Our Pets- Consolers (Four Legged, Two Legged, Fur, Finned)

[Queeniemary]

Mary, thank you for sharing "I stood by your bed last night", beautiful poem. I am sorry you are feeling so fragile, but it is very understandable. Will be sending positive thoughts your way.

Mary (Queeniemary) in Arkansas

[mfh]

Thank you, Mary. I feel stronger today than yesterday. I was reeling from the MDs explanation on Thursday. Thank you for reaching out. Yes, I love that picture and poem....I think of our last dog, Buffy, a golden mix we had for 14 years...tossed recklessly out of the window of a moving pick up truck as it passed the dump. Our neighbor was behind the truck, got the pup, and gave him to us...the day he was tossed out, Bill and I decided to get a golden without even knowing Buffy was already waiting for us.

[mfh]

A warning about food changes for your dog i.e. pumpkin treats in this instance:

Don’t let anyone ever tell you we are not moms to our dogs. I woke up today, let Bentley out, got coffee, let Bentley in, got his food ready and sat down to have my coffee and then go meditate (my routine) when I almost stepped (yes, I confess to being barefoot) into a huge pile of poop (I have a big dog )….wet poop and regular poop. In the almost 9 years Bentley has shared our home, I have never cleaned up anything more than a very rare vomit and that only if I got there first. You get the picture. So I got that cleaned up and almost stepped in another, ...and another, ...and another…from the living room to the kitchen to the art studio....by the time I cleaned up pile number 5, I knew we had a sick dog. (Duh!). So, I get the piles cleaned up , the floor cleaned as best I can until I get some carpet cleaner later this morning...(good thing the carpet cleaning service is coming next week) and then I start to work on Bentley. I do not know if any of you have ever studied, brushed or worst yet cleaned the rear end of a Golden Retriever who was created to be a show dog or even otherwise….well they have lots and lots and lots of long beautiful feathers--on their legs, on their underside and on their rear ends. That is what they are called…feathers but believe me they are not feathers. They are thick long easily tangled fur…lots of it... now covered in you know what….

So like a good mom, I get gloves on. I happened to have a large box of surgical gloves on hand and start cleaning Bentley’s feathers. He is not at all happy about this, tried to escape once but ultimately stands there obedient to my order (spoken in an unusually firm low voice-so I sound like Bill-gentle Bill.)…”Bentley, wait”. He stands there like a little soldier the entire 30 minutes or so. It is a long painful (for both of us) ordeal and one that Bill would have jumped in to do without a thought....especially knowing this is not a task I would enjoy...who would? It is now an hour later, Bentley is very subdued. I think he feels guilty (or sick?) in spite of my repeated reassurance that he was a good boy and I love him and adore him and hugged him and more. I just pray he is ok.

I share my tale (tail?) of woe to warn you who might be making the pumpkin treats for your pup. Give him/her just one and monitor them well to see if they agree with their dog…wait 24 hours. Now Bentley had 4-5 over the course of last evening as I was working with him…training/playing. I am teaching him to sniff out things*....Broke them up into little pieces. From what I could see…it was the pumpkin treats that did not set well. The color betrayed the source. Maybe the pumpkin, maybe the rice flour, maybe who knows…but for now that is my assumption. I will be monitoring him very closely this week. I surely will not take any chances with them….I threw them away. This is a dog that can eat anything though I am extremely careful with his diet.

So be warned…be careful. I will let you know in a few days if I have any reason to believe it was anything but the pumpkin treats that caused this. I am sure there is nothing wrong with the recipe...it just did not agree with Bentley as far as I can see.

*My dog trainer friend said teaching a dog to sniff out things is a great way to give dogs a task at home, relieve boredom, stimulate their brains, etc. and he is good at it. I put him outside in the yard and while he is there (or somewhere else in the house) I hide treats (hoping I remember where I hid them) and then let him out. He knows the routine so immediately goes to work searching for food. So far, I have never found a treat hidden anywhere. He gets them all. He has to work for some that are in plain view (under the table with chair legs as obstacles forcing him to use his paws to retrieve...etc.)

