Thanks again - Max hopes he gets better soon too!

When I couldn't get Dolly to take antibiotics my vet gave her in injection instead, it was expensive but worth it for her to get them.

WELCOME TO DOGSEY.

I hope you soon get your poorly dog sorted out.

Hi, it's hard not to stress about giving tablets but where there's a will there's a way. My dogs both used to take tabs no bother but when one of them was overnight in vets fairly recently they gave them wrapped up in some meat and smarty pants caused uproar when she came home cos she wanted the ham or cheese!! It definitely sounds as if there is a mouth prob esp if he's not happy with you going near. Vet should be able to organise an injection. Best of luck and many good wishes. Xx

Whatever the cause, it needs to be sorted sooner rather than later doesn't it and I really feel for you because you must be so very worried.

If it is against your boy's nature to be snappy when you go near his mouth, then I would definitely suspect this to be the source of the problem - especially as he also seems to want to eat but cannot quite manage it.

I wish you all the luck in the world, and if you are not happy with the treatment from your current vet then please please consider trying elsewhere.

Sorry for the really obvious question but has he absolutely been checked for diabetes? The symptoms sound similar to my friends dog. Amazingly the first vets completely missed it! They put him through loads of tests, gave him scans for this that and the other, and then sent him home to die saying he must have some form of undetectable cancer!!

Wow - what really helpful guys you all are.

Yes he's been tested for diabetes and the rest ...

He has managed some chicken this evening with the antibiotic hidden in it - yay!

Back at vets tomorrow morning.

Thanks again.

Fingers crossed for you at the vet tomorrow Linda. I hope the vet takes time to answer all your concerns.

I must say it does sound like a mouth problem to me with him not wanting you near his mouth and wanting to eat but then giving up.

It's easy to disguise pills in food if they will take the food. Harder if they don't want to eat.

I too would ask about antibio injections if it becomes all too stressful and not working with the pills.

Thanks I'll let you know.

Update on Max

We went to the vets this morning and I agreed to a short anaesthetic to check his mouth and throat -all fine. He then proceeded to eat a whole tin of Pedigree Chum - a food that he never touches normally at the vets.

They told me to come and get him and that he would be fine to walk the 15 mins back home. Which he did.

He has just staggered out of his bed staggering and whimpering to get outside where he collapsed onto his side. Really scary. Rang vets who said 'very strange' and could I get him back to them ASAP.

I confess I didn't take him. They say there's nothing wrong with him but there most certainly is. I am hoping this is just a side effect from the anaesthetic but he gets so stressed at the vets and what are they going to do that they haven't already done?

I will keep an eye on him and take him to the vets if he gets worse which they concurred with.

On the plus side he has taken his antibiotics this morning and is not peeing or drinking as much.

It's a complete nightmare.