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Frankie's ill

gloucester girl

Well-known member
Our 12 year old Blenheim Frankie is usually very jolly and youthful. This morning he wouldn't get up. It looked like he couldn't use his hind legs. During the day he had really bad diarrhea (very black gloopy stuff). We took him to the vets who is treating him for colitis at the moment. So, he's got to take metron, zitac and antepsin for a couple of days before we go back to the vet. I can't make Frankie take his tablets because he is not interested in food (not at all like him!), and he also doesn't seem to want any water. Has anybody got any clever ideas?
I suppose I'm just "airing" my worries to you out there. We have not had Frankie very long (16 months) as he was a rescue, and we don't want to loose him...:(
Susanne

PS: His tail is still wagging!!!
 
Sorry to hear he's not feeling so good. Have you tried hiding his tablet inside a small piece of cheese, or wrapped in a tiny piece of ham ? Hope the poor lad is soon feeling better.
 
Yes, Frankie will usually be fooled by a tablet hidden in some cheese ...but not today. He's sleeping now, so I'll just leave it for today and hope that his greed will win tomorrow morning...Thanks, Susanne
 
Black indicates bleeding higher up in the GI tract like the stomach, so I wonder if there's something more than colitis which usually results in red blood in the stool.
 
I'm sorry about Frankie. My Mindy is 11 and just at the vet this week so I know how worrisome it is. I hope he feels better tomorrow.
 
have you tried crushing them & putting them in something like honey? he's get a bit of sugar into his sytem too if you could get the honey into him.

If mie ever wont drink I make up either a stock cube (with double the amount of water it says to because of the salt content) Or marmite disolved in hot water, or a cup of tea! this 'usualy' works for my two - mine love tea, they allways have it after walkies in the winter to warm them up!

PS - hope Frankie feels better today.
 
I'm so sorry to hear that Frankie is so unwell. If he is still lethargic and refusing to take his tablets and water then you should really take him back to the Vet. He needs the meds to make him better and perhaps the vet will be able to get them into him. Plus, I guess that if he is refusing water, he will become dehydrated and that will make him feel worse.

I hope he starts to feel better very soon and {{hugs}} to you both.
 
Thank you all for your lovely thoughts!! I really like this forum, it's lovely to feel supported.
Update on my elder statesman: Today Frankie has been taking his tablets hidden in some nibbly bits! He's also walking around again. I don't think he's drinking enough, although he's started having a little water tonight. I love the idea of tea and alternative drinks...Will give it a go.
Tomorrow, we'll go back to the vets. I do think he's on the mend. :p(y)
Thanks again, Susanne and Frankie xxx
 
So glad Frankie is responding ,such a worry for an elderly gentleman to be poorly.Plenty of little drinks are the most important for now ,dehydration will cause more problems than lack of food.
healing vibes to Frankie.
 
So sorry to hear that Frankie isn't too well bless him.

Be careful with stock cubes as the can be quite high in salt which would be dehydrating for him at the moment.

Maybe make up your own with a couple of chicken wings, half a potato, small carrot and a stick of celery. Small handful of parsley if you have it {Fresh}

Cover with 4-5 cups of water, and boil for about 1/2 hour.

Strain and leave to stand overnight in the fridge. Scrape off the fat, and then gently heat a small amount.

Offer that - it's very nutritious and usually appeals to most dogs.


Another thing to ask your vet to check for is pancreas function - Pancreatitis is VERY common in Cavaliers, and can make them quite poorly.

Hope he will be much better soon.
 
Thank god Frankie is feeling a bit better.
:xfngr: he is going to make a quick recovery. Keep us updated.
 
Thank you, everyone! Frankie is back to his old self. :fool: The vet was pleased with him today. It was just a bad episode. I think I panicked a bit unnecessarily...Why is it that this little creature turns us all to "emotional wrecks" when he's unwell??

The vet found something interesting: apparently Frankie cannot open his mouth very wide. His muscles that should be working his jaws are underdeveloped and weak. He has always managed to eat well despite of it!! This could be the explanation for his coughing as he can't yawn normally nor clear his saliva properly. His coughing and spluttering clears his mouth and throat. We thought it might be to do with the heart but thankfully he has no heart murmur. So, this is the explanation for Frankie's disgusting habit...

Anyway, lots of love to all of you out there and your lovely cavaliers! Susanne & Frankie xx
 
I'm so relieved to hear Frankie is doing sooo much better. It's always so scary when a senior isn't feeling well. That's really interesting about his jaw. I'm just so tickled to hear that he's back to his old self. It doesn't take much to panic us, does it? And then when they are all better, what a huge relief!!
 
Glad he is a little better, Harley has to take supplements and they are huge so i didnt think he would take them, however a knob of pate, peanut butter or even health olive spread works wonders, I even mix them up in yoghurt too. di
 
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