Our yellow lab had 3 seizures last Saturday evening, just over a week ago. We took her to the emerg vet, had tests run, etc, and everything came back negative. She was on phenobarbitol for a couple days, then we took her off and she's been fine. The vet was convinced it was something she got into around the house, but as we have nothing.....
Yesterday was the first day she was outside a lot and not 100% supervised. This morning, she just had another seizure. It didn't seem nearly as severe as the ones last weekend, but.....I'm wondering, could eating an excessive amount of chicken poop mixed with pine shavings cause a seizure? Anyone have any similar experiences?
Dog eating chicken poop
I would guess pine shavings before chicken poop. My two dogs get into the poo all the time...the worse consequence being my reaction as it is WAY gross. But if the wood for the shavings was somehow chemically processed, or a byproduct of chemically treated wood...that might explain the adverse reaction.
Gwendalou
All dogs are different and react differently just like us humans.
I've had terrible luck with chickens and collies. have had several died from being around the chickens and eating their poop.
Is there a way to keep your dog from having access or are your chickens free range?
Wishing the best for you and your lab. Seizures are no fun.
Janet
I'd guess the shavings as well. Dogs tend to love to eat chicken poop and roll in cow manure, but the shavings is another thing all together. I would guess it wouldn't digest well and break down like the poop would. Dogs have strong stomachs compared to humans but wood is one thing I don't think their stomach could handle.
Janet, did any of your collies have seizures? How sad they actually died.
Yes, we can definitely keep the dog and poop separated. I had moved the coop and there was a pile of the shavings and poop left behind. I went off to work and dh was supposed to keep the dogs inside so they wouldn't get into it. Of course he didn't.
The shavings aren't treated. . Or at least I hope they're not! We tried to find the most 'organic' thing we could. If they're safe for chickens, they can't be treated, can they? Of course, ingesting huge amounts would not be good, but I really hope they're not treated with anything. Here I am paying huge amounts of money for organic chicken feed, their shavings better be okay!
yes most certainly did, and heart attacks.
Collies are the strong breed they use to be.... and I won't go into why......
I can see where the shavings would cause seizures but if yours aren't chemically treated then don't have a clue about their effects on dogs.
here is a web site that might help you with some natural remedies, marina is very knowledgeable. I don't get anything from her I just use her to help save my dogs.
www.naturalrearing.com
Janet
ps if you go there do it when you have time to read she has lots of good information.
Thanks, Janet. I'll check that out tomorrow when I have time to read.
I also remembered that I have a DG friend who's a vet, so I emailed him and then talked to him on the phone. I got some interesting info! If there's anything new after I read Marina's site, I'll dmail you, in case you're interested.
He did say that the high nitrogen in chicken poop could possibly cause it, altho it's not known to be a leading cause. ;)
Speaking of dogs I found out Thursday that mine is in kidney failure.He is 9 years old and I guess that happens a lot when they get older.He is a big dog 116 lbs boxer rottie mix.Its so sad to watch him everyday he gets a litlle worse as far as eating,I cooked him liver one day and the next day he would not eat it so I cooked him hamburg and he ate that and some today,I cooked chicken for him and he would not eat that.He has always been such a food hound.We had someone come today with a back hoe and dig the hole for him,we bury our animal on our own property.The ground here is still forze but he got the hole dug.We take it day by day,we said when he stops eating or drinking then its time and the vet said he would come to the house and put him to sleep for us.I told dh no more dogs they are like your kids and its just to hard.We will just have the chickens.
This message was edited Mar 7, 2010 4:58 PM
Green, try giving him scrambled eggs. Mine love that.
Yes, the bigger dogs don't live as long and it is very sad to see them go. Just remember what a great life he had with you!
This is Deacon after he had an egg last year.Don`t know what happened to the other picture
Thaks I`ll try that
What a sweet boy! I'm guessing that was a fried egg?!? My dogs love all kinds of eggs, even raw. Cottage cheese might be another option for you, or fruit-flavored yogurt. Yes, when the chowhounds won't eat, then you know things are bad. :(
When I was talking to my vet friend on the phone about Kenzie, he asked if she was a boxer. I guess boxers are known for a lot of problems. I'd think that a mix might escape some of those purebred issues, but apparently not. I'm sad for you and Deacon. He looks like a real lover boy.
