Poorly Floss

chunky monkey

Well-Known Member
May 2, 2007
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Im currently sat on the floor in the utility room with my baby girl. She helped me get two sheep back to the farm and i was just sorting out the penning and feeding them. Floss was in the yard mouching. Then i see her laying down. Nothing out the ordinary. He just chills if she knows im doing stuff. I walked across the yard to go get a water bucket, as i walk past she goes to get up and starts staggering all over the place. Falling over. I get hold of her and support her and get her into the shed off the muddy yard. Poor girl couldnt coordinate at all. She appeared to be having a fit or stroke or something. I rang home and said someone needed to come down and help me. So my brother came down in the car and we carried her to the back of the car and i got in with her to hold her. She couldnt even lay down on her own. We drove home, got her out the car and into the house.
We rung the vets straight away but it went through to an out of hours vet practice. We described all her symptoms and her age and the vet asked if her head was to one side and her eyes were going side to side. She was so distressed she couldnt hold her head still long enough for me to look to start with. Vet asked if shed been sick. Which at that point she hadnt. A few minutes later whilst mums on the phone she threw up all over the dining room floor carpet. Whoopi. The vet said it wasnt a stroke or fit. Apparently they see quite alot of it in older dogs. There is a name for it but mum cant remember what it was. Geriatric something. The vet said it should hopefully pass just as quick as it came on. 2 hours in and it hasnt passed yet. The eyes are still going side to side. Her little eyebrows are going up and down. We moved her into the utility room where her main bed is and poor girl has been sick again. Vet said they can give her an anti sickness injection if she continues to be sick but otherwise just keep her quiet. The poor girl is so distressed she couldnt coordinate to even lay down in her bed. We have those plastic ones with the cushions in. But she was falling all over them, she was likely to injure herself. So ive picked them up and just put the cushions down on the floor. Collected up all the other cushions i have dotted around the house and put them down for her to fall on rather than the tiled floor. Shes used the wall to support herself a bit as she staggered round. Currently shes laying quietly next to me but if i get up to leave she gets distressed. Ive just had to go and get my bean bag seat as my poor bottom doesnt like sitting on the floor. Sign im getting old i think.
It could be a very long night me thinks. Bunged the two sheep in the shed whilst i waited for brother to come down but they havent got any water. Didnt get as far as feeding the rams either. Havent even been to feed the horses yet. Mind i saw them from a distance as i was getting the ewes up. Bet there wondering where there grub is. Im not going out to do them now. Its bad enough im still hobbling around on my ankle. Dont think i want to walk down the steep rutted dield in the dark and risk my other one. Dont think theyll starve for one night. Ive got the vet booked to see Billy at 8am tomorrow for his lameness. We said this to the out of hours vet and he said to get the vet to look at Flossy in the morning. Im so worried, she had a funny turn a few months ago, very brief like she was having some kind of fit. We gave her a few days in the house with no running around and she got over it. Todays episode came completely out the blue. Vet says they see alot of it in older dogs. It may not ever happen again or it could get more frequent. I hope not, as its so distressing for her.
 
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She's better than she was last night, able to stand herself and walk but still not coordinating. She's staggering like a drunk. She perky and wagging her tail a bit. I sat with her till about 11pm. Mum checked her at 2am and I checked her at 4am. The eyes are still going side to side. She's managed to have a wee with difficulty this morning. I just got her out in the garden just now but she didn't attempt another. Not been sick since last night. Won't eat, but has had a few sips of water and licked the Philadelphia pot round, so mum gave her a spoon of yoghurt which she managed to lick up with mum holding it for her.
Vet has seen her and says that she's bright enough although heart rate is up. He's confident that she should recover but it could be a day or two or it could take a few weeks. If she still not eating later we will take her to the surgery either this evening or tomorrow morning to have the anti sickness injection. Vet thinks if she's not feeling so dizzy she will be more able to eat food. I've had to get to work so won't see her till later. Left her with mum, but she's just got to rest quietly. If she's quiet hopefully she won't stress to much about not being able to stand if she sleeps.
There's no treatment for this condition all we can do is monitor her and hope she recovers. Vet said as she's an active, reasonably fit dog she hopefully will get over it. But it could happen again because of her age. Crossing everything. Im not ready to say my goodbyes yet. I've told her I need her to help me with lambing.
 
