[superk]

My 3 year old dog just eats table food. For some reason she doesn't like dry dog food. She likes pedigree but its costly to me so I just feed her on the same food I take. Every time she gets an allergy (wounds all over, red and falling hair) which is almost every month since on her 2nd b-day, that's the only time I force her to eat dry dog food.

Lately, she became picky. Though she eats, its so little making her lost weight. She also got wounds around her body and one of her legs is little bigger than the rest. It's not as bad as before, I just gave her an antibiotic, wound dries up next day but never lost appetite. I will take her to the vet but I can only do it next weeks Friday but I need a temporary solution for now. She eats too little now and now she's weak.

Any food that I can force her to take or an idea what's going on with her will be appreciated. Thank you!

[shazamataz]

Table scraps are the worst thing you an give your dog.

Pedigree is not much better, and Pedigree is considered one of the cheapest foods on the market.

You will need to invest in a better quality dog food and make her eat it, no more table scraps!!

Mine are not big dry food eaters, I leave a bowl out which they pick at during the day but at night they get their dog roll.

I chop up the dog roll and add a few sardines and a little oil, they absolutely love it, if yours doesn't like sardines you could try adding a little beef or lamb mince to the food.

The skin condition may very well be caused by the table scraps, what sort of food do you give her?
A lot of human food is actually very bad for dogs.

You really need to push that vet appointment forward if she is physically weak, borrow money, put it on your credit card, cancel your internet, she needs vet care.

[Sariss]

It's a shot in the dark, but go to your vets and get her tested for Cushings.

[superk]

It's a shot in the dark, but go to your vets and get her tested for Cushings.

What's cushing?

[superk]

Table scraps are the worst thing yu an give your dog.

Pedigree is not much better, and Pedigree is considered one of the cheapest foods on the market.

You will need to invest in a better quality dog food and make her eat it, no more table scraps!!!

Mine are not big dry food eaters, I leave a bowl out which they pick at during the day but at night they get their dog roll.

I chop up the dog roll and add a few sardines and a little oil, they absolutely love it, if yours doesn't like sardines you could try adding a little beef or lamb mince to the food.

The skin condition may very well be caused by the table scraps, what sort of food do you give her?
A lot of human food is actually very bad for dogs.

You really need to push that vet appointment forward if she is physically weak, borrow money, put it on your credit card, cancel your internet, she needs vet care.

She likes sardines its just we have a notion here that sardines causes hair fall so I only feed her sardines once in a month if she doenst want to eat at all. Better have her in wounds than dead. We're just used to feed dogs with table food and even had a dog lived for 9 yrs no problem. Other dog we had died at 5 yrs old. I bought her lamb meat in cat, cheaper than pedigree but she didn't it.

She had a seizure, my brother just rushed her to vet as I type. Don't know if it's still open. Hopefully she'll be treated well even if I'll be screwed up in my budget.

[shazamataz]

Sorry to hear that super k, I hope she comes back OK.

What breed is she?

[Sariss]

Hyperadrenocorticism. It's basically the body is producing too much of a certain hormone from the pituitary gland.
One of the side effects is skin lesions as you described, but also drinking more, hair thinning, etc.

The only way to really diagnose it is through a blood test called an ACTH stim. It involves your dog staying at the vet about two hours.

Edit: Didn't see the seizure bit. Good luck!

[superk]

Thanks for everyone's response.

Vet said my dog got Canine Distemper (http://www.dogchatforum.com/distemper-dog.htm). Said when the condition progresses I need to just mercy kill her because there's no cure for it and will just make the dog suffer. She can't be admitted either because her condition is airborne and will affect other dogs. I want to sink.

[shazamataz]

Oh no, not good news at all superk :(

She may recover but it is a very nasty disease and the recovery (if sucessful) is a long process.
I will keep my fingers crossed for you.
Was she vaccinated against distemper?

[Alty]

I'm so sorry to hear this.

Was she not updated on her shots?

Is the vet trying antibiotics at least? I'm surprised he let you take her home if she's that sick.

There's no specific treatment for distemper, but if she's up to date on her shots then she has a chance. Antibiotics, intravenous fluid and protein supplements are usually the course of action taken.

I'm very surprised that the vet didn't just euathanize her while she was in his care if he thought she couldn't survive.

[shazamataz]

Oh, good point Alty, I didn't see that she was brought home when I first read it.

Try calling other vets to see if they will take her in.

Distemper isn't an immediate death sentence, there are treatments to try first before you go down that road.

[Alty]

Oh, good point Alty, I didn't see that she was brought home when I first read it.

Try calling other vets to see if they will take her in.

Distemper isn't an immediate death sentence, there are treatments to try first before you go down that road.

Exactly. It's time to call other vets.

Most vet clinics have an area sectioned off for animals that have contagious diseases.

I'm surprised at the diagnosis though. Distemper isn't unheard of, but a vaccinated dog usually isn't at risk, or the risk is greatly lowered.

What tests did the vet do?

There are many other diseases that this could be, and they're very close to distemper. There's only one test that's a sure thing when diagnosing distemper. I forgot the name of that test though. I remember having to go through this while working at the humane society.

