What is wrong with him?

Juneau was up through the night scratching and then pacing. Every time he stops, he scratches his ears or bites his back legs. I checked for fleas, sores, something....nothing! This morning he got up and would not eat breakfast. Sometimes he does this and just wants me to hand feed him...which I do but today he didn't even want that. Instead, he laid by his food and guarded it. If the cats or Rosco came near him he would get the mohawk and growl...or chase them away...and go back to guarding. Eventually, I put the dish up and he took a nap. I went out for a few hours, came back and tried again. Same routine and didn't eat. My son offered him a cheeze puff and he snatched it up. So I went and got him a bully stick (he lovessssss bully sticks) and he is sitting with it in front of him and guarding it. He is not eating it. He is not scratching since he got up this morning.

What is wrong with him? Other than this, he is the same old Juneau.

Could he have gotten some kind of insect bite? No advice, just huge hugs to Juneau and you - I do heart Juneau!

My first thought is that he hurts, coupled with the itchies, maybe it is a bite. Can you give him some benadryl and see if that helps? I hope he's back to normal soon.

Well, Tarrington....I know you...but, I'm just going to ask: have you looked over his entire body for anything? Have you felt his belly to see if maybe he ate something that is obstructing him? Is his belly tender? He may be guarding because he knows it is his food....but too much pain to eat it.

If he doesn't get better, I would take him to the vet.

Have you checked is temperature? That is usually one of the first things I do when a pug is not eating or acting like they normally do.

Renee wrote:Well, Tarrington....I know you...but, I'm just going to ask: have you looked over his entire body for anything? Have you felt his belly to see if maybe he ate something that is obstructing him? Is his belly tender? He may be guarding because he knows it is his food....but too much pain to eat it.

If he doesn't get better, I would take him to the vet.

I checked him from ear to paw and there is nothing. He doesn't act like he is in any pain at all. I worried about him all day, gave him some benadryl and he seemed to perk up a bit. He did eat his supper. Then, about an hour ago I noticed that the soft area around his nose, mouth and whiskers looked swollen, kind of like an ingrown hair kinda way. I looked closer until we were eye to eye and I see that he has a little piece of skin torn away, almost like a bug bite or something...or maybe he scratched it. I don't know! I washed the area off with some diluted peroxide and it looks like it is less swollen. What could this be?? I can't believe how much I fret over these pugs! We had plans to go to a water park tomorrow, as a family, but if he is not feeling well in the morning, then I'm not going!

pugmom wrote:
Have you checked is temperature? That is usually one of the first things I do when a pug is not eating or acting like they normally do.

I actually don't know how to check a dogs temp or what a normal temp is. How do I do this?

Poor Juneau. Feel better sweet guy.

juneau hunter wrote:

I checked him from ear to paw and there is nothing. He doesn't act like he is in any pain at all. I worried about him all day, gave him some benadryl and he seemed to perk up a bit. He did eat his supper. Then, about an hour ago I noticed that the soft area around his nose, mouth and whiskers looked swollen, kind of like an ingrown hair kinda way. I looked closer until we were eye to eye and I see that he has a little piece of skin torn away, almost like a bug bite or something...or maybe he scratched it. I don't know! I washed the area off with some diluted peroxide and it looks like it is less swollen. What could this be?? I can't believe how much I fret over these pugs! We had plans to go to a water park tomorrow, as a family, but if he is not feeling well in the morning, then I'm not going!

pugmom wrote:
Have you checked is temperature? That is usually one of the first things I do when a pug is not eating or acting like they normally do.

I actually don't know how to check a dogs temp or what a normal temp is. How do I do this?[/quote]


uhm, rectal, with a digital thermometer (would suggest a separate doggie thermometer and human thermomenter lol).

sorry Juneau!

normal dog temperature is higher than human temps - 101.5 is what uncle google says!
http://www.natural-dog-health-remedies.com/dog-temperature.html

Well, I decided to use Macey's digital thermometer that slides across the forehead and I got 38.2° Celsius. When I put that through the conversion thingy online, it gave me 100.76° F. So this must work pretty good on dogs too!

Juneau is always cuddly, but tonight he is extra snuggly. He is laying across my lap and getting a very long massage.

juneau hunter wrote:Well, I decided to use Macey's digital thermometer that slides across the forehead and I got 38.2° Celsius. When I put that through the conversion thingy online, it gave me 100.76° F. So this must work pretty good on dogs too!

Juneau is always cuddly, but tonight he is extra snuggly. He is laying across my lap and getting a very long massage.

lol I bet he appreciated that temp check vs. a rectal

and I forgot you guys are on celsius. thank goodness for the conversions online! lol

Poor Juneau. These pugs and their mysteries. Hopefully, he'll be back to normal tomorrow. Sometimes they are "off" for a day or two, and we never know why.

Were his ears red at all? Sometimes Freddy Jones scratches at his ears, then nips the foot he scratched it with. I have no idea what that's about. He's prone to ear mites, but it never puts him off his feed or anything.

Pugsaunt wrote:Could he have gotten some kind of insect bite? No advice, just huge hugs to Juneau and you - I do heart Juneau!

I think you nailed it! I'm a smart pug-mama so I'm putting the pieces together. Twice this summer I have found 2 huge hornets nests in my back yard - one in the composter and one on the shed - neither around the pugs area. I irradicated these (got chased by the shed nest occupants in the process!) and am still amazed how fast these suckers can build a nest!!

Juneau loves to go into the backyard! Loves it! It is his domain! While Rosco just flops into the sun, Juneau smells all the flowers, looks at the fish in the little pond, chases squirrels, digs holes (made him a sand digging area) and plays with his ball. So imagine my surprise when the last couple of days (since he started acting weird) he runs AWAY from the door when I ask him to go out. Weird! He did it again this morning and I literally have to pick him up and take him there. So I roamed about the yard to see if something is there! When I got close to a certain area he ran back to the door. Yup, there it was! Another huge hornet nest! OHhhhhhhh my poor little baby!!! My heart hurts thinking about his gentle sensitive side, enjoying his back yard, smelling the petunias....and thinking "ohhhh...what is this now?" and getting zapped on the nose! I think this explains all the swelling on his soft little mug.

So the poor boy has been traumatized in his own back yard! I will perform a heroic intervention for him this evening and gain even more unconditional love

So glad you got it figured out. I hope Juneau returns to his happy-go-lucky life of stopping to smell the flowers.

Tarrington, you crack me up! Go momma - kill those meanie hornets!