My Dog Pebbles is acting strange. She's a small dog cross-bred with a yorkshire terrier and a shizu. Today she's been making little whingey noises on and off. She seemed to be acting a bit mopey, but then cheered up when I tried playing with her. She started hopping about and going nuts like usual when she got excited. But everytime we try and pick her up (by gently holding her under her arms and around the chest area) she yelps really loudly, and then starts shiverring. She's showing the usual signs of me wanting to pick her up and putting her on the sofa - I.E Getting up on her hind legs and waggling her tail, so it's not as though she's just scared. Her tummy looks a little bit bloated, but other than that nothing seems to be physically wrong. I've tried feeling her tummy and legs, bending them back and forth and such, and she doesn't seem to be bothered. I did the foolish thing of looking the things i've mentioned up on google and the results have scared me to almost crying. Things about 'bloat' and 'twisted stomachs' and horrible things like that. She isn't showing any other symptoms of those other than having a bit of a bloated tum and she doesn't seem to have really hurt anything. Why is she yelping like this? Please don't tell me to take her to the Vet straight away. Things like that scare me to death and I just don't want to go down that road, especially when my parents have no money right now. I'm not having some idiot JR vet tell me she needs to be put down when it could be something minor. I'm asking: Has anybody on here had a similar experience with their dog and could help me with it? Thanks
It sounds like she probably has gas in her tummy. Humans get it too. Maybe she swallowed too much air? It probably doesn't hurt until you pick her up because when you pick her up, you're exerting pressure on the tummy (though gently). Is she eating and going to the restroom normally? Is she vomiting? I'd wait, see if she'll work this out herself. I wouldn't take her in unless she stopped eating for a while (for me a while means a day and a half.) Remember, there are like a gajillion things about stomach problems, some more serioius than others. Pebbles, I think, has a simple stomach ache.
I'd go to the vet, but if you prefer the advice of idiots on the internet then the advice of trained idiots i'd say it's her but gland. that may not be the "professional" name for it but dogs have this thing in their but that sorta swells up and causes them pain, has she been dragging her but on the lawn? That's a sure fire sign their but gland is puffy. Plus it's more common in small dogs the big ones. The treatment is to squeeze the anus. Do it outside the house because even if the gland is fine is smells bad. Really bad. Repaint your house bad. Don't use gloves you're attached to is what i'm saying. This makes me sound like i'm nine but that's what you get when you use untrained idiots. p.s I would really go to a vet.
That's exactly what my cat had. The vet operated on her and she was back home recupirating at the end of the day. They don't put animals down unless it was a hopeless situation (which this isn't). Usually, they have two methods: A) Give a shot B) Operate
Well, that's what it was. Kinda nasty. But OP, it still never hurts to take your dog to the vet. They're there because they're committed to easing the pain of dogs and cats. If Pebbles has butt gland problems or other stomach problems, they'll fix it. And btw, it was the junior vets who help treated my dog Howie when he had back problems. They recommended surgery in Auburn last summer and now he's doing excellent! But if Pebbles seems happy and she's eating (is she?) and not vomiting (is she?) then I imagine it's just a sore stomach. It will go away eventually. Most dogs with severe stomach problems like you probably read about aren't gonna be running around acting crazy when you respond to them, or jump on their hine legs wanting to be picked up. If they feel pathetic, they'll show it by their actions. But yes, go to the vet and get it checked out. She may have a stomach virus that is treatable. The worst case scenario is that she'll have to undergo surgery, but I think there's a 99.999% chance that they'll just whip out that syringe filled with the "Make Pebbles Better" solution and inject it into her.
She's eating fine and as far as I know she hasn't been vomitting. It just really scares me when she's hurt, because one of my worst nightmares is having Pebbles get sick and die. I'll check her backside when I get a chance and hope that it seems okay. I came in just now and she was skittering about my feet as usual, and then she suddenly yelped. It's weird. If she starts getting worse then of course I'll take her to the vet; it's just that the last time I took pets to the Vets, they got worse and died. Then the vet kindly sent us a £900 bill. It's just such odd behavior. I'm thinking that maybe she's bruised her ribs? If so, what exactly can be done about it? We have slippery laminated flooring and it's quite possible that one of her many bumps has bruised her, but I just don't know how I can make her more comfortable. I wish she could just tell me what the matter was. I know i'm probably just over reacting, but you know, I love my dog. Thanks for the replies guys.
