Piper did the scary drunk-walk-collapse thing at the park again yesterday :( This time, it wasn't even hot outside, and she hadn't even been doing much. Exercise security levels have reached an all time high, and I've become extraordinarily paranoid about how much fun she is allowed to have. She's starting to hate me.
I'm beginning to think it's a plot hatched by the ever diabolic Woo.
Mwa ha ha ... my plan is working ... soon *I* will be the favourite.
You think I'm kidding?? Today he attempted a bold coup de grace - he tried to take out the Mad Teeth (tm) with The Flamboyance (tm)
Is that what that was?? Ho-lee CRAP!
I'm beginning to think it's a plot hatched by the ever diabolic Woo.
Mwa ha ha ... my plan is working ... soon *I* will be the favourite.
You think I'm kidding?? Today he attempted a bold coup de grace - he tried to take out the Mad Teeth (tm) with The Flamboyance (tm)
Is that what that was?? Ho-lee CRAP!
The next time he pounced ...
... she was ready for him, and executed her escape plan successfully.
He was a little shaken up.
What the hell happened to my plan to overthrow the overlord?
But he vowed that next time ... next time he WOULD be king.
Tweed, bless his simple little soul, is not interested in politics.
Duh?
If it takes away from ball time, it's a Bad Thing.
You throw.
I catch.
So easy, right?
Tomorrow we trial. Tweed is an old hat at this of course, but Piper is pretty new to the whole thing. I am sure that she will have some unique perspectives on the art of taking the obstacles I suggest she take :) Wish us luck!
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25 comments:
So this happened when she was swimming? That's scary!
What does the vet have to say about Piper and her seemingly sudden wobbly spells? As a nurse, I'd say once is not anything to worry about, but twice in less than a month seems like it could mean something needs attention - in either man OR beast! Don't want to give Woo any assistance in his plot to take over the world, now do we? Hope all is well.
Hi Sheena,
Totally scary; Thea does the same thing; mostly in hot weather. But then there was that one weird time, where it was a little different and she didn't exactly collapse, at spanish banks; I think you were there (with Jody, Ryan and Abby). That time after I rushed her into work we assumed was related to hyopglycemia. You could get a glucose checker and see what her levels are at before you exercise and/or after it happens.
I'm paranoid to run her too long for fear she will drop dead :|
Also - do you ever check her gum colour and CRT? Thea will randomly be pale even when she isn't exercising.
Furthermore, you could talk to your Vet about a heart workup (expensive). Has there ever been mention of her having a murmer?
Good luck!
Jenn, Thea and Daz
Oh, good like to the delightful Piper! Listen to your mum!
The Mad Teeth / Flamboyance collision really recalls those grim photos of car crashes meant to instruct. "See, this is what happens when you tailgate the vehicle in front of you..." (So why am I still laughing?)
P.S. My verification word is "breche". Is that the Canadian spelling of "brake"?
I wonder if maybe Piper's glucose isn't getting too low as well. My parent's border collie, Bandit, would play ball until she literally collapsed into seizures simply from using up all the blood sugar in her blood. I would try keeping a packet of sugar with you and next time it happens dump the sugar under her tongue (as well as trying to cool her off of course)
Oh thanks all!!
Piper did it yesterday at the non-water park. She has never done it whilst swimming!!
She has never been diagnosed with any heart problems at all. Her gums are always pink. Her ears are always black ;-) This is such a new development, I can't explain. Bloodwork may be in order I think. Thanks for all the tips!
My eskie, Barclay, likes to shove his rather spectacular tail into other dog's faces, much to everyone's entertainment (except the dog that gets the big face full of fluffy tail)!
Best wishes to Piper, I hope it's nothing serious! We love sharing your dog's adventures!
Good luck Tweed (kiss, kiss) and Piper. Please, FL, take a kiddee pool to the trial and dunk Piper before her runs!
I'm crossing my fingers that Piper doesn't end up needing swimming only like The Giz. It is a hassle to always drive to water for exercise fun.
Great good luck! Tell Piper to stop scaring the Food Lady. After all she is the 'food' Lady.
Bobo and Meja
I hope Piper is going to be okay. Those episodes are troubling.
Love the photos, as usual!
