Hi everyone,

Last week I took Star (3 year old bullmastiff) to the vet, because we thought she swallowed a bone and got it stuck (that alone is a very long story), but after the x-rays were done it turned out her lungs were inflamed. The doctor prescribed antibiotics and we are to go back on Tuesday for new x-rays.

I've called the vet on this and got the answer, "keep an eye on her and we'll check her on Tuesday." I need your input:

Two days after starting the antibiotics, Star had one eye swell up, and then the other. They became red, the third eyelids started to cover her eyes, she blinked a lot, pus ran out the corners, and she squinted and drooled in pain. We cleaned them several times, and after 2-3 days it went away. She was already on antibiotics, so it cleared up quickly. Have no idea what caused it - an infection from the lungs, or something entirely different....

Star's barking still sounds a bit fuzzy, but it's probably from the inflamed lungs, so we try to keep her from barking as much as possible.

The continuing problem is this: Star won't yawn. She wants to, but stops herself short. Never gets a full yawn in there. Sometimes she'll open about halfway, other times she'll get it open about an inch and close her mouth again. It hurts too much to yawn.

She had problems getting her normal chicken bone down a few nights in a row, so for while she is going through all this we put her on just her kibble (Orijen - grainfree), with some boneless chicken, eggs, or cottage cheese supplemented. But without her usual dinner time leg or drumstick, her poop has gotten really to semi runny.

The obvious would say it's a scratched or a sore throat, an infection, maybe a shard left from the bone stuck in her mouth somewhere?

But has anyone else had anything similar happen with their dogs (inflamed lungs, eyes swelling, won't yawn), that they could shed some light on this? I'm wondering if all this is totally related or if some of these things could be unrelated and point to something else.

Thanks!

Brenda

Did the vet mention steroids at all?

Believe me, I am no steroid pusher, but this is where I might expect to hear it suggested.

I would switch to a much softer food than kibble. And I know you don't want to add an inflamed gut to all the other issues, so I would start very overcooked very soft white rice (I mean VERY overcooked with more water than the directions say) with some poached skinless white chicken and a little plain pumpkin (not pie filling) if you can find it. (Try a health food store for a small canner; I think Libby's is still experiencing shortages from their crop failure.) The boneless muscle meat plus antibiotic probably triggered the stool softness. Then you could start switching to a canned or dehydrated food when the poop firms up.

Are her eyes totally cleared up?

PS
I'm not a health professional.

What is the antibiotic? Does it say "no dairy"? If not, I would start a good plain unsweetened live-culture yogurt, too, halfway between antibiotic doses, to replenish "good bugs" that the antibiotic kills. I probably would not do this until day two of the anti-diarrheal diet. And if this dog has never had dairy (even though fermented dairy like yogurt is very well-received by most dogs), I would start very small.


I'm not a health professional.

Hi Connie,
The vet never mentioned steroids. (That actually surprised me because Star has always had joint / knee problems and the first thing the vets here do is prescribe Rimadyl. I won't give Star Rimadyl so once I asked for Metacam which worked for her but usually I just don't fill the prescription at all.)

This whole thing started last week after Star was chewing her bone, (which disappeared so we don't know if she swallowed the end of it or not, but she acted like she did and it was stuck), and started throwing up, couldn't keep food down, drooled and panted and paced all night long. The vet never felt her throat or looked in her mouth, she just took x-rays immediately. She showed me the x-rays, there were a few small bones in her stomach - from having chicken daily - but nothing lodged in her esophagus or chest area. Once she saw the inflamed lungs she dismissed the bone theory completely and prescribed regular human Augmentin that I got from my normal pharmacy. I didn't check to see if there would be food reactions along with it. She gets kefir every day in the mornings with her kibble, to moisten it but also to cover all the vitamin supplements (she'll leave them in the bowl otherwise). So she's used to dairy. I had been giving her fruit yogurt, but switched to plain unsweetened this week when all this started. She's never had a problem tolerating dairy, but I need to google Augmentin to see if there is a clash somehow with the antibiotics. We can't get any canned pumpkin here.

Good points, Connie, thank you!

Oh - her eyes are 90% clear - she still has some discharge but always had had discharge, but usually it's clear and right now it's just a tad white. But the redness and swelling and third eyelid are all gone. The most obvious thing right now is the stopping herself from yawning, and oh - when she lays down her breathing sometimes sounds a bit gurgled. Otherwise she has energy and loves to go for walks and do her normal things. She's a tough "little" cookie!

No, that's not one of the no-dairy antibiotics. I've read a little human anecdotal stuff about cramps with milk and Augmentin, but I suspected that they were people who might be intolerant and just finding out (because many times the physician will say to take it with food or dairy).

I'm glad you go back on Tuesday. I'd probably start a list (gurgling, are steroids a possibility, double-check eye discharge, anything else you might observe).

I'd probably be giving frequent small soft meals, as above.

Let us know!

I don't know about dogs but I know Augmentin can have some serious side effects with people. Is there any way you can find out what the side effects are for dogs? I am not a professional either just wondering. For food have you tried Honest Kitchen? It's dehydrated food and it is like baby food, you just mix it with water. Good luck with you dog! Do you think the eyes and inability to yawn might be related? Just some ideas.

The list thing is a great idea. I've called several times during the week as these things have come up, but the vet never seems to be there on the day I call. It might help both of us to have it all in writing on paper.

Thanks for the help! I'll keep you posted!

Lenka - I live in Estonia so I haven't tried Honest Kitchen. Orijen is the best thing I've found in this country, which she gets in the morning, and in the evenings she gets raw food. Having something mail ordered to me is expensive because of shipping, and customs fees are 20% on top of that.

I've googled both the eye thing and the yawning thing, and there's lots out there about the eyes, but not much on inability to yawn. I've found myotisis and sore throat. I would lean more towards the sore throat since the vet things the inflamed lungs thing might be kind of like a "cold". (The weather changed here quickly within a week's time - she thinks that could be the reason). But these other things came up during the week so like Connie suggested, I will be making our list and when we go back to the vet on Tuesday I'll have her check everything else, too.

Thanks for your ideas!

Brenda, have you felt around inside her mouth, especially the roof of her mouth, just to be absolutely sure nothing could be stuck there?
TMJ inflammation preventing her from yawning fully?
I would definately pursue the steroid/anti-inflammatory angle with the vet.
Good luck and let us know how she is doing...
ps here's a link describing TMJ problems in companion animals:
http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/dvm/Medicine/Managing-TMJ-in-companion-animals/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/569297

Brenda, good luck! Are you from there or do you just live there right now? If that is your overseas home then double good luck. It's difficult enough to be away from home and then the dog gets sick! Too much.