Ghost is sick

[Tambrey]

For the last two days, Ghost has not eaten much of his food...I will forgive one day, but not two days....and usually he is right there at the same time telling us that his food dish needs filled....like he has an internal clock that knows his dish and tummy need filled and he won't let us rest utnil we fill them both!!!

I told hubby lastnight that I was going to get him to the vet today, but hubby said he did not act sick.....still runs around, tail wagging, etc....I said, nope...he is sick...I can tell....something is not right....yes, he runs and tail wags, but not as much and he seems lethargic just a little bit.....

lastnight he did not sleep on the bed with us, where he usually is, but rather on the cooler hardwood floor on his blanket....but this morning he did jump up and lay beside me....I could feel his ears and chest were warm and a bit of raspiness when he was breathing....
And usually when the alarm goes off...he is back and forth, up and down until we get up to take him out...not today...I had to roll him out of bed practially....

Called the vet when they opened at 7:30...went out in the ice storm and sure enough....he has a URI....temp was up...I did not ask to what....and his lungs sounded a bit congested, but not bad yet....heart sounded good....they did not draw blood as it would need sent to the lab at the hospital in the city and with the weather, there is no transport today....
He got a shot and antibiotics to start here at home and hopefully we caught things early enough....

I also got him canned puppy food to mix with his dry kibble to entice him...he would not even eat that...
he is just laying here on the floor beside me

[Traci]

Did he mention the possibility of bordetella? You should be watching all of your dogs very carefully. Was a urinalysis suggested? Is he having any obvious signs of a UTI as well?

If he doesn't start feeling better within 24 hours, don't wait, get him to another vet promptly for bloodwork and xrays if necessary.

[Tambrey]

Ghost was just treated for Bordatella within the last few months, I cannot remember exactly when now....we went away for a weekend and boarded him, so of course he needed the inoculation....so he would not get that, would he...and he has not been around any other dogs, other than our own....and none of them are showing any signs of being sick....

He was just treated for the UTI about a month or so ago, but I watch him like a hawk every time he goes out now and make sure he pees and poos (him and Sammie both since they are inside dogs and have to wait about 6 hours on average when we are gone), and he has been going regularly, and not seeming desperate like when he had the UTI...he has a good fair amount of urine and a good clear colour, not little piddly amounts every time we were sitting down to do something or every time he turns around...

The vet did palpate and make sure his bladder and abdomen was not distended or overfull....

[Traci]

Bordetella is usually readily transmitted, within days. May not be bordetella specifically, but he could have any bacterial or virus, the chest congestion is worrisome. You should know that the prior UTI could still be lingering, and some of these bacteria spread, it isn't unusual to find a bacteria in the urinary tract elsewhere.

It could be anything from allergen, to infection, to inhalation of something, but again, don't wait if this doesn't seem to be showing signs of resolve within the next 24 hours.

Has he ever been tested for heartworm, and are all the dogs on regular heartworm preventative?

[Tambrey]

we have never tested him for heartworm, but we do the Heartgard Plus for our dogs...

we used to NOT do heartworm treatment because they were NOT a worry around this part of the country....but when Blackfoot died from heartworm a few years ago, was about the time that vets were finding it more prevailant around here and we started regular treatment for all of them.....

[Traci]

You really shouldn't start preventative UNTIL they are tested. Most vets now won't even prescribe until they are tested negative.