Glad to hear the vet thinks she'll get over it. How worrying for you. And yeah, course you need her to help you lamb - you just keep telling her that xxx
 
Not looking good this morning. When i got home from work yesterday she still hadnt eaten. She had a spoon of yoghurt and a bit of cream cheese during the day. Even turned down some lovely ham.
This morning she doesnt really want to eat anything. A little bread and cream cheese. Shes can coordinate better to get herself up and down. Sometimes bright and will turn her head and wag her tail, other times she hangs her head down with no response. Shes been out for a walk round the garden but staggering more than last night, fell over a few times. A dog even ran past the front gate and she just looked. Normally she'd run after and try attacking it.
Mum rang the vets when i got home from work yesterday and we took her down to have the anti nausea injection. Vet said leave it an hour or so then offer some food. Hopefully if the world wasnt going round so much she might feel like a bit to eat. Well it obviously helped. She nibbled at bit of the cat food i offered. I did some bread with cream cheese, and a bit of bread lightly toasted. She ate about 11/2 slices in total. Plus a bit of scrambled egg off my fingers. She wouldnt eat from the bowl. Also had about 6 custard creams broken into bits. She partial to a custard cream. Always cadges a bit from me if i have one. I got the packet out last night and the ears went up.
Shes always been a dog thats difficult to get to eat. When she gets a poorly tummy you really have to tempt with all sorts to find something she will eat.
Vet provisionally booked us an appointment for late this morning and said they may need to have her in on a drip if she wont eat. I think we will have to take her in. Whilst theres no treatment specifically for the condition then maybe able to give her some more drugs to help relieve the nausea and possibly some pain relief. She must have a massive headache.

The postmans just been as i write this and normally she jumps up barking and rushing the door. Shes just laid here with me and hasnt moved at all. So feeling very bad clearly.
 
Fingers crossed a trip to the vet will help, it must be breaking your heart seeing her like this.
 
Thought i should do a little update. Floss is making some progress but its quite slow. She has Idiopathic Vestibular Disease. Common in older dogs. This was her first episode. Prognosis from what im told and have read is a mixed bag. She will probably always have a head tilt and may stagger or fall over.
The biggest struggle has been getting her to eat. She cant seem to open her mouth very wide to even chew. So what ever we offer has to be in little bits. We are having to hand feed her. Mealtimes have taken over 1/2 hour somedays, to bribe her with all and sundry.
Yesterday she wanted to play ball and went to pick up the tennis ball but gave up as she couldnt get her mouth round it. Found her a smaller ball but she only played for a minute or two before she had to lay down. I take her out to wee and just stands at the back door. She wags her tail with enthusiasm but doesnt want to walk round the garden at all.
Ive certainly lost my right hand man. She just isnt the same dog. Her world has been changed in an instant. Shes going to need lots of time, care and support. This is affecting her mentally and physically.
 
Thanks for the update, I wondered how she was getting on. What a big change for you both. Bet you do indeed miss her working with you too. Lots and lots more vibes coming. I hope she can improve lots more.
 
Oh, just caught up with this. Poor Floss. I'm glad she's improving but it must still be very worrying and upsetting for you. I hope she continues to get better, it must be a horrible thing to have.
 
Oh bless her, good to hear she's improved a little and still has a tail wag for you, I hope she continues to feel better x
 
My little flossy is looking a bit lopesided tonight. She walked in the lounge to tell me it was time to go see the sheep and i thought she side stepped a little to balance herself. When i took her out and we were walking down the road i could see she was weaving from side to side. Then i called her as there was a dog coming up behind us and as she turned to come back, the back legs gave out and she almost fell. Earlier she was out in the garden and i did see her eating grass so i wonder if she was feeling off colour earlier, yet she was happy running round the garden.
I made her lay and watch the sheep, i wouldnt let her run round them tonight. When we walked back up both dogs stopped for a sniff. Then she turned and completely fell on the floor. Shes eaten her tea and weve put her out in the utility room so she just settles down to sleep. Looked in her eyes and they are going side to side, still quite slow at the moment. Hoping it stays that way. Shes bright and alert enough but holding her head sideways.
Since her first attack two months ago. Shes been sleeping in my room at night, but the last two days shes been getting wound up sniffing incessantly at the back of my bed because of the mouse the cat let go. So i decided having her in my room is not a good idea tonight. I have found mouse dropping down the back of a cupboard today so the dog is not wrong but she is obcessed. Wonder if shes simulated her brain too much and if its some how caused an episode. Shes been doing so well recovery wise since the original episode and i was actually thinking that shes about 95% recovered, so this is a bit of a blow. But ive read that with every attack the recovery is not so good.
 
Aw poor lass, perhaps the lack of rest from nightly mouse hunting has played inot it, how is she looking this morning?
 
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