Introducing Rosie

[Schnauzer Sam]

Rosie's back to the vet again today with a high temperature and failure to eat. Seems that we have a couple of things going on, one medical and the other hormonal.

She's being taken in tomorrow for ultrasound and blood tests and possibly going to spay her too. She's driving the household and herself mad at the moment. Clothes and towels in her reach are taken below the bed where she's stashed some soft toys. She's constantly licking at her mammary glands to stimulate the milk for her "puppies". We know she's not expecting but try telling her that.

This morning she brought a soft toy into our bedroom and it was left there when I went to work. My wife came home at noon to find Rosie sitting at the hall door and as soon as the door was opened she made for our room, got her toy from under the bed, jumped on the bed, pawed the duvet back and then covered it over. She went down and got another toy and did the same.

She's certainly maternal!! Anyone else ever had a mini with a phantom pregnancy?

[zeta1454]

Sorry to hear that Rosie is going through this which does sound very much like a phantom pregnancy even though it is hardly any time since her last season. It must be distressing for you both as well as for her!

It is probably best, once you have the vet's advice and diagnosis, to have Rosie spayed as phantom pregnancy is a condition that can recur regularly and is not something you want her to suffer. Taking away her toys, plenty of exercise and distraction training are recommended to try and stop the behaviour but, if Rosie is not very well at the same time with an unrelated issue, that is probably more difficult.

Sending hugs to you and Rosie and hope you can get her back to her normal self very soon.

[Robin black mini]

I hope your beautiful girl is on the mend soon and you can enjoy the rest of her puppyhood without issue..she's had a tough run for sure,many sail through this,she's been unlucky.
If she also has pyometriosis ( I'm guessing)the spay will be the best possible thing for her..you will see a fast change,temps will lower and she will get her mojo back.

My last apricot poodle had phantom pregnacies and we tried galastop meds..nightmare scenario was she became so noise sensitive on these meds ,she would howl and bark even when I put the indicators on in the car..the clicking noise was unsupportable to her..
I am saying this to reassure you that after the spay I got my lovely calm girl back..a couple of weeks later calm returned to our household.Hang in there!

[Schnauzer Sam]

Thanks Jo and Leigh. I'm looking forwards to getting my wee girl back

I dropped her off at the vets at 8.30 this morning and due to pick her up around 4.30 this afternoon. I've taken leave to be at home with her for the next 5 days and keep her company. Just waiting for the call from the vet. The house is empty without her

[Robin black mini]

Whilst she s in the vets,can you get a tiny baby vest/ tee shirt for human baby..or a baby gro..this will stop her having to use an e collar and she won't lick her stitches..I put a pad inside mine so the wound was more protected..gold bond powder or antibiotic talc also helped when the stitches get itchy around the fourth day,,
We also used betadine to dab on the wound area..
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[Schnauzer Sam]

Hi Jo,

When booking Rosie in this morning, I was asked if I wanted her to come home with an Elizabethan collar (the cone of shame), an inflatable collar or a dog vest. I went with the dog vest as I thought it would also stop her from trying to bring in her milk while the hormones settle down post op. I'll take a picture of her with it on.

Thanks for the other tips - I'll get some Melolin pads to pop against the wound.

[Schnauzer Sam]

So I rang the vet 6 hours after leaving Rosie in to be advised that they hadn't examined her due to some emergencies; could I call back in an hour.

About 30 minutes later they rang me to say they'd done blood tests, x-rays and ultrasound and could find no reasons for her gastro problems. They think it's caused by her eating sporadically due to being hormonal.

It turns out that in the 5 days since I first took her to the vet her weight has gone from 7.9 to 7.5 kilos because she is right off her food. They won't do her spay today and want to leave it until her appetite has returned as they consider her weight loss to be an unacceptable risk to her.

I've agreed so the op (and my leave for Thursday and Friday) is cancelled for a week or two at most I hope.

All I need to do now is find something gentle on her tummy that's irresistible!

[zeta1454]

If Rosie is very reluctant to eat, you could try the Malted Kelp tablets from Dorwest Herbs. I have never needed to use them with our schnauzers as they never seem to lose their appetite (!) but they have good reviews and Dorwest are an excellent company with quality products:

https://www.dorwest.com/product/malted- ... -and-cats/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Our dogs (raw fed) love salmon oil on their food. Since moving to a supplier of prepared raw meat for dogs which has no added veg or supplements, I add my own and noticed how keen they are to lick their bowls for ages after they have finished when they have the salmon oil added. I use this one:

http://www.grizzlypetproducts.com/grizzly-salmon-oil/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A little could be put on any type of food if Rosie did find it tempting

Fingers crossed that she does start eating again soon.

[Schnauzer Sam]

Leigh - thanks for the advice and links. I'll get my debit card out later tonight and put an order in.

[Schnauzer Sam]

Rosie still hadn't eaten yesterday so I went back to the vet again as she's gone from 7.9kg to 7.4kg in 6 days!

While I waited they did some blood tests but found nothing so they asked me to bring her in today to be spayed.

The vet just rang to say it was a straight forward op and everything appears to have gone well. She also had a look at the uterus on removal and said that Rosie was suffering from endometritis and that's what was making her poorly.

I'm hoping that the next couple of weeks will see her return to her usual puppy self

[Robin black mini]

I want to wish Rosie a fast recovery".....I know for those of you who are new to having a girl this is huge surgery,but for a vet this is routine and she will recover so fast you will be amazed.Two to three days after surgery they will be their usual selves...just remember they need a week for those inner stitches to heal and then life can be fabulous again. On lead walks and no jumping ..
In hindsight you will be glad she's on the low side of weight as there will be a tendency to gain after the spay...keep rations low to normal and she shouldn't gain too much later down the line,.
I her appetite is poor,try hills tinned a d. Diet..now called resource remedy for convalescent dogs..
I'm really pleased they have diagnosed her issues ..what a journey this was.
Onwards and upwards!!

[Schnauzer Sam]

So home last night - had a light supper - first time to eat in 10 days or so. Both of her uterine horns were infected so it was best to remove them as it was going to be done in 6 weeks time anyhow.

Jo, she's modelling the post surgery vest supplied by the vet - I think yours are much more fashionable - as I'd expect from Italy

[zeta1454]

Hope Rosie has a swift recovery and can get back to enjoying life to the full again very soon.
Sending hugs to you both

[Oscar 12345]

Sam,

She looks so very sweet there bless her. When the doggy is down the whole house is down. Hopefully through the worst now and on the mend.

[Bodee]

Sam,

Wishing wee Rosie all the best for a speedy recovery.
Part of the upside (if there can be an upside) of our companions going through an illness is they get a chance to realise how much we love and cherish them. She is no doubt getting even more cuddles and comforting than usual.
I'm sure this unfortunate time, you are both going through, will actually bond you even closer together.

Milla sends Rosie all her love.