Need Help With My Springer

[hermiston]

I've had a couple Springers, but this is throwing me for a loop!

I have a Springer, named Bella, and she is 3.  Been hunting her since she was 6 months. Great hunting dog.  No complaints about her.  But, here is where I need help.  Last year, once, we were hunting some cover on our way back to the truck, her nose is on the ground in front of us when she turns around and starts barking and bawling at us.  It was like she didn't know who we were so I put my hand down to her to smell it to show her who I was and she just kept doing it.  As soon as we got about 10 yards away (she followed), she stopped and started hunting again.

I thought maybe she was hurt or maybe that she smelled something she didn't like, maybe a coyote, badger, or cougar and was trying to warn us.  I can see that.

Then this year, same thing happens in a different location.  Same sinerio, on the way back to the truck.  I tell my son, "must have been something here she didn't like".

The next day, out at the place from last year.  We are hunting along, about an hour and a half into our hunt, and she starts whining and kind of quits hunting.  Staying close to me and it looked like she was dizzy or something.  Kind of like her back legs were going to fall over.  So we stop for about 10 min and rest.  Then after the break, she starts hunting again and gets into some cover and starts her bawling again.  This time in some cattails (I can see her), comes running out full speed, does a circle and runs right back in.  Is my dog mental or is there something wrong with her physically?

Anybody else heard of this?

[Cascade_fisher]

Sorry to hear this.  I will be following this thread and will ask a couple of vet friends when I see them.  Good luck.

[Happy Gilmore]

I'd go talk to a vet. SOunds like something is wrong.

[quadrafire]

I know pointers can have issues with hypoglycemia and that can cause that kind of behavior. I have not heard of  it in a springer. You might keep squirt bottle with karo syrup in your vest just in case. May want to have some baseline blood work done just to rule out any other medical issues.

[BIGINNER]

I DUNNO IF THIS HELPS AT ALL,  BUT MY BROTHER HAS A GWP THAT IS AN INSANE HUNTING MACHINE,..  AND LAST WEEKEND WHILE QUAIL HUNTING SHE HAD A VERY SIMILAR THING HAPPEN TO HER,... ALTHOUGH SHE DIDN'T BARK AT US,.. SHE STARTED ACTING DIZZY,  LIKE HER BACK LEGS WERE GIVING OUT,... AND WOULDN'T LEAVE OUR SIDE,.. WE CHECKED HER PAWS,.. AND NOTHING,..  MY BROTHER ENDED UP CARRYING HER TO THE TRUCK,... THE NEXT DAY SHE WAS STILL ACTING WEIRD,.. SHE WOULD WALK ABOUT 10-20 FEET AND THEN START SIDE STEPPING AND ACTING DIZZY AND HER LEGS WOULD START GIVING OUT,.. WE INSPECTED HER AGIAN,.. PAWS LEGS, BODY,.. NOTHING,  SHE WOULDN'T EAT EITHER,... FINALLY WE CHECKED BETWEEN HER TOES,.. ANS SHE HAD A BIG THORN STUCK BETWEEN HER TOES,.. WE TOOK IT OUT AND PUT SOME OINTMENT IN THE SPOT,.. AND SHE TURNED INTO HER USUALL CRAZY SELF AGAIN INSTANTLY..

   BUT SINCE YOUR DOGS ACTION ARE MORE SPREAD OUT,.. I DUNNO,  CHECK FOR TICKS    DEFINATELY HAVE HER CHECKED OUT.

[Happy Gilmore]

I DUNNO IF THIS HELPS AT ALL,  BUT MY BROTHER HAS A GWP THAT IS AN INSANE HUNTING MACHINE,..  AND LAST WEEKEND WHILE QUAIL HUNTING SHE HAD A VERY SIMILAR THING HAPPEN TO HER,... ALTHOUGH SHE DIDN'T BARK AT US,.. SHE STARTED ACTING DIZZY,  LIKE HER BACK LEGS WERE GIVING OUT,... AND WOULDN'T LEAVE OUR SIDE,.. WE CHECKED HER PAWS,.. AND NOTHING,..  MY BROTHER ENDED UP CARRYING HER TO THE TRUCK,... THE NEXT DAY SHE WAS STILL ACTING WEIRD,.. SHE WOULD WALK ABOUT 10-20 FEET AND THEN START SIDE STEPPING AND ACTING DIZZY AND HER LEGS WOULD START GIVING OUT,.. WE INSPECTED HER AGIAN,.. PAWS LEGS, BODY,.. NOTHING,  SHE WOULDN'T EAT EITHER,... FINALLY WE CHECKED BETWEEN HER TOES,.. ANS SHE HAD A BIG THORN STUCK BETWEEN HER TOES,.. WE TOOK IT OUT AND PUT SOME OINTMENT IN THE SPOT,.. AND SHE TURNED INTO HER USUALL CRAZY SELF AGAIN INSTANTLY..

