Just got home from the vet

[Tink]

Moses peed in my bedroom last night. Something he's not done in months...
Today he did it in the living room twice! He's also off his food and wasn't following me around like he usually does, so I got concerned and called my Vet. He has no fever... his rectal exam and all was normal But his bladder is HUGE... and his pupils are very large and don't respond to light. They drew blood and sent us home saying they'd call in a little while with the results, but right now they're thinking he may have been drugged! He's also doing a test for his kidneys since I told him how much Moses drinks and pees.

If this idea of the drugs proves to be true, I am going to be sick. My neighbor has done a lot of low things, but if he's resorted to drugging my dog, I may have to skin him alive and feed him to his own dog!

[DianaB]

That would be a pretty low thing for your neighbor to do. I hope that Moses is alright. Give him a hug for me and tell him to get better soon.

[Tink]

Moses has Anaplasmosis. His white count is very high even though he has no fever. It's something they've just started seeing in our area, so I'd not heard of it before.

For anyone who is ignorant of it like I was...
Canine anaplasmosis (Anaplasma phagocytophilum, formerly known as Ehrlichia equi) is transmitted by the deer tick and the Western black-legged tick?the same ticks that transmit Lyme disease. Canine anaplasmosis symptoms are often arthritis-like with multiple painful joints. Some canine anaplasmosis-infected dogs run a high fever, accompanied by lethargy, inappetence, vomiting and diarrhea. Neurological signs, while infrequent, may result in seizures and neck pain.

He's on pain meds, and antibiotics... already had his first doses of both.
He will be on meds for a full month and then be retested. I've never found a tick on him, as I use preventatives and thought they were working.

My vet said it's often a silent disease with no symptoms for a long time from it's onset, so he might have had it a long time and we've just now seen him react to it. I feel so bad for him! He might have been hurting for a long time and not been able to ask for help.

[DianaB]

Awww, poor Moses We'll say a prayer for him. Keep us posted on how he's doing.

[AngieDoogles]

Aww, poor guy! How scary for you too! I hope his medication helps.

[judy]

Poor Moses! I'm so glad you noticed his behavior wasn't right. Will the meds
get rid of it completely?

Please give Moses a hug!

[Tink]

He should recover provided it's not been active so long that it's caused damage we don't yet know about. I'm supposed to watch him closely for the next couple days and rush him back in if he gets worse, or isn't showing improvement by Friday.

Now that the pain med has had time to work, he's sleeping so deeply it's like he's comatose. His breathing is really slow, and he's just sprawled out. He twitches if a fly lands on him, but otherwise is out for the count. The pain med is supposed to work for 24 hrs, so I hope he's less achey by the time that wears off. He should be well rested by then at least.

Since he wasn't yet seizing, that's a plus. The vet said the bacteria invade the white blood cells and prevent them from being able to work like they're supposed to, so a dog can be knocked down by something they'd normally just shrug off. It affects a lot of things if not caught in time. I guess it's something I'll be a lot more aware of now.

[blowry]

Poor Moses! Thank God you noticed something wasn't right with him...it could have turned out alot worse. Maybe he had a tick on him and you didn't notice? I hope all turns out well for Moses

Sadie and Lillie send puppy kisses!{{{{slurp!!}}}}}

[Gina]

Poor Moses, Hope that he is feeling better in no time and that the meds help..


<<Gucci sends puppy kisses>>

[Janet]

Thank God you are so attentive, Tink! I'm praying that he recovers completely and has no more of this to worry about.

[Tink]

Thanks ladies
Moses looks a lot better already. He's eating, has a bit of spring back in his walk, and hasn't peed in the house anymore. He's had 3 doses of antibiotics so far and has let me know I'm going to have to stick my hand half way down his throat twice a day if I expect him to take those things! LOL He's very good at spitting them out if I don't get them way down... Thank God he loves me, so I don't worry about getting bit even though he doesn't enjoy it.

[AngieDoogles]

I'm so glad to hear that he's doing better Tink! That's wonderful! Marty hates taking any kind of medication as well. I always hide his pill in a spoonful of sugar-free peanut butter and then he eats it just fine. Maybe that would help.

[judy]

Thank goodness he's getting back to himself. He's such a good boy.

Give him a hug from me and Max.

[goofywife]

Poor guy. Don't ya just hate that they can not tell us when they hurt.

[Tink]

Thanks ladies.
Moses is looking much better. He and I came to a compromise on the pill taking. He will take them without a struggle provided I give him 2 pieces of rolled ground beef with them. He has to take one to test that it's not concealing anything... then gobbles the 2nd which contains the pill. LOL

So he's loving that he's getting treats and I'm loving that I don't have to stick my hand down his throat twice a day.