A tongue-less Beagle?

[Smoke'n Mack]

Well, I figured I'd post my story as some might be interested in it.

We started out hunting Saturday morning as usual on a new tract of land that looked good for bunnies. Right off the tailgate my one male, Mack, jumps a rabbit just like he normally does. We hunted from about 8am til about 1:30pm or so. I believe we counted 10 rabbits jumped, Mack jumped 8 of them. The last run in particular was tremendous. We had 3 dogs down, my two males and a 11 month old female. Whatever the reason, Mack took over the race and he was doing it right, as fast and as hard as he could. Almost check free for 45 minutes before the rabbit holed. It was something to listen to, the other two were there, but he told them to take a back seat, he was after it.

So I gave the dogs some water and we head home. I kenneled my two males and fed them. I look down an hour later, Mack is still standing there looking at his bowl. I go down, didn't touch his food. Take him a piece of bologna, won't touch it. I know something is wrong now and I see a little swelling in his neck. I took him inside, wouldn't eat or drink but just laid on the couch and slept til the next day. Sunday afternoon he takes a little soft food and some water on his own, so I figure he was just beat up so I put him back in his kennel.

Monday morning I get a call from my dad, I think your dog is dying you better get him to the vet. I see my dog and his neck, his lips, and his tongue are huge. It all happened over night. Got him to the vet 48 hours after we quit hunting, and we take an x ray. Nothing shows up but some air in front of his esophagus. He's pretty weak at this point so I told them to put him on IV's. He is getting antibiotics and steroids through the evening/night on Monday.

Tuesday morning I call the vet and he says the dog is a lot worse. His tongue is to the point it's hanging out his mouth and he had a temp of 105. The vet knocked him out so he could get inside his mouth. He found a little white sac under his tongue, when he touched it, it exploded in pus. He drained that all out and checked for any objects. All looked good now, packed it full of antibiotics and still on the IV. Put him back in his kennel where he was awake and alert. The hole under his tongue was from a stick/thorn bush/etc that he ran in under his tongue and went 6 or 7 inches down into his throat (hence the air we saw on the xray)

I call wednesday morning for an update, thinking we are coming down the homestretch. The vet tells me that my dog's tongue is now gone. I said so the swelling is gone, and he said no, his tongue is literally not in his mouth anymore. It was so swollen and infected that they think he bit it off. When the tech checked on him Tuesday night at 9pm, his kennel was full of blood and his tongue was laying there. He said we'd know more in the next 6 to 12 hours.

I was completely baffled and confused so I leave work to go see my dog. He comes running up to me happy as could be ready to go home. I asked the vet if he was in pain or suffering, thinking the worst. He told me as long as he figures out how to eat and drink with no tongue, you can have him tomorrow! My jaw dropped. He then put a bowl of wet food in front of him, he starts biting the food and jerking his head, throwing the food back to what is left of his tongue and eating it. He hadn't tried water yet b/c the IV is keeping him hydrated but he expects he'll figure it out just like the food.

I called this morning to see how he was doing. They said he is still eating like crazy and he'll be ready for me to pick him up this afternoon. The vet told me to let him get his strength back but he sees no reason he shouldn't hunt just like he did before (even though he might sound different). I may have to carry a sports bottle of water in the field to shoot into his mouth so he can drink if there isn't a pond nearby but he said there should be no effects whatsoever as long as the dog learns to live without it.

I am completely amazed at what the dog has done and gone through and might still make it out alive, let alone hunting again. Now even though this is my best dog and want him back so bad, if the vet gave me any indication this dog would be suffering or not the same as before, I would have done what I had to. But for now, that seems like it won't be the case! The heart and desire of this little dog never ceases to amaze me. We shall see....

[Mo. Beagler 5000]

That is seriously the craziest thing I have ever heard on this board... HANDS DOWN!

I'm sorry that your hound was sick and the vet bill is probably gonna be terrible but at least you got it fixed and hopefully he turns out ok. Keep us posted on here so we know how he is doing.

you should put a youtube video up of him drinking and eating. It would probably get a million hits and you would be famous

[Chuck Prather]

Wow Shayne that is crazy! Never thought he would lose his tongue when you were telling me about it earlier! I hope he will recover and continue on! Good luck my friend!

