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Lab in Trouble



 
 
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  #1  
Old December 31st 04, 01:44 AM
Mike Lukas
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Default Lab in Trouble

Hello,

I have a friend who has a 12 year old Black Lab, and we've been noticing
some odd behaviour as of recent. We have noticed that she has gotten very
skinny recently, which is odd because she has a very healthy appetite. In
the summer we believe she might have had some sort of flea infection because
she was constantly biting and scratching her backside until it bled.

Would anyone have any clues as to what might be wrong with my friends
dog? We are trying to avoid taking her to the vet to avoid the cost.

Thanks,

Mike


  #2  
Old December 31st 04, 01:47 AM
Tee
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"Mike Lukas" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I have a friend who has a 12 year old Black Lab, and we've been noticing
some odd behaviour as of recent. We have noticed that she has gotten very
skinny recently, which is odd because she has a very healthy appetite. In
the summer we believe she might have had some sort of flea infection
because she was constantly biting and scratching her backside until it
bled.

Would anyone have any clues as to what might be wrong with my friends
dog? We are trying to avoid taking her to the vet to avoid the cost.


I understand that vets can be costly but is your friend's dog's life not
worth the cost? If the dog has a disease or illness that is treatable then
your friend owes it to her dog to find out.

Anyway, as to sudden and unexplained weight loss, there could be many
causes. Two of the most prominent that I know of are parasites (hookworm,
whipworm, giardia for example) and heartworm disease. Heartworm disease and
several parasitic infections are treatable but, left untreated, are deadly.

--
Tara


  #3  
Old December 31st 04, 01:52 AM
Robin Nuttall
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Mike Lukas wrote:
Hello,

I have a friend who has a 12 year old Black Lab, and we've been noticing
some odd behaviour as of recent. We have noticed that she has gotten very
skinny recently, which is odd because she has a very healthy appetite. In
the summer we believe she might have had some sort of flea infection because
she was constantly biting and scratching her backside until it bled.

Would anyone have any clues as to what might be wrong with my friends
dog? We are trying to avoid taking her to the vet to avoid the cost.


If your friend loves and cares for his dog, he will take her to the vet.
There's obviously something wrong--doesn't he even want to give her
the minimal care she deserves for being a loyal and loving companion?

  #4  
Old December 31st 04, 02:28 AM
Janni Cone
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Default


"Mike Lukas" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I have a friend who has a 12 year old Black Lab, and we've been

noticing
some odd behaviour as of recent. We have noticed that she has gotten very
skinny recently, which is odd because she has a very healthy appetite. In
the summer we believe she might have had some sort of flea infection

because
she was constantly biting and scratching her backside until it bled.

Would anyone have any clues as to what might be wrong with my friends
dog? We are trying to avoid taking her to the vet to avoid the cost.

Thanks,

Mike


We could guess what might be wrong with a 12 year old lab, or the vet could
FIND OUT what's wrong and treat it. At 12 years old, this dog should be
seeing a vet on a fairly regular basis for geriatric care. Preventative
care is really pretty cheap - instead of now having to do diagnostics on a
dog that is having health issues.

Spend a little bit of money - unexplained weight loss warrants it.


  #5  
Old December 31st 04, 05:05 AM
David Sherman
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Mike Lukas wrote on 12/30/04 7:44 PM:

Hello,

I have a friend who has a 12 year old Black Lab, and we've been noticing
some odd behaviour as of recent. We have noticed that she has gotten very
skinny recently, which is odd because she has a very healthy appetite. In
the summer we believe she might have had some sort of flea infection because
she was constantly biting and scratching her backside until it bled.

Would anyone have any clues as to what might be wrong with my friends
dog? We are trying to avoid taking her to the vet to avoid the cost.


Well Mike, you can also save a bundle by not feeding him. That's something
to consider.

Think of the money you'll save when the dog dies!

Better yet, put the dog in the car tomorrow and leave him tied to a parking
meter in the parking lot at the nearest mall. You'll save a fortune!

Your dog is sick. If that means anything to you or "your friend," suck it
up and go to the vet.

  #6  
Old December 31st 04, 06:28 AM
Pamela McElwain-Brown
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Default

On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 19:44:05 -0500, "Mike Lukas"
wrote:

Hello,

I have a friend who has a 12 year old Black Lab, and we've been noticing
some odd behaviour as of recent. We have noticed that she has gotten very
skinny recently, which is odd because she has a very healthy appetite. In
the summer we believe she might have had some sort of flea infection because
she was constantly biting and scratching her backside until it bled.

