So, my own 8-month-old puppy ended up at the vets last week after going from bright, bouncy and playful to quiet with her tail between her legs in 24 hours. It was quite a shock; it shouldn’t have been as it’s something we see commonly. Pets present suddenly ill, sometimes because they don’t tell us they have a minor pain, an evolutionary advantage is to hide pain in prey species but other times something just happens.
In the case of my dog, she developed a type of meningitis. Not the type we tend to see in people, which is linked to infection, young dogs can get a form, where the immune system causes havoc on the brain. A blood test increased my suspicions and a spinal tap at a referral centre confirmed the diagnosis – something I needed as treatment involves a lengthy period on medication.
She is responding well to treatment and will likely make a full recovery, but it was a shock. When talking to pet owners I always advise that they are the best judge if something isn’t quite right so always follow your gut feeling.
Lucy Travers BVSc CertAVP MRCVS Highfields Vets