dturm
Munster, IN
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We decided to go camping last weekend. Things were going great until Sat nite about 3:00 am we were awakened by thrashing clunking sounds. We thought one of the dogs was caught under the bed, but it turns out Charmin's world was spinning.
He had acute onset of old dog Vestibular disease.. Diagnosing this was pretty easy and we knew given enough time, he should recover.
Charmin is very stubborn, and trying to get a dog to go down the camper steps when he's walking like a drunken sailor was not fun. Carrying him wouldn't work, he's 85# and I'm not that young anymore.
Well, we alternated sleeping on the floor with him and things were stable, then he developed vomiting and diarrhea. It progressed through Sunday and developed into HGE (Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis). We went through Sunday trying to manage the vomiting and bloody diarrhea with an 85# dog that couldn't walk and resisted guidance and didn't want to go outside.
We survived and he's just about as good as any dog I've seen 36 hours after a vestibular episode. He's learned to walk, is no longer scared of steps and the vomiting/diarrhea has stopped. Our carpeting took a beating, but that's what a carpet shampoo machinge is for, and carpet is now clean.
I thought I'd share a smart idea I got (after the fact  ), I'm going to get a thick poly drop cloth that I can deploy when something like this happens again. It will save the carpet and make it so-o-o much easier to manage something like this in the future. I'm going to make it a must for our dog kit.
Doug
Doug & Sandy
Jill (11yr old Golden)& Charmin (16 yr old something)
Henry NOW a camping cat
2008 Southwind
2009 Honda CRV
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BCSnob
Middletown, MD
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We went through that at home; it would be really rough while on the road. Give him a nice scratch behind the ears from me.
Mark
Mark & Renee
Working Border Collies: Gyp (retired), Peg, Bette, BJ, Nell, Tally & Eve
Sam the Maremma Sheepdog (at home guarding our flock)
2001 Chevy Express 2500 Cargo (rolling kennel)
2007 Nash 22M
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dturm
Munster, IN
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We though about going home (only an hour away)but thought fewer steps and smaller area in the RV would be easier. Don't know that that would be easy anywhere.
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Pawz4me
North Carolina
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Well, that will be a weekend to remember.
I'm glad he's feeling so much better already!
Me and the DH 
Two boys and two dogs (and two cats who prefer to stay home)
2008 Forest River Georgetown 350DS (bunkhouse model)
2001 Honda CR-V
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Go Dogs
South of Pittsburgh, PA
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Thank God you managed all that. Our great dane had HGE while he was home alone. I was met at the door by a very weak dog and a horrendous odor in the house. He survived with IVF and meds. They guessed he got it from eating deer droppings!
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raindove
Pennsylvania
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dturm wrote:We decided to go camping last weekend.
I thought I'd share a smart idea I got (after the fact ), I'm going to get a thick poly drop cloth that I can deploy when something like this happens again. It will save the carpet and make it so-o-o much easier to manage something like this in the future. I'm going to make it a must for our dog kit.
Doug
I always carry a small, new tarp, a package of those puppy piddle pads, a first aid kit for the dogs,...... geeze.... I forgot.....
I carry more stuff for the dogs than I do for us. LOL I try to restrain myself, but every time I do, I need something I don't have.
Those vestibular incidents are nasty. I'm glad Charmin is doing better. It's tough watching them age.
Whatever hits the fan will not be evenly distributed.
Wanda
1998 Fleetwood Bounder
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CatandJim
Tulsa, as in Oklahoma
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Poor Charmin! Poor Doug & Sandy! Even with your expertise that was no doubt very troubling and messy.  I'm glad he is on the mend.
Good idea about the drop cloth. We'll be picking one up next trip to the home improvement store.
Cat
(Jim just reads the forum once in a while)
Our toys:
2003 Damon Ultrasport 3873
(picture on profile)
Boat = ProCraft Fish & Ski
Working our way toward retirement...wishing it was soon.
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dturm
Munster, IN
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Go Dogs wrote:Thank God you managed all that. Our great dane had HGE while he was home alone. I was met at the door by a very weak dog and a horrendous odor in the house. He survived with IVF and meds. They guessed he got it from eating deer droppings!
I think stress was the initiating cause here. We don't always know what causes this and we've had about 6 cases at work over the past few weeks. BTW, I don't ever recommend that people try to treat this at home. It is an emergency and almost always requires IVs, but the good news is that it is almost never fatal if caught in time. If we had not gotten Charmin's vomiting and diarrhea stopped after two bouts of each and his vitals maintaining, he was going to the hospital.
Doug
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xteacher
Newnan, GA
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So sorry to hear that Charmin went through this! That's how we finally lost Chipper, our 14.5 year old lab awhile back. He never showed improvement. So glad Charmin is doing better!
Beth ('57)
DH ('55)
Fur Kids: Potsie (poodle), Maddie (westie mix), and Dempsey (boxer)
2012 Aliner Classic
2010 Nissan Pathfinder
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RBak
Crest Hill, IL
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Happy tp learn Charmin is better and feeling good again. Once had that experience with another sheltie mix in our home, and ended up carrying him down 7 steps to potty. Glad it's only a temporary situation.
Rita and her furry gang
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