getting his new teeth and my other dogs went off hard food at that age so I offered him some bread and milk which he took and wasn't sick the rest of day.
On Sunday I found the same thing so I rang the vet. I took him up and she checked him, saying she wasn't sure if it was parvo or not. She wanted to keep him a few days and put him on a drip and give him injections to stop vomiting and diarrhea.
I've rang twice everyday and each time have been told there is no improvement and he is still vomiting and his diarrhea has now become bloody. If the vet gave him an injection to stop that why is he still being sick? If he hasn't eaten in nearly 4 days is it possible to pass bloody stools even though there nothing in his stomach?
I've asked if it is parvo and all they tell me he is being treated for it? Do you think I should get a second opinion and move vets? My dogs are like my children to me. I've been beside myself with worry, although my pup is still up and about and able to walk and all is some hope! They told me if he not better by morning they will start to worry. Should I change vets? Thank you.
By vanessa from Ireland
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Vanessa, I understand your worry. It's hard for me to relate to though, because we have had the same vet for over 20 years and trust each other completely. I'm not sure if I would give up on a vet in under a week, but if your gut is telling you they need to be offering more, then by all means go with your feelings and find a second opinion.
Since (I'm assuming) you are a bit unsure of this vet, why not follow his/her advice for the short run and start making some questioning phone calls to other vets for more information?
I hope it is not serious and that you and your fur friend both feel better, soon. Best wishes and take care.
I feel much like KansasCindy. We've been with the same vet for a long time, and haven't had any reason to question them. On the rare occasion something has come up after hours, we have an emergency clinic in town that only has odd hours, and then they refer you back to your regular vet (before they came, we once drove ~30 minutes to an emergency clinic in another town).
I am not familiar with Parvo, so I don't know if what's happening with your dog is uncommon. You sound very worried and doubtful. I think it won't hurt for you to call around to some other vets in the area and tell them what's happening (you don't have to tell them the name of the vet you're using, though). I suspect they'll likely tell you that they cannot diagnose your dog without seeing/testing him, but you can ask specifically if these symptoms are typical for Parvo. Then, based on those responses, you can question your vet again. I don't know how they diagnose Parvo, but if I was in your position, I would ask very specifically if your dog was tested for Parvo, and what the results were. Once, when I was in college, I got sick and went to the clinic on base (I was a military dependent). He *looked* at my throat and said I had strep. He prescribed antibiotics and some horsepill-sized painkillers. After a few days I was getting worse, so during the week I went to the regular military doctor. He was shocked that they didn't actually TEST me before putting me on antibiotics. It makes a difference.
Calling around might help with your peace of mind. But no matter who is caring for your dog, I do know that Parvo is bad. Be sure to ask the vet what you need to do to make your house/property safe for your other dogs. I wish and hope the best for you and your pets -- sending hugs!
Here is a link that describes Parvo and the standard treatment and prognosis. I don't know how you would get a second opinion as the dog should be receiving IV fluids. With the information on the link you could ask more pointed questions to determine if the care is appropriate. Best of Luck
At five months your puppy should have had his first "shots" and if your veterinarian has not reached a conclusive diagnosis in four days remove puppy and consult another. Please don't give puppy milk to drink. Keep us all posted on this one. Good luck.
I had a similar experience with a young rott, my second one. Her name was Bel and she was a sweetheart (I lost her 8 years later due to bloat and gut torsion). Has your dog been checked for worms, particularly whip worm? I went through the whole thing of bloody stools, weight loss, throwing up. I cooked her chicken soup with rice and barley (the barley was to provide iron because of the blood loss) for months. We tried several different wormers, then I asked she be given a shot of Ivermectin. That had a dramatic result. She passed a huge quantity of worms. Evil things. Whip worms will cause intestinal lacerations, resulting in bloody stools, loss of thrift, and a very unhappy dog. Rotts are hard enough to housetrain without this difficulty (they usually 'get it' later than other dogs)It was the mention of bloody diarrhea without eating that caught my attention. As for switching vets, that depends on if you have a service with a good diagnostician. If you can, ask other dog owners that you trust. Good luck to you and your baby.
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