Any ideas on a mystery dog illness?
I have a two year old Jack Russell Terrier that loves the water. She has always played in the water with no problems. Two weeks ago we took her to a lake and after swimming and playing for more than an hour she became sick. We initially thought she must have swallowed too much water, but she became worse. By the time we got to the emergency vet her temperature had dropped, heartrate had dropped, she was shaking and panting with labored breathing. She also had neurological effects such as balance difficulties. The vet thought it may have been a toxin.
Two nights ago, we took her to a completely different lake. After about a hour of swimming and playing she had the start of similar symptoms. By the time we got her back to the emergency vet her temp had already dropped again and she was weak. Since it was a different lake, we know it wasn’t the water or a toxin. Her bloodwork showed very low electrolyte levels and after a night on fluids she was fine again. Any ideas that this is?
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it sounds a bit like deagerbilitis.
Blue-green algae toxicity?
Please go here!!! I posted this a while back.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AvZrTC0fd.vKMJD.833wDXbsy6IX?qid=20070628080952AAWzKWu
What do you mean by low electrolyte levels? Because Addisons disease will cause low SODIUM but high POTASSIUM creating a low electrolite RATIO. It can also cause low temperature, slow heartrate, shaking and weakness to the point of being unable to hold balance. Stress (including “good stress” of an exciting play day) can bring on symptoms – which often vanish with IV fluids only to return in the future. The only sure fire way to dignose is a ACTH responce test. Its treatable but not curable
i would ask the vet about addison’s disease (hypoadrenocorticism). animals with this can be depressed, weak, have low temp, low heart rate and painful abdoment—there are other things as well. The electrolyte this is also suspicious. Signs can come and go. But you should ask about this just to be safe.