Sick Dog and Vet can't find the issue

[cassie]

First of all, rule out pano, If it isn't that, are there any veterinary universities within driving distance?

 

[HuskerHens18]

Also, do some research on grain free diets. New research coming out is reporting increased heart issues from grain free and raw diets.

I've always thought grain free was a little odd. Growing up on an old farm like I did, our dogs always ate corn right out of the field. They'd drag whole stalks to the house and chow down on the corn cobs like it was steak. I'll have to do some more reading on that!!

 

[Chickensrforus1234]

It sounds like you're going to a general practitioner Frankly Speaking those are great for cuts that need stitches broken bone that might need a cast or basic stuff done to your dog..

You go to your general doctor same situation basic stuff and they will quickly send you to specialist..

Sounds like you need a specialist. Unfortunately not all specialist will be able to determine the problem!

Dog medicine and dog medical technology is really not that up-to-date only in the last 10 years has money been pouring into this sector.. just think 20 years ago was there grain free dog food all over the shelves?

Unfortunate party they might not ever know. 800 bucks for all that is actually good price! Taking a dog to the vet in New York City is 150 to 200 just for the visit let alone additional costs.

Sorry to hear about your dog

 

[BrindleFinch]

It's important to note that "grain free," is a lot different than "literally just corn with fat and vitamins sprayed on to get dogs to eat it and keep them alive." Which is, honestly, what most low brand dog foods are. Limited grain is perfectly fine for most dogs - an intermediary between "nothing but Sacred Beef from Blesséd Himalayan Yaks is good enough" and... just cooked corn and ligament scraps.

I'm so sorry for your pupper; have you looked into the dog's breed, and where did you get 'em? Some lines might be more prone to weird issues than others - I would try to find a xoloitzcuintli forum or FB group and ask there. If you know what lines your dog comes from, they may have more specifics for you. If he's not from a notable breeder or lines, you may find other owners who have experienced similar issues, if it's something that crops up in the breed from time to time.

Since xoloitzcuintli are so uncommon, if it is a "breed specific" issue, it's unlikely a vet would really have been exposed to enough of them to know. Lots of rarer breeds, or even just heavily bred breeds, have very specific health issues that a vet may overlook in favor of looking for "general dog issue," vs xoloitzcuintli issue.

 

[True Patriot]

Did the vet run a Lyme test. Some of the symptoms match. I'm not familiar with the breed but it may be worth doing some digging on the internet to see if there are any common ailments or congenital issues.

 

[True Patriot]

Sorry, I re-read your post and saw the Lyme test. I would consider trying the test again. There are strains of Lyme that don't readily show.

 

[XOLO]

I just read about the wobblers syndrome and this could be possible.
In regard to the lyme andhe was tested but I also haven't removed any ticks from him.
I will be calling a different vet tomorrow morning. Am I harming him more if I don't take him to the vet tonight. I am in IL and my breeder is in TN and I spoke with her on Friday via phone and she say's this is a very healthy breed which matches the research I have done. She did say they were finding out a few things as all of the dogs came from the same sire back in 2010 when people first started getting the breed in the US but what she talked about where none of the issue that my dog is having.

 

[ChickieShelly]

http://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2018/...e-or-grain-free-diets-and-exotic-ingredients/

Here's a link on some of the dog food stuff. Also, a little food for thought, average life span of a wolf in the wild is 6-8 years, we want our fur babies longer than that.

 

[BrindleFinch]

http://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2018/...e-or-grain-free-diets-and-exotic-ingredients/

Here's a link on some of the dog food stuff. Also, a little food for thought, average life span of a wolf in the wild is 6-8 years, we want our fur babies longer than that.

Not to be a Conspiracy Theorist or anything, but uh.

1.) No links to actual scientific studies - only to other articles published by Tufts itself. It is anecdotal evidence based on ONE case in specific, and generalities otherwise. Claims are unsubstantiated. Where are the articles / other practices to verify the claim that "Recently, some veterinary cardiologists have been reporting increased rates of DCM in dogs," as stated in the article? All of this is just being said. There's no outside evidence or scientific articles supporting it.

2.) Hill's / Science Diet and Purina both are donors to Tuft's Veterinary Program. Of course they don't want anything saying that grain free is healthier; of course they want things that say it's less healthy. Corn costs less and they would love to fill their food with more of it and less meat.

3.) The article points to home made diets being the cause, particularly vegetarian diets being a cause due to a lack of taurine. Ironically enough, grain-based diets CANNOT contain NATURAL taurine, as (unless they use yeast, which is still a live culture), taurine is only found in meat. It is the reason cats need more (and why it is regulated in cat foods) - they are generally more carnivorous in their dietary needs than canines. I know cats can't produce it themselves - it MUST come from meat sources. I'm not sure if dogs can synthesize taurine or not, but I'd be willing to bet they need it as well from meat sources. Raw meat is also a better source than cooked meat - most cat foods, even those with nothing but meat, generally have taurine added to them BECAUSE cooking takes so much out of raw meat.

ANY food that fails to meet AAFCO standards is a hazard. There is no way to confirm that homemade diets are meeting nutritional needs - that's exactly what the article is getting at. Not that "grain free causes heart issues," it's that homemade diets are on the rise and are unbalanced because people are more into the idea than the science.

 

[TheGoldenGirlz]

Maybe there is a sore inside the dog’s mouth. My dog had an abscess inside his mouth because he chewed on a brush. It caused him so much pain that he wouldn’t pick up a ball(he is ball obsessed usually) and wouldn’t eat. He also puked for a few days. Maybe Try and open the puppy’s mouth and look inside