head injury

[josie0814]

I HAVE A 6 WEEK OLD CHIHUAHUA WHO'S HEAD WAS SLIGHTLY STEPPED ON LAST NIGHT.SHE CRIED A LITTLE AND PART OF HEAD SWELLED.I GAVE HER A LITTLE CHILDREN'S MOTRIN AND SHE STARTED TO FEEL BETTER AND THE SWELLING DECREASED RIGHT AWAY.IT HAS BEEN ABOUT 12 HOURS NOW AND THE SWELLING IS DOWN BUT SHE HAS A SOFT LUMP ON HER HEAD.ALSO HER TONGUE AND GUMS ARE PALE.SHE IS AWAKE AND RESPONSIVE BUT ACTS AS IF SHE DOES'NT FEEL WELL.I HATE TO SOUND SELFISH BUT I REALLY CAN'T AFFORD A VET TODAY BUT I WILL TAKE HER IF NECCESSARY.I NEED TO KNOW IF SHE NEEDS IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION OR IF THERE IS SOMETHING I CAN DO FOR HER HERE THAT WILL HELP HER HEAL.

[ginger899]

I am so pleased to hear your little one pulled through. And that he's steadily improving. That is wonderful news.

[khoyRN]

This happened to my 8 week old chihuahua - our 90 lb Lab swatted his head and it immediately started swelling. We went to the ER Vet - he has a hairline crack around the fontanelle - the swelling was a surface artery that had been damaged, The pale gums were a sign of anemia from so much loss of blood. We were advised to put him down. We took him home and thought he will either die in our arms or wake up in our arms. THe swelling was so severe, his eyes were slits - we kept a syringe of a/d canned food in his mouth even though he wasn't responding to keep his glucose up (chihuahua's have a hard time regulating blood sugar) about 4 hours after the accident, he started coming around and has been steadily improving since. In these hard ecomonic times, the decision for expensive vet care can be a hard one, but responding to a pup the way you respond to a child is not the way to go -- vet medicine is very different from people medicine.  For $35, there is a emergency pet care class you can take, similar to human first aid - just google emergency pet care classes in your area - at the very least, you'd know what you can and can't do if a vet is out of the question. (It's been a week and our little guy is still very bruised, but coming back better every day) Good Luck Josie - k

[Ghilly]

I am really hoping that we hear back from her to update us on the condition of that puppy.  I am also really hoping now that the pale gums were not the result of a gastric bleed because if the ibuprofen, because depending upon how much of the drug was given, they almost never survive it, and especially such a young puppy!  I am really scared for them!  

Josie0814, if you are reading, please update us and let us know how your puppy, and  you, are doing!  We're very concerned for you!

Ghilly

[Red931]

I just realized that also Ghilly. I was sitting here wondering if she had ever taken the dog to the Vet and was thinking about the pale gums and it hit me and that dog is so tiny. I just signed back on to let here know but you did 3 hours ago.

It has been 6 hours now. I hope she took her to the Vet.

[Ghilly]

It just dawned on me that you said you gave your puppy Children's Motrin!!  Motrin is ibuprofen, and ibuprofen is HIGHLY TOXIC to dogs!  NEVER give an animal, especially a puppy, a human medication without first checking with your veterinarian.  Motrin will cause serious bleeding in the stomach, so you need to get that puppy to a veterinary ER IMMEDIATELY.  Tylenol and ibuprofen will kill dogs and cats.

Ghilly

[Ghilly]

This puppy needs to be seen by a vet ASAP.  Chihuahuas are the only breed of dog that have a molera, which is the doggy equivalent of the human fontanelle, the opening in the skull at birth that closes up as the baby grows.  The only problem with chihuahuas is that, unlike the fontanelle, the molera doesn't close up.  Even if it did close up, however, the molera in a 6 week old puppy would still be open, and because of that, a vet needs to check her out to be sure there is no injury to her skull or to her brain.  Sometimes these injuries do not show themselves right away (think Natasha  Richardson), so please don't take any chances and get her checked.  Please post back and let us know what the vet says.  Good luck!  I hope your baby is OK!

Ghilly

[Red931]

If she doesn't seem right then she is probably not. How big was the person that stepped on the dog's head?

I think medical attention would be the best thing. That dog is very small, an injury about the head is nothing to fool around with. The pale gums is not good either.

Please let us know how she is doing after the Vet examines her.