Now, I will go do what I would have done well over an hour ago....meditate

[enna]

Well, first of all my thoughts and concern is on Bentley. Please let us know how he is and that he is all right. You are indeed going to have all doggy moms past and present worried as only moms can worry until we hear that all is well.

I'm sitting here drinking my coffee trying very hard not to smile too much because I so know what your clean up was all about - thank you for the colorful discription. I am so glad that Benji is only 24lbs and that his hair is short and sleek!

Keep us updated Mary.

[mfh]

He is very subdue this morning but ate two regular treats but not with great enthusiasm though he saw me pocket one of them and followed me around hoping to get it which he ultimately did. No more presents for me. We shall see. Nothing unusual happened but he did have one more round outside...came to me with "the look" and ran to the door so I ran after him and let him out and it took him much searching for the right spot outside. I checked it and it was the treat...hopefully the last of it and the one that caused the problem. I will keep you informed and try to be gentle in my descriptions :

[enna]

[mfh]

Right after I post that Bentley came and gave me "the look" again and we went outside, quickly. He wandered all over and finally made his deposit. I checked it and it was small but pumpkin colored. I used extra pumpkin to moisten the mix. So I stayed outside and raked up the cuttings from the lawn mowing. The lawn was so high that he could not mulch it all. I usually do not have to do anything after he is here but it gave me a chance to be out with Bentley and so far so good. I will not be going to Madtown today as I do not want to leave him home alone...trapped even in the kitchen but maybe scared as this is all new to him. I think he is ok but monitoring. I will have to leave him when I go to the food pantry but that is not until late afternoon and i should know by then how he is. If sick, I will not go. Thanks folks. It feels good to share this...when our "kids" are sick.

[feralfae]

Many, many get well wishes to Bentley.

Poor fellow, I know he feels ill and also feels bad for making a mess. Dogs are so sensitive to us and our needs and wishes. He must need a lot of love right now.

Oh, I hope it is all through his system and he is feeling better by now.

Poor love, and poor you, Mary, for all the cleaning up.

I hope the rest of the day keeps getting better for both of you.

fae

[mfh]

The good news is that all this happened in the middle of the night and now he comes to me to tell me he has to go out. I wonder why he does not do that when i am asleep but the way he tells me he needs to go out is to stand and stare at me with "the look". Of course, he may have done that during the night. He is sleeping, very low key right now. I will get some white rice and beef and boil the beef and mix it as that is what the vet said to do when he had an upset stomach after his first time at the kennel.....almost 9 years ago. He loves it. He ate a normal breakfast...of course, i did not know at that point that he had problems.

[MartyT]

Mary, dear, your description of cleaning Bentley's behind brought back such memories for me! When our boys were young we had a Bouvier des Flanders which, as you may know, is quite a large, bear-like and furry breed. Daisy had a penchant for ~ how to say this? ~ having a very dirty bottom sometimes, requiring intervention on my part ~ And at such times I would heft all 110 pounds of her atop my washing machine, which sat next to the sink in my laundry room, so I could fit her hindquarters into the sink while she stood patiently as I cleaned her up. This happened more than once ~ I don't remember why ~ but I suspect whatever we'd fed her at the time proved too rich for her system, just as I suspect the pumpkin treats were probably too rich for Bentley's. Anyway, your story brought back so many memories of my beloved Daisy ~ and I got such a kick out of your vivid description of discovering his trail of messes and cleaning up after him, including all those beautiful feathers on his person. They are our babies, aren't they?

Do keep us posted ~ We don't want anything to happen to one of our most treasured canine members! ♥

[mfh]

Thank you, Marty. It is challenging to picture you lifting a 110 lb dog all the way up on top of a washer. The picture is fascinating However, I am so glad that my story brought Daisy into your awareness and your heart again...though they are always in our hearts.

