Dog acting strange.

Ravenlost · #1 09/12/08, 05:26 PM

Our dog Drake is an eight year old Black Lab. He hasn't been feeling good the last couple of days. He's been getting me up very early in the morning for emergency potty breaks. Hubby said Drake has been constipated for the last few days too. And now I noticed he's shivering in his sleep. It isn't overly cool in the house and he's lying in the sun.

His nose is cool and damp so I don't think he's running a fever. Any ideas?

Minelson · #2 09/12/08, 06:08 PM

The cool nose and damp is not always accurate. If he is acting lethargic he may have a temp and some infection going on. Is he dehydrated?

Ruby · #3 09/12/08, 06:54 PM

Ravenlost, before Max died from conjestive heart failure he use to shiver. I thought he was just cold and I would either put his sweater on him or cover him up. I now think he didn't have enough blood circulation. You might want to have his heart checked at the vet. If I had know sooner about Max I could have had him on medication.

Ravenlost · #4 09/12/08, 07:31 PM

I'll definitely have him checked for that Ruby.

Hard to tell if Drake is lethargic...all he ever does is lay around the house! He did go out on our evening walk (we just got back) and did his normal thing...run down to the persimmon tree to check for half ripe persimmons on the tree (probably what's causing his constipation) and then he went for a dip in the pond.

He's not dehydrated, at least not that I can tell. He's been drinking at his normal rate.

I forgot to mention that he threw up twice yesterday afternoon.

GoldenMom · #5 09/12/08, 07:31 PM

Is your husband *sure* he's constipated? Or has he just seen him straining in the yard? More often the dog has diarrhea and is straining to go more even though he's just had a small soft bowel movement. And with the needing emergency potty breaks, I'd guess he's going out and having a soft bowel movement. Can you watch to see if he pees or squats when you let him out on an "emergency" basis tonight?

Ravenlost · #6 09/12/08, 07:33 PM

I thought of that too GoldenMom, but hubby said Drake was definitely constipated and when he was able to go it had a lot of seeds in it. I suspect they were persimmon seeds.

Willow101 · #7 09/12/08, 08:47 PM

Shivering is sometimes a response to pain. Its possible he has something in the intestine that isn't producing a full blockage but is gumming up the works in a minor way.

Willow101

Ruby · #8 09/12/08, 09:22 PM

Max was active, even the morning before his heart attack he was out chasing and playing with the cat. There is just so much that can go wrong with animals and they are like babies they can't tell you what's wrong.

Max had a case of diarrhea about a month before he died. Poor thing would lay in my lap and I could feel his stomach cramp and he would look at me and whine. It was on the weekend and the vet was closed. He was fine by Monday and never had it again. But his stomach was always easily upset.

I hope your Drake gets better.

Dodgegal79 · #9 09/12/08, 09:50 PM

Excessive thirst is a sign of heart problems. If it congestive heart failure, put your head to his chest and listen. You can hear the fluid sloshing around in there, also his pulse will be faster then usually, trying to make up for the lose of blood being pumps. Hope its something simple thou.

Ravenlost · #10 09/12/08, 11:02 PM

He's not excessively thirsty, thank goodness. Just normal thirsty.

He only did the shivering while sleeping. Maybe he was just having a dream?

Dodgegal79 · #11 09/12/08, 11:50 PM

Yeah it could be. We do it, my cats aways look like they are have seizures. LOL

Rondah · #12 09/13/08, 12:26 AM

Ravenlost I love my dogs so much, I tend to convulse if they get so much as a runny nose. That said, I would take him to the vet, just to make sure, maybe run some tests, like an over-all physical.

I hope nothing is wrong, dog's can get sick, just like us, it's just so hard because they can't tell us what's wrong

Ravenlost · #13 09/13/08, 02:37 AM

I know. I wish they could talk to us.

Strange Bear · #14 09/13/08, 11:55 AM

He might have an underactive thyroid. Being cold, lethargic, constipated all go with that. Hope he gets better soon.

Ravenlost · #15 09/13/08, 02:40 PM

He seems to be fine today, but we're keeping an eye on him.

Minelson · #16 09/15/08, 08:27 PM

How is Drake doing?

Ravenlost · #17 09/16/08, 10:31 AM

He's fine. I did catch him shivering in the garden the other evening. He has arthritis, so maybe that's what makes him shiver. Or maybe he's just cold! I don't know, but he's eating well and acting normal.

Otter · #18 09/16/08, 11:40 AM

Glad to hear it.

Ravenlost · #19 09/17/08, 04:01 PM

The mystery has been solved. Hubby insisted he was passing cantaloupe seeds and was constipated. I insisted he was passing persimmon seeds and that cantaloupe wouldn't constipate him.

Well, yesterday hubby decided that if the dogs were eating persimmons they must be good so he "attempted" to eat one. HEE HEE...wish I'd been there to watch him eat a green persimmon! Once his lips unpuckered he admitted that it was definitely persimmon seeds in Drake's poop.

Now we need to figure out how to keep Drake from snacking on their walks.

Minelson · #20 09/17/08, 08:27 PM

Your hubby is such a sweetheart