Thursday, April 22, 2010

Digby gets sick.



At seven yesterday evening Digby refused to eat his dinner. Loss of appetite happens from time to time so we weren't too worried. Ten minutes later he then studiously ignored his favourite treat disdainfully throwing it on the ground as if he couldn't stand the sight of it. Refusing goodies is less usual but happens when he has an upset stomach from eating something 'suspect' on one of his daily walks. We should have known something was wrong when he then settled down at the foot of the stairs oblivious to what was going on around him - his lack of curiosity unusual in a dog who thinks he both owns and runs the house.

We checked to see that his gums were red and his eyes clear. Everything seemed fine but agreed to take him to the vet if there was no improvement in his listlesness by morning. Right on queue the poor wee thing then started to tremble all over and within five minutes fell into a trance like stupor. A quick call to the angel of a vet who was just closing up for the night and we were off with him to the surgery. Within two minutes of taking a blood test she came back with the diagnosis - tick disease. The fifth case she had diagnosed that day. A dose of steroids and then an anaesthetic before administering the large and painful anti-parasite injection in a vinegar solution. Despite Frontline, a tick collar, and finger tip checks Digby had been bitten by a brown tick which had infected him with the haemorrhagic disease.

Digby finally fell asleep at four this morning after a sleepless night ( both for him and for his nursing team ).The question now is whether we've caught it before the organs start to haemorrage. We'll know later on today . I'm off for a nap now while he's still out of it and will post later. Wilf with the processionary caterpillars and now Digby with the brown ticks. Children are much easier patients.

22 comments:

  1. Poor baby. Hope no damage was done...humans should wear tick collars or some equivalent as well!!!!!! It's serious stuff unfortunately :(((

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  2. oh dear! Hope Digby feels better soon!

    and please, tell the boyz, no more insect bites allowed!

    wags, wiggles & slobbers
    Murphydog

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  3. Poor, poor Digby. Hope he's feeling better. Can't believe he got one despite all the prevention. Good luck for the rest of the summer.

    XXXOOO Daisy, Kendra & Bella

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  4. Oh poor old Digby. That sounds really nasty. I think that some ticks are Frontline resistant. Hamish often used to pick up ticks after walks in the hills, and, despite him being liberally dosed with Frontline they would hold fast for days if I didn't pull them out. And it's so hard to spot all the ticks with the shaggier dog breeds. At least old H. never caught tick disease. Is it more prevalent down where you are, I wonder? Anyway, we are thinking about you and have fingers and paws crossed for Digby.

    Gail and Bertie

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  5. Woo, Digby, lots of paws crossed for you here at Chez Herd. We will be thinking of you.

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  6. Poor Digby. I pray he has no damage from this and that the nursing team gets some rest. This is scary stuff. Makes me realize that I need to be more diligent with the Frontline too

    Lynn

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  7. oh my! i hope he is ok...i need to read about this particular tick....so sorry to hear about this....all our paws in wisconsin are crossed for him!!
    xoxox

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  8. i guessing he's on antibiotics too!?

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  9. I thought you were going to say he's lovesick

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  10. Poor baby. We so hope it was caught in time. We've had occasional tick flurries, especially after one of the hurricanes that seems to awaken the population and blow it around. Not pleasant!

    How soon before you know how serious it is?

    Joan and the Barkalot Boyz

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  11. Hi - Thanks for keeping in touch. He started off his day in much better form but has weakened the closer we got to lunchtime. We're off with him now to the vets to see what else can be done.

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  12. Oh my, we will send healing thoughts from Virginia and keep all paws crossed for him too!! Please let us know!!

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  13. Best wishes on Digby's recovery!

    Liz

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  14. I hope & pray that it was caught in time also. I just love your boyz! We have a "wheatie" and they look a lot alike. Love reading your blog and alway tell Mickey what your guys are doing
    Susan

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  15. OH NO! I'm thinking of you. I fervently hope that he bounces right back. It certainly sounds like you acted as soon as there were any symptoms so you couldn't have done anything more.

    I am so surprised that this happened despite all your precautions. K is lethally allergic to ticks so we have a preventic collar on her. My vet said that it works so well that I didn't need to do the fingertip checks. I think, based on your experience, that I'll resume them. We have a steroid syringe and needle at home just in case...

    I'm thinking of you. Please give Digby some gentle pats from Colorado.

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  16. ohmygoodgoogleymoogley!!!!! SHE thought that was a Congo virus thingy? Like sub continent? But you have an outbreak in your wee little village...dang! Isn't that one of the skeeree type viruses that can cross over to peeps? I'm starting to itch just thinking about it. I think I'll go find my fine toof brush and submit to a full over. Toxic ticks n caterpillars...who knew France was so dangerous! We will be pawraying for a good recovery. Poor Diggers...I hates that he's illin' and feelin' so poorly.

    Soft woofie kisses to the boyz,

    Bonnie

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  17. keeping Digby in our thoughts at the farm. all of us have serious wishes for him to be right back to normal! hugs to all

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  18. My dogs do get ticks no matter what I do so I will now be even more careful about checking not only for ticks but changes in habit :(. Prayers for Digby.

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  19. Oh no, poor Digby (and M'ongoose and The Font, as well as Wilf who must be bewildered at what's going on.) We'll say our prayers that he will recover in no time. Then Petey's sending tickets for the Boyz to come to New York. Much safer here than in the country.

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  20. I'm so sowwy
    Poow Digby
    I will cwoss my paws and send all my tewwiew Zen to make suwe that he doesn't have any pawmenent damage..how whowwid to be bitten despite all those pwecautions.
    I'm also sending a hooge bag of healing smoochie kisses
    love
    ASTA

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  21. oh dear. poor digby!! we will be thinking of him and hoping for a full recovery. please give him a big hug for us.

    the booker man's mama

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