Question :

we gave my 12 year old golden retriever the fat from the turkey yesterday in
her food. she has now vomited 5 times and had 2 bowel movements in the house

which she never does. she now can’t seem to stand up and won’t drink.
her panting has stopped but i can’t get her to stand or move.she tried to
stand earlier but could not get her back legs to work.

answer :

Hi,

My recommendation is that you visit your local vet as soon as possible.

A fatty meal in an elderly pet has the potential to trigger pancreatitis which is a life-threatening condition.

Sickness and diarrhoea are fairly non specific symptoms associated with many conditions, some very benign, some more sinister. On that particular occasion, I suspect pancreatitis simply because sickness and diarrhoea associated with other illnesses such as the typical “upset stomach” do not make a pet as sick as you describe it … while pancreatitis does.

Following a clinical exam, if the vet suspect pancreatitis, he/she will need to confirm the diagnosis with a blood test and abdominal x-ray/ultra-sound. Treatment consist in resting the pancreas and supporting the patient:
- Hospitalisation
- intra-venous fluids
- pain-killers
- complete starvation (no food, no water, not even the smell of food)

Best wishes,

Julien
www.vetstoria.com