Oh noes! Sick pup--UPDATE pg 2

[Chock_Full_o__N]

Tiki started vomiting yesterday morning, three times for no apparent reason, so I took him to the vet. The vet did some lab work, gave him some sub-q fluids and a shot of Cerenia for the nausea. No real diagnosis, though. She told me to make up some boiled chicken and rice for him--I gave him that around 8pm. He was really happy to get that yum-yum. But around 11pm he started vomiting again, and lost all his rice & chicken. His stools had been normal until about that same time, too.

Well, he vomited several times between 5am & 8am and now his stools are just yellowish drops. I took him over to the emergency vet, who did some x-rays. The x-rays are clear(I was really worried that maybe he had eaten something or had a tumor in there.) But the ER vet said he is dehydrated and his tummy is tight. So he gave Tiki some more fluids, a shot for pain, one for nausea and an injection of antibiotics.

Ugh. He looks so sick. Tiki is a little 14-lb Bichon, so he has a really bubbly, perky personality. He follows me around like Velcro Dog, but not today. I'm sure he is stoned on his pain med, but he's really pitiful. No more vomiting or diarrhea since we left the emergency vet. My regular vet said she will call me with the lab results tomorrow. The ER vet says he suspects pancreatitis. I think I agree. I'm an RN, so dogs are not my specialty, but I know how pancreatitis looks in people---and how sick they can be. My sister nearly died of it.

I feel so badly for Tiki. He's such a sweet little thing.

[sher9570]

So happy for Tiki that this has been resolved. Yup...keep your pup with you, sounds like stress and your absence may have contributed to it.
We'll never know what fears are in their heads from something in their past.

Sher

[Code2High]

Great news!

[Chock_Full_o__N]

Holy smokes! We have a diagnosis--HEMORRHAGIC GASTROENTERITIS!!

Tiki was still pretty droopy this morning,and then he started having bloody diarrhea, the classic "raspberry jam" diarrhea of HGE. I took him back to the vet(3rd time) and they kept him all day for some IV fluids & electrolytes, more IM antibiotics and something for pain. His lab work came in and his PCV was over 60(considered the diagnostic indicator for HGE). Fecal cultures are all negative. His blood sugar was in the low 40s. Yikes!

Well, after 8 hours of intensive treatment I got a whole new doggy back! Tiki is dancing around, wanting to be picked up, licking our faces and demanding tummy rubs(which he did NOT want the last 2 days.) No more vomiting or diarrhea so they let me bring him home. I gave him a little prescription food, just a couple teaspoons and he has done fine with that. He has drunk 2 little bowls of water since he got home. DH is calling him "Sea Biscuit" because he's peeing like a racehorse!

Some things we have learned from this episode:
1) Always listen to my Spidey Senses--I *knew* something wasn't right but it wasnt' obvious at first. I'm really glad I hopped on this quickly. I think this could have ended very badly.

2) Don't give my dog any human food. I dont' give him much, just a dab here and there, a little PB in the old Kong toