arkbc
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Posts: 8
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Post by arkbc on Oct 7, 2011 8:49:43 GMT -5
We have a beautiful greyhound boy 'Jim' who is 13 years old. He occasionally has problems with his right shoulder and will let out a painful cry when getting up and lying down. I give him a low dose of metacam and also a synoquin capsule everyday and they appear to keep him painfree and healthy.
Now for the problem. Recently he had one of his 'happy dashes' in the garden and I assume he hurt his shoulder because he cried out in pain. Since then he has been suffering and wouldnt lie down on his right and was panting with pain. I upped the metacam for 3 days and it helped but he was still struggling so I decided my vet should take a look at him.
The vet injected him with Metacam in his back muscle and also injected him with Vetergesic to sedate him. We then had to watch Jim spend 3 hours having some sort of drug fuelled nighmare which looked anything but restful and from which he emerged possessed, panting and unable to stop walking around for no obvious reason. This went on for many hours and although we were told that its affects could be in his system for up to 8 hours, Jim's drug trip was in full swing after 9 and showed no sign of abating; he didn't recognise us and we thought his heart would give out, such was his rate of breathing. Jim's back legs were giving out but it didn't stop his relentless power-walk.
The vet agreed that Jim had had an adverse reaction to it and that rather that sedate him it had made him hyperactive and confused. Jim was then given three sedatives over the following 12 hours which knoocked him out for 2 hours each time.
Now nearly two days later, when he should be recovering and sleeping, he is still exhibiting most of the same symptons, although less intense, but at least we can see the old Jim in there somewhere.
We are posting this as a warning, but we would also welcome any suggestions as to what herbal remedy we can give him now to ease any paid and make him more restful.
We are still very worried and hope he can pull through this terrible ordeal.
Bev & Jon
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Post by andywillow on Oct 7, 2011 9:16:03 GMT -5
How awful for Jim and you too having to watch him so distressed  Everything crossed he recovers very soon bless him  Sue |
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Post by longdoglady on Oct 7, 2011 11:46:05 GMT -5
Poor Jim how scary for him and you. I hope it works out of his system soon and the pacing has not aggravated his shoulder I would make sure the vet puts a warning on his notes against using this drug again. I know tramadol, which is also opoid based, occasionally causes restlessness and pacing in some greyhounds but that is not as long lasting. |
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Post by julies on Oct 11, 2011 3:23:42 GMT -5
I think that Vetergesic was given to my old lurcher in 2008 ... I can't be sure but I think it was- is it a really powerful sedative? My old boy was given it by the emergency vets and he had an awful reaction to it - his heart was pounding, he was panting,it was so frightening espcially as he had a bad heart  . I asked a dog heart specialist some months later if it could have caused that reaction and he didn't think so but I was sure .... Hope Jim is improving  J x |
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Post by madmare on May 11, 2012 9:12:48 GMT -5
My greyhound Lily was given Vetergesic late this morning and she is now back in the vets. She came home and just started panting and drooling and crying and pacing. Then th pacing stopped and she stood there not seeming to know where she was or who we were panting and breathing rapidly.
I have taken her to the vets again and they have kept her in. They are adamant its not the Vetergesic and were planning on giving her some more later. Having read your post I have now rung them and told them not to give her anymore.
She had exactly the same reaction last year to penicillan.
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Post by elmuervo on May 11, 2012 11:28:49 GMT -5
Poor poor Lily I can only offer some 'there's light at the end of the tunnel' experience for you Yes, Vetergesic is a very powerful sedative. It was given to Biggles in April last year when he was in terrible pain (of undetermined cause at that time, later found to be spinal pain). He'd been in acute pain for a number of hours, wasn't given proper pain relief by our ex-vet and duly become stressed to the point of collapse. Rather than scan him or x-ray him, our ex-vet just sedated him with Vetergesic and returned him to us the next day as 'fine' . But Biggles wasn't fine: He was in a worse state pain-wise than he had been to begin with, plus he now had the confusion and 'tripping' that you describe to contend with as well . To be honest, it took Biggly days and days to come back round properly and lose the saucer-eyed stare that Vetergesic gave him. He was not himself at all for the best part of a week - he was really spaced-out, had slow reactions to our voices and was very confused. It was really unsettling, but he did get back to his old self after a week or so had passed . . . and after he'd seen Gap's vet and was finally given swift and appropriate care!  I'm sure Vetergesic has a vital part to play in the care of some animals, but our experience of it was horrid and I'd never consent to any of my dogs being given it again. Hang in there, even though I know you must be worried sick . I hope Lily's soon back to her old self. Jo x |
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Post by Flaperoo on May 11, 2012 12:18:34 GMT -5
OMG  You must be worried sick I hope you have Jim back home with you soon and that he returns to hs normal self. Sorry can't help with any advice but thank you for the warning. Maryxx |
