Sick doggies. Advice?

[Raven]

Shelta, the 6 year old Labradoodle is down at the Vets for the afternoon getting intervenious fluids and a shot for nausea. Tests done and lots of bad things ruled out. Tinker, the 8 year old is here and not feeling well. She has thrown up twice but nowhere near as bad as Shelta. The Vet thinks they "got into something". This is unusual for them. I'm in the country, on 17 acres of land...can't keep them in all the time. Any advice on how to keep them from getting into stuff that makes them sick? This is how bad I feel: I'm feeling sick too!

[Indpndnt]

1. Just to get this out of the way,...

Do they eat store-bought chicken jerky? I ask because it's such a widespread issue these days.

It sure does sound like they got into something or they both wouldn't be suddenly sick. The IV fluids should help. Is there anything around that you haven't noticed before? Anything seasonal that doesn't usually grow on your property, but made an appearance this year?

[Raven]

4. No chicken jerkey in this house...nothing

unusual around this year. I'm thinking that they both got quilled a few years ago and learned their lesson...maybe they'll learn this time.

[TwilightGardener]

2. If you let them roam, there is no way to prevent them from getting

into stuff. I recently caught my puppy eating dried rabbit poop pellets, I've had dogs in the past get violently ill after eating dead critter carcasses, etc. Only solution is to take them out on a leash or contain them within a small part of a yard, that I can see. Hope they feel better soon.

[HopeHoops]

5. Bunny berries are a staple for our dogs.

[GoCubsGo]

3. Build a kennel for them.

They don't need to roam free every minute they're outside. There are lots of pre-fab kennels available, or you can make one of your own specifications using high fencing. As long as they have some room to move around and some sort of shelter, they'll be fine. You can let them out to run when they can be supervised.

[haele]

6. Our dog got sick after munching on a stray rat carcass when a neighbor was using poison bait.

Is it possible one of your neighbors or a corporate complex nearby (you may have one just off a road a mile or so away) may be been spraying for something or setting out something poisonous that got into the local wildlife who might have then wandered across your land?

The only other option might be a virus or a serious environmental (primarily groundwater or mold/spore) issue.

Crossing my fingers they get better soon.

Haele

[Indpndnt]

7. Please let us know how they're doing when you can.

I hope they're feeling much better. You, too!

[RebelOne]

8. My only advice is to keep them on leashes.

All my dogs have been inside most of the time. They have always been on leashes whenever I take them out. I do not live in the country where I can let them run freely. I recently gave my sister a mini-Pinscher because her shelter rescued dog needed company. My sister lives in the mountains in North Georgia. The dog is ecstatic because she is allowed to run free with the other dog.

[Raven]

9. Update on the doggies: I brought Shelta

back into the Vet this morning for another check and we decided to give her another session of IV fluids. I used the time to run and get boneless, skinless chicken and rice which will be both dog's diet for a while. I'm boiling the chicken now and the poor little pups are nosing around looking hungry. That's a good sign! Shelta's eyes look brighter. We still don't know what this was but my bet is still on the critter. I live way out in the country on 17 acres and I have invisible fence so I don't think the dogs got into trash. I don't use pesticides either. I am on well water and may, just to be safe, get a water test next week. Thanks for caring.

[Flaxbee]

10. Glad to hear they're doing better... and feeling hungry!

I hate it when my kitties feel bad ... and get scared when I don't know why.

Very good idea to get the well checked, for them AND for you! We've got well water, and we don't drink it or cook with it, nor do I give it to our kitties - we have to put a fair amount of salt in it and there's a lot of iron in the water; my cats were getting continual urinary tract infections with all the salt. As soon as I started giving them "Deer Park" spring water, all UTIs stopped. Hasn't been a UTI in the kitteh population in over 2 years... knock on wood.

[Raven]

11. I've never thought to question my well water but

no harm in checking it out. Just finished boiling chicken...ugg...looks very unappetising but I think the pups are going to adore it!

[marzipanni]

12. At a Petco store a few years ago someone posted a warning

that their two dogs became very ill because they drank water from a small fish pond that had lots of algae. I know a local small lake doesn't allow swimming due to contamination from ducks and geese.
The chicken jerky that Indpndnt mentioned isn't the only treat that's bad, any treats from China should probably be suspect (not that you have any, but as a warning to others reading this)