Does she jump up and down on furniture? Small dogs (especially Dachshunds) can sprain their backs between the shoulder blades by repetitive impact when they jump down. This injury leaves them feeling okay unless you attempt to lift them, especially by lifting under the front legs at the shoulder. Then, they yelp in pain. This has happened to one of my Dachshunds and to my Lhasa-Apso/Sh!tzu mix (yes..."Sh!t-zu" because she's a little sh!t!). Our vet gave the dogs pain pills for a few days and we prevented the dogs from getting on furniture or the beds. During that healing time, I built a gentle ramp at the end of our bed and some little carpeted steps for the furniture. Our dogs now have full access but the impact-risk is gone. Of course, I have no idea what's wrong with your pup but if her symptoms are similar to what we experienced, then it won't cost you anything to keep her off the beds/furnitures and if she gets better, then that might be the problem. Point is, it's free and doesn't involve any oddball "cures".
If her tummy is bloated, it is possible she has eaten something that does not agree with her. Has she been given any treats she is not used to or had her kibble changed? Has she had an opportunity to steal something she shouldn't be eating? It could be gas. It could be worms. I know this is gross...but have you checked her poop? Is it normal? Fining little wormy things? Having the squirts? If the yummy thing is just her getting pudgy...then their might be as Salty said a back problem. How old is she? She may be developing some arthritis. She may have tweaked her back or shoulder. Have you tried picking her up not from under shoulder but with an arm across her chest and another under her butt? You may be able to localize where the pain is coming from. Try gently massaging her back and shoulders. See if she shows any sign of discomfort. As for bloat, small dogs are not nearly as prone to it as larger dogs. Generally that happens from a dog having to bend down to eat. Expressing the anal sacks might be a problem...but I don't think that is causing the discomfort when picking her up. She would also be licking her butt or dragging it. I know you don't want ot go to vet...but that is the most reliable way to find out what is wrong and get her help if she needs it. At this point I say observe. If it is indigestion..it will pass (literally). If it is a joint thing...you can try giving her a baby aspirin (not Tylenol!!!). Watch her eating and pooping. Watch her walking. Note if things are getting better or worse. Keep me updated...I worry about doggies.
I think people may be on the right track with the sprained back. It could be a back injury (though I cant say with any certainty of course) --I wouldnt think she'd yelp if it was her stomach, because by picking a dog up, there shouldnt be any irritation or stretching of the stomach, but there is a minor strain on the back... The bloated tummy thing is a bit confusing, and I dont have an answer for that except that, could she just be getting heavy? If so, a heavier dog will be more prone to back injuries, just like any heavyset human. My pup had a sprained back just a few weeks ago. You should go to the vet if your dog is hyper and it is a back issue --even though it hurt her to do so, my puppy still jumped around because she was excited to see us. Consequently, we had to have her mildly sedated while her back healed. Try not to worry too much, and might I suggest switching to a vet you're more comfortable with if you're so scared to take her in? Good luck, and I hope Pebbles feels better soon.
i've had many dogs, cats, etc. and have to be brutally honest here and tell you to ignore all the 'maybe it's this and maybe it's that' advice above, though i know it's all given in a caring spirit... your beloved pet is NOT WELL!... and could well be getting worse, or even dying, while you dither about asking people who can't have a clue, since they can't see the poor thing, instead of taking her to the doctor, to relieve her distress and have whatever is causing it treated!!! she is in pain, so something is obviously wrong... and if you truly care about her, you'll do for her what your parents would do for you... would they be asking the neighbors, "what do you think could be wrong with our daughter, if she's in pain and making little noises?"?!?... of course not!... they'd take you straight to the doctor's and not mind what it cost... if money is more important than a pet's life and comfort, then you shouldn't have a pet... period... sorry to be so harsh, but how do you think someone who loves you would react if this thread was about you and not a poor 'pet'? the very least you should do is call the vet and ask him/her, not be writing to a bunch of strangers, none of whom have a license to practice, or can have a clue to what's wrong!
I agree. None of us have licenses in veterinarian practice and even if we were all crammed into your house observing Pebbles with our own eyes, we would still not have the faintest clue what was going on, much less have the specific insturments to treat her handy like a syringe and a medicine bottle. (and you can't tell me that you'd rather trust some college kid from the Alabama gulf with your dog's life over a trained vet.) It COULD be a stomach ache, it may not be. I don't know. None of us do. Take her to a vet who DOES know and is ABLE to treat her on the spot. Going to the vet is scary, I know. I'm the guy who's dog broke his back and spent at least two pages in the Tavern thread sobbing about it. But they saved his life because they were trained to do it and had the things needed. And these vets weren't 60+-year-olds. These vets were young. And for the record, they're not going to put Pebbles down if it was something minor or treatable. They're trained to fight (figuritivley) tooth and nail for that dog/cat's survival as long as there's a heartbeat in their little chest.
