Hi,

My 15 week old golden retreiver pup is extremely ill the past 5 days. He had been ill 2 months ago but recovered after he coughed out a worm ( I think the vet said it may have been in his brain).

Now he has been almost unconscious for 5 days after he seemingly suffered a fit. He does respond slightly and is able to sip water from my fingers ever so slightly. Yesterday he managed to eat a tiny piece of food, the only thing he has eaten in this period. It looks as if his hind legs are paralysed now too. Every hour or so he lets out a huge yelp and reverts back to his unconsciousness. He is extremely weak.

He has been wormed and had all the necessary vaccinations. The vet does not really know what's wrong and gave him an injection which hasn't worked.

Would anyone have any ideas / opinions what may be the problem?

Any help appreciated.

Brian

Please take your puppy to a new vet immediately. This dog should not have been sent home. If he isn't drinking or eating he should be on IV. If there is a large animal hospital near you, they should have emergency services. These hospitals usually have several specialists that can work together to figure out what is going on.

It sounds as though your pup may have distemper. If this is the case, and he is as bad as he is, I am sorry to say it would be best to take him to the vet and have him put to sleep. Distemper is a terrible disease of the brain and, if this is what he has, he is suffering terribly.

I wish I could give you some advice, sadly no one here can give you a diagnosis. Has the vet done any tests? Does he have any idea what's wrong? Why was your pup sent home in this condition, he should have been kept at the vets clinic.

J9 is right, if it distemper the most humane thing you can do is put your pup to sleep. At this point it sounds like your puppy is just suffering, hanging on by a thread. If the vet can't help it's probably only a matter of time before you puppy dies, either from this disease or starvation because he's not eating. This is hard, I'm so sorry you have to go through this.

Please keep us posted, my heart goes out to you and your puppy.

PLEASE don't let him suffer through this pain. He is obviously very ill, and you NEED to get him help. He is counting on you to be his voice and his caretaker. Five days is MUCH too long to be in the condition he is in, and he is also dehydrated and isn't taking in any nourishment.

I would take him to a different vet, as I can't even fathom why the original vet let him return home. He should have been hospitalized immediately! This is unethical treatment on behalf of your vet.

Why have you let him be in this condition for so many days? Right now you shouldn't be focusing on the cause of the illness, but the extreme suffering your dog is enduring! PLEASE!. get this poor soul to the emergency room! It is your responsibility do to so immediately! I honestly cannot understand why you would have let him suffer like this for so long. He isn't eating or drinking. His legs are paralysed. He has been in and out of consciousness, and he yelps loudly. I'm sorry, but what are you thinking Brian? If you see this as being harsh, so be it. But this is cruelty, and your dog needs help.

Thanks for the replies. Thankfully he seems to have improved the past few days, is drinking and eating small bits, and has even been up walking around.

We will be bringing him to a different vet though to make sure he keeps improving but he's looking good now!

That's wonderful news. I'm glad to hear he is recovering from being so very ill, and bringing him to another vet is a wise decision. He's not completely out of the woods yet.

That's good to hear. Please get him to a different vet soon, in case he starts to go downhill again.

I wish you and your pup all the best, please keep us posted. :)

I'm glad he seems to be doing better, but I sure wouldn't wait for him to take another turn for the worst. I would still get him into a vet asap. I'm glad you are going to be going to another vet. The other vet should have NEVER released him in the first place, until he pinpointed the problem, and gave him treatment for it.

It's really sad that there are vets out there that give such little care and attention to the animals that are entrusted to their care. You go in under the assumption that they have the schooling and experience needed, and often times they just don't. Make sure you ask questions when you get your dog to this different vet. Ask him to explain everything he is doing, and why. That is what they get paid for.

Hello all,

Unfortunately we had to have our pup put down the other night. The vet said he was brain damaged and would not have got any better. He wasn't in pain but he couldn't use his legs properly really and showed little reactions. He was eating well though near the end but he just would not have improved much more so we felt was right to put him asleep.

Thanks for your help anyway

Cheers

I'm very sorry about your little guy, Brian. It's always sad to hear, but he was quite obviously suffering, so I guess it was for the best, and he's no longer in any pain.


In My Heart

I thought of you with love today, but that is nothing new.
I thought about you yesterday, and days before that too.
I think of you in silence. I often speak your name.
Now all I have is memories, and your picture in a frame.
Your memory is my keepsake, with which I'll never part.
God has you in his keeping.
I have you in my heart.

(Author Unknown)