Whew! I'm glad Piper is okay. Good luck with trials!!!
lol dontcha just love dog politics? I wish you luck with the wobblies.
Good Luck FL, Piper and Tweed!! Oh, and Woo, stop plotting world domination until FL figures out what is going on with Piper kay? It's no fun winning if the opponent isn't fully in the game...
Duh??? That's RUDE, Food Lady!!!
Awww, cr@p. Sorry she's scaring you. Hope you get it figured out soon. Maybe it's something loopy like water in the ear screwing up her balance, or something. Good luck at the trial. Take lots of pictures!
Sorry if this cam through as annonymous. Every time I try & post to this account, Google says my password is no good. Every single time.
3aussiemom
It sounds like she has diabetes to me. MY FEMAL cHIN STARTED STAGGERING WITH COLLAPSE IN THE SUMMER HEAT. vET DAID DIABETES.
I have a border collie that likes to play in the water. By play I mean herd and by herd I mean obsessively bite it back into its place. He collapsed last summer while running around herding the water and I thought immediately he had heat stroke. After rushing him to the emergency vet it was determined he had water intoxication ( http://dovelewis.org/pdf/readmystory_tucker.pdf ). Basically, he ate so much water when he was biting it, he made his electrolytes go to zero and his brain swell. Be careful, Piper has the exact same look that my dog Tucker had when he collapsed from this rare case.
"Basically, he ate so much water when he was biting it, he made his electrolytes go to zero and his brain swell. Be careful, Piper has the exact same look that my dog Tucker had"
Thanks for your concern but Piper does not ingest water like that and her episodes occur when she is NOT playing in water. It's not the same scenario at all.
"It sounds like she has diabetes to me."
That's possible but she exhibits no other signs of diabetes. She is not overweight at all, overthirsty or urinating excessively.
As the Food Lady already knows, but some readers might not, there is a problem called Exercise Induced Collapse that is mostly found in Labs and Border Collies. http://www.martinreferrals.com/exercise_collapse_syndrome_labrador_collie.asp
While certainly other conditions can cause Piper's signs, because of her breed it is appropriate to check for this early and not leap to the conclusion that it is some other metabolic disorder for which she has no symptoms.
If it's not your breed, you probably wouldn't know about this!
I hope Miss Piper is able to continue with some of her beloved ball chasing and agility. The idea of Miss Mellie being restricted from such is downright terrifying to me. (The one who would have to live with her and constantly being the one to say no.)
Here's hoping...
Hi, Food Lady.
I had friends with a Golden who had very similar symptoms to Piper. At first they ascribed it to overexertion, but sometimes it would happen during periods of mild or no exercise, and not in the heat. They never found out (despite *tons* of vet work--they are lucky to be money-no-object when it comes to their dogs) what it was, and he lived a long life and died from hemangio at an advanced age. It was a mystery.
Please keep us posted.
My 1.5 year old border collie Jun gets heat exhaustion too, and does the "drunk walk." A few times last summer, and then once this summer. She's never actually collapsed, though, and like Piper, it doesn't even have to be that hot out and she doesn't have to be working that hard. Definitely scary! She's been tested for everything under the sun and all has come back fine.
OK. I'll leave off the armchair diagnostics to just remark: every time I look at that first photo on this post, I am convinced that Piper is buried up to her neck in sand. And that that is what she managed to do again. Oops.
I am just south of you in WA near Mt Rainier - My lil red BC has what seems to be the same issue - - it can be as cool as 65 degrees and if she plays ball for awhile say 15-20 minutes in the sunshine she gets what I call her Stevie Wonder look - - eyes as slits and tongue hangin out ( most ppl would say this is a happy look - NOT - doesn't make ME happy ) - and only once did I see her stagger - that was the first time - now when I see her with the 'look' I make her stop and wet herself down - she has gotten better about this cooling down procedure - wetting her belly in a trough or pool - most times she will do it herself - as long as she thinks game is over - typical BC will go go go! I understand this to be Exercise induced hyperthermia - and so far we have been okay with it - just need to see the signs -
Enjoy your Blog a ton! Thanks for the smiles! Living with herding breeds is da Bomb!!! I teach and compete in agility too! Wishing you all 'Q's and clean runs!
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