Oh God, I have done it again sorry mate, but I have had things going on here too!!.

Just been catching up and do you think the mouth thing could be a result of the GA, and the breathing tube? Maybe they have been a bit rough putting it in or taking it out, she might have a sore throat, but surely that would be ok now. I just looked at my two and the insides of their mouths are like a road map!! bits of blotchy black, pink fading to grey, so I assume that all dogs mouths have pigment in them, but for it to disapear and return is a mystery to me.

Could she have eaten something she is allergic too, something like nettles or whatever? just clutching at straws here, coz I'm baffled mate I can tell you.

Elaine xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx hugs to you ((((()))))

Goodness H, this is just one big nightmare.

How is she today., the mouth thing, I wondered too, it if has anything to do with the tube down her throat, maybe she was allergic to the material of the implement or the tape, bandage or something they fixed it in with...

Have you been to this new vet yet, I would pop her over ther and ask for their opinion on her... this is not right, she should not be off her food, be it one minute then eating the next.

If this other vets is not possible for you H, have you got from word of mouth any other recommendations...

Lets hope things are getting better now, poor baby and you , not what you needed is it

Hi Helena I haven't had chance to search every detail of this long thread so forgive me if I have got this wrong but it seems Zena has a problem with her mouth now ?

Was she prescribed antibiotics recently, some can cause a reaction and the wide spectrum ABs kill of all the good bacteria along with the bad (think thrush in humans ).

If you think this might be the case one thing which may help her mouth to feel better is cold natural live yogurt gently rubbed on her gums.

ETA just seen that she was prescribed ABs recently, dogs can have a reaction for a number of days after taking them ..

..this does sound like a reaction to something , maybe medication..

Oh Helena, don't think I haven't been reading this thread because I have been following every post, and that takes some reading Things have been a little hectic here as my daughter is moving so I have been looking after my 10 week old granddaughter. Just hope things start to improve soon for you, you have had more than your share this year. If it was me I would definately change to the other vet for the sake of the dogs, but do keep that ducktape in your pocket when you visit I just want to send *hugs* to you all, and healing (((vibes))) to Georgie and Zena. x x x

Awww thanks everyone for trying to help us out here, I honestly, don't think I can take any more of this

Today has not been good Two big piles of yellow porridge again outside one with a solid bit in the middle which in itself is strange, but that could be all the different foods I've been trying here, but then again, it's only been fish and rice, chicken and rice, or mash, tripe, her kibble, everything that she's used to and I'm getting to my wit's end with all this now.

She was fine on our walk, didn't want breakfast, and I had to go out with Dave to see his solicitor about one of his employees he wants to sack Came home, she was bright(ish), still wouldn't eat, I tried freshly cooked rice, chicken, tripe, mash, I tried the lot, she would eat nothing. Took them out again, she was fine in herself, although kept onlead, we did go on our lovely grassy walk, she wasn't lethargic, she was very active, so I can't complain I suppose Came home, she's just been lying around, probably tired. Tried her again with some food, chicken and rice, she ate the chicken but picked around at the rice, so cooked up some human fish and mixed that with some mash that she ate yesterday, but no, turned her nose up and walked away. Tried her with her ball of kibble, no, nothing!

She'll eat a puppy Markie, but when we watch her eat it, it spills out all over the floor, and I keep saying to Dave it's almost like she can't eat anything???!! If you gave her a tripe stick, or a raw carrot, she'd eat it though??!!! My new tactic is, withold everything now, except chicken and rice or her kibble whichever she will eat, and that's all she's getting coz quite honestly, my patience is running out now, with food all over the floor, empty bowls filling the sink, and yes, I probably AM trying to hard, but to watch her get thinner by the day isn't very nice, and she needs to eat to rebuild her strength after that big op. I don't know what they've done to my bouncy, fit and healthy puppy but they've done something here

The good news is, the wound is healing beautifully now, but that's probably coz I keep spraying it 2 or 3 times a day with the SAvlon dry, so I'm not bothered about that now, I just want to sort her digestive system out.

Another strange thing I noticed from the other day is, when we go outside, I know it's a lot colder, but her breath is very HOT, clouds of steam come out of her mouth when she stands there sniffing the air, and just now, I was in the bootroom, which is quite cold I suppose, I opened her mouth and steam came out of it, I felt inside and it seems so hot to me? Her gums are lovely and pink, except for the pigment of dark, but the majority of her gums along the gumline are all pink now, not that horrid dark black, but how strange is that when it happens too? Her mouth doesn't smell, I had a good sniff in there, so it's not bacterial I wouldn't have thought? However, sometimes when she belches, the smell is horrendous, just like that diarrhea, so her stomach must be full of bacteria maybe, and other times, say 10 mins later it doesn't smell, coz I check her breath!

