[mitzi2]

Im sorry this is turning out to be a book! Bosley is a Shih-Tzu rescue about 6-7 years old. Very healthy so far but had some thick, goopy eye problem the past 4 months or so and has been getting prednisolone acetate 1 percent drops in his eyes twice daily. No other meds or health problems aside from a back injury/sprain 5 years ago. We live 30 miles from town in So. Oregon. There is a vet about 15 miles away but they won't help me or take new clients.

It started yesterday with a single bloodcurdling scream first thing in the morning. He seemed fine after that I thought maybe it was a bad dream. He had his greenie, went out to poop & pee, everything seemed normal. Then an hour later when I lifted him to the counter to put his pred drops in his eyes he started trembling. I sat with him and pet him and after about 10 minutes he calmed down but he wanted me to stay.

After 2 hours I took a shower and he just stayed around me until I was dry and dressed. It was a beautiful day perfect for a walk. As I started to attach his collar he whimpered a bit, I stopped waited then tried again as he seemed to want to go. He whimpered a little on the second try but was eager and did not whimper on the third try. We walked for an hour, no problems.

We were back for about an hour when he started whimpering continually. I went to him checked him all over and he seemed frightened but not in pain. He was just sort of depressed and would not eat or drink, several times through the evening he would crouch down, whimper and walk across the floor. I'd pick him up and hug him and he would calm down but continue to tremble and be tense, holding his back legs like locked together.

I hardly slept all night, I kept watching him in his bed and he seemed fine until about 6 AM. At 7:30 he started screaming and running. I jumped up and ran to get him and brought him into bed and cuddled him until the trembling stopped. When I got up he ate a tiny piece of chicken jerky but refused water. He seemed almost normal, wagged his tail and went out but did not poop or pee. I called the vet but being Monday there are no appts till much later (4:20 PM). Right now he is on my lap. Quiet but depressed and wants to be cradled and cuddled, poor baby, I don't know what is wrong and to do for him. Any ideas?

 

[AgentSpooky]

Wow, that sounds like a scary scenario... Is there any way you can get him to an emergency vet right away? If you checked him all over and he didn't react to being touched everywhere, maybe it's some kind of internal problem you can't reach or some type of poison God forbid... I think the best thing you can do is get him to a vet asap and keep him comfortable untill then, sorry I can't offer anything more helpful. Good luck, I hope he's ok!!

 

[Rain]

Explain to the vet what's going on and ask if they would mind contacting you if there are any cancellations so that you can get him in sooner.

In case it's his spine or neck, I'd put him on strict crate rest until his appointment. No jumping, no running, no going for walks, no picking him up unless it's necessary. Out for potty break, then back to being confined. When I have to do that I use an exercise pen folded so that's it's a 2 foot by 4 foot space, so that my boy has a bit more room but not so much that he can really move around.

 

[Laco]

My guess, & its a guess, is back or neck injury. That would explain the shriek of pain, the trembling etc. You, of course, need to get him to a Vet for assessment and treatment. If he had a back injury, it could be a recurrence which unfortunately would not be that unusual. Lets hope he responds well to medication. Let us know what the diagnoses is and his prognosis.

 

[mitzi2]

Let us know what the diagnoses is and his prognosis.

Nothing came of it, nothing, just like last time we thought he needed the vet and we took him in. For the rest of the day I sat and held him and just once he whimpered a bit and did some head twitching. He even took a drink and wanted to share my protein bar. I almost cancelled the appointment but when he had the little 'episode' I decided to keep it.

The vet checked him over and even checked his back thoroughly, Bosley didn't even squeak a bit. Then when he laid down on the table with his back legs out straight the vet said no way there could be anything wrong with his back.

We came home with some Tramadol for pain which he didn't even seem to need then Boz ate a huge dinner and slept well all night. I think he is a faker or he had some scary supernatural visions that have since stopped. Oh well, such is life with the Boz!

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions!

 

[Rain]

If you can video him doing it that would be your best bet. Dogs are very good at masking pain and when my boy was acting like his butt really hurt him, and was also trying to bite at his hind feet I managed to record him doing it and the vet said it really helped him to see exactly what was going on. When we were at the vet my boy never once acted like that, the most he'd do was tense up his abdomen.

 

[crazy]

yep same here Jessie wouldnt go downstairs once i videoed for vet and sent it he said it helped as she appeared in pain yet on exam she wasnt screaming in pain but he gave pain meds

 

[Laco]

Dogs are masters at concealing pain. Your Vet should be able to determine what hurts, though.

 

[Kyllobernese]

I had one dog who was doing what sounded like reverse sneezing but it went on for hours. She also did it all the way to the Vet. I got there and took her in and she was completely normal, could not get her to do it. Even walked her up and down outside for a while. She never did it on the way home or ever afterwards.

I am not one who rushes my dogs to the Vet for every little thing but she had done it for so long, I thought I had better get it checked. She had never done the reverse sneezing noise before or ever did it again.