Toad poisoning or wild mushroom poisoning or...?
Spent hours at the vet hospital (state univ.) late last night.
Kuma our 7 year old Shiba is sick.
I noticed very loose, liquid stools coming from him when taking out our pup akita. So I knew something was not right. Early evening I was out. Came home and oldest daughter says, "Kuma can't walk, Dad!" Now I knew why he hardly lifted his head upon my return. Told wife about the diarrhea. She prepares chicken and rice for him... while eating it, his left back leg starts strangely moving/sliding away from him - I knew right then, we were gonna be racking up ER bills, as I have NEVER seen this before. I take him out and his right front leg is acting very strange while very gingerly walking. My wife and I have wide eyed looks watching this... we call ahead and immediately head to ER.
Kuma provided a convenient fresh liquid stool sample in the waiting room - cut to the chase - Fecal came up w/ zero results(other than did see some likely grass and small amount of blood), blood work - nada as well, slight fever (that actually dropped some during our visit). His coordination and limb use remained strange - sometime looked "okay" other times, looked somewhat "drunk". Today he is no worse, no fever, still very lethargic, stiff, lays down w/ a thump, etc. Ate c & r, and recently drank a good amount of water when the chicken broth was added.... the cause(?):
Kuma was out w/ his females in the yard the night before (as usual), so I saw no vomiting then or the next day (or the foaming mouth)... but a good size woodhouse toad (best I can identify) was out that evening in the yard (knowing what I know now I would've "rehabbed" him somewhere else. Dogs sniffed him and walked away(then) - who knows what happened at 3 am? Anyway, reading that many toads are toxic (of course, the FL ones are poisonous and kill dogs)... and w/ very unusual July rains we also have wild mushrooms popping up in the lawn (young Chlorophyllum molybdites, best I can identify?). Looking up both poisonings and you basically get the same symptoms, which include Kuma's incoordination, diarrhea, fever, lethargy (we saw no pawing at mouth or foaming at mouth). The incoordination is the headline here, in my book. Very strange and a real "marker" I feel.
Other 3 dogs show no signs. Kuma has never really been sick before. The sudden onset and the evidence of seeing a toad in shrubbery around pool, and the new mushrooms in the yard - are the odd things he could've ingested. The only thing that makes sense, as the vets(young ones on duty) were at a loss (even w/ us mentioning the toad and mushrooms to them). From what I've read, I assume he will come out of this (he did manage growl once at the akita pup today >:P - so he's go tot be getting better , eh?). I read of no antidotes for either poisoning, even if we knew for sure. He will be on chicken and rice for next several days...
Maybe others have been though either of these ?
Kuma our 7 year old Shiba is sick.
I noticed very loose, liquid stools coming from him when taking out our pup akita. So I knew something was not right. Early evening I was out. Came home and oldest daughter says, "Kuma can't walk, Dad!" Now I knew why he hardly lifted his head upon my return. Told wife about the diarrhea. She prepares chicken and rice for him... while eating it, his left back leg starts strangely moving/sliding away from him - I knew right then, we were gonna be racking up ER bills, as I have NEVER seen this before. I take him out and his right front leg is acting very strange while very gingerly walking. My wife and I have wide eyed looks watching this... we call ahead and immediately head to ER.
Kuma provided a convenient fresh liquid stool sample in the waiting room - cut to the chase - Fecal came up w/ zero results(other than did see some likely grass and small amount of blood), blood work - nada as well, slight fever (that actually dropped some during our visit). His coordination and limb use remained strange - sometime looked "okay" other times, looked somewhat "drunk". Today he is no worse, no fever, still very lethargic, stiff, lays down w/ a thump, etc. Ate c & r, and recently drank a good amount of water when the chicken broth was added.... the cause(?):
Kuma was out w/ his females in the yard the night before (as usual), so I saw no vomiting then or the next day (or the foaming mouth)... but a good size woodhouse toad (best I can identify) was out that evening in the yard (knowing what I know now I would've "rehabbed" him somewhere else. Dogs sniffed him and walked away(then) - who knows what happened at 3 am? Anyway, reading that many toads are toxic (of course, the FL ones are poisonous and kill dogs)... and w/ very unusual July rains we also have wild mushrooms popping up in the lawn (young Chlorophyllum molybdites, best I can identify?). Looking up both poisonings and you basically get the same symptoms, which include Kuma's incoordination, diarrhea, fever, lethargy (we saw no pawing at mouth or foaming at mouth). The incoordination is the headline here, in my book. Very strange and a real "marker" I feel.
Other 3 dogs show no signs. Kuma has never really been sick before. The sudden onset and the evidence of seeing a toad in shrubbery around pool, and the new mushrooms in the yard - are the odd things he could've ingested. The only thing that makes sense, as the vets(young ones on duty) were at a loss (even w/ us mentioning the toad and mushrooms to them). From what I've read, I assume he will come out of this (he did manage growl once at the akita pup today >:P - so he's go tot be getting better , eh?). I read of no antidotes for either poisoning, even if we knew for sure. He will be on chicken and rice for next several days...
Maybe others have been though either of these ?
Comments
http://www.shibainuforum.org/forum/discussion/5351/mushroom-warning/p1
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/10/milk-thistle-extract-combats-mushroom-poisoning/#.U87N
found this for doses
http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/milk_thistle.htm
There is mushrooms sometimes when really wet.. Luckily my dogs leaves them alone.
Saya used to go for toads. took two times picking one up to stop. she'd spit it out right away..
We have a resident toad in our backyard, I look for him every night and have dubbed him "Mr. Toad"
Luckily, I trained Kira to leave him alone from the beginning so she actually avoids him when she walks by him.
I've always wondered what happened, and since it stormed for about a week after we got her... you may have provided the answer. I'm so sorry to hear that Kuma got sick and I'm so happy he is getting better, but thank you for helping me decipher what had bothered me for quite some time.
Tonight upon returning from being gone most of the afternoon and evening, he gave me a MASSIVE shiba greeting howl that went on and on and on (making up for lost time;)). He's back.
I'm so glad to hear that he's better! I know you had to be terrified for a while.