Would anyone have any clues as to what might be wrong with my friends
dog? We are trying to avoid taking her to the vet to avoid the cost.

Thanks,

Mike

I had that experience with my beloved miniature poodle Churchill, who
passed away this week at 17 years. In his case, he was taking too
high a dose of thyroid medication. Even though it had been cut in
half the last time his bloodwork was done, one of the emergency docs
who examined him said that he should have had his dose reduced to half
of that. That was not the cause of his death, but his weight had gone
from an ideal 17 lbs down to 14 lbs in the space of a few months, and
I couldn't figure out why. Churchill also was an omnivore, who loved
all kinds of food and had the tastebuds of a French chef, so I knew
his issue was not related to his not having enough nutrition.

I would recommend also taking the dog to a vet for bloodwork and
thyroid test (only if they are currently taking med for that). Also,
try to communicate with the dog; it can be surprising what you will
learn when you do. You and the owner may get impressions of things
the vets can't tell you, that may help you get to the root of the
problem.

Good luck.

Pamela
"How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible,
whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?" A Study in Scarlet,
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, 1887

"Behind the Headlights: Presidential Limo" airs on the SPEED cable channel. Here is a link to the
schedule: http://www.speedtv.com/programs/323/ More at www.jfk100x.com.
"The Pretty Pig's Saturday Night", a new essay on "the SBT" is at http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/in...showtopic=2372.
Scroll down the main Ed Forum page to"Assassination of JFK", click on "JFK Online Seminars", and you will find my essay, plus many others.
Also, for more detailed limocentric questions and a backup of www.jfk100x.com please join jfk100x at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jfk100x/ (Yahoo Groups).
For information about my life away from research, visit www.themagicflute.org
  #7  
Old December 31st 04, 07:51 AM
Mike Lukas
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Default

Sorry,

I think in the orignal post I implied we weren't taking the dog to a vet.
We do in fact have an appointment, and I was just wondering if anyone had
any clues as what to do in the short term and what potential causes could
be.

Thanks,

Mike


  #8  
Old December 31st 04, 01:56 PM
Robin Nuttall
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Default



Mike Lukas wrote:
Sorry,

I think in the orignal post I implied we weren't taking the dog to a vet.
We do in fact have an appointment, and I was just wondering if anyone had
any clues as what to do in the short term and what potential causes could
be.

Thanks,


Um, nice attempt to backpedal, but "We are trying to avoid taking her to
the vet to avoid the cost." is pretty unambiguous. You've got an old,
sick dog, and you don't want to spend a few dollars to find out what's
wrong with her. That's pretty cold.

Nobody on the list could tell you anyway. The answer would always be
"see your vet."

  #9  
Old December 31st 04, 02:11 PM
David Sherman
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Default

Mike Lukas wrote on 12/31/04 1:51 AM:

Sorry,

I think in the orignal post I implied we weren't taking the dog to a vet.
We do in fact have an appointment, and I was just wondering if anyone had
any clues as what to do in the short term and what potential causes could
be.

Thanks,

Mike



My apologies too for a very harsh reply. My dog has been sick all week and
your original post touched a nerve that has been raw recently.

I'm sure you'll do right by your dog.

Dave

  #10  
Old December 31st 04, 02:24 PM
buglady
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Default

"Mike Lukas" wrote in message
...
Sorry,

I think in the orignal post I implied we weren't taking the dog to a

vet.
We do in fact have an appointment, and I was just wondering if anyone had
any clues as what to do in the short term and what potential causes could
be.


..........there's no way to know from here Mike. Parasites, Addison's
disease, heartworm, cancer, tick disease, diabetes, etc.etc. The list is
numerous. Basic bloodwork (CBC and chemistry panel) , stool and urine
sample are the the minimums needed to find out what is not working in the
body. The stool sample should be fresh. The urine should be first pee of
the day. Both should go in the fridge if it's longer than 1/2 hour to the
vet. If the appt isn't until afternoon, ask the vet if you can bring them
in first thing in the AM so they can run them while they're fresh. Most
have accomodations for this. One vet I went to even had a cooler with an
ice pack outside the door so people could drop them off on the way to work.
(I haven't seen a vet since then who does this - too bad, it's a really good
idea.)

.........I hope your friend's dog doesn't have anything serious, but at 12
years of age it could be anything. You're looking at a couple of hundred
bucks maybe to start, and if nothing definitive pops up they may need to do
more tests. Come back after the tests are in if you have any questions.

Good luck to your friend
buglady
take out the dog before replying



 




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