If I Were A First Time Dog Owner.....

[Michele]

... I'd be going out of my mind right now.

Florence went to the vets for her 2nd vac yesterday and I saw the vet who I always book in with if possible. She is straight talking, no nonsense but respectful of the knowledge that you have. If I do not understand something I'm not afraid to say so and she will patiently explain in laymans terms. I have a great deal of respect for her.

Anyway, she gave Florence a good checking over and gave her a clean bill of health.
I did say to her that she has been very loose these past few days which again with a new environment is to be expected, and that I'd tried her with chicken & rice but she would only eat the chicken and leave the rice. I'd then tried her with pasta and she wouldn't touch that either (little madam). She had another good feel of her abdomen and said that it didn't even feel tender but she'd give me some tablets called Metronidazole (1/4 tablet twice a day) to settle things down.
I gave her one dose yesterday afternoon when we got home and another later last night.
Later, she didn't want any tea but I put that down to the vaccination.
Today she still hasn't wanted to eat anything, I've tried the food she's been reared on, scrambled egg but nope she wouldn't touch a thing, not even a little piece of gravy bone.

So after doing a Google I found on THIS site says that the tablets can cause a lack of appetite amongst other things.

I rang the vets this afternoon to explain and have it logged on her records that she wasn't eating and spoke to another vet whom I don't know and she told me (in so many words) that although the internet was a wonderful thing it is unlikely that the tablets have caused her inappetence although she did say they are very bitter to the taste, and suggested that I try her on a couple of tins of prescription food but if she hasn't eaten in the morning to ring again and bring her down because (and this is the bit that got me) she may have something more serious wrong with her, possibly a blockage. 

I've tried her with a little of the food and she has eaten it, albeit a little reluctantly. She is quiet but happy enough in herself and although I am concerned about her I am not overly worried. She is drinking and is not dehydrated.

Different dog and different medication but this is the same scenario I had with Neneh when she had Metacam after her caesarean/spay. The day after I stopped giving it to her she was eating like she always had (v greedy dog) and never looked back.

We all need our vets but why do some potentially scare the life out of you. 

[Sheryl]

I am not surprised.  Metronidazole are pigs of things, for humans too

[Helen]

so frustrating   

fingers crossed it's just a puppy bug and she's back to normal soon

[*Jay*]

Sorry to hear that Michele    The day after I brought Dallas home, I had to rush him to the emergency vet with what turned out to be a bad bout of haemorragic gastroenteritis. At the time however, the vet was saying things like it is very possible that his intestines could be twisted and they may need to open him up and he could die    You know what a worrier I am when it comes to my dogs so you can imagine what I was like (I was still a bit of a 'novice' back then  )  Hope little Florence picks up soon - Jersey reacted very badly to Metronidazole and the vet took her off it quick smart and said it was not a nice drug so it could be very likely that it is making her feel a bit icky  

[lyn]

I am not surprised.  Metronidazole are pigs of things, for humans too

i can only agree with sheryl, these tabs made me so ill they were the cure  that was worse than the illness. i am convinced these tabs were the reason my whole digestive system shut down
hope florence is feeling hungry soon.

[Pammy]

Aaw - sorry to hear this Michele - hope she gets better very soon and that your vet sorts themselves out too!

[kb]

Although these are a very good broad spectrum antibiotic, they can make you have nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea and can leave you feeling quite poorly.

In humans we would often have given sometihng along with them for sickness. Florence is probably feeling a little nauseated with them and doesn't know what's wrong with her - how long is the course? HAve the loose motions stopped? What age is Florence?

Poor little thing - hope she is feeling better soon.

[Michele]

In humans we would often have given sometihng along with them for sickness. Florence is probably feeling a little nauseated with them and doesn't know what's wrong with her - how long is the course? HAve the loose motions stopped? What age is Florence?

kb she's 10 weeks

The vet gave me enough for 6 days but I've only given her the two 1/4 tablets doses yesterday, I haven't given her any more since.
She's perked up a bit since having the small amount of prescription food and has been for a poo which was still loose but not as bad as it was.
I think I shall carry on with the prescrip. food and see where we go from there.

Poor little poppet has really seemed down in the dumps and from what you've described of these tablets I'm not surprised.

Needless to say she is getting plenty of cuddles and TLC 

[Joules]

Aw, Michele, sorry to hear little Flo is not feeling 100%.    Like you say it is good that you are used to having dogs.  I used to panic every time Coco had a tummy upset when she was small and she had quite a lot of them    Now I tend not to worry if she is lively and eating and drinking alright.  What a hard mummy I am 

Hope she is better soon - sure she will enjoy the fuss and cuddles (probably not as much as you will though    )

[Luvly]

Michele the chicken ( if shes not used to it )  may not be helping with her loose poop . some dogs take some getting used to chicken and produce loose stools .on personal exsperince 5 out of the 6 of my pups just dident do well with chicken yet turkey was a differnt story . no problem there at all . at about 7 or 8 months my lot were back on chicken slowly and have it regular now .
The vet agreed that some  dogs take some time to get used to it . he used to reccomend it for sore tums but now reccomends fish with boiled rice .since ive told him about turkey he might reccomend that 
Hope shes feeling better very soon

[PennyB]

I am not surprised.  Metronidazole are pigs of things, for humans too

tell me about it, the last lot I had played havoc with my stomach

[Jane S]

Michele, I give active Manuka honey (16 rating) to pups who are a bit loose and off their food - it seems to work a treat and gets them back to normal in no time. Our pups love it and can't wait to lick it off the spoon

[Michele]

Thanks for that Jane, if she has perked up a bit by the morning I'll give it a try but if she carries on as she is at the moment then I'm taking her to the vets.
I've tried her with a small amount of prescription food and I also cooked a haddock fillet and offered her a tiny flake, she wouldn't touch either.

I must admit that I'm getting worried now.

Does anyone know how long I should expect for this stuff to work its way out of her system?

[Elisa]

Poor little thing    I really hope it is nothing to worry about Michele and she is back to normal very soon.  She is too little to be poorly, bless her 

[*Jay*]

Does anyone know how long I should expect for this stuff to work its way out of her system?

In Jersey's case, it was the best part of 24 hours after stopping treatment before she stopped vomiting   

Feel better soon little one