No it was a fresh eggs that was cracked.We had a pure boxer years ago and we had to have him put down he got cancer at age 7,they are know for that.Deacon is a good boy,you never have to put a collar on him when we go for a walk,he stays right in front of you and if you say car comming he will stop and wait.The first four years I would have gladly given him away if it hadn`t been for dh,he ate three remotes to the tv and vcr`s,he chewed things up and I have forgotten the other things he did,but the last five years he has been the perfect dog,gonna miss him awful.
green
my heart is breaking for ya....
I lost my sweet Acacia last year 13 1/2 and 8 days before her 9 year old daughter Blessing. Acacia old age and Blessing liver cancer. now my sweet Sarah Acacia's first daughter is going to be 13 in April and she is going down hill I almost lost her after the other two as the three of them were my girls.
I had mine cremated and they will be berried with me...
I'm sending prays of comfort for ya and your sweet boy, yes they do tell us when we need to let go of them.
Janet
My Great Dane, Maxie, lived until he was 11/2 years old, which is very old for such a big dog. He was very healthy until the day he died. He just collapsed. I still miss him so much, after 9 years. I got my chickens, because I just could not bear to get another male Great Dane. I had one,and I'm so grateful , but that was it. Lol, he would have loved the girls, and would have protected them. I just remembered my rooster, who was my best friend when I was 12. I'm old, so I get to have chickens, if I want to. My neighbors, and my friends, like my chickens. My friend's son, wants me to take them to his school, so he can show his classmates how cute they are, and how to live sustainably. I'm very sorry for your losses. I understand.
He did get up this morning after much talk to him.He did not eat but did drink,and when I talk to him he wags his stub,he wanted to stay on the porch on his bed but he was shivering so I made him come in,its only 35 out even though the porch in enclosed with plastic it still cold.I know it will be this week sometime that we will have to call the vet.He sleeps in my room and everytime I woke up I listened to see if I could hear him breathing.
Oh I will be praying that he goes in his sleep for you.
we are here for you to come talk as hard as it may be we care and are here for you.
Janet
edited to correct grammer
This message was edited Mar 8, 2010 10:05 AM
poor sweethearts.........that hurts all the way around...
Gwendalou, if you've talked to your vet friend, I'm sure he/she has mentioned that labs do get epilepsy, it doesn't show up in tests until the seizures are so severe that they begin breaking down muscle tissue. The nitrogen toxicity that was referred to is quite rare, and I'd think would have shown up in the tests done. Another symptom of it is head pressing.... does your pooch stand and push his head into things for no apparent reason?
If your dog has this kind of disorder, it would be wise to clearly identify it, because he needs to be on a prescription diet for lifelong health.
My dogs have eaten chicken poop, and accompanying shavings many times, and I've not had seizure problems. Having worked as a vet tech for 10 years, my first suspicion would be epilepsy, it's actually surprisingly common in dogs. The first seizures usually appear between 3-5 years of age. Sometimes a dog will have a few and then they'll stop, sometimes the frequency and severity increases. One dog I had would have about one seizure a year. When they're that infrequent, and the dog doesn't seem to have any difficulty recovering from them, usually medication is not prescribed. When the frequency increases, because of the metabolic toxicity of a seizure, medications will be prescribed to try and control them. It's easier to control epilepsy in the smaller dogs, but I've known large dogs that have been controlled. It may take some time to find the right mix of medications and supportive therapies (acupuncture, homeopathy) to control the seizures, but it is doable.
As for kidney failure, it is a common cause of death in older dogs... all of my old dogs have died from it, albeit at ripe old ages (13, 14, 15 years of age) And too much high quality protein can make the problem worse. Though a dog in kidney failure needs high quality protein (meat, eggs), not low quality (soy, beans), part of the strain on the kidneys is from clearing the metabolic remains of breaking down the protein... so the amount fed needs to be carefully regulated to minimize the load on the kidneys.
Good luck.
We had him put down today,and he is buried
my heart aches for you, sending prayers of healing for you and your family.
Janet
Thanks so much
Sincere condolences. =0(
I am so sorry. Keeping you in my thoughts.
so sorry to hear that green.Remember the good times you had with him and that he had a great life.
Thank you everyone for your prayers and thoughts
Sorry to hear about your loss...
:(