# Sticky  Just go to the vet!



## Thecowboysgirl

Okay I admit this is a minor rant. But, also intended as something that might be helpful to people. I see these posts over and over where people want to know opinions on their dog's health issue and many of them are, in my opinion, issues that should have been taken immediately to the vet without waiting a day or two to hear what forum people have to say. To the best of my knowledge, there is not a vet on this forum. Even if there were, the dog needs to be seen by someone in real life.

So, I thought to try and make a list of symptoms that I feel warrant vet attention. Here are ones that I could think of off the top of my head and maybe other people could add more?

1. Any symptom combined with lethargy. If the dog is depressed, I go to the vet. This can mean fever, which may mean something more serious or something requiring tx with antibiotics

2. Vomiting and diarrhea combined. They can dehydrate very quickly and seriously and usually need fluids, I have been told.

3. Diarrhea that is liquid, frequent, with urgency etc, same as above. I like for them to get some fluids so they can have 24 hours of bowel rest if they need it, without worry of dehydration. With diarrhea like this, I worry that anything they drink is just shooting straight through them and not doing anything for them

4. Anything in the eyes

5. Limping with crying out in pain. Any crying out in pain usually is a vet visit for me, because even if the solution is just rest, the vet can prescribe NSAIDS to make the dog more comfortable. I would typically go for limping at the walk too. Minor limp at a trot with no crying out I will often rest them myself and see if it clears up in a few days.

6. New lumps

What else, guys?


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## lrodptl

I don't have a list,but I try to allow the dog to heal on it's own. It's amazing how quickly we rush off to ERs,Vets etc.


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## CindyMDBecker

Straining to defecate (possible FB) ... frequent attempts to urinate (dribbling urine/bloody urine) (possible UTI) ... distended abdomen (with or without retching/vomiting, not wanting to get up/come back inside) (possible bloat) ... labored breathing ... pale (or white) gums.


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## WIBackpacker

- Any sign of possible infection from an intact bitch in season.


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## Katsugsd

I'm very quick to go to the vet, or at least call and talk with a vet to see if they believe I should schedule something or just come in. I'm fine with tossing money at the vet I go to since they are reasonable.


For females (intact mostly but I've heard of spayed females getting pyometra) white/cloudy/greenish discharge after being in season. Warranted me a phone call to the vet (3 actually). Ended up being vaginitis and I chose to keep the diapers off for her second heat cycle (vaginitis did not appear that time).


A dog looking bloated and in pain when stomach is touched or refusing to lay down.


Thecowboysgirl hit on most of what I would take immediately to the vet.


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## GypsyGhost

First, thank you for starting this thread. I agree completely. In addition to what has already been listed...

1) Injuries (leg injuries, back injuries, etc). I don’t care what they are or how minor you think they may be. Dogs are stoic and you could be making things much worse by not knowing what you are dealing with.mwhat you think is a mild soft tissue injury could just as easily be a torn CCL, or worse.

2) Skin issues. It’s very likely an infection and it very likely needs a culture and sensitivity and then proper antibiotics.

3) Deep cuts/puncture wounds. These will need proper cleaning and possibly antibiotics.

4) Broken/cracked/chipped teeth. Make sure the pulp isn’t exposed before you decide that no further attention is needed.


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## ksotto333

I have never been one to rush my kids to the doctor, or dogs to the vet. BUT I understand the OP's post, I trust my own instincts and I would take them rather than post on the internet. I think her list is pretty good, but of course will vary in each circumstance. It's frustrating to me when people post about young pups clearly with dire issues.


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## GypsyGhost

@;


ksotto333 said:


> I have never been one to rush my kids to the doctor, or dogs to the vet. BUT I understand the OP's post, I trust my own instincts and I would take them rather than post on the internet. I think her list is pretty good, but of course will vary in each circumstance. It's frustrating to me when people post about young pups clearly with dire issues.


I agree with you. I don’t rush my dogs in for every little thing either. But there has to be some common sense applied for some of the potentially serious things that often get posted here. I share your frustration when it comes to reading posts about very sick young puppies.


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## Thecowboysgirl

Good call whoever said pale gums. When my dog had his first tumor bleed his symptoms were:

-trembling, clinging to me, not wanting to eat (and this was a dog who would eat anything anywhere anytime), not really wanting to get up from laying down. His gums were pale.