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Post by longdoglady on May 11, 2012 13:22:51 GMT -5
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Post by madmare on May 11, 2012 14:01:40 GMT -5
Thankyou for the links. I have printed off the greyhound data sheet and am taking it into my vet tomorrow as she still won't have it that the injection caused this. She is adamant its safe. She thinks my dog just got stressed from having an injection. Funny how she has had other jabs at the vets and been fine. Anyway I am pleased to report a phone call to the vet a little while ago revealed Lily is improving, thank goodness. She is staying in the vets tonight and should be home in the morning. I can't tell you how relieved I am. Lily did once before have the same symptoms when she was given penecillan (sp). The vets then said it wasn't the penecillan causing the symptoms, but now they say it was and have put on her notes that she must not be given it. She has been fine with non penecillan antibiotics. Because of these extreme reactions I am going to soon do a survey to find out what peoples greys have reacted to and see if there is any pattern, so people can be warned in the future what to avoid and to save many poor hounds suffering like this. |
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Post by samburns on May 11, 2012 14:06:36 GMT -5
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Post by francesd on May 11, 2012 14:39:19 GMT -5
Glad to hear that Lily is recovering, you must have been so worried I'm now wondering whether this is what was given to my lurche Fletch the other month. I had to take him to the vets one sunday night when he got a lamb rib bone stuck in the roof of his mouth (he's fed raw) and needed sedating to remove it. That was the easy bit... All of the first night he panted and paced and his back end dropped (he does have a bad back) Then for approx 10 days he couldn't sleep and wouldn't settle til usually 3-4am Mainly caused by muscle spasms from his back end dropping but the panting was very apparent and quickened heart beat. I was too scared to take him to the vets incase they said PTS but his homeopathic vet soon sorted him out. I'm going to contact my local vet and ask what he was given and I'll let you know. Fran x |
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Post by madmare on May 11, 2012 16:57:46 GMT -5
Sorry to hear about Fletch, Fran. I would be very interested to know what they gave him when you find out.
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Post by julies on May 13, 2012 11:39:07 GMT -5
I read somewhere that Vetergesic leaves the body through the dog's body fat which might be why theres a problem with giving it to greyhounds and some lurchers ... as greys don't have much body fat so can't tolerate some anaesthetics maybe they can't get rid of the Vetergesic either J xx |
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Post by madmare on May 13, 2012 12:38:07 GMT -5
Poor poor Lily I can only offer some 'there's light at the end of the tunnel' experience for you Yes, Vetergesic is a very powerful sedative. It was given to Biggles in April last year when he was in terrible pain (of undetermined cause at that time, later found to be spinal pain). He'd been in acute pain for a number of hours, wasn't given proper pain relief by our ex-vet and duly become stressed to the point of collapse. Rather than scan him or x-ray him, our ex-vet just sedated him with Vetergesic and returned him to us the next day as 'fine' . But Biggles wasn't fine: He was in a worse state pain-wise than he had been to begin with, plus he now had the confusion and 'tripping' that you describe to contend with as well . To be honest, it took Biggly days and days to come back round properly and lose the saucer-eyed stare that Vetergesic gave him. He was not himself at all for the best part of a week - he was really spaced-out, had slow reactions to our voices and was very confused. It was really unsettling, but he did get back to his old self after a week or so had passed . . . and after he'd seen Gap's vet and was finally given swift and appropriate care! I'm sure Vetergesic has a vital part to play in the care of some animals, but our experience of it was horrid and I'd never consent to any of my dogs being given it again. Hang in there, even though I know you must be worried sick . I hope Lily's soon back to her old self. Jo x Long story but I have sacked my vet (will explain in another post later) and took Lily to another vet as she got so much worse and my normal vet said she was fine (she wanted to shut and get home Sat lunch time). The new vet is experienced with greyhounds and said the vetergesic would have left Lilys system within 24 hours and she should have returned to normal, she also said she should never have been given it. She said she felt lily had suffered a slight stroke due to the way the vetergesic affected her or it could have been underlying. New vet admitted her straight away. Lily is now home and more settled but still does not seeem to know us properly and gets scared when i take her outside. Her eyes are far away in another world. Reading your post again I wonder if it induced a mild stroke in Biggly too. My new vet picked up on it immeadietly as only the week before she had treated two greyhounds who suffered strokes and that had MRI scans to confirm it. Lily is going back to the vets tomorrow. I will do another post later showing Videos of lily as she was and a photo of how she is now and explaining the awful treatment of my old vets. |
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Post by Flaperoo on May 13, 2012 12:47:45 GMT -5
Hope Lilly recovers soon with the new vet How is Jim doing??? Maryxx |
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