worried about our dog...

[Princess_Meghan <3]

I'm just worried about our dog, and need to vent my worries a little.

Back story: Last summer, my sister's dog ate a full bottle of prescription strength ibuprofen. He was at the vet's for a week, and they fully didn't expect him to survive. He did manage to pull through, but as a result, he has very bad kidneys, and the vet told us that they could fail at any time. We've had a few incidents with him eating medicine since then, but nothing too major. He's only had to go to the vet to have his stomach pumped once. We've become very careful about keeping all medicine in cabinets and shut in drawers so that he can't get to it, because if he can smell medicine, he will get it and eat it.

Yesterday evening, he got onto my sister's bed while she was downstairs, and he opened her purse and rummaged through it to pull out a bag of ibuprofen that she had forgotten was in there. My sister wasn't downstairs a full 20 minutes before she found him, and she immediately ran downstairs to get my mom, and ask her what she should do. My mom said she didn't think she should take him to the vet, because his kidneys are already so bad, but my sister and I did end up going, because my sister would never forgive herself if she didn't try everything to save him.

We got him to the vet before the pills had been in him for 40 minutes, and they pumped his stomach, but no pills. The vet told us they could only assume the worst, and asked us if we wanted to put him on an iv and start running tests and giving him the proper medications. I told my sister it was up to her, because she has to pay his vet bills. She ended up agreeing, and now he's been at the vet since yesterday.

Last night they called us after running his bloodwork, and told us that his kidney levels are three times what they should be. She said if they reach 81% by this afternoon, that things don't look good for him at all. My step-dad pointed out to us that his kidney levels could have already been as bad as they were because of what happened last year, so we really don't know how bad things are until his tests are run this afternoon. My sister also has no idea how many pills he actually ate, because she doesn't know how many were in her bag. The vet and my sister made a guess of 25, but they really have no idea at all if it was more or less than that.

I just really don't like playing the waiting game. I know that there's nothing that we can do for him right now except pray for him and go visit him, but I just feel so frustrated because there's nothing I can do. He's the sweetest dog, and he's just so loving to everyone. My mom often says that if someone broke into the house, he would just wag his tail and want to play with them.

I'm just really worried about him, and needed to put that out there to someone other than my family, because I know they're worried too, and shouldn't have to listen to me worrying. If you're still reading this, thanks for reading.

 

[minkydog]

The hardest thing to accept is that accidents happen. I'm really sorry. My sister lost a 3yo cat to ibuprofen poisoning last year. I hope things improve but I have to admit, it doesn't look too good.

 

[PUZZLDY5]

Aww poor puppy. I hope he gets through this.

 

[Princess_Meghan <3]

Thank you. It is really hard to accept that accidents happen. I agree that things don't look so good. The only positive the vet has told us so far is that he hasn't had any behavior change, when last summer he had a huge change in behavior.

 

[Uncle Remus]

Good luck, I hope he pulls thru, pleased keep us posted.

 

[Princess_Meghan <3]

thanks- I hope he does, too.

we just got back from visiting him, and he was really happy to see us. His behavior was pretty normal, and we took him for a walk around the building.
We're expecting a phone call with more test results by 4.

 

[TashaRVT]

Oh dear, I hope he pulls through!

I know this sounds so trite, but I think you need to just hang in there! I've had a number of these come into my clinic, and all have survived. Granted, if they're eaten enough, their kidneys do get compromised, but that doesn't mean they won't have many good years ahead of them

I think you did exactly the right thing. Even though his kidneys are already compromised, the best thing to do is to get him on really aggressive IV fluids and flush the crap out of his system. The hope is that you'll get the pharmaceutical out of there before it really has a chance to do a whole lot of damage to his kidneys. If his kidney values don't bounce back within about 3 days, or continue to climb higher, then you may need to think about saying goodbye

I'll keep sending you good vibes and prayers - keep us updated.

 

[Uncle Remus]

thanks- I hope he does, too.

we just got back from visiting him, and he was really happy to see us. His behavior was pretty normal, and we took him for a walk around the building.
We're expecting a phone call with more test results by 4.

Well, that sounds good.

Y'all are gonna have to do better about keepin' that ibuprofen outta his reach, he seems to like that stuff.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

What kind of dog is this?

 

[SallySkelington]

I'm so sorry. Keep us posted. Pixie dust to you and your fur baby!

 

[Princess_Meghan <3]

Update: My sister got off the phone with the vet-tech, since the vet is in surgery, and she said his bloodwork is looking good today- his levels are down. They're thinking if he doesn't pull his iv out again tonight, he may be able to come home tomorrow evening or saturday morning depending on test results tomorrow.

Tasha-RVT- thank you! We're hoping it started getting flushed out soon enough.

Uncle-Remus- we definitely will, lol. We already make our friends put bags with medicine in the closet, and everything is stowed away where the dog can't reach. My mom said from now on there's a drug check-out policy- maximum 5 pills of a pain-killer, and she has to know that we're putting it in a bag, so she can make sure it's out when we get home. Hopefully that keeps him from getting any more of it.