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## CindyMDBecker

Thecowboysgirl said:


> Good call whoever said pale gums. When my dog had his first tumor bleed his symptoms were:
> 
> -trembling, clinging to me, not wanting to eat (and this was a dog who would eat anything anywhere anytime), not really wanting to get up from laying down. His gums were pale.


Thank you ... I work at an emergency animal clinic. Some things are critical or can become critical very quickly. Glad you started this thread.


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## LuvShepherds

I call any time I don’t know what is wrong or if it seems serious. They decide if they need to see the dog or not. If I am still worried and they don’t seem to be, I make an appointment which I can always cancel if the dog gets better before we get in. If it is extremely serious or time dependent, I go to the 24 hour clinic. I just posted a question about skin, but it’s for diagnosis after I went to the vet, and not life threatening.


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## Sunsilver

I had an e-friend with a GSD mix. The dog was retching and vomiting. He decided to just put it in a spare room with an easy to clean floor, give it access to water, and wait it out.

The dog was actually bloating. It was dead the next time he looked in on it.

Dear friends, if your dog seems uncomfortable, is straining to vomit, but producing nothing but a bit of frothy saliva, and its tummy seems distended, get it in the car, grab your keys, and head AS FAST AS YOU CAN to the nearest veterinary E.R. This is one of the gravest, deadliest emergencies a GSD, or any other dog, can experience. 

You can also try giving the dog some Gas-x tablets. I've heard they may help with the bloating if the espophagus isn't completely twisted. But that should be done as you're on your way to the E.R., or, if you'r alone, just before you get in the car.

I'm lucky that the one time I thought my dog might be bloated, it had just pigged out on cat food (I left the bag out!) He wasn't bloated, just REALLY full of poop!

But I was very close to heading to the E.R. before he passed one of the biggest dumps I've ever seen!


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## Sunsilver

Here's what it looks like: The dog had just arrived at his new home from a rescue, and of course, they didn't at first realize it was bloating.


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## Jenny720

Vomiting and not able to hold down water. Although I am going to add and to me it was really something that saved my dogs life was and a person on this forums vet could not figure this out and a person did ask for some suggestions which became very valuable in taking the dog for a second opinion. The dog had stick puncture in his throat. I will copy the thread here. So in my opinion ask away but still take your dog to the vet and don’t be afraid to get second opinions by other vets as even they don’t have all the answers.


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## Thecowboysgirl

Jenny720 said:


> Vomiting and not able to hold down water. Although I am going to add and to me it was really something that saved my dogs life was and a person on this forums vet could not figure this out and a person did ask for some suggestions which became very valuable in taking the dog for a second opinion. The dog had stick puncture in his throat. I will copy the thread here. So in my opinion ask away but still take your dog to the vet and don’t be afraid to get second opinions by other vets as even they don’t have all the answers.


Good one-

Any time a dog pukes back up water we go to the vet for fluids.

An occasional puke I don't think anything of. Even a bit of puking OR a bit of diarrhea I usually will try to treat at home for 24 hours. But puking back up water they have tried to drink falls back into that category of this dog can't possibly stay hydrated on its own.


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## Jenny720

Thecowboysgirl said:


> Jenny720 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Vomiting and not able to hold down water. Although I am going to add and to me it was really something that saved my dogs life was and a person on this forums vet could not figure this out and a person did ask for some suggestions which became very valuable in taking the dog for a second opinion. The dog had stick puncture in his throat. I will copy the thread here. So in my opinion ask away but still take your dog to the vet and don’t be afraid to get second opinions by other vets as even they don’t have all the answers.
> 
> 
> 
> Good one-
> 
> Any time a dog pukes back up water we go to the vet for fluids.
> 
> An occasional puke I don't think anything of. Even a bit of puking OR a bit of diarrhea I usually will try to treat at home for 24 hours. But puking back up water they have tried to drink falls back into that category of this dog can't possibly stay hydrated on its own.
Click to expand...

Often a sign of a blockage. Many times dogs do get out and unseen swallow things they should have not. Vomiting up water and not eating and lethargic is a sign of blockage and also as you mentioned vomiting and diarrhea can cause dehydration especially in a pup very quickly or older dog.


