My new dog is sick! Can I wait until morning to go to vet?

Question

She is an 8 mo old yellow lab mix. Coughing, dry heaving, rapid breathing, dry nose, somewhat lethargic; Gums are pink and capillary refill time <1 second. I do not hear crackles or anything that would be irregular in humans.

She bit my daughter today (who tramped on her tail) but I thought labs were supposed to show no aggression even if ill?

We just got her on March 16 from the shelter. She has been retching and coughing since then. She had Kennel Cough (these coughs do not sound like the Kennel Cough I heard the day I picked her out) and the shelter said she received meds and was finished with them. She also received many vaccinations on the 14th and was spayed on the 15th. Her vaccinations included DHLPP, Corona Virus, and Rabies. Could these be making her sick?

She has not been eating very much, but I just figured it's new surroundings - plus her belly still hurts from the spaying??? I thought it was really weird that I tried to give her a piece of steak and...

a piece of pork chop within the first two nights that we had her and she wouldn't eat them, so I REALLY thought that her belly was still sensitive from the surgery.

We have been feeding her dry Purina Puppy Chow and I checked and this is still not on the list. I checked all her other treats, and they were ok, too. I figured that since the shelter is a pretty small one they would have called me if they had reason to believe that she may have been exposed to the recalled food. They never did. I will call them in the morning now too.

I have been thinking that all the trauma may have been the culprit for all her weird symptoms, but now that I noticed her rapid breaths, I am afraid of something worse. I will be taking her to the vet in the morning for sure. Can I wait until morning or should I take her tonight to an emergency clinic (which will cost an arm and a leg not to mention getting a babysitter)? Please tell me this is not a huge emergency!

Answer 1

Wow, she had a whole lot going on at once, spay, vaccinations, kennel cough, new home...
She'll still eat after being spayed, it's not going to bother her that way at all. The stitches would likely be uncomfortable, but otherwise she would only be quiet for a few days after the surgery.
The kennel cough is likely what's bothering her... On top of a new home and feeling crappy and having someone step on her tail...

I would hate to say wait til tomorrow morning, and see that it was something worse... If it were me I would get her off that garbage Purina Puppy food and get her some quality food. Has she eaten anything at all since you got her home?

Honestly if she isn't eating steak, and the breathing etc... I would myself take her in tonight, just to be on the safe side.

Answer 2

Ok I'm not a vet but I do have vast dog experience and dog puke is no exception to that. :) Based on that experience I don't believe these symptoms alone demonstrate an emergency. I stopped using cow hooves many moons ago for this same reason....they splinter and cause digestive upset/distress, potentially dangerous. use rawhide chips instead. I agree with your wife to not give her too much to eat. However the fact that she's hungry is a key sign that this most likely is not something serious like a blockage or perforation. I would give her a small amount of cooked rice, potato, or even a little bread or crackers- something with a starchy 'coating' effect that will ease the dogs hunger and possibly the digestive distress as well. Give small amounts of chicken broth if she won't drink water -- don't want her to dehydrate. The vomiting should subside soon. If it gets more frequent or does not subside in a few hours, or if she starts with any other troubling symptoms such as lethargy, then you do need to consider the Emergency vet. But for now, the above protocol is pretty standard and should carry her through to her appt. tomorrow. Add:: also watch her carefully for bowel movements - if she has a normal one this is a good sign. If she has any distress or bloody stool - not good. Act accordingly.

Answer 3

I'm really sorry your new puppy is so sick. Any dog will snap if something causes them pain, but they can become more sensitive to pain if they are sick. What kind of shelter did you get her from? Like a county shelter? All of those shots with surgery and the bordatella make it sound like she's been under a lot of stress (I know that the shelters make you do it all at once).

Distemper would be my major concern, even with the vaccination, if she had already been exposed it wouldn't have helped (and could have made it worse) and there can be a lot of diseases bouncing around an animal shelter. I may be being alarmist but I have just been hearing a lot about it lately, so it's my gut reaction. It's a worst case scenario, but I wouldn't want to take the chance and wait if I had another option.

Answer 4

I have to say I would be taking her to the vet tonight. If you think she could have parvo or something contagious, you could call them with her symptoms first as a courtesy.
Some of her symptoms sound normal especially for pups, but I wouldn't take any chances. She sounds like she is in pain. She could have eaten something that is logged in her throat or stomach. Or something she has eaten may have inflamed her stomach. If it were only the cough you were worried about I would say be patient. Kennel cough takes a long time to go away. Puppies also cough a lot because they play so hard and inhale dust or just get choked. They are babies. People forget that sometimes.

Answer 5

She sounds pretty bad...I understand the cost of rushing her to the VET......Is she drinking? Or eating anything? does she have Diahrrea?
And no ANY dog will/can bite...even labs ...being ill and in new surroundings increases those chances...
considering she came from a shelter...you have no clue as to where she has been or what she has been exposed to...it could very well be parvo...or many other things...she could have an infection from the surgery...and it is just now appearing...if she is drinking water you may be OK..If she is not..I would take her in...TONIGHT...

Answer 6

I would take her to the emergency clinic At Once. A pet is a responsibility and an expense. You can't second-guess her illness - doing so may cost valuable time if she is seriously sick.

I've spent many hours and $$ in the emergency clinic when my cat got seriously sick (3 times)

Hope all turns out well. But call up the emergency clinic and then take her there..

Answer 7

This is very bad. First think about this, can she make it through the night? can you deal with the noise? I would take her to the emergency hospital thing NOW. I would take your daughter with you if you can't find a sitter. Now you don't have to go to the pet hospital if you said yes to the first two questions but if you aren't sure about them call and get help right now. That little puppy might be seriously hurt. I would call someone for now and figure out whats going on.

Answer 8

Labs aren't aggressive but get real stepping on a tail causes pain and if the dog is sick already it probably made it feel worse, so don't blame the dog,I think you should have not waited this long to take your dog to the vet but that's me. I would take him tonight but what can you do? If you have to wait till tomorrow you have to wait. I think doggie is really sick. Hope he gets better. good luck

Answer 9

It sounds like your dog might have Parvo. Like you I too just adpoted a puppy from the shelter and she is both Kennel Cough and Parvo positive. I am battling to save her life right now. If there are emergency vets in your area I would rush her to them right now. Parvo is a killer if not treated in time.

Answer 10

Send her to the emergency vet immediately!! By the way what kind of operation did she have...? I feel sorry for your pup.. =(