Somethings wrong I think :(

Debbie1224 · 07-16-2007, 06:45 AM

My 6 year old Princess is acting strange. Any suggestions would be appreciated. She has always been extremely playful, I mean really playful. She is like the energizer bunny. She plays with her toys, really plays, runs, gallops around the house with them, plays with Stewart the newer puppy, runs in the yard. She is overweight though, can't figure out why with all the excerise she gets but she is. She is a pound puppy we've had since she was about 5 1/2 weeks old. The last 5 days she is slow going up the stairs, like it hurts her to go up, seems to come down ok, still running in the yard, but not quite like she was, a little slower and not so hard. She isn't playing like she was, and something just seems off. I am planning on taking her to the vet this week, but thought some suggestions from you all might help. She doesn't appear to be in any pain, but who knows. She has also been scratching at her ear some and shaking her head like something is in her ear. Missy (our 5 year old) has been licking Princess' ear like crazy, but then again, Missy always licks ears anyway. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thank you.

RonE · 07-16-2007, 07:49 AM

Most dogs hide pain very well.

She may have an ear infection, but only a vet can say for sure.

BoxMeIn21 · 07-16-2007, 10:55 AM

I think a vet trip is in order - anything can be going on and unfortunately we are not going to be able to diagnose the problem over the internet.

DONBRIJE · 07-16-2007, 10:52 PM

Has she been going to the bathroom like always (#2 that is)?? It sound s like she absolutely needs a vet asap as someone else said pets hide pain very well. I lost a dog due to waiting tooo long to go to vet and she had a uterus infection. If male it could also be a bowel obstruction from something eaten I am not a vet these are just suggestions and the best suggestion is to get to the vet quickly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
.

Debbie1224 · 07-17-2007, 06:10 AM

Thanks for your respones, she is going today. She has always pooped about three or 4 times a day, I figure it's because she eats so much. Her ears do look red as of last night and she has had an ear infections before so there is a good possibility they are infected. I just am concerned about the stair thing, I know that six years old isn't really old for a dog, but the vet says that most pound mixed breeds have a life span of about 8-10 years (I think that is a little low myself) but we'll see what they say today. My husband thinks it might just be old age but I don't think so, you don't go from one day running up the stairs fine and the next dragging up them. I hate thinking she might be in pain that I can't tell. She seems a little more like her old self yesterday but still not the same. I'll let you all know what the doc says. Thanks again!

lovemygreys · 07-17-2007, 09:35 AM

I'd have bloodwork done, which your vet will probably want to do anyway. If you live in an area with ticks, I'd want a tick panel done. They can do a SNAP test in the office (looks for lyme, ehrlichia, heartworm and one other thing I can never remember

), but tick panels are also usually sent off to another lab for extra testing. I have heard of SNAP tests giving a false negative so if a vet suspects tick disease, they usually start treatment pending the results.

Hope your pup feels better soon!

Debbie1224 · 07-19-2007, 06:37 AM

Just an update and thanks for all your input. I took Princess and the vet said she had ear infections (which I knew) and that she had allergies really bad and told me to give her a benadryl 3 times a day (which seems to be helping) and gave me a prescription for some ear stuff that goes in her ears (she has had this before) and for the back-she gave me some prescription for that-she said x-rays probably should be done but her machine wasn't working-I don't think that's the case-this doctor never really liked Princess because she thinks Princess has "issues" because she is like a crazy dog when she gets her nails trimmed. Though the meds seems to be helping-she thinks she just hurt her back probably playing so hard with the new puppy Stewart. The docotr we usually see was on vacation, so if Princess doesn't stay doing better, I'll bring her back to the doctor I like better. But she seems more like herself over the last couple of days. Thanks again for all your input, I guess I overreact, but I love my puppies and worry like they are kids (they are my kids)