Been to the vet with Zena this morning

Had our lovely seafront walk, everything was fine, although she again threw up some bile like she did yesterday. Got back into the car, she drank some water, then proceeded to throw it all up, but was fine when back indoors. Ate some chicken and mash, and it was only when I went down to the car to clean up her sick, that I noticed it had "coffee granules" of blood in it

Off we went to the vet. Saw the owner of the practice, and he said she's probably got ulcers Gave her a Dexafort jab as an anti-inflammatory and has given me the zitac stomach acid tablets which she's had before, and some ab's Oxytetracycline, both twice a day, but I haven't started them yet coz she had breakfast Don't know whether to leave it till tomorrow morning to start everything now, coz if I start tonight and something happens I'm all on my own and wouldn't have a clue how to get to the emergency overnight vets.

He wants to do an experiment on her too, what with her ongoing intermittent vomitting which he feels is down to irritable bowel (same as the last vets thought before we discovered the giardia). So, he wants me to start her on Metronidazole but a very low dose of one a day from Saturday, but then this means she is on 2 ab's at once which I don't like the sound of? He'd already told me to start the metronidazole today, but then changed his mind about it and said start them on Saturday, because the others are ab's too Awwww gaaawd, 'ere we go!!

I need to find a website where you can put in medication and see if you can take them together but can't seem to find one. I know the human website, but not one for dogs, so does anyone know of a website where I can punch in to see that it's safe to give the 2 medications together please? Thanks!

Wish I could help Helena but i know of none,
Soooooo Sorry to here of this,
You do have your work cut out with Zena.

Eller has not eaten since Breekie yesterday but she seems fine Playing with the pup, OH the worry!!!!!

Oh no not again Helena.
Sorry I wouldn't know if you can give the two together.
I do this sorts this problem out. X

Oh Heck H that's not good is it, I didn't know dogs could get ulcers.

Sorry I can't help with a website which will tell you what you want to know, again I didn't even know there was one for humans.

I just hope the medication works and she gets back to her normal self asap. Please keep us updated.

Try the NOAH site

Oh gawd Helena, I am sorry Poor Zena and you ((hugs)).If your vet has said that both abs are OK together surely he should know .... maybe you don't trust him.

Humans can take 2 different abs together and they often work really well as it stops the possibility of our bodies becoming immune to them and the often work better to kill an infection.

However, not sure about dogs. If I were you I'd phone the maker of both abs to check that they are compatible. Customer services number is usually on the the package or the insert. I've phoned the manufacturers before and they are usually very helpful. Or try phoning the Royal Veterinary College (The Beaumont Sainsbury Animal Hospital
Tel: +44 (0)20 73878134) and ask their advice.

Good luck

Thanks all. I'm going to bite the bullet and give them to her now, she's had breakfast, and the important one is the Zitac which will calm that stomach acid down so I need to get one into her.

I do like to check beforehand when I take anything myself, let alone what I give to the dog! Anyway, I've bitten the bullet and given her the two pills now, and I will do the 2nd dose tonight at 11pm which should be a wide enough gap I would have thought.

He's probably right, but I can't understand just why she would have ulcers, having always been fed the very best, and I've always been so careful as you well know. He said she's on the best food I can give a dog like this, the Arden Grange chicken and rice which suits a shepherd with ultra sensitive tums, and he said there's nothing that Arden Grange doesn't know about gsd's because they started off with them (I didn't know that!), and I'm sure he said they bred them

Very matter of fact vet, of the old school, he stood no nonsense from my girlie, but have to say, she was impeccably behaved for HER in a vet surgery I had her muzzled, be she didn't growl at him once whilst he manhandled her tummy, she didn't tense up for him, and he took her temperature no probs, can't quite believe it myself! I took the muzzle off when he'd finished, but when he mentioned the jab, I thought I'd better put it back on again and all went well. I took it off whilst I chatted with him and shoved the ball in her gob and she just sat by the door waiting to make her escape, but she never lunged or baked at him once and that's going down as a first for Zena!!

He also said I was right to give her chicken and mash for brekkie and must continue that for today only and see how it goes. I've gotta ring him Friday at 11am, but that's probably because if she's still vomiting in the mornings, then he's going to want to know why, so it'll be further investigations and this time I'm going to go along with whatever they want to do with her.

I can't believe this when most of this week up until yesterday morning, she has been so, so full of herself, acting the total loon, it's all so strange that this is so up and down with her.

One tip I want to pass on though for any dogs with similar, is the fact that he said the later I can give her some bedtime biscuits the better, even if it means getting up at midnight, because he told me that during the early hours of the morning the stomach produces all this acid and it's imperative that she has something in it overnight, so you were right Bev! I will now give her something at 11pm or later, maybe when I get up to go to the loo I can chuck some biccies in her bed.

Always summat with these dogs isn't it, but then I've been very lucky, we haven't visited a vet since we moved here in May this year, so it was inevitable I suppose. Thanks again for your support and your help.

Thanks Jenny. I have taken Metronidazole myself along with another ab and I'm still here and had no adverse effects. Just that he originally told me to start them today and I asked him twice about that thinking of the jab, but he said the jab was purely an anti inflammatory (steroid then! I remember Georgie having the Dexafort jabs). Then when he came out of the pharmacy he then says, no, don't start them today coz these are an ab too, so start them on Saturday, which would mean she would STILL be on both so why not today then? No, I never trust any vet unless I know them well, and of course, I've never actually seen one in this new surgery only a nurse who cut her nails back for me.

Still, he's head of the practice, so he must know what he's doing hey?!!

Thanks for that number there Jenny, that's a handy number to keep, but I won't ring anyone about this they'd think I was stoopid wouldn't they if a vet has prescribed them I always check meds though before taking them it's something I like to do and check the contra indications.

I've actually found my human one now medline plus and it said these ab's should not be taken with any antacids, which I presume are the Zitac I've just given Zena but they're not on there being dog medicine. I wish I hadn't looked now coz it also said not to take them with any dairy products, and what did I wrap them in??? Cheese!!! Awww gaaaaawd!

Oh Helena , I am sorry this is happening to Zena particularly just before Christmas when everything 'stops '.

Chloe used to be a nightmare with her acid reflux rushing downstairs at 5 am to throw up on the kitchen floor (she never did it in the bedroom bless her).

I found if I gave her bedtime biscuits just a little earlier than normal it would affect her and make her sick. Thank goodness she seems to have outgrown it, I still keep an emergency supply of coley in the freezer just in case .

I hope the meds work for Zena.

Oh dear. Oh dear oh dear oh dearie me. Poor Zena and poor you.

No advice, no help, sorry, but loads and loads of {{{vibes}}} for Zena's poorly tummy and (((hugs))) for you.

xxx