[Pete Tuck]

Smoke,
This did not happen to me, but it happened to a fellow who bought one of my pups. It happened almost as you described. Dog had a great day hunting and on the last rabbit the guy noticed the dog had a different bark when he saw the pack running a rabbit. After the group killed that rabbit, they were loading up the dogs and "Dewey" did not come to the truck. He went looking for him and when he finally found him he noticed Dewey looked in pain. When they got back to the truck they noticed that the dogs tongue was was gone. He took him to the vet thinking he was going to have to put him down. The vet told him to take him home and keep an eye on him. Well, just as your story goes the dog learned to eat and drink without his tongue and is doing fine now. I could not believe it, but it is true. I even posted it on this message board a couple of years ago. He man continues to this day to hunt Dewey. Good luck with your dog.

[Smoke'n Mack]

Yeah, I'll let you know how broke I am once I pick him up today. I didn't "expect" him to lose his tongue either Chuck b/c that possibility was never really in my mind. I didn't realize it was even possible.

Thanks Pete, that gives me high hopes for my dog. He is only 2.5 years old and he is still coming into his prime. I will obviously have to adjust his lifestyle a little big as far as cleaning himself up and eating but I think he'll be alright. I also kennel him with his brother so hopefully he will assist in the keeping him clean aspect, lol.

[Panther Creek]

Man, That IS crazy. I ain't never heard of anything like that....

[Pyzon24]

wow! shane thats crazy. i wish u and mack best of luck. mike conti

[S.R.Patch]

How does one wipe it's nose?

[Smoke'n Mack]

I know Mike, I still can't wrap my head around the whole ordeal. Give me a month to put the weight back on him, see how he's doing. If he makes it that long and adapts I'm gonna cut him loose again. If he is anything like his former self I still want to drop him down with Rocket! I think that would be one of the funnest races to watch, We could call it the "Country Lane Kennel heavyweight run off", LOL. I'll bring the radar gun. Before this all happened, I had a ridiculous corn chase the one night and when i hooked up my garmin to the computer that night, Mack clocked in at 18mph on three seperate 5 second stretches, the dude loves to run. In all seriousness though, i do hope he comes outta all this and he does finally get the chance to run with Rocket. We should have made that happen already too.

I was wondering the same thing SR, I mean it's all new too me since its the first dog I've owned without at tongue! I do kennel him with his brother so I'm guessing he's going to help clean him up or whatever. Dogs have a funny way of knowing when their buddies need help if you ask me.

I got him home last night anyway and as soon as he hit the ground, his nose went down, just like he never left. Started lifting his leg on every tree that he hasn't seen for the past 4 days. Ate 2 cans of wet dog food so far. He hasn't tried the water yet but my vet told me he'd get 80 percent of the water he needs from the food so I guess we'll see how the next few weeks go. He's still on two antibiotics and pain killers for the next 12 days.

[HOLLABACK]

Man O' Man thats a story! Glad he's doing well for ya! I've seen dogs adapt to all sorts of issues,and still do great in the field.I'm sure he'll adapt and do just fine.

[Smoke'n Mack]

I do need some help though guys. As of this moment, they only want me feeding him canned food til he gets the hang of all this, he can't chew food up real well thats why the dry is out.

This is a big male, before the accident he weighed close to 34 or 35 pounds. He's down to like 28 pounds and all skin and bones. I need something that I can mix with his can food, something soft and easily swallowed that will pound the weight back onto him. He seems to eat pretty well if I ball this food up into like little meat balls, he just tosses them back. Something that I can mix in like that and add to the little balls or make little balls out of. He needs weight back.

Thanks for any help.

[dog]

had trouble keeping weight on a dog of mine , my vet gave me a powder to put on his food , cant remember the name but it was made by purina , it was like a suplement , worked great , maybe ask your vet about it or research it on purina website

[TC]

Peanut Butter will put the weight on em pretty quick and good for the skin as well Seems like if your rolling the food up into little balls shouldn't cause to much trouble to mix some in with it..Nutra Cal would work real well too!!

[Smoke'n Mack]

Thanks guys. I'll look for any supplements. TC, the peanut butter sounds like a good idea, would be easy to mix in with canned food. It might get a little curious if the got some stuck to the roof of his mouth, no tongue to scrape at it! Man, the things you take for granted huh.

[TC]

Thanks guys. I'll look for any supplements. TC, the peanut butter sounds like a good idea, would be easy to mix in with canned food. It might get a little curious if the got some stuck to the roof of his mouth, no tongue to scrape at it! Man, the things you take for granted huh.

Yes Sir Thought about that after but was thinkin that as long as it was mixed with the food shouldnt cause to much trouble, but the Nutra-cal would probably be a better idea for the moment. http://www.drugs.com/vet/nutri-cal.html
Sure hate hearin it But Sure am Glad to see you doing all you can for your Bud Especially after what they give to us!! keep up the good work, and we will say a prayer or two here for you and Mack
TC