I thought about putting him in the tub but he is quite adverse to tubs. Our last Golden mix (85 lbs) Bill and I would strip and the three of us would get into the tub...scrub away until he was as clean and rinsed as he was going to get....and escaped as we stood there (don't even think about the picture) exhausted from the struggle. Bentley has never been bathed at home. I have hosed him outside a few times and will hose him later today when I am sure he is done making deposits....for now...he is 90% clean....now I see why some folks trim the feathers off but I will never do that. I do believe it was the pumpkins...just too rich for his stomach. And yes, they are our babies. He is sleeping a lot but he tends to do more sleeping now that he is almost 63. Thanks, Marty. I love the image of you and Daisy with Daisy's rear end in the sink. I am just glad that in my bare feet (Yes! still doing it but carefully) I did not step in it. Yew

[kayc]

Mary,

It was my vet that told me to add pumpkin to Arlie's diet when he was sick, so it's hard to imagine the pumpkin alone being the culprit, it's also helping my cat, but it could be giving too many treats...it's like suddenly switching dog foods on them. Huskies have sensitive dispositions and whenever my son and I have switched dog foods on Arlie or Skye, we've had to do so very gradually. Yes, I know what it is to have the tailfeathers...I had a Golden Retriever, Teddy, and it's a lot of work keeping them from matting. I hope by now Bentley is all well! Also, did you refrigerate them? I don't know if they need it or not but since it had eggs I did.

You are indeed Bentley's mom! Arlie doesn't like to wake me up either...he'll come and stare at me and wait for me to take him out when he is sick, and I feel so bad that he's had to wait while I'm sleeping! Please let us know how he's doing now.

Marty, I can't imagine how you got 110 lb. dog atop a washer!

[mfh]

I do think it is the pumpkin as it is very sweet...high carbs...so I tossed them out. Yes, refrigerated them. He is almost 9 now and their stomachs get more sensitive as do our as we age. When I switch dog food, I do it very gradually over time...

I have been outside with him many times today. I lost track of how many. He seems a bit better but in and out we go and a tiny deposit mostly.

[kayc]

Mary,

I've done some reading on it, and the most common food allergens for dogs are beef, wheat, and dairy. Pumpkin is recommended for them. However, it doesn't matter how good something is for you, if you have an allergy to it, it is not good for you, no matter how many others can tolerate it. I highly suspect Bentley is allergic to pumpkin. It's rare, but it can happen. I am allergic to fish...everyone pushes eating fish. It doesn't matter how great it is for others, for me it is a toxin. A dog's allergic reaction isn't that different than ours...it can cause rashes, itching, or Diarrhea, intestinal upset. I would just avoid pumpkin in his diet. It's hard to imagine him being allergic to the rice flour, but it's always a possibility. If you don't have problems with him with rice though, I wouldn't suspect the rice flour. Egg is a possibility but you've probably already given him bites of egg w/o a reaction, you would have noticed it before if that were the case.

Also, Golden Retrievers are one of the breeds most sensitive to allergies.

Have you a concoction you make up for him when he is sick until his system heals? If not, try calling the vet for ideas. I make up something with mashed potatoes (no dairy!), rice, chicken breast (chopped, stir fried-no grease), and yogurt or cottage cheese. The "no-dairy" doesn't usually apply to yogurt or cottage cheese as they have different enzymes. I also give Arlie 1 tsp. Probiotics daily, mix the measured powder in with his concoction. I usually add two chicken boullion cubes to the rice while it's cooking for added incentive/flavor. My vet told me to add canned pumpkin to this mix for added fiber, but of course, I'd leave that off with Bentley, probably for life. This is all stuff my son and my vets have told us to use when they're intestines or colons are upset.

[mfh]

The trips to the yard are not as close together but he is still making them. He did not eat his second meal for a long while so I called Alan. That is our vet. He said diarrhea should not go on longer than 24 hours so by tomorrow if he is still having problems, we shall go in to see him. He wants him drinking water and said to add a bit of beef or chicken broth to the water so he drinks plenty so as not to dehydrate. Of course, while I was talking to Alan, Bentley goes over and eats his food. So Alan said his "tummy" is probably not hurting as much or he would not eat. I usually mix in some canned food so he gets more water and today I thought it would be too rich so I just gave him dry food. He may (or may not) have been holding out for the wet food. He also drank some water. He and I both need to do more of that

I really believe he will be fine but with the diarrhea continuing, I got a bit afraid of dehydration. I will leave him here (where there is no carpet) while I go to the food pantry to work. Just an update. Thanks for your concern. It is truly appreciated.

