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Beagle has lots of problems.

Species: Dog
Breed: Beagle
Age: 2-5 years
I found my Beagle Lucky as a stray almost a year ago, he is around 4 years old. I feel like I have been in and out of the vet for all of these problems but wonder if there could be one underlying issue that is causing all of these different things. Here is a list of things he has had or been diagnosed with:
* the day I found him he was very sick, turned out to be Lyme positive on antibiotics for 3 weeks
* takes a daily allergy pill for pretty bad allergies
* chronic ear infections in both ears
* infected tooth had it pulled
*had one seizure I witnessed 6 months after we got him
* swolled a chunk of rawhide thought he had blockage, didnt but xray showed his gi tract was inflammed and agitated. Was given a shot of cyrenial and flagyl to take ( seizure occurred 5 days after this)
* last week he urinated in his sleep sent culture out and he has a urinary infection, e coli. He is om antibiotics again but just yesterday and today vomitted ( which he has never done with me before) and drooling and nausaus a lot.
*except for a few rare instances he is himself and always wants to eat ( he is a Beagle )

I just wonder if he could have something that is causing all these things or if he was just never properly taken care of in the past and that's why. Any thoughts? It is greatly appreciated. thanks!


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

You know, there's a joke in veterinary circles that no one should ever name a dog Lucky. For some reason a lot of "Lucky's" have a lot of problems!

All kidding aside, I can't think of one particular problem that could account for all of these issues.

Some of his problems though could be connected to the allergies. Beagles are quite prone to allergies and they can cause all sorts of problems. The ear infections are probably connected to the allergies. Allergies cause skin to become inflamed and that inflamed skin is prone to infection.

When I see a case that has chronic ear infections the first thing I do is make sure that we clear up the infection first. Often I find that owners will treat till it looks better and then stop. I instruct owners to treat for a good 10-14 days and then I have them come back and we do a cytology test to make sure the infection is gone. Often the ears look ok but microscopically we can see infection is still there so we treat longer. Then, once I'm sure the infection is cleared up I will prescribe some mild steroid drops that can be used periodically when the allergies are flaring up. These drops decrease the inflammation and that means there is a much less chance of infection happening. But they only work if infection is all cleared up first.

If your dog has allergies you may want to talk to your vet about something called "Skin Support" food. This food is amazing at helping dogs with allergy problems even if their problems are environmental allergies and not food. It is expensive though.

The gastrointestinal issues could be related to allergies too. However, if it just happened one time it was probably something unrelated.

I'm not sure what to tell you about the seizure. I can't connect that to anything. Seizures are hard to watch. Hopefully he doesn't have any more.

A UTI can't really be connected to any of his symptoms either.

I wish I could come up with something that could tie all of these things together but unfortunately I think Lucky is rather unlucky. I do have some patients that have a lot of problems.

Dr. Marie.


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Customer reply:

Thanks for the response and advise. I will ask the vet about the steroid drops and special food. I have to bring back a urine sample a week after his antibiotics to see if the UTI has cleared up so maybe I will just bring him in to check how the ears are doing.

I just didnt know if any of those issue could be because of the Lyme or not (he will still Lyme positive in July). Thanks a bunch!


Customer reply:

Anything I can give him for the dry heaving? I can tell he is naseaus.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

There are a lot of things that can cause vomiting or dry heaving in dogs. It's possible that the antibiotics are causing some stomach upset. If you're not already doing so then I would suggest giving the antibiotics along with a full meal. You may need to talk to your vet about changing him to a different antibiotic.

Your vet may also talk to you about adding a medicine called famotidine along with the antibiotic which will help with the stomach upset. (Unfortunately I can't legally discuss doses or prescribe medication for your pet online).

If he's not feeling well (i.e. lethargic and off of his food) then there could be something else going on and he should go back to see the doctor.



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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.