Please put Gretchen on your prayer or good thoughts list.

[DOTLDaddy]

Gretchen has not been feeling very well the last several days. Hardly eating, lethargic, and just not being herself. We took her in this morning to see her vet. Found out right away she had a fever of 104, and somewhat raspy sounding lungs. The vet recommended chest x-rays, which we did. There is a slightly suspicious looking area on one of her lungs, which our vet is 90% sure is nothing, but she wants an expert radiologist to look at the digital "films". There is a small possibility of the big "C", but our vet does not want to make that call yet. Like I said, she is pretty sure it is nothing . . . . The radiologist will look at them in the near future, but it might not be for a week or two. The radiologist travels around to a lot of different vet offices, looking at cases that require an experts knowledge. Our vet said the time lapse will have no bearing on the prognosis or treatment options, if it comes to that.

For the fever and whatever is causing it, we came home with Amoxicillin and Metronidazole. They also took blood for a CBC, and will let us know about that tomorrow.

[Dandy_Dan]

Walter, We are sending our prayers for Gretchen. You till her we expeck to see her in Branson in June. She is as much of a mainstay as any other dog in the Old Fella Rallys.

[CatandJim]

Eating is good! We will celebrate the small victories.

And the DOTL troops sound off

Eat , Gretchen, eat ,Gretchen, hut-two-three-four, Eat , more Gretchen, eat more!

Happy now Gary? :R

[DOTLDaddy]

RoadXYZ wrote:
...the vet suggested we feed her baby food such as Beechnut "high meat baby food jars" ....

Yes, I forgot to mention that our vet suggested baby food as well. That was gonna be our next step, if she wouldn't eat all the other goodies we have stockpiled. So far, she has eaten some of the Hills and also some of the Pedigree. Not a lot, but anything at this point is encouraging.😛

[RoadXYZ]

When our GS was sick with stomach problems, the vet suggested we feed her baby food such as Beechnut "high meat baby food jars" .. yes quite a number of years ago. But the object was to get as much easy to digest protein in her as possible.

Don't know if stores have these anymore .. just my 3 cents.

Hope she gets to feeling better soon -

PS : looked at Wal-mart and yes they stock meat meals jar of baby food

[DOTLDaddy]

Dixie Flyer wrote:
Oh Walter I just heard about Gretchen. I do hope all is well and she will be okay. Our prayers are with you.

Thanks! I told Gretchen that if she wants to see the gang in June, she's gonna have to start thinking about getting better!

[DOTLDaddy]

CatandJim wrote:
...the more odiferous the better, so get something stinky....

Hoo boy!!! Did I ever! At my vets suggestion, we tried some Hills Prescription Diet a/d. It's only a 5.5oz. can, and we got her to eat half of it this morning. Not much food for a big dog, but it's better than nothing. We also got some deli shaved chicken lunch meat, and a can of Pedigree+ "Healthy Digestion", chicken & brown rice. We figured while we were out this morning, we would get and try a variety of, hopefully, "enticing" things for her.

Unless she makes a miraculous recovery in the meantime, we are going back to the vet tomorrow at 4:00pm for a follow-up visit. This is not fun.😛

[Dixie_Flyer]

Oh Walter I just heard about Gretchen. I do hope all is well and she will be okay. Our prayers are with you.

[CatandJim]

At times like this I wish they could talk and at least tell us if anything hurts or feels differently. Waiting on test results is no fun Walter, I'm sorry the blood panel didn't help solve the mystery. I'm also sorry she is still feeling the same, perhaps it takes a while for the medication to help.

Now about that appetite problem, remember the more odiferous the better, so get something stinky. This smelly stuff could be canned food like liver based or fish based...If you have never smelled canned food made from fish believe me when I say it STINKS! When I've had problems with a dog eating this works but so does cooking up some smelly stuff, like chicken livers AND the bonus to them is you can easily hide a pill in a liver.

Gretchen, your fellow DOTL troops say... with all due respect "Eat General, come on and eat already!!"

Keeping positive thoughts and good wishes going for the best results.

[DOTLDaddy]

Gretchen's bloodwork came back unremarkable. She has been on the two antibiotics for two days now, and she is still pretty much the same. Not worse, not better. The sclera on the outside part of her eyes still looks a little puffy and prominent. We are going to go back in to the vet Thursday at 4:00pm, unless she has made a miraculous recovery in the meantime.

Our main problem is getting her to eat anything, especially now that she has to take the two antibiotics, twice a day.:p I am going out this morning to get some enticements that our vet recommended, that being meat flavored baby food, deli chicken, and some "special" canned dog food from the vet that is designed for these purposes. Hopefully, she will eat one of those items! She has no interest at all in the boiled chicken we have been giving her. Can't say that I blame her . . . . 😛 At least she is still drinking water, and just as sloppily as ever.:R

The x-ray business we will deal with later, hopefully it is nothing.

[AZPops]

How's Gretchen doing Walter? Positive thoughts that all goes well for her!

Pops n' Calvin

[Spike88]

definetely in my prayers

[RoadXYZ]

Wanderlost wrote:
Healing thoughts coming your way, General Gretchen.

Also sending ... X2

former dog was a Shepherd ... still in my heart even tho she is gone.

[rockhillmanor]

You will be in our prayers tonight.

From past experience with lung cancer in my Great Danes. When I brought them in to the vet for any illness symptom my vet and I would always cross our fingers and "pray for a fever reading"! Because that meant it was not cancer. Cancer rarely presents itself with a fever.

Hope that's the case with Gretchen.:C

[Happytraveler]

Our prayers for Gretchen from Capo. Beach.

[colliehauler]

Any word on the CBC?