Omg . . . !!!! Huge hugs to you and tender cuddles for my wee girl Zena . . . . !!!! I hope you find out the cause and it gets put right.

take care babe and keep us informed

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Oh my, what a fright for you (and Zena of course). Weird symptoms with the bright red mouth and then her being curled up in pain Very odd?

Hope little Zena is feeling much better soon. If she has done an unually large amount of poop (& it being stinky) it would seem to suggest her body is trying to rid itself of something that disagreed with her? I am hopeless I'm afraid, but just wanted to say I hope Zena is feeling much more like her gorgeous self soon and chin up H, she'll be okay. xxxx

Thanks all, for the ideas, the guesses and the hugs, all welcome!

I'm keeping a close eye on her still, she's sleeping on her side now, breathing is sometimes shallow/rapid and othertimes not existent and then normal again, it's mind boggling keep on watching her! She's very tired, I spied on her from around the corner in the kitchen when she was just laying in front of the open front door, breathing was quite rapid, head turned to the side (I know, that's not good, it's pain again) and then if a birdie flew past, up she'd perk again, those big ears would prick up, and when I appeared she seems fine, although tired.

Just spoken to the receptionist and the one who was gong to ring me back with my answers has now gone home but this lady answered my question, that painkilling jab would last 6/8 hours only, SO, I think we might be on a winner by the mere fact that things haven't returned to how they were last night.

Mish - I thought that too and I asked her loads of times, but she said because she has had normal poo's yesterday morning and night, plus of course that great big dollop when we got back at 1.00 am. there is no question in her mind that any bone is stuck inside her, and that poo last night kind of confirmed that to me! She also said she would be constantly sick, not being able to hold anything down, so thankfully, no, that's not the answer.

I've just noticed FOUR small very slow bumble bees crawling around on the gravel and I'm now wondering whether in fact we have yet another nest up in the big lime tree right next to my driveway, in which case, we're pointing to either eating a bea or getting stung by one maybe!

She's now sleeping like a baby, and I've booked an appointment for 6.00 pm. tonight as a just in case scenario, and if by the time she wakes up around 4pm I'm not happy, then off we will go to the vets tonight. Georgie's nicked her afternoon bed but she seems happy enough to lie next to him on the rug in the hallway! On that note, I'll check in again later then! Thanks again guys, your support is so very comforting to me.xxxxxx

p.s. and NOW she's upside down which is even better and Georgie has got out of her bed and gone in the kitchen!!!!Oh Lordy the things we all have to do for this new baby of ours!

Excellent news that she's upside down Aitch. Just like you always tell me about Cassie. Hope she's bck to herself soon. xx

What a shock for you. You must have been so worried about Zena. My first thought too was a bit of bone stuck somewhere but if the vet says no then that's good news. She sounds as if she's on the mend now and perhaps she needs to catch up on her lost sleep before she is back to her normal mischievous self.
Hugs to you both xxx

I always think that seeing them sleep upside down means they are at their most relaxed so, fingers crossed, she is feeling a lot better...and the fact that she is interested in the birdie rather than totally ignoring it is a good sign.

I don't know what else to suggest Helena as you seem to have covered all bases, I don't think this heat helps either, especially if they are a bit off colour.

I kept looking in on the thread to make sure she was still ok..I think all of us who have come to know and love her are on the edge of our seats too.

As I said, I've got my fingers crossed that she is on the mend and is soon back to her mischevious ways xx

Thanks Jackie, always a good sign isn't it!!! Thanks Talassie.

Somebody mentioned heat stroke, and I do remember I caught her sitting in the sun about 5pm last night and the garden gets full sun right up to sunset out there and she would normally sit in the shade, but I didn't move her or get her in, but maybe she stayed there too long, because I've just done a search on it and funnilly enough one of the main symptoms is A BRIGHT RED TONGUE and that is the very first thing I noticed about Zena, like I said earlier, it was as if she'd eaten a red lollypop! If it was heatstroke, then methinks I got her to the vet just in time because the drugs administered to her, especially the temperature lowering drug, have probably saved her life! Along with my constant wet, cold towel application of course, to help her get off to sleep, she really did love me doing that even though she was still in a horrendous state when we got back from the vets, worse than she was when we were IN there! Shock is another symptom and of course, she probably was in shock with all her weird actions, staring etc. It all seems to fit doesn't it, and maybe the vet even had that at the back of her mind too??

You need to live somewhere like this. It never gets that hot in Orkney , except in cars, where no-one with any sense would leave a dog unattended, anyway.

Snorri

Dogs go hysterical with heat stroke Helena, they dont know what to do with themselves, they run, scream, jump and panic. I hope she is 100% very soon.

O my what a drama, poor zena. poor you. It sounds like you might have worked out what the problem is. here's hoping it goes as quickly as it came. big hugs to you and zena xxxx