Please help... worried

Rio has been a bit off the last couple of days. We brought her to the vet the day after we got her, where she got a clean bill of health. Then she had diarrhea on and off for the best part of 2 weeks. We figured she was settling in but brought her to the vet to be sure. Anyway while there we mentioned she had a sniffle and occassional cough. He gave her some antibiotics, squeezed her anal glands, and all was fine.

Her diarrhea has cleared up wonderfully and is almost normal. However I noticed last night she was quite listless. (despite everything she's been quite a livewire the last few weeks!). I thought also there was a little swelling around her anus and she yelped once when she was having a poo (seems a bit better today and no more yelping). But she is STILL very listless today. Her belly is very hot and she's lying on her back a bit. She's sleeping all the time today and not interesting in ANYTHING - play, chewing etc. She's still got an appetite and still follows us from room to room, but other than that she's a different dog.

Billy and I have also noticed some sensitivity around the back of her head and we're afraid of SM. Is it too early? (she's 11 weeks) She was yelping yesterday when we touched her ear in a certain place and today yelped when billy was lifting her head up as she was lying on her back. Also her head has really gotten big the last week or so. Like, noticably larger.

I don't know if I'm blowing things out of proportion. Maybe she's just flaked out from the antibiotics? We lost our last pup so early that we're trying really hard to do everything right by this one. I've done so much reading up on cavalier health etc that maybe I'm imagining some of it. Should I give her a day or 2 (she finishes antibiotics in 2 days) or should I bring her straight back to the vet tomorrow?

Sorry about the long post, just a bit fretful I guess.

I would not wait a day or two, as what you are describing does not sound normal. I would take in her, listlessness is not something to take lightly, that along with her head appearing larger is concerning. What exactly do you mean--like she's swelling? I also don't think you can ever be too cautious, especially after what you've been through with your last dog.

Good Luck Cecily. I can't even imagine how you must have lost your last dog and how worried you must be. I think if anything, a vet would help put your mind at ease.

I'm a worrier and I know that I, too, can blow things out of proportion, but I'm sure you'll feel better after going to the vet. Lucky had a little diarheaa last week too and I was freaking out ... he's only had 2 sets of shots so far & I was thinking Parvo ... he wasn't his usual chipper self. Then we realized it was the first day the air conditioning had not been turned on ... we turned it on and ... voila! He was back to his own self, and the diarheaa took care of itself. Apparently it was just because we changed foods.

That said, we did call the vet and they advised us to take his temperature - which was normal, thank goodness. And I immediately purchased the pet insurance with the 100% coverage so I can take him to the vet now anytime I want and not worry about crazy runaway expenses (Just a $50 copay per visit, which I can live with).

Anyway, I think you'll feel better if you ring your vet. Either they will be able to tell you what's wrong and begin treating it or they will put your mind at ease.

Good Luck. I think in all likelihood, he's probably fine, but I think you (and all of us!) will feel better knowing he is. I'll be thinking about him. :flwr:

i agree with Jen, her head is noticeably larger and she's listless, i would be going back to the vet, or possibly going to get a second opinion from another vet. Hopefully it's nothing serious, but if i was feeling the way you are, i usually end up going to the vet. When i first had Zack and he was sick, i went to the vet three times per week for a couple a weeks, as well as a few other times that month--three different vet offices and an emergency room, 5 different vets.

It's not too early for a dog to have SM symptoms, but it's too early to say with any confidence that that's what Rio has. A lot of things would need to be ruled out first, there's so many things that could explain what you're seeing, and more time would be needed to see if certain things just go away.

when i first got zack, he was scratching a lot throughout the day. It wasn't helped by Advantage. And i dont' see fleas that time of year anyway. One time, he was scratching and he began shrieking, and he got up and ran, still shrieking, into the house, no apparent external reason. but after he was treated for worms, the scratching stopped, along with the diarrhea and vomiting and listlessness, No more shrieking. That was about 7 months ago. I was sure worried about SM at the time.

i dont' blame you for being worried. Hopefully it's nothing serious and it will soon go away. Good luck!

If it were me, I'd be at the vets first thing in the morning, or calling the emergency vet tonight. This sounds pretty serious to me.

I wouldn't hesitate to get back to the vet. This just doesn't sound right. And always always always better safe than sorry. Please let us know how she is doing.

I saw SM signs at 10wks with my angel Pippa.


If you are seeing head enlargement I would seek a neuro specialist a.s.a.p. this sounds serious. Get the vet to find you one.

Alison, Wilts, U.K.

Get straight to a vet, if she is sore on her bum and head something needs to be checked out.....

Just wondering what the news is...

Hope everything is OK with Rio, and I agree with the others, I would get her to a vet as soon as possible.

Let us know how she is doing. She is so sweet, I hope it's nothing serious!