My shitzu/bision (is on facebook)

Question

Barkley   Barkley Layberger ,my dear 2 year old service dog ,woke me up this mourning with the most "god awful" "squickin and sqalin,quargalin and winin" tummy sounds! @ 4 in the mournin! Im really!concerned! And he does kinda feel warm to the touch. Now the dog two houses down, has been to the hospital for parfo.but the dotshound been back for about a week now. I even saw her mommy (human) giving her her medicine (liquid form).could it have to do with that? He doesnt seem to eat enless im right there. But latly only at night...i try. And he pants very heavily, but wont drink at times
(sometomes he does and still pants!)!  WHAT COULD   THIS   BE!  Please!  Thanks! Kat in fl.<3

Answer
Hi Kat,

    I'm sorry to hear about your dog! Considering that he is 2 years old it probably is not parvo. Parvo almost always affects unvaccinated puppies (under a year old) or elderly dogs. Parvo cases in otherwise healthy adult dogs are rare, especially if your dog has been vaccinated. Dogs can, however, get bacterial infections and viruses just like people can. When cases like this present themselves at vet offices, the usual outcome is that the vet tells the dog owner to feed a bland diet for a few days and see if it helps, and to bring the dog back if it doesn't. About 90% of the time, it works. Usually if it doesn't, it is apparent very quickly that stomach upset isn't the issue and the vet will consider other options, such as the possibility of the dog swallowing a foreign object or if he got into some poison.
    As for what to do about it, I would still take him for a vet exam just to be safe. If you can't take him to the vet, there are some things you can do at home. First, feed him a bland diet for a few days. You can do just plain chicken and rice. If he just has a really upset tummy, it may take a couple days for him to start eating again. Second, take his anal temperature. If you google "dog temperature" there are many articles and videos on how to do this correctly. If his temperature is between 101-102.5, he is in the normal range and has no fever. Take him to the vet if he is outside of that range. When in doubt, always consult a veterinarian. Hope I was able tp help, and that he starts feeling better soon!