   BUT SINCE YOUR DOGS ACTION ARE MORE SPREAD OUT,.. I DUNNO,  CHECK FOR TICKS    DEFINATELY HAVE HER CHECKED OUT.

That alone is usually heat exhaustion and dehydration. Two day spell is baddddd.....

[hermiston]

Thanks for all the replies...

She never has not eaten, and I always check her toes. (Springers are known for cheat grass getting stuck in-between their toes.)

I believe the first two instances were some type of warning for us.  The second time she did it, she barked at me and while still barking, got behind my son and pushed him with her head.  I guess I can get that, but the 3rd time when she got in the cattails and came running out and did a big circle and went back in, that was weird. 

I could have just been seeing things when I thought she looked dizzy?  It was about 20 minutes after I thought she was dizzy when she did the bawling and barking.

I know she is out of shape (my fault), and the heat exhaustion or dehydration thing could be part of it.  I give her water, and she drinks from the ponds, more so when we start so she doesn't get dehydrated.

Never really heard of hypergycemia in dogs?  What is with the caro syrup in a squirt bottle do?

Thanks

[flinger]

where were the ponds ? I know a year or two back there were a bunch of warnings on the eastside about not letting your dogs drink from the ponds because there was some sort of virus or bacteria that was dangerous to them.Might go get some samples and have them checked
Good luck and hope all turns out well

[quadrafire]

Thanks for all the replies...
Never really heard of hypergycemia in dogs?  What is with the caro syrup in a squirt bottle do?

Thanks

HYPOglycemia = low blood sugar. Does wierd things to the mind (and body)---can even cause seizures or wierd behavior. The Karo syrup helps to up the blood sugar.
I'm not saying that is what she has, but some pointers get it when hunting/working hard. Just a thought.

[wildweeds]

As one who has owned a pointer with hypoglycemia.................Get a tube of Nutracal and carry it in your vest,Administer a little now and then while your hunting.The springer in this thread exhibits the symptoms my pointer did at the onset..............it only gets worse

[SkookumJeff]

IMO you need to get this dog to the vet!!!!!!!!!!  All the advise here is good advice and is the best any of us can do with the information we have. But if this was MY dog I'd be getting it into the vet ASAP.

[Ellensburg]

That is scary. I've had 2 springers and never had this happen. Do you water it while hunting? Regardless, a swift trip to the vet is needed.

[quadrafire]

Update...........?

[Skyvalhunter]

A question I have for you is was your dog near or on its cycle to be in heat? I had a brittany when I was a kid that wasn't fixed and when her cycle would come along she would do some wierd things. I at first thought she was poisoned as she couldnt seem to see, drooling excesively, and couldn't walk or run straight and watched her actually plow straight into a post. After calming her down for a while she seemed to be fine but this happened everytime around the time she would go into heat.

[hermiston]

Sorry for the delay in responding, been working.  The dog seems good.  Physically she is fine.  Tons of energy, eats good, plays with the other dogs (and cat).  My concern really wasn't with the dizzyness, I might just of imagined that.... but I will keep a close eye on her next time when we go out this weekend.  If I see something, I will get her to the vet.

The real question was with the barking and bawling.  She wasn't hurt anytime that she did it, she moved around good and even pushed my son once.  It seemed like more of a warning bark or something......    Just wondered if anyody else had situations like this?

As for where this was and the ponds..... it was at Cold Springs Res. in Hermiston.  Water should be okay and there aren't any signs around of warning.  I've seen many dogs drink from it.  Good idea though, thanks for the response.