uncomfortable Pom

Question
QUESTION: I have a 3 yr old male pom, in the last week he has seemed to be uncomfortable. He will twitch - it is strange. Like when he tries to lay down he will repeatedly wiggle and get up and down. He is still eating and drinking and for the most part still his happy self. Around 2 weeks ago my husband treated all of our pets and yard with some flea control products - as directed. I am concerned there has been some residual effect. I took him to the vet on Thursday of last week and they didnt seem very worried. He was given a cortisone injection and told us to just watch him. I think he is a tiny bit better - but I'm still very worried. Do you have any thoughts on what he could be going through or how I could help him? Thanks for your time.

ANSWER: Hi Enitra,

It's possible that your dog had a reaction to the flea preventative you recently used. Most of these products have a phone number on the package for customers to use with questions regarding their product. You could contact the manufacturer of the flea control product you used, to see if your dog's symptoms are consistent with any known side effects.

It's also possible that your dog has been having seizures. A seizure can be as simple as a very subtle movement, it's not necessarily falling over and foaming at them mouth. Seizures can be a side effect of some flea treatments.

I'm not sure why your vet gave a cortisone injection, that's usually used for itching, allergic reactions, and as an anti-inflammatory.

You should indeed watch your dog as your vet instructed. Contact your vet if you notice symptoms of unusual behavior, or if he becomes depressed, weak, or uncoordinated. In a few days you should get back to your vet and report whether or not there has been any progress or changes in your dog's condition. Something obviously is going on. In veterinary medicine it's all about starting by trying to rule out the simple stuff, and progressing to additional diagnostic tests when (or if) the original diagnosis doesn't pan out.

You might try giving your dog a good bath, using Dawn liquid soap. Rinse your dog very well to be sure you remove all the soap, use a conditioner if you'd like.
If your dog is indeed having a reaction to the flea products, removing any residue from her fur will help relieve her symptoms.

If you'd like to get back to me with the names of all the flea products you've used, I may be able to give you more info on reactions, but so could the product manufacturer.

I hope I've been a help,
best of luck,

Patti

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi, Patti - Thank you for responding. It was nice to hear from you. The product we used was Happy Jack Dip and the yard was treated with a granular product that we purchased at our local Co-op, it has a chemical name I cannot remember this second. This is products we have used before. I did e-mail the Happy Jack website yesterday morning and have yet to hear from them. Our vet had been out of town for a few days and he returned my call this afternoon. We decided I would bring Sammy back again late today - even though I do think he is a little better. He said he felt he was in good health and could not find a reason for the symptoms we were explaining. He ran a test on him called an electrocardiogram - reason being , he thought he heard a very faint skip of a heartbeat or increased heartbeat. We are supposed to get a call in a day or so to let us know the test results. I also wanted to share with you that I had given him a good rub down bath with a shampoo I have used on him many times before. It was supposed to be good for the sens skin he sometimes seems to have. It is a Oatmeal shampoo made from NutriVet. I'm really hoping that whatever it is that has caused these unusual symptoms is just a temporary reaction. I have noticed his beautiful fluffy tail doesn't stand up like it used to. Thanks for your concern. I'll keep you posted.     Enitra

Answer
Hi Enitra,

A problem like a possible poisoning needs immediate help. That's why I suggested calling the manufacturer of the flea treatment. If you're still waiting for an email response from them, I suggest picking up the phone!

It's my guess that if your dog is having a reaction, it's probably to the product you used in the yard, and not the Happy Jack Dip. Just the same, if you'd like to contact the Happy Jack company, their toll free number is:
800-326-5225.

If your dog is having a heart problem, it may have nothing to do with the flea treatment, and just be a coincidence that the symptoms coincided with the flea treatment.

Best of luck,
Patti