[mfh]

Thanks, Kay. My guess is the food is too rich for his stomach. I doubt allergies but who knows. I do know...no more pumpkin. I doubt it was rice as he eats rice and I give him a bit of egg once in a while. Thanks for your support and input.

[mfh]

Latest report. I thought it would be ok to leave Bentley while I helped at the food pantry. Just in case I barricaded him so he could not go where the carpet was except for my office. When I came home, he was waiting for me at the garage door which opens into my art studio...I knew we had a problem as he usually waits in my office. I let him out instantly and checked to find a large (my opinion) pool of you know what in the kitchen and splatters all around it like it had come gushing out of him. Sorry to be so graphic. The worst, besides the fact that he does not feel well, was it was clear from looking at this pool that he had slipped in it. Yew! Soooo, I just got my new hose (one of those on TV that shrinks up-to replace the ones I have that weigh a ton) so it got baptized today and his entire back end got a good hosing....

I will monitor all night and perhaps we will go to the vet tomorrow. We shall see. No food tonight....and I put chicken broth in his water but it did not appeal much to him. Vet said not to put too much in. Hmmmmm. The joys of motherhood. Seriously, I am getting concerned now.

[MartyT]

Oh dear, Mary ~ This does not sound normal at all. I'm so sorry that you've got one more thing to worry about. I'm glad you alerted your vet earlier today. Is it possible that Bentley picked up something infectious where he was staying, while you were away last week? Do keep us posted . . .

[mfh]

Marty, I had not thought of his picking up something at the kennel. I picked him up on Friday and this started last night (Sunday night). It is possible and the vet wants to see him if it is an issue in the morning so I will get him in. I am starting to get VERY worried. He is not himself...for sure. And while I was gone, he had a round of diarrhea that was too much considering how the day had been going. Thanks for your concern.

[mfh]

The vet clinic is closed but I can set up an appointment via their website and requested an appt for as early as possible tomorrow morning. Better safe than sorry. If I do not hear back by opening time, I will call. He is very lethargic and has been all day except for barking at a passing dog earlier. I wish I had not left him, not that it made it any worse. I just know he would not want to be alone when he does not feel well. Who does? This is scaring me.

[Wifflesnook]

Mary, its 3.30 here and my cough is keeping me awake but I just wanted you to know I'm thinking of you and your worries about lovely Bentley. Hoping for improvement by morning. Jan

[mfh]

I am so sorry you are being kept awake when you are in such need of sleep. It is al,ost 10pm here and I am set to waken every hour tonight to check on Bentley. He made his last visit outside at about 8pm and I just tried to get him out again and he refused...I.e. did not want to go and usually at this hour he races out. I am crossing my fingers. I plan to see vet tomorrow and have him checked out and am worried tonight. His stomach was gurgling hard outside at 8pm. Thanks for your thoughts. I feel so fragile that when so,etching happens, I get weepy and scared.

Trying to be positive and not over react.

Mary

[Wifflesnook]

Hope you both have a peaceful night. X

[feralfae]

Dear Mary,

Sending lots of love and healing thoughts to you and Bentley.

I hope he is entirely well by morning, but am so glad you can take him to the vet.

I know you won't get much sleep with Bentley under the weather. We will all just hope for the best.

Jan, do you have some honey and ginger tea you can sip?

If you have no expectorant, try some mint tea, as it can have some of the same properties.

I hope everyone here, all you loving dears, and I include Bentley, are feeling better by morning.

Peace and Health.

Be well.

*<twinkles>*

fae

[feralfae]

Mary, did you try a little plain rice gruel? I cannot recall if the vet said that was okay or not.

I know we are all worried. Arlie gets well, and then Bentley gets tummy problems.

Tomorrow will be a better day. I hope we all get as much restful, healing sleep as possible.

Much Love,

fae