Pea-n-Me- he's a mutt, with black lab and pitbull as the two most prominent breeds in him. We don't really know what else he has in him.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I'm glad he's doing better. I would just stay the course.

Make it your life's business to not let him get any more!!

 

[Pakey]

I hope your dog will be okay. It's so terrible to watch our animals suffer.

 

[Princess_Meghan <3]

Pea-and-Me- thank you. we will definitely be making sure that he can't get anymore!!

Pakey- thanks. it really is terrible seeing them suffer.

 

[#1PoohBearFan]

I really hope your doggie will be okay! Keep us posted!

 

[hambirg]

I'm glad to hear he's doing better.

It sounds like he needs an intervention. . .maybe doggie rehab. I guess it happens, but it so hard for me to imagine a dog actually seeking out pills. There was much mayhem in our house trying to get our dog to take his. Pill in, hold the muzzle, pill out. Repeat! Then when you think he has finally taken it, finding the slobbery pill 30mins later on the kitchen floor. Oy!

 

[coolbeans]

Oh dear, I hope he pulls through!

I know this sounds so trite, but I think you need to just hang in there! I've had a number of these come into my clinic, and all have survived. Granted, if they're eaten enough, their kidneys do get compromised, but that doesn't mean they won't have many good years ahead of them

I think you did exactly the right thing. Even though his kidneys are already compromised, the best thing to do is to get him on really aggressive IV fluids and flush the crap out of his system. The hope is that you'll get the pharmaceutical out of there before it really has a chance to do a whole lot of damage to his kidneys. If his kidney values don't bounce back within about 3 days, or continue to climb higher, then you may need to think about saying goodbye

I'll keep sending you good vibes and prayers - keep us updated.

can i ask a question... i know a dog that's done this before too, the mom and dad didn't take her to the vet though. she's been fine but has a little "leakage".. any idea what the outcome may be with her.
thanks!

 

[minkydog]

I'm glad to hear he's doing better.

I guess it happens, but it so hard for me to imagine a dog actually seeking out pills. There was much mayhem in our house trying to get our dog to take his. Pill in, hold the muzzle, pill out. Repeat! Then when you think he has finally taken it, finding the slobbery pill 30mins later on the kitchen floor. Oy!

My dog would. We had to be very careful not to leave purses anywhere Minky could get into them. He was a garbage hound, very driven to seek out anythink that smelled good. I had him eat some seizure meds one time and depression meds another time. Oh, and an entire box of chocolates. And I won't even share some of the nastier things...Thankfully, he was a big dog and suffered no adverse consequences. But I had to be on guard all the time. i'm surprised we didn't have more drug emergencies, frankly.

 

[Princess_Meghan <3]

I'm glad to hear he's doing better.

It sounds like he needs an intervention. . .maybe doggie rehab. I guess it happens, but it so hard for me to imagine a dog actually seeking out pills. There was much mayhem in our house trying to get our dog to take his. Pill in, hold the muzzle, pill out. Repeat! Then when you think he has finally taken it, finding the slobbery pill 30mins later on the kitchen floor. Oy!

actually, he refuses to take his medication unless it's in peanut butter- we went through the same thing last summer. At one point, we had to hold his jaw shut and squirt water in his mouth through his teeth to get it down.

Any other kind of pill, though, he'll find it and eat it. My sister thinks that he thinks they're treats and likes the way they taste, though I don't know how different they taste from the medicine he takes daily. I don't really understand why he wants them so badly- when my sister takes medicine at night and opens her medicine drawer, he sits up and tries to get in it or waits for her to drop one.

Minkydog- Charlie is the same way as Minky. He seeks out what smells good, and it's eat. He even eats things that we have no idea why he does it- when he was a puppy, he ate a small lightbulb, and a few razors. We didn't realize he'd eaten them until we found pieces of them under my sister's bed.

Thanks for the well wishes for him, everyone. The vet called this morning, and said he's doing well- happy as usual and really excited to see everyone there. They still haven't decided if they want to run bloodwork for him this afternoon or not, so we won't know until later when he'll get to come home. One thing I do know is that all pills are going to be under even stricter lock and key from now on.

 

[TashaRVT]

can i ask a question... i know a dog that's done this before too, the mom and dad didn't take her to the vet though. she's been fine but has a little "leakage".. any idea what the outcome may be with her.
thanks!

Weeeeeeeeell, I may sound like an idiot here, but exactly what kind of leakage are we talking about? I'm assuming you're talking about urine, right?
The sneaky thing with something like toxin ingestion is that sometimes the dog will LOOK fine on the outside, but there's actually been some type of damage (usually kidney) on the inside. When kidneys are in trouble, they can't concentrate urine, so they produce ALOT of it; most of the time people just notice that their dog seems to be asking to go out and pee alot more.

So what happens sometimes is that you might notice your dog dribbling urine, just cause there's so much of it, and the dog just plain can't hold it anymore! Any idea if the dog is drinking more as well?