Sick Dog? Sometimes All You Have to Do is Patiently Wait

Have you ever experienced having to deal with a sick dog?

Have you ever felt helpless in a sense that you no longer know what to do to help him?

Have you ever felt that you needed to buy something else so as to find out whether this worked better than the other?

There are times in our lives that we feel constricted in our actions. The vet tells us to observe him/her for the next days but we can't help think of ways to hasten the healing/ recovery- when in fact all it needs is time. Have you ever felt that way-wanting to rush into something thinking it might get better faster if I do this or that?

Anyway, I think one of the most important attributes we, as pet owners should work on, is to be patient and understanding of the situation. There are instances that the best thing we can do for them is to patiently wait and support them if they need something.

This is a tough situation for a dog owner. Trips to the vet aren't cheap, and you hate to not act and possibly let things get worse. I was just faced with this situation back in March, my dog was acting weird, she'd just kind of stand there, and not really jump up and lay on the couch like normal. I debated all morning what to do, maybe she just had a stomach ache? I ended up taking her to the vet just to be same, the vet said she had a minor respiratory infection and she got some antibiotics for it, so I guess I did the right thing. But I certainly know the feeling in the moment.

I want to be clear - Do you mean waiting once you've visited a vet and are sure it's something like a simple upset stomach? Or at the first signs of illness?
I think the waiting should happen after an a initial vet check-up if the vet says this is the route to go... I know vet visits are horribly expensive but if there's something wrong, it's worth it a million times over. The "just wait it out" thing can be dangerous to tell other dog owners who might not know how to recognize certain signs and might mistake serious internal issues for an upset stomach or gas, for instance.

I know my story isn't typical, but a few months ago my dog, Apollo, started acting strangely. He was lethargic, shaking more than usual, wincing when I pet him, and not eating. On the second day of this, I told my husband and grandmother that I was sure something was seriously wrong. They told me "just wait it out". The next day his gums had gotten pale and his ears were yellow-ish. They still told me I was worrying too much and seeing things just because I was just looking for something to be wrong. They were sure it was just an upset stomach that needed time to pass and told me that it would be silly to do anything but patiently wait... I took him to a vet. The first vet also told me "just wait it out" after taking care of his fever. I took him to another vet. His temperature was so high that the vet was shocked he wasn't passing out. Blood test results came in the next day: The enzyme levels in his liver and pancreas were so high that the vet wasn't sure a recovery was possible at all. He gave me a few treatment options telling me that they're not likely to work... luckily they did, the happiest day of my life was when I found out. However, if I had just waited it out like countless people told me to do - even a single day longer - it would be hopeless...
I fear that other dog owners may not know to do things like look at the color of their ears, gums, and whites of their eyes. Even if they do, this doesn't tell the entire story. But even constipation and an upset stomach can be helped. Waiting is part of it once a trusted vet has confirmed what's wrong, but it's the last step to take.

Thanks for posting these tip on what to look for. I didn't know them, they'll be helpful in the future. In my case, I was nervous that I was just being overly ridiculous by taking her in, she looked fine. I don't mean to ever try to deny my dog healthcare if she needs it, but I'm not exactly in the best financial spot at the moment, and I'd rather not take her in for nothing. And I thought perhaps it seemed a bit ridiculous to say to a vet, "Well she usually jumps up on furniture, but doesn't want to at the moment..." But better safe than sorry I figured.

(05-30-2013, 08:43 PM)cmdr-apollo Wrote: I want to be clear - Do you mean waiting once you've visited a vet and are sure it's something like a simple upset stomach? Or at the first signs of illness?
I think the waiting should happen after an a initial vet check-up if the vet says this is the route to go... I know vet visits are horribly expensive but if there's something wrong, it's worth it a million times over. The "just wait it out" thing can be dangerous to tell other dog owners who might not know how to recognize certain signs and might mistake serious internal issues for an upset stomach or gas, for instance.

He gave me a few treatment options telling me that they're not likely to work... luckily they did, the happiest day of my life was when I found out. However, if I had just waited it out like countless people told me to do - even a single day longer - it would be hopeless...
I fear that other dog owners may not know to do things like look at the color of their ears, gums, and whites of their eyes. Even if they do, this doesn't tell the entire story. But even constipation and an upset stomach can be helped. Waiting is part of it once a trusted vet has confirmed what's wrong, but it's the last step to take.

Sorry I hadn't made that clear... I meant waiting once he is treated but still enduring the pain.

I have two cases that almost drove me crazy.

One was when one of our pups had parvo. He was admitted to the vet hospital and we had him stay their for 7 days. Of course, I had to deal with the expenses but what's worst was when he came home, he wasn't feeling better at all!

We thought he was a goner. I couldn't leave his side for the first 5 hours. It had me thinking so many things that I just wanted to bring him back to the vet even when the vet advised me to just keep calm and let him rest.

At 1 am, I finally decided to go to sleep and he got better the next day because he rested the entire night. Had I panicked and brought him to the vet again, his body might not be able to handle the stress of traveling.

And I completely agree. I think owners should be knowledgeable of symptoms... even for the basic ones. Also, it should help to keep the vet's number handy.

Lastly, it's always better to take that trip to the vet rather than hold it off especially if the symptoms have been occurring for 24 hours. If it's nothing fatal, at least the vet has ruled it out. If it is, then you've just saved your dog's life.

(06-04-2013, 01:07 PM)haopee Wrote: Lastly, it's always better to take that trip to the vet rather than hold it off especially if the symptoms have been occurring for 24 hours. If it's nothing fatal, at least the vet has ruled it out. If it is, then you've just saved your dog's life.

I don't think I even waiting 24 hours though, I think I waited maybe 3 or 4. My dog is usually super excited to get out of bed, because usually the first thing I do is let her go outside. But that day, she didn't get up. I tried to excite her by saying, "do you wanna go outside?!?" That usually gets her excited, not this time. Then I bought her to the living room and she would walk slow and she acted like she wanted to lay on the couch, but couldn't jump up there. She ate and drank water though too. What would most have you guys done? Waited to see if she still acted the same the next morning? I debated it a lot in my head, I wasn't sure if I was overreacting to take her in that fast, but ultimately I decided better safe than sorry.

(06-07-2013, 01:42 AM)cliverederson Wrote: I don't think I even waiting 24 hours though, I think I waited maybe 3 or 4. My dog is usually super excited to get out of bed, because usually the first thing I do is let her go outside. But that day, she didn't get up. I tried to excite her by saying, "do you wanna go outside?!?" That usually gets her excited, not this time. Then I bought her to the living room and she would walk slow and she acted like she wanted to lay on the couch, but couldn't jump up there. She ate and drank water though too. What would most have you guys done? Waited to see if she still acted the same the next morning? I debated it a lot in my head, I wasn't sure if I was overreacting to take her in that fast, but ultimately I decided better safe than sorry.

Good call! When it's out of the ordinary, you should definitely go to the vet.

Two months ago, I saw Chooey twitching her jaws and tilting her head sideways. I brought her immediately to the vet. I didn't even wait for an hour too. There we discovered that she had a broken mandible. Had we brought her a little later, the pain from that broken mandible might have worsened and punctured her skin.

I agree, better safe than sorry.