I've come away for a few days to stay with a friend who is going to help me work on my CV and applications for new jobs, and to have a bit of support and friendship after a rough few weeks. We travelled two hours in the car and Poppy was a star, firstly sleeping and then licking on a frozen Kong. As soon as we arrived I took her in the garden for a wee and then we went inside and I set up her crate and pen. I gave her lunch in there but noticed straight away she wasn't eating it but was licking her paws. Now this a dog who doesn't turn down food for anything. She started whining and then biting at her both front paws. I picked her up and checked them looking for thorns or something but no signs. She was getting frantic now and so I bathed them in cold water and wrapped them in a cold wet towel. We had literally been here 20 minute at this point. I went out in the garden to look and see if there were stinging nettles or anything she could have reacted to but couldn't see anything. Over the next 90 minutes it just got worse and worse. I was holding her to try and stop her licking and biting at her paws but she was whining and crying and jerking. Then her whole body started shaking. It was terrifying for her and me. In the end I googled and phoned a local vet and took her down immediately. It was a 15 minute drive and she was howling and crying and flinging herself around inside her crate. The vet was fantastic (as I stood there sobbing!) and said it was a severe allergic reaction and gave her IV antihistamine and a steroid. Poppy was a star and stayed as still as she could and they were very impressed with how well she coped with being handled. I took her back to my friends with a very little cone of shame but actually she then just slept for 2.5 hours. In her sleep she was still jerking her paws and licking a bit. But as the evening has worn on she has picked up and hasn't licked at all. The thing is the vet said she couldn't say what she had reacted to but suggested only taking her out on a lead on the patio. Poppy isn't used to toileting on a patio and whilst she has gone on there we've also had lots of wee accidents inside (which is really stressful when you are at someone's house). I've got her in her crate in my room with me tonight to keep an eye on her. Part of me just wanted to drive home this evening as it would be easier to manage her at home but my friend is encouraging me to stay. It's hard work when their house isn't puppy proof though and I have to be constantly on Poppy to make sure she isn't getting into anything. Plus she can't run around in the garden now. But still none the wiser as to what caused this.
Scary! It sounds like you handled it like a star, though. Hopefully you will BOTH have a much easier day today.
Oh that sounds horrible for you and so worrying. I hope you're both OK now and slept OK. I know that feeling about wanting to be in your own place. I was invited to a friend's on New Year's Eve with my pup but I found it so stressful making sure my pup didn't eat the Xmas tree or jump in the fire(!) despite keeping her on a lead, that I left after two hours. I was much happier at home and so was my pup.
Hope Poppy is soon better. Do what is best for you and your puppy, I am sure your friend will understand if you need to go home.
Oh, that sounds so scary! Well done for the way you've handled it, Poppy's got a lovely, caring mum in you. Big hug for you both x
Gosh what a worry for you. If it was me I would be avoiding the garden. A tough decision for you to know what's best to do. Home it may be
Oh poor Poppy (and you!). What an awkward time for you, not what you need right now. Perhaps you can take her on the grass on her lead, make it easier for her to toilet.
How frightening for you. I hope you've had a good night and can find a way to cope while you're away from home.
Poor you, and Poppy of course. Hope you had a better night. It's hard when you're away from home. On xmas I couldn't wait to get home and Stanley was a different dog as soon as we got there.
Oh poor Poppy and you. I know you will just want to be at home to deal with Poppy, I know I would. I am sure if you explained this to your friend she will understand, rearrange your visit when Poppy is older and house trained. Life can be really tough sometimes, I am sorry. xx
Oh no I hope Poppy is recovering well. Do what is best for you, if you have to go home then do so, your friend will understand I am sure. Hugs from me and Bailey
Thanks everyone. Poppy is much better and we are now home and much more settled. The vets were great and even called later in the evening to check how she was! She gave us some 4mg piriton in case it started up again but thankfully we didn't need to use it. I just kept her out of the garden and took her out in the front garden (just grass) on a lead. it was hard at my friends because in a way it was lovely to be with friends and not alone, but it was extraordinarily hard work with Poppy. It's funny because as soon as we got back she bounded round the garden merrily and then came in, curled up and went to sleep. She is a lot calmer at home. When I was at my friends the only way for her to settle was for me to put her in her crate and unless she was shattered she would just dig at it in an attempt to get out of it and whine. She didn't ever really play with me and her toys. She was just constantly sniffing things, jumping up at things, chewing on everything and biting me! Where as at home she plays with her toys (so long as I am near) and has just curled up at my feet and gone to sleep. Any suggestions on how to settle her when away, or is it just a case of staying home whilst she is a puppy? I took her crate and toys and blankets with her so she had familiar things.
Glad you are back home and things are calm again. Honestly, I would stay home for a while, and have people visit you. It's like having a small child in the house - for years when my children were small we had childless friends come to us rather than us visit them, easier on everyone! We even had a chef friend who would come and cook dinner in our kitchen, since it meant the kids could play with their toys and then go to sleep in their own beds later in the evening... Easier all round. It's much the same with puppies, I think.
