Zoe (12, almost 13 year old German Shep) has had a bit of a runny nose the past few days, so ND took her into the vet this afternoon to get her checked. The vet said she thought it was an infection and told us to start her on a broad-range antibiotic this afternoon. She didn't eat much breakfast this morning, but she'd been pretty normal otherwise. Well she was unsteady and seemed to be feeling rotten by the time she got home, and in the last three hours she has refused to eat or drink, even treats (even a little cat food on a spoon, which she normally loves to try to steal from the cats), and we had to use the pill syringe to get the antibiotics into her. We also used an empty syringe to get some water into her, and she took a few licks from her water bowl soon after. But she's just lying down, breathing a bit hard, and generally looking miserable. If this is just the infection and we need to give the antibiotics a night to work, then that's fine, but do you think we should take her into the emergency vet?

(I'd welcome insight from anyone with doggy knowledge.)

Pix, is she also drooling? How do her eyes look?

Pix, I don't have good tools for dealing with infections. My first thought is that the antibiotic could be contributing a whole new set of feeling poorly.

Call the vet to see if they have a 'nurse advice line' and let them know which antibiotic she is on. There might be known side effects.

If she is drinking, give a high value treat a try. But don't be too concerned if she doesn't want to eat.

It's tough to say when pooches are of a certain age. Do me a favor and check the color of her gums. Pale? Red? An unusual color?

Her eyes seem okay. She's drooling a little, but not too much. Her gums look pink.

Coffee:

Her eyes are a little glassy maybe, but it's hard to tell. Most of her gums are black anyway, but there's pink where there's usually pink. Bonny, she was acting like this before we gave her the antibiotic, so it can't be that.

I can see why you are worried, Pix. I'm not getting a strong sense of what it might be.

I'd vote again for calling the vet for reassurance.

It was hot today, but it's AC inside. She's outside right now, and it's cooled off.

ETA: I think I'm going to give her the night to see if the antibiotics kick in. I suspect she will feel better tomorrow, but ND will take her back into the vet as soon as they open if not.

Pix, when I took Chile in to the emergency vet a couple of weeks ago for a bout of Pancreatitis, she was lethargic and didn't eat for the first 24 hours of antibiotics. So it could be those.

That sounds like a good plan for the morning. I'll be vibing for her...and the whole family.

Pix, will she eat ice? Because that would get fluids into her and also cool her off. Also, if she'll let you touch her gums, see if they're wet/slippery/tacky/dry -- that's a good indicator of hydration.

t edit If they're tacky, that's not the worst thing in the world -- it doesn't mean immediate hydration emergency; it just means keep an eye on her and try to get fluids in her. Dry gums definitely means get fluids in any way you can.