The American Beagler Forum

I have a two year old male. Was running him 2-4 times a week since the summer. He caught a rabbit 2 weeks ago, before I got to the dogs it was tore up. After 6 hrs. of running one day last week, he would run when the others jumped one but he stopped hunting. He has a chop mouth but towards the end of the day it went to a squeel and he also had a tight mouth almost like it was hurting to bark. I brought him home wormed him with evicts. Couple days later he just didn't seem normal. Fri. I took him to the vet. they said he looked dehydrated. Checked for worms and took x-rays everything was fine. They gave him SQ fluid therapy, Amoxicillin, and Metronidazole. He won't eat or drink anything! Took him back to the Vet. today and they said he lost 1 pound over the weekend. Checked him, gave him some more fluids. Usually this is a good Vet. but this time they just don't seem to know what is wrong. Well 500.00 later they said just watch him. If it gets worse bring him back. Does anyone have any ideal as to what could be the problem besides finding another vet.? I have him kenneled with two other dogs and they are fine. Help Please!

I can't tell you what your problem is but I will say get a professional's second opinion.

It could be mental unstead of physical. Vet may not have solution for that. Have you always ran him with a pack? Sounds like like something reverting back to catching the rabbit.

I have ran him in a pack as well as solo. He did start eating some can food today. But still no water. Thanks!

Sounds like a inner-ear infection. I would get him on some heavy antibiotics. If a dogs ear hurts they don't want to bark and if his balance is off he will act different and not hunt...

Never thought of that, thank you, now that is something worth remembering 53pigeon!

If hes shaking his head it could be like 53 said barking hurts his ears. Maybe ear mites.

I've had dogs get sick and didn't know why.
I had one just a couple weeks ago.
You work dogs hard, they get sick occasionally.
Eating rabbits, deer carcasses, and what ever else they can find exposes them to a lot of stuff.

I had two dogs get sick this year after I found them chewing on a deer carcass. It was not much more than bones with a hide over it.
Think on a deer caracass that every possum, coon, coyote, fox, bobcat, and hawk has chewed on that before your beagle. They are getting exposed to everything the previous animals had all at once.

The first thing I do before taking them to a vet is to put them on antibiotics. Sometimes a shot of B-12 to stimulate apetite.
That has always worked for me, except for one that was in kidney failure a couple years ago.
He was in kidney failure, which we knew before hand because we went to the vet first. All the vet offered to do was put him down. We doctored him for the following week before it was time.
There was nothing anyone could have done to help.

A dog that isn't at least drinking water isn't going to survive long. You really cannot get enough SQ fluids into a dog to last more than a day. You either need to force water or get him a 2nd opinion and probably on IV fluids for a few days.

Leah

Were any x-rays taken? If he caught a rabbit, the first thing that comes to mind is obstruction of the bowel or perintonitis from a chunk of bone.
Could also very well be an infection or disease caught from eating a sickly rabbit ... but from your description, it does sound more like an obstruction of some sort.

What a looooggggg! he feels better now! Thanks!

Were any x-rays taken? If he caught a rabbit, the first thing that comes to mind is obstruction of the bowel or perintonitis from a chunk of bone.
Could also very well be an infection or disease caught from eating a sickly rabbit ... but from your description, it does sound more like an obstruction of some sort.

Well Glad to hear he is feeling better Ya know my Wife mentioned that the other day when reading your Post that the dog was probably just plugged up