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## Jenny720

This is the post I was mentioning this post helped me and of course I took my dog to the vet - I also witnessed the incident but at first I thought the stick punctured his gum as I saw blood. I did think of this thread and realized it could possibly be a stick puncture and rushed him right in before an abcess could form blocking max airway so I incredibly greatful for mburitica posting this thread as I’m sure it saved time in figuring out what was wrong. 
https://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/showthread.php?t=619074


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## LuvShepherds

Reasons why people don’t go to the vet:

Cost
Accessibility (too far, can’t get a same day appointment)
Time
Lack of urgency


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## Sabis mom

I don't/can't rush to the vet. BUT I probably monitor my dogs more closely then is normal, and I go with my gut. If it seems wrong, it probably is.
Any thing that is out of the ordinary for your particular dog in my mind requires a vet. If Shadow refuses to eat I don't even consider it, when Sabi refused her meal she was in the car in minutes. 
With puppies I never play with vomiting or diarrhea. I may wait an adult dog out for 24 hrs but never a puppy. 
Any time I see blood in stool or urine.
Anytime vomit has a foul odor or odd color.
Anytime a dog stops drinking, or anytime they are drinking excessive amounts without cause. 
Pale gums. 
Loss of balance/staggering.


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## Jenny720

My kids were eating star fruit - some dropped on the floor max swooped it up and and some. I googled star fruit and dogs eating some and pretty much panicked for a minute. It was After hours I called the emergency clinic which calmed me down. The last thing I wanted to do was take him there and spend thousands of dollars but did get great information over the phone. As max did not eat much of it. I also when my gut and did not want to needlessly make him vomit. I’m not sure I would want that fruit in the house again though. I then looked on this forum here about star fruit. No symptoms but sometimes one worries when something is new and unknown.


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## Thecowboysgirl

My dog once uprooted an Oleander bush to give to me as a present that we could play with. She spent the night in an emergency vet clinic full of charcoal and having her vitals monitored. Thank god she showed no sign of being poisoned. But there was sap in her toothmarks on the branch she had in her mouth, so she had to go.

We were un the process of moving and our new house also had a huge Oleander bush. We used the tractor to tear it out by the roots! It's pretty but not something you want around with animals! I never wanted to see an oleander bush again after frantically calling the er vet all night to be sure she was still okay.


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## Magwart

Most of the time, calling your vet about a worry is going to be more helpful than posting online about whether you need to see the vet. If you have a good client relationship, they will nearly always be glad to talk by phone to help you figure out if you need to come in. If you don't, and they haven't seen your dog in forever, they _have to _tell you to come in.

If you have a Home Again microchip and pay for their annual "premium" membership ($17, last I checked), the premium service gets you *unlimited 24/7 access* to an emergency phone line staffed by a licensed vet. The phone service is EXCELLENT -- I used it when I had that membership, and I liked it a lot -- when the dog vomits in the middle of the night, they can walk you through the decision-tree of whether it's an emergency. They also have access to the poison control database.

If your dog ate something it shouldn't have and you don't have Home Again, in the U.S., you can call the *ASPCA's Animal Poison Control:* *(888) 426-4435 *-- it's a $65 fee charged to your credit card, but they can calculate whether the amount eaten of just about anything that is potentially toxic based on your dog's weight, and tell you whether you need to induce vomiting immediately (or not), administer activated charcoal (or not), etc.


ETA: I understand not having a long-term vet relationship because of cost -- I remember being young and poor, living on student loans, and chasing coupons and specials for annual preventative care to save money. I think that the lack of a good vet relationship in my early 20s probably shortened the life of a Doberman I loved dearly. She died of an undiagnosed heart issue that wasn't picked up by a vet during any of her annual visits. I think they missed it during her annual exams because she never saw the same vet for those visits. It was always someone new. I had no long-term relationship with any clinic as I thought we were just doing basic preventative care on a healthy dog. We just went where it was cheapest, if we needed to see a vet. The dog got a quick, routine exam, and that was that. I'm very sure that the excellent, careful vet my dogs see now would have picked up on the anomaly and referred me to a vet cardiologist -- seeing the same perceptive, careful vet several times a year means he picks up on very subtle things because he has a chance to spend a lot of time getting to know them and their "normal." Exams take a while, with that level of care (and also cost more than at high-volume/discount clinics). We missed out on that kind of vet relationship when we were vet hopping, when we were very young, unfortunately. For the young people reading and learning, please try to invest in building a relationship with a good vet -- your dog's care will be better over its lifetime, if you have someone you can trust who's totally invested in good outcomes for you.


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## Cassidy's Mom

lrodptl said:


> I don't have a list,but I try to allow the dog to heal on it's own. It's amazing how quickly we rush off to ERs,Vets etc.