Maia, I think you are being very harsh. I love Pebbles to death and I'd gladly quit uni and use my student loan to pay for any operations if needed - I have not in any way suggested that i'd value money over my dog. At all. My parents don't have the money for operations, no - but I'd do anything to save my dog. Also, you're jumping the gun. If I thought she was in serious pain then I wouldn't have bothered asking on here before taking action. The fact is that I know plenty of people on the forum have small dogs that are prone to aches and pains, and I thought it was sensible to ask for their opinion. Earlier on I was over reacting, simply because I care about her so much. I'm getting quite tired of finding these responses spread across the internet, claiming that every problem a dog has is deadly and accusing dog owners of being careless just because they thought of asking other dog owners first before calling a vet. ----------------------------------------------- I've been watching her the last couple of hours and she's stopped yelping everytime she wants lifting or needs to get up/down. It's now toned down to a small yelp now and then when she sneezes or rolls over too quickly. I'm pretty sure she's either strained a muscle in her shoulders/neck or bruised her ribs on the floor when she leaps down and stumbles (as she often does, being a clumsy little thing). If it was anything more serious than that, then knowing Pebbs, she'd be yelping the house down. NaCI, thanks for sharing that. I think you're right. Pebbs is about the same size as your doggies and she also likes to hop up on beds and on furniture, and her pains haven't stopped her doing it either. I've been gently lifting her the way that 'Mina suggested, around the chest, tummy and bum, and she hasn't yelped or shown any signs of discomfort. Hopefully it'll dim down as long as I keep her from straining/twisting her body any more, and I don't think I need to run into the Vetenery office, crying and wailing just yet. Thanks to those that haven't accused me of being careless and unloving towards my dog, and gave me their genuine opinion. I don't consider the dog owners on WF.org to be 'idiots', and I very much value your opinion
Thank you Link, I'll watch her tonight and if she starts to make a fuss (which she hasn't so far, she's just yelped - otherwise she's been acting normal) then I'll call a Vet tomorrow. I'm glad your doggie got better
If there is any chance she swallowed something that could perforate or block her intestines, I wouldn't wait.
Did I say that? I don't think she's swallowed anything. Are you deliberately trying to scare me? And if she had, she'd be vomitting and in pain. She isn't showing those signs. Oh, and I forgot to mention that I don't think she's bloated anymore. I think I misjudged it - my family and Matt don't seem to notice a difference and I think perhaps I was looking for problems. Hopefully...
No, I'm just worried because her belly is that sensitive. As Maia said, none of us is there to see firsthand, even if we were veterinary trained. The worst case is scary, and I'd feel awful if it weren't mentioned and turned out to be the case. I like most dogs better than I like most people. And I'm not even all that misanthropic.
Okay. I don't think she has, though. If she did she'd most likely be vomitting/squittzing. Picking her up around the tummy and bum seems to be more benfitial to her, where as if she had tummy trouble I don't think she'd like it. Animals are so difficult to understand sometimes. She's perked up now and seems to be acting her usual self...she's curled up next to me right now (on the sofa...*sigh*) and she's sneezed a few times without yelping. Maybe she strained a muscle earlier and it's becoming less sore now. I'll have to wait and see how she goes.
Does Matt (or you) have any woodworking skills? If so, it's simple to build a set of little doggy steps or a ramp for next to the bed: a little plywood, a few nails and some indoor/outdoor carpet glued to the stepping surfaces. Dogs are creatures of habit so if she is used to leaping off, you'll need to train her to use the steps/ramp. Zack (my black Dachsie) severely sprained his back but once he got better, he went right back to leaping off without a care. Fortunately, doggy treats and persistence got his attention and now he uses the proper path in getting off high places. Now, if I can just get him to stop with the doggy farts!
I'm probably too late to be giving advice, but next time, ring the Vet branch of your university (presuming your university has one) and ask to speak to someone with training in veterinarian nursing. Otherwise, take her to the nearest emergency vet clinic and ask for a quick assessment from a veterinarian nurse (usually this is done on the spot and is free). This is what I did when my puppy was hit by a car a few months ago. It was on a public holiday and my family was broke. Our puppy, 'skidded', underneath the car in question, so we didn't know how badly hurt he was. He appeared to be in alot of pain however, so we took him to my uni's emergency vet clinic which was open 24/7, and a nurse looked him over. Luckily, they said there was no strong evidence to suggest he was seriously hurt, but Mum was still worried so we had him further assessed by a Vet. He ended up being completely fine, just some superficial bruising. Of course the assessment cost a good 200 dollars but luckily we were able to borrow some money off my Aunty before hand. Looking back, my puppy probably didn't need to see a Vet but I guess it's better to be safe than sorry. Money is hard to come by these days, but I've found there's always some way to scrape up enough to have unexpected events like these attended to.
