Do we go to the vet or not??

[*Jay*]

Right, I'm quite neurotic when it comes to the dogs so thought I would see what others would do in our situation 

Jersey is 5 1/2 months old and has never had that much of an appetite and is very picky with her food. She has in the past gone without a couple of meals but would almost always eat most of her evening meal. Up until yesterday, she has had only a few mouthfuls of food since Sunday morning. I coaxed her to eat some food yesterday afternoon but then she was sick twice at teatime. She had a couple of mouthfuls of her food last night and nothing since then. She is still drinking. She did a poo this morning which was formed but a bit slimy  She is bright and lively and nothing seems to be coming over her at all. I have made a provisional appt for tomorrow evening but though I'd canvas opinions 

I had Disney to the vets today as he was violently sick through the night and seemed quite low but he got a clear billl of health so a bug seems quite unlikely. He has more than likely picked something up as he is a scavenger but its obvious why he's not wanting to eat - just don't know why Madam is refusing her food 

[Sheryl]

As a fellow neurotic, I would be heading to the vets as well in your shoes   You know your dogs better than anyone and if your gut is telling you to go, then listen to it!!    I am sure the vets would sooner have an overly cautious owner than one who does nothing

[silkstocking]

I would be inclined to take her too Gill 

Although I'm sure the vet says "oh no its that mad spaniel woman" every time he sees me!!! Actually I've not been for ages....touch wood!!

Maybe its just that shes not keen on what she is being fed, although I'm sure you've tried lots oif things  .......defo worth a trip to put your mind at rest. Hope things are okay 

[Rhona]

Yeah I would go to the vet too.

[Anita]

If you've seen my posts recently about libby and her sickness i know exactly how you feel. I would probably take her and see what they say. Is she her normal little self though?

[Michele]

If she's fine in herself, then maybe she's thinking about coming in season   

[suzysu]

..another neurotic cocker owner here too  ..its cos we luv em 

Seriously though, if you are worried, its probably best to have her checked out just to be sure  ...hope she is better soon..will send some healing thoughts x

[silkstocking]

If she's fine in herself, then maybe she's thinking about coming in season   

I'm the opposite personally!!!!!! I just want to scoff!!!!!

Nance went off her food when she was coming in too, and Nance is never off her food

[jools]

I was thinking that she might be coming into season too.

If I were you, I'd take her to the vet. It's probably nothing, but it would put your mind at rest a bit.

[Tori]

I would take her to the vets to air on side of caution and all that.

But i can say that when i got Laney at 6mth she never ate a normal full meal.  At her worst i would have even has called her anorexic as she would go days, and i mean days, with out eating a thing.  I had blood tests done, vit b injections, changed her food, everything.  In the end i would just mashed up her food into a paste and syringe it into her mouth then hold her mouth shut until she swallowed.  She got a little better after her 1st season.  Strangley enought the day she started to eat normal was the day i mated her  Ironicaly now she is at the complete extreme and will eat anything that i put in front of her and we constantly battle with her weight Go figure........

Good luck with Jersey

[AnnieG]

My neighbour's dog is exhibiting EXACTLY the same symptoms on the same timescale as yours.  Her owner took her to the vet this morning who said it was a very common form of gastric enteritis at the moment - his third case today.  He simply advised offering Weetabix moistened with water.  As long as she's drinking, he only wanted to see her again if she hadn't eaten by Friday. (£20 thank you very much.)  Having said that sensible, practical thing --- if it was my dog, I'd take her to the vets too!  Hope she's feeling better soon.  

[Shelley]

I'm another neurotic owner, so I would pop to the vets. I'd prefer him to tell me there was nothing wrong than sit worrying!!

[Tasha]

I'd be of to the vets too although if they have a squitty bottom I tend to starve them for a day first and then go onto small meals of chicken and rice then if the situation doesn't improve pop to the vets.

[Penel]

I wouldn't go to the vets, but then I'm not one to rush to the vets at all !!!!!  there is something going around, several people's dogs on Lurcher Link have been off their food for a few days, and then been completely fine again...

[*Jay*]

If she's fine in herself, then maybe she's thinking about coming in season   

Oh please don't say that    I'm hoping that she is going to be a late bloomer like Mary's Lottie  Maybe better start checking lady bits now then 

I've struggled to find a food that she would eat although I haven't wanted to chop and change too much for obvious reasons. We discovered early on she will not eat dry food even when its moistened so tried various tinned foods before settling on Davies chubs which she seemed to enjoy more than any other. She has been fed this for a good few weeks now so it might be that she is simply going off it but she even turned her nose up at sardines and gravy bones    I have come home to two piles of diarrhoea which I think are from her (a bit too small to be from Disney I think) so will definitely err on the side of caution and take her along tomorrow.

At the minute she is beating the living daylights out of Aspen so she definitely doesn'tr appear to be under the weather. would be much easier if she would do the dying swan act