That works just fine with some things, not so much for others. And the point I think the OP is trying to make is that we don't always know which is which. Unless you're absolutely sure your dog WILL heal on its own, it's prudent to at least call your vet and discuss the symptoms. 

You also have to know your own dog/s very well since signs that may seem pretty minor could actually be serious. Dena's first signs of something wrong were that she ate half her breakfast and walked away. For a dog with a poor appetite that would be no big deal, but she ALWAYS finished her meals, so that stood out. And then she seemed unusually lethargic, kinda mopey. That was "off" for her, even if it wasn't pronounced. That was a Friday. I was concerned, my husband thought we should wait and see. And we did over the weekend, and then I left work early on Monday to take her to the vet because we were still having to coax her to eat. Fortunately, we have been going to the same place since 1986, and he took my concerns seriously. 

She went downhill from there. Her temperature climbed, her liver values were elevated. Her RBC and platelets plummeted. She had a whole host of tests over the next couple of weeks, she got fluids almost daily, she got a blood transfusion, and ultimately three weeks after that Friday, she died. It wasn't until later that we discovered she had lymphoma, since her symptoms didn't point to any one cause, and her tests all came back negative. Delaying a few days probably didn't make a difference, but the point is, she didn't SEEM sick even though she was very seriously ill. 

I'd rather be safe than sorry.


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## LuvShepherds

I have two sick dogs and my family are all visiting so the last thing I planned to do this week was go to the vet. My first dog had a skin flare which looked weepy and oozy, so we rushed to the vet. That was expensive. Then today my other dog vomited blood, third time this year, no known cause, so that required another vet visit with meds. That was less expensive. They think it’s a mild ulcer, and yes, she was already tested for everything. Both trips cut huge chunks out of my family time and were very inconvenient. But I love my dogs more than having fun, so we went. I’m glad I did not wait.

My vet knows us well and I always call even if I think a visit isn’t necessary. There have been a few times they were willing to treat over the phone because they know my dogs and they also know if it’s serious, I would be there as fast as I could drive. They trust me and I trust them.


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## desinif

Sometimes I do feel like a bit of a crazy over-protective dog owner when I bring Luna in (what seems like) every little thing, but we also have pet insurance that covers anything past the exam (meds, xrays, etc) and I prefer knowing she's fine rather than ignore something. However, I do still like posting our experiences here and asking questions particularly in behavior/health concerns (such as with her diagnosis of pannus - where as I had already mention in the post we were being seen by a vet/referred to ophthalmologist.) I am new owning a German shepherd as an adult, and it is a lot more comforting to hear about other people's experiences with their dogs through these kind of things and to seek some support in making sure we are on the right track for taking care of our girl. It's been a great help and has kept me from stressing out!

I do definitely believe people should first and foremost consult their vet for unusual things or concerns. Especially when it comes to concerns of bloat, new skin problems, eyes, limps, etc. I am the same in I'd rather be safe than sorry.


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## LuvShepherds

Bloat can look different in different dogs. A previous dog bloated and had unproductive vomiting. My dog now had it and we caught it immediately. All he was doing was licking his lips rapidly and pacing. His stomach did not feel distended, but I called the vet and they said it sounded like bloat, so we went right to the ER. Both times, the receptionist didn’t sense the urgency and told us to wait (two different offices, same reaction). Do not rely on a receptionist or even a new vet tech to recognize a life or death situation over the phone. The first time we waited and the dog died. The second time we demanded to talk to the vet immediately, got the right information and rushed out. That dog survived and is living a happy life.


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## Dunkirk

Constipation, especially if your dog has done an uncharacteristic 'dumpster dive' in the rubbish/trash. An enema saved my dog's life. 

My dog's vet is happy for me to email her anytime, and send photos of his poop when appropriate to do so. I am careful not to abuse the privilege. With my dog's ongoing health issues, she is happy for me to have prescription only pain meds, and a course of antibiotics, on hand. She has dropped off medication at my place 2 or 3 times, the last time was Christmas Eve.


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## Cassidy's Mom

LuvShepherds said:


> Both times, the receptionist didn’t sense the urgency and told us to wait (two different offices, same reaction). Do not rely on a receptionist or even a new vet tech to recognize a life or death situation over the phone. The first time we waited and the dog died.


