Sick Bella

[bellasmom]

She did mention HGE, but decided against it because of how well Bella seemed, no fever, still jumping and playing, very spirited, etc. She said that most dogs with HGE come in on a stretcher and that it was 90% chance it was a stress related outbreak or something she ate, no idea what was stressful since our routine and everyday living has no changed. We did move in September, which she feels was possibly part of the cause, kind of late in my book, but i'm not a vet. I take her to one of the best vets in the area (my bank account tells me so also), the vet sent me home with Metronidazole, last dose is tomorrow morning. Overall she is 80% better, she did lose a good amount of weight from it, and is back at the grass feeding, but last year that was not uncommon for her, perhaps she just forgot how good it tastes ... I'm still keeping a very close eye on her behavior, feedings, bowel movements, etc.

[bellasmom]

Also, I do remember the vet also stating she did not believe it was HG because it had been an on and off issue for almost a week that had completely disappeared. All dogs are different, but she said if it was HG she would have been deathly ill after about 2 days. Her symptoms started on a Friday, and had gone by Wednesday (vomiting was only 1 day, diarrhea was gone after a few days also), and the bloody diarrhea didn't appear until the following Monday. She was still eating, playing, bowel movements, etc. I hope she is right and it's either IBD, which I've already purchased the necessary foods and items (as well as began the switch), or she got herself into something she shouldn't have. Either one extreme or the other, I still am slightly worried, but she seems to be much better and under constant watch.

After reading the plop poop or whatever it is post, most of her concerns ring a bell, Bella hasn't had a very "solid" stool for some time now, very much like a cow patty or soft ice cream, but always normal in color. Her gas is absolutely rancid that it will wake me in the middle of the night on a completely different floor of the house (she is still unfortunately crated at night and while we are at work), that gas completely disappeared on the bland diet, (1st day was 4 teaspoons of rice and boiled chicken or ground beef (3 parts rice, 1 part meat) every 3 hours, 2nd day 1/4 cup 4-5 times, 3rd and 4th 1/2 cup 3-4 times), as soon as we started her regular feedings and food, it was back with a vengeance.