The thing is, your dogs symptoms don't match a diagnosis of distemper, only the seizure is consistent with this disease. The symptoms you described aren't usual in a case of distemper.

I just have to wonder.

I think it's time for a second opinion and a vet that will actually try the treatment.

[superk]

She wasn't vaccinated. Yeah my fault. On my understanding, she should have been vaccinated long before. Now that she has it, it will stay on her system. My brother is one who brought her first ( I just followed them but they're gone when I arrived, so I just talked to the doctor) so I don't know what tests done. Doctor didn't tell me directly that she'll die but she sounds she's preparing me even if she said it's not that bad now. She mentioned euthanasia instead of bringing her back again for follow ups. My dog though was given Vitamins, Anti-hydration, Anit-Emetic (metoclopramide/hydrochloride) and cefavet.

It's a very small clinic. Going to vet sounds like a privilege here as a matter of fact, this is my first visit to a vet. I just don't want to happened to her mother that's why I brought her in the clinic to be checked.

Doctor doesn't want to admit her because she can infect other dogs that will be admitted. Doc said oral re hydration is already as good as she's in IV.

Out of the symptoms I read, my dog is having...
# Shivering
# fever (dont know how high)
# Loss of appetite and weight loss
# eye discharge
# Seizures (one time, I saw)
# She looks she's cold at times
# Muscle twitching
# Loss of motor skills (she can't run but can still walk, slow)
# seemingly yellowish skin
# dry nose, thickening pads
# lessions and swelling leg ( I don't know if this has something to do with the distemper)


So I don't know where is she at now. I don't know if her condition is still curable even if 50% or how long can I still extend her life. I can force her to drink medicine but not to eat so I don't know what to do? Can I give her milk or any liquid substitute for food?

[Alty]

Milk isn't a good idea, it may upset her stomach because most dogs are lactose intolerant. If she's already not eating, vomiting is a bad idea.

Pedialyte for the dehydration, that will help.

I have to ask, and I realize you feel bad about this, but, you mentioned having other dogs before and this is your first visit to a vet?

Going to vet sounds like a privilege here as a matter of fact, this is my first visit to a vet

That's not acceptable.

Dogs need to be vaccinated and have yearly physicals at the very least. What about heart worm? What about vaccines? What do you do if your dog is injured or sick?

I hope that your dog is okay, but if she isn't, please don't get another.

There's more to having a dog then just loving it, you also have to make sure he/she gets the proper care.

[superk]

Any food that I can force her to eat? Something easy to swallow? If I'm forcing he the appetizer she figure out ways to throw it up.

[shazamataz]

Plain boiled chicken is the best thing for an upset stomach.

Just go to your supermarket and buy a chicken breast, boil it in water until cooked and then chop it up.
You can also add a little cooked rice to it if you like.

I agree with Alty, dogs are a priveledge not a right, I understand that some people have a hard time affording vet care but this should be considered before buying an animal.

[superk]

We live in a remote area. Vet Clinic is 30 minutes drive away from home (not through car but other kind of vehicle).

I came home one day with a puppy. Someone just gave a puppy to my brother. My brother lives with me so it became my dog too. That's her mother. Her mother died last January, she's 5 yrs old. We got other dog before (when I was still with my parents) who lived for 9.5 yrs w/o any other vaccine aside from anti-rabies. It's a very healthy dog. So I guess I was used to dogs healing themselves but when my second dog died (the mother of my current dog, I learned my lesson.

My dog is 2 yrs old when her mother died so I guess around that time, she already started having this on and off lesions on her skin. I just apply ointment on her and giver an antibacterial capsule. She eats well so I didn't mind much and this is the first time I've seen her not into eating and shiver as if we got snow here (we don't have winter) so I got worried and this is the situation now.

Earlier I melted her dry dog food in a water, put on her throat, squirt her with water and close her mouth so she will take it. It's difficult though but she has to. Chicken is very much solid she will push it with her tongue. I can't force it on her throat either because it will suffocate her so I'm checking into other liquid food with the same effect as if she's eating a solid one. Maybe porridge with chicken flavor? Or pedigree, just the sauce?

All I do as of the moment is to use a needle less syringe and squirt water with re hydration salt every now and then to support her food intake. Been like this for 3 days.

[Alty]

A 30 minute drive is nothing, a lot of people have to go much further to go the vet. Also, it's only once a year if your dog is healthy, for vaccines and a health check. Surely you can make the 30 minute trip once a year. :(

She has to eat, so gently try to feed her. A syringe full of mashed dog food, chicken, every 5 minutes. A bit at a time because it will be easier on her stomach.

She really needs a vets care, you cannot cure this on your own. She needs to be on IV to get nutrients into her system.

If you insist on caring for her at home, I'm afraid she won't make it, and she's just suffering.

I stand by what I said earlier, if you cannot or will not make sure that dogs in your care are given the proper health care and food, vaccines and check ups, then don't have dogs.

I do hope she survives, but from what you describe and the fact that she's not getting the care she really needs, I don't think she'll make it.

Good luck to you.