How sad.  When Keefer bloated and we took him to the emergency vet, they took him back almost immediately. We walked in, I went to the desk while my husband sat down with Keef. The woman asked can I help you and I said I think he's bloating. She picked up the phone and called to triage, who came out and asked his name, his age, and if he was on any medication, then took him straight back for an x-ray. We were called to a room a few minutes later and they confirmed bloat with a 180 degree torsion. They had him on fluids and had already run some blood work too. I'm so glad they treated the situation with the urgency it warranted.


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## Thecowboysgirl

Magwart said:


> Most of the time, calling your vet about a worry is going to be more helpful than posting online about whether you need to see the vet. If you have a good client relationship, they will nearly always be glad to talk by phone to help you figure out if you need to come in. If you don't, and they haven't seen your dog in forever, they _have to _tell you to come in.
> 
> If you have a Home Again microchip and pay for their annual "premium" membership ($17, last I checked), the premium service gets you *unlimited 24/7 access* to an emergency phone line staffed by a licensed vet. The phone service is EXCELLENT -- I used it when I had that membership, and I liked it a lot -- when the dog vomits in the middle of the night, they can walk you through the decision-tree of whether it's an emergency. They also have access to the poison control database.
> 
> If your dog ate something it shouldn't have and you don't have Home Again, in the U.S., you can call the *ASPCA's Animal Poison Control:* *(888) 426-4435 *-- it's a $65 fee charged to your credit card, but they can calculate whether the amount eaten of just about anything that is potentially toxic based on your dog's weight, and tell you whether you need to induce vomiting immediately (or not), administer activated charcoal (or not), etc.
> 
> 
> ETA: I understand not having a long-term vet relationship because of cost -- I remember being young and poor, living on student loans, and chasing coupons and specials for annual preventative care to save money. I think that the lack of a good vet relationship in my early 20s probably shortened the life of a Doberman I loved dearly. She died of an undiagnosed heart issue that wasn't picked up by a vet during any of her annual visits. I think they missed it during her annual exams because she never saw the same vet for those visits. It was always someone new. I had no long-term relationship with any clinic as I thought we were just doing basic preventative care on a healthy dog. We just went where it was cheapest, if we needed to see a vet. The dog got a quick, routine exam, and that was that. I'm very sure that the excellent, careful vet my dogs see now would have picked up on the anomaly and referred me to a vet cardiologist -- seeing the same perceptive, careful vet several times a year means he picks up on very subtle things because he has a chance to spend a lot of time getting to know them and their "normal." Exams take a while, with that level of care (and also cost more than at high-volume/discount clinics). We missed out on that kind of vet relationship when we were vet hopping, when we were very young, unfortunately. For the young people reading and learning, please try to invest in building a relationship with a good vet -- your dog's care will be better over its lifetime, if you have someone you can trust who's totally invested in good outcomes for you.


Yes! I am pretty sure I have used both emergency numbers. The first time was when my dog was chewing on the dreaded oleander and they confirmed that I did need to rush her to the ER.

The second time one of my dogs licked some kind of fluid that apparently leaked from a four wheeler the power company was using up on the power line while we were out for a walk. They were very helpful.


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## LuvShepherds

Cassidy's Mom said:


> How sad.  When Keefer bloated and we took him to the emergency vet, they took him back almost immediately. We walked in, I went to the desk while my husband sat down with Keef. The woman asked can I help you and I said I think he's bloating. She picked up the phone and called to triage, who came out and asked his name, his age, and if he was on any medication, then took him straight back for an x-ray. We were called to a room a few minutes later and they confirmed bloat with a 180 degree torsion. They had him on fluids and had already run some blood work too. I'm so glad they treated the situation with the urgency it warranted.


I wasn’t clear that was on the phone. The first receptionist did not understand bloat or symptoms. We ended up at the ER with both dogs, but the first was too late. The second was several years later, much younger dog and we insisted on bypassing the receptionist and talking to the vet immediately. The girl on the phone wanted us to come in later that day. We said no, then demanded the vet come to the phone. The vet said it sounds like bloat and get in immediately. They are not equipped for bloat and sent us directly to the ER. We were inside an exam room less than 30 minutes after the first symptom, and that includes driving time. Our dog was saved due to us catching it immediately, happening to be home at the time, and fast driving. Also his young age. We weren’t sure it was bloat at first because the symptoms were much different from the first dog’s.

The first dog was almost 14, had not eaten, and likely was the result of underlying illness. They think he had cancer or a tumor causing the blockage. They would have made him comfortable but wouldn’t have operated, so getting in early would not have mattered.


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