Crying/panting

[Cathy]

Jazz has now been in season for 3 weeks. The last 2 days she has been acting funny.

She has keeping herself very clean the whole time, but i have noticed the last 2 days she has been licking herself almost non stop. When she stops licking she starts wimpering. When i stoke her she keeps licking me, These are the only things she does.

She has not been off her food, but i would say shes been drinking more. She does pant alot.


Is this normal, or should i take her to the vets? I don't know if its normal for a season, or she may have an infection? any help appreciated.

 

[Jane S]

You can get this sort of reaction when a bitch is at optimum time for mating ie at the peak of the season. It's not out of the question for this to come very late in the season as bitches vary tremendously as to when they ovulate. But if you're worried, perhaps its best to get Jazz checked out by your vet just in case.

Jane

[Chrissy]

Hi Cathy

Agree with what Jane says wholeheartedly but would like to add that it’s possible that Jazz has made herself a little sore from licking and the panting is a sign of her discomfort.  The other thing that can occur is a touch of cystitis at around the time of a season (especially in young bitches) and a dog’s common reaction to discomfort is licking and panting.

On a similar subject, I have a girl who when she’s building up to a season, during the season and for a while after non-stop licks me (just about all over, well anywhere she can reach!).  She will lick me through my clothes if she can’t reach bare skin.  We have accepted this as normal for this particular girl (she’s the only one who does it and there has never been anything wrong with her).  

When she’s been mated and has pups we have to be very careful with her, as she will lick her babies constantly.  One night (I don’t leave my bitches unattended) she licked one pup so much that she made an indentation in his tummy (even though she was only licking for about 10 minutes).  I had to take this pup away from her as she was almost through to the insides.   As chance would have it I had another litter with a less than attentive Mum and this little chap moved in with her (there was no danger of being over washed with his surrogate Mum!) The dent in him went on to scab over (plasma crusts not blood) and I had to bath the area twice a day in a special shampoo from the vet to encourage the scabs to fall off and the pup to heal.  Thank goodness by the time he left home everything was back to normal and you wouldn’t have know any different!  I’m so glad I stay with my bitches 24/7 as this pup would have died if I’d not removed him quickly.  

Chris
 

[Cathy]

Thanks for help

I have just got back form the vets, as I thought it was better to check her out. When i got home from work this afternoon, she seemed worse than before.

I called the nurse to get some information on anything I could use to bath her bits. She told me they should see her so off I went.

When i got there they made us wait 45 mins, with Jazz crying the whole time, and the only vet on duty was the one guy I can't stand. He asked me the problem. When I explained he gave me the speech about having her spayed to avoid breast cancer, and asked when they could do it. I told him when I decided the time was right. He then examined her and said she looked normal, but wanted to give her a steriod injection to stop her  licking herself to much, however he warned me this would only last 24 hours, I explained i didn't understand why then he was giving her this.

I was concerned about her constant crying , and wondered why she was crying so much. He said you would have to ask her... !!!!!!!!!!  

I said if she could tell me whats wrong then I wouldn't be wasting £25.00 asking him. At this exact point, he pressed around her private bit and out shot a mass of white puss, and it landed all over his face. HO HO HO.. He just looked at me out of shock I tried so had not to smile, as he wiped his face,

Timing couldn't have been more perfect, the visit was worth £25.00.   The injection has done no god at all, in fact shes worse tle. han before, so I am just gonna ride it out, and make her as comfy as possible.

Time to change vets I think.

   

[*Jay*]

Time to change vets I think

I think so too   Hope Jazz feels better soon.

[Sharon]

So did your vet say what the white puss was?? I think I would have insisted and maybe asked if she needed a course of anti-biotics!

I hope she feels better soon.

[Chrissy]

Hello Cathy

Sorry to hear that your poor girl isn't well.    I had a feeling the licking was for a reason (especially as it was out of character).  Perhaps she had a septic spot and so she was licking it (to get it to burst) or perhaps her licking damaged the surface and allowed a germ to enter that has festered.  I’m sure that now the pus has drained out she will feel better soon.   Just bathe the area in diluted Savlon (or similar) and perhaps apply some antiseptic cream and watch that the area heals without filling up again with pus.  If she isn’t better in a day or so or the affected area fills with pus again I should pop her back to the vets to get him to lance it and prescribe some antibiotics.

Chrissy
 

[Sheryl]

Sorry Cathy, couldn't help laughing at Jazz's timing.  There's a case of what goes around comes around sooner rather than later     I know I wouldn't have been able to keep a straight face.  I agree though, another vet sounds a great option   I remember a doctor asking me once how did I think he could help me.  I told him if I knew that, I would be sat in his chair!  Pompous is the word for people like that....  Maybe you can train Jazz to pee on him next time.  If there is a next time    

[taniac]

Poor Jazz, she does sound like she's suffering!  I can't believe the vet treated you and Jazz that way, the majority of the vets we have seen have always been fabulous (except the one who waved the cotton wool under our noses having done the dogs anal glands... nice   )

When you have to pay for the consultation, you want to feel that the vet is being as thorough as possible...  I am glad the vet got the pus in the face, but wish Jazz wasn't going through pain.  I hope you get it sorted out.