[Dailydrool] Puppy sick AGAIN. Possible Addison's??

[Meg Hower]

Hi everyone!

I haven't posted to the digest before but am a frequent contributor on the
boards. TwinkiesMum suggested I might give this a shot here. Sorry this is
long!

Our Hazel is acting sick once again. Her current symptoms are loss of
appetite and lethargy. She is however pooping normal poops and peeing and
she has not vomited. This most recent episode started last Tuesday. We've
got an appointment with the vet tonight at 6:45.

I've got my fingers crossed that she's just got a virus or something.
However, my husband and I are really starting to feel like it's actually
something congenital. That feeling has been in our gut from the start but
our journey has been long and winding with no clear signs. I'm here looking
for any suggestions, advice or input. [image: Smiley]

Her history: she'll be 9 months old next week. We have her sister, Dixie,
from the same litter. If you look at the two of them you'd probably doubt
they are sisters or even the same age. Dixie has always looked more
"robust," having the thick stocky body you'd expect of a basset. Hazel on
the other hand just LOOKS frail. And she has always lagged in terms of
growth and weight. At this point she's about 8-10 pounds lighter than her
sister.

Since we got her, Hazel has exhibited two main "symptoms" (for lack of a
better term). 1) Almost monthly she gets a limp. It isn't always in the same
leg, and has varying degrees of severity. She's been to the vet once for
that and x-rays were not conclusive. X-rays did not suggest Pano. After rest
and anti-inflammatories she was better. Every other time we've just
decreased her activity and eventually she is fine (usually better in a week
or less). 2) She goes through bouts where she will just stop eating and get
very lethargic. This saga has led us down many paths. Once a vet told us she
had a bad jaw (TMJ) and that that was causing it. Long story short we
determined that wasn't it. Another time we decided it was strictly
behavioral and she was just trying to get us to give her better food. We
THOUGHT that was the problem because after a few days of no food and a new
routine from us she started eating again. That worked maybe twice. Another
theory we've been through is that she has a food allergy or intolerance. The
only dog food she has ever been fed is Purina Pro Plan Puppy Chicken & Rice.
However, she doesn't have itchy skin or any of the other allergy symptoms.
And if it's a food intolerance, why does it come and go?

This most recent round has not involved limping but the appetite loss and
lethargy are hitting her hard. The reason I'm questioning our most recent
theory (behavior) this time is because she has become even more lethargic
than ever before. She doesn't want to stand up and her rear end is very
wobbly. In general she is always more wobbly than her sturdy sister, but
it's just more pronounced now. Something is just not right. Because I have
doubts now about the behavioral theory I did try feeding her other foods
yesterday and the day before just to try to get her to eat. No success. I
cooked up some rice and she didn't want that. Added her beef and cheese
popsicles to melt in it and add flavor and she still didn't want it. Added
some bits of cooked smoked beef sausage and she ate maybe 1/8 of a cup.
Grilled pierogies - nope. Carrots with dip - nope. She is just not at all
interested, sometimes trotting to the other side of the room when we set her
food down in front of her.

I don't think it's an obstruction because her poop is normal (if in small
amounts, which I think is expected since she's not eating) and she is not
vomiting. Her stomach is not distended. Her eyes are not oozing, her nose
feels normal. Her sister is just fine and dandy and is getting rather miffed
that she doesn't have her playmate.

Last thing I can think of is that from what we can remember, her non-eating
episodes seem to always coincide with us having visitors or taking her
places. It's sort of a family line that "I swear she's not like this when
we're home alone." To me this makes me think maybe Addison's [image: Smiley]

In any case, I hope we figure things out but can't help but be the pessimist
in thinking that our vet visit tonight will just be more money in the hole
with nothing figured out. [image: Smiley]



-Meg (aka megmonger)
Slave to Dixie & Hazel
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