I wonder if I booked her in for some blood tests whether that might show something up, coz I'm willing to do that?

Maybe a "swab" of her mouth perhaps, which I could get and take it in to them? I could ring them and ask??

I've seriously thought about biting the bullet and offering her some bladdy raw steak and see if she eats that, in which case I'll know that she's having me on here, (although I really don't think so!!! Honest I don't!!!) the only trouble with that is, would it upset her even more, coz it's such a drastic change in her normal food, especially this bland stuff she's been having! Oh I don't know, it's driving me nuts here, and I'm beginning to lose all patience, I'm getting to the stage of saying "s*d it" let her starve if she wants, but then, maybe that's not a bad idea, if she's hungry enough she'll probably eat anything! Lol!

Any ideas would be much appreciated coz I'm swiftly running out of them although I AM gonna speak to a vet this afternoon, I need to and they'd better let me!!!!

Could the mouth thing be Oral Thrush ?

You must be at your wits end, I would keep her off food for 24hrs and then keep her on what she has been having, if she is having a gut inbalance then changing her diet could just upset the apple cart even more.
will she have yoghurt? that could help after her stomach is unsettles after 24hrs off food and those probiotics might help.
I would definately speak to the vet and don't take no for an answer. She could have reflux or something with the bad breath if it is nothing like her teeth, is she drinking more than usual?
Poor Zena she is having some probs of late, if you are worried she has a temp, I would take her to the vets to get her checked over, infections are not always obvious from the outside, who knows what is going on inside her guts. It could be worth a blood test too, have you listened to her stomach at all sometimes they can have such over active guts that it send everything out of whack, especially after trauma like surgery. And taking her down to get weighed to know how much weight she has actually lost.
No other ideas than that, just more big hugs for you and Zena. i know the frustration too well when your dog is not right but nothing obvious turns up, you are doing so well coping with all this and know it is testing your patience and the feeling of hopelessness when you are getting no where
Hugs again
Emma

I suppose it could, but HOW?? Why is it suddenly since I took her iin there last Thursday night for that check over when she was full of life, eating well and bouncing around though?

Mini, I have already given her a live yoghurt, which was the only thing she would eat lunchtime, and it seemed to soothe her mouth quite honestly, but she always has a yoghurt most days, but in the mornings.

I've spoken to the other branch of my vet where I saw that lovely vet on Monday, and she is prepared to talk to me after surgery this evening although she is so fully booked she can't possibly see me today That's good enough for me though, maybe she can see me when she's next in on Monday, coz tomorrow there is a male vet there, and quite honestly, I don't want to put her through that with a man (she doesn't like male vets now!) especially if he's gotta look in her mouth with no muzzle on! How do they do that then???!! Oh dear, I feel more trauma coming on here!!!

surely you could take her to the vets and show a vet nurse at least, and get her weighed and get her temp taken, and then at least someone can check her out and make a decision from there, Monday can be such a long way away if you are so worried and I don't think it is good enough to talk to you on the phone they need to see her and get her checked so you can get through until monday, surely instead of a phone call they can do a quick check over her, is there another vet you can take her to?

WELL!!! She's suddenly made a miraculous recovery..... yet AGAIN!!! She's gone all bouncy, I've been playing with her, and I filled the ball with a handful of kibble and she was eating it like there was no tomorrow!!!! No WTF???!!!!

I'm going to ring that vet back, you're right Emma, not a lot they can do over the phone is there anyway, and I don't want to go back to THAT hospital, this is their other branch with the nice vet and that's why I wanted to speak to her again, the one I saw this last monday, so it's my only choice. Yes I have got a vet over the road, but I haven't registered with them yet, and I still feel, for Zena's sake that I have to stick with these people who did the op, otherwise I might be courting all sorts if there is a problem they have caused, you know what it's like nowadays, and afterall, they ARE vets, or profess to be!! I will make an appointment with this nice lady, with the other branch of my current vets for Monday and let her have a good check over, blood tests if necessary, and take my long, long list of symptoms for her to hopefully come up with some ideas on what to do next then!

Sooooooooo, up and down here, it's quite unbelievable, but maybe, one minute she feels ok, and then she gets pain in her guts or something and doesn't want to know about anybody or anything, but when it's gone, she's all chirpy again, but even that isn't right is it

Hopefully, we shall see a result on Monday, that's if she doesn't perk right up permanently over the week-end in which case I've got no worries, but for now, I think I have, sadly!