Please help...waiting on call from ER vet..... - Page 2

Hope everything works out all right.

"should I give her an antibiotic if I don't hear back from my vet?"

No.

"I keep antibiotics of all sorts on hand for weekend emergencies, just never had this issue before"

Uh, what?  What kind of antibiotics?  Where do you get them w/o a prescription?  Do you realize that you could be adding to any problems by dispensing drugs that might not be the best choice for whatever the problem is, plus just making any bacteria STRONGER and more resistant to drugs by improperly giving antibiotics?

Tess,  I demand the absolute best for my dogs and have been a lifetime GSD owner, plus not to sound like an ass, but while I have no common sense, I'm quite educated on medications and there usages and not exactly dumb.  Since I demand the best for my dogs, I use a vet who is four hours away....he makes sure I have antibiotics on hand in case something goes wrong so I can start treatment before getting the dog there.  On simple things I am experienced with, I just call him to confirm the dosage and make sure I had planned on the right antibiotic.  I don't think EVERY dog owner should go this route, but I think it's best for more experienced owners who are willing to educate themselves and have an excellent vet to work with.
YR, being sometimes I have a delay going to the vet for a day due to travel time  (usually I always take mine in just to make me feel better...but they always get sick on weekends, or get cut or anything else that requires medical attention on weekends).  My vet is pretty insistant that I start my dog on an antibiotic the minute I call him if it's something that's going to require antibiotics anyway and when Heidi got an ear infection and I started he treatment two days before I could get her to the vet, he told me I should have just stayed home and continued the antibiotics, that all was well and she was on the best treatment.  Again, I don't think it's for everyone or people of lower intelligence, or people who don't take the time to learn, or people who don't have a great vet....but if you're deicated to your dogs and invest the time to educate yourself, sometimes getting an antibiotic started on Saturday when peoblems start instead of waiting until Monday morning can really cut out some suffering for your dog.  JMO

Hey YR I learned something here as well.. Thanks for the info! :)

Having the urine checked still is definitely a good idea.....

Kathy

I am always a bit leery of Keflex for UTI.  The Bactrim is a better choice.  I had a male on Keflex for an unrelated issue and he developed hematuruia.  Never heard of it before with the Keflex but it was pretty obvious that was the issue.  I really like Baytril in place of Keflex now for him.  Augementin is another one that I tend to keep around. 

Has the antibiotic made a difference for Heidi?

Lorri

From a pm from Nwilz: She has tiny poop balls today ,no diahrea..just hard balls.....I dont think Heidi is sick..I think she is constipated....

Pumpkin in her new diet for the next days...
Keep pumpkin , canned real pumpkin , not the mix for pies....real pumpkin......tablespoon three times a day in rice , chicken mix..

She is gettin urine tested today..
Yr

I, too, know my Enrofloxacin from Erythromycin from Tylosin.  Didn't mean to offend - probably read too many threads on here of people giving Fish Mox for 4 days thinking they know their stuff.  Since I do know my stuff it's just odd to me that someone would ask strangers on an internet msg. board, "shall I give antibiotics?" and then claim they know their stuff. 

Also can't help but note that they never mention WHICH antibiotic to give, as though they're all the same.  That's what's a red flag for me.

Tess, my bad, my vet is a big fan of Cephalexin and presribes it for just about everything under the sun.  I was very upset and panicking and left out some details.  I knew I meant Cephalexin but you guys didn't. And then if someone knowledgable, that I trust on here would have said to go ahead with the antibiotics, I would have asked Ceph or Bactrim....but when I checked my supplies I am out of bactrim.  Anyway...just wanted reassurance in case the vet didn't call.
YR, I think you are correct.  After thinking about it, she's not had an accidential pee since she had the normal to high amount of stool overall, but it was small firm balls, last night/early this morning (I stayed up watching her all night so my sense of time is off).  I just took her out and she is pee-ing more volume than normal.  She did have a bowel movement and it looked better than the really firm one last night, but still constipated.  I'm going to have her urine checked just for the sake of easing my mind.  I think she's going to be okay though, thankfully.  YR, major props to you for picking up on the constipated issue.  I've had a dog get mildly constipated before, a few days of pumpkin and they were fine.  I'd just never had one this severely constipated or react this way. 
Okay, now I'm off to meet my friend who's a medical doctor and he's going to check her urine sample.  I will let you guys know the results as soon as I get home.
THANKS SO MUCH to all of you who helped and expressed concerned.  Heidi is my baby, never gets sick, and this scared me beyond words.
-Nichole