Maxx is sick

[Lab_adore]

Back to the vet this morning, he won't eat, is drooling continuously, panting and listless. I knew as soon as I heard that vet say they were taking a 'leap of faith' that the modern thinking is to take them off antibiotics straight away to let their natural antibodies do their thing was WRONG. So he had a anti-nausea injection and is now on tablet form antibiotics and lotomtil for the runny poos (I am too stressed to work out how to spell the D word). The vet did the 'down the hatch' trick with the first lot of tablets but how we will get them down later is beyond me. He is still drinking water and there's no vomit and his temperature and other vitals were normal. Hopefully this will do the trick but that was at 8.30am and it is now 10.40am and he still won't eat and is just lying on the cool tiles on the balcony as it is a hot day. I can't even get a tail wag

We are out of our minds with worry but I must say I am silently thanking God this happened now and not in two weeks time else our trip would be off

Also glad our emergency fund is healthy.....you can imagine an overnight stay in emergency, ultrasound, x-rays, drugs and vet time is eye-wateringly expensive. We are already over the $2k mark and were are not there yet. Not that we care one iota of course and I will spend 20 times that if necessary to get him 100% better

 

[Emily]

Oh no, this wasn't the update I was hoping for. I really hope these ABs do the trick and he's on the mend soon xx

 

[Kelsey]

Sorry to hear about this update, poor boy! I imagine if he is nauseous then he really won’t want to eat, just like us, we don’t like to eat when we are nauseous or have diarrhea. At least he is still drinking, that is good. Hopefully once the antibiotics kick in and his tummy settles down he will get his appetite back

Hopefully a tail wag soon too

 

[Lisa]

Poor boy and poor you. Hopefully the antibiotics will work their magic and Max starts to perk up soon.

 

[M.F.]

I’m so sorry. Not even a tail wag is heartbreaking. He must be feeling really nauseas.

Have you tried tuna mixed with water? You say he’s drinking. But it might encourage even more fluid intake and a little bit of solids. Or some shredded roast chicken, just a little bit to encourage drinking more and a little bit of solids. Anything that Maxx finds delicious, but in tiny quantities.

To get the pills down, sometimes you just have to do it the hard way. Nose pointing up to the ceiling. Pill put into the mouth as far back and against the palette not the tongue (he’ll spit it out), then hold closed his mouth and stroke down his neck to encourage swallowing. Lots of praise. Preferably with a delicious morsel chaser, but if he won’t eat… So difficult. Best of luck. xxx

 

[Atemas]

how we will get them down later is beyond me. He is still drinking water

Can tell you how we used to do this if you find it difficult - aah @M.F. ’s post has just popped up saying the same thing. It does work and whilst feels uncomfortable to do, it gets the job done quickly.

It‘s good he is drinking and his temperature is normal. I am so sorry this is happening

 

[Cath]

So sorry to read this news. Sending love and hugs and lambies to you all x

 

[Selina27]

So sorry to read that Maxx has taken a down turn. How very worrying for you. I have no idea what time of day it is with you now, or how far along proceedings you are but sending as much love and Lambies as possible.



As others have said , there is away of getting pills down quickly, efficiently and kindly when you have to xx.

 

[Joy]

So sorry to hear that Maxx took a turn for the worse. Good that he's drinking and that his temperature is normal. I hope you see some improvement soon. x

 

[kateincornwall]

I am so very sorry to read your update, poor Maxx and you two as well . Come on fella , get well soon xx

 

[Candy]

So very sorry that Maxx is still poorly. I also have had to resort to the pill giving method described by others with Joy a few years ago. I hated doing it, but it was quickly done, it worked, she recovered and doesn't appear to hold it against me. Thinking of you and hoping poor Maxx feels much better soon.

 

[Stacia]

Hope Maxx is beginning to feel a little better. I was taught that a full course of antibiotics should be taken as the initial amount "knocks the bug on the head" and if you stop there, it comes back even stronger. Maybe that is old fashioned now!

 

[M.F.]

Hope Maxx is beginning to feel a little better. I was taught that a full course of antibiotics should be taken as the initial amount "knocks the bug on the head" and if you stop there, it comes back even stronger. Maybe that is old fashioned now!

I was listening to a gastroenterologist speaking about this the other day. He said the new thinking is to stop the antibiotics when they’ve done the job, and don’t take for any longer otherwise the gut biome is destroyed. The difficulty is deciding when they’ve done the job.

 

[Stacia]

@M.F. that is the problem I imagine, knowing the right moment to stop. I had never heard of 'biome' until recently and bought some food for Flicka, it worked overnight! Not sure how long I have to keep her on it though, I believe it isn't a forever food.

 

[HAH]

Poor Maxx, I’m so sorry he’s feeling worse again and you’ve got all this worry Robyn. It sounds like wait and see for a few hours, hopefully the antibiotics will kick in quickly and he’ll start feeling brighter. As @Kelsey says, you can well imagine he’s feeling queasy and rubbish, so lying still is probably all he fancied until the meds kick in. Sending heaps of love xxxx

 

[Loraseal]

Not the news I was expecting to read either . On the positive side he is drinking. Everything crossed here that he starts to feel better very soon. You are doing all the right things and I know how worrying this must be for you and Steve. Sending lots of healing vibes and

 

[Naya]

Sorry to hear Maxx is still struggling.
I use either late or cheese slices to get tablets in Harley. Sending lambies

 

[Jacqui-S]

 

[Granca]

I hope there’s been some improvement since you posted this, Robyn. Sending lots of and.

 

[Lab_adore]

Thankyou everyone

He ate three bits of chicken yesterday late morning but spat the 4th bit out. Then Dad came over for a roast lamb lunch and he showed interest in it so I know it's not chicken and rice but we had to get food into him so he ate about half a cup in little bits and we got the evening tablets down

This morning he is refusing everything so Steve has gone to the supermarket to get some sausages as they are his favourite. He had to do the 'down the hatch' thing with the pills and did a very good job

A tiny poo that is runny but slightly more formed

The vet said yesterday that if he is not showing much improvement by tomorrow morning to bring him back as the lady who does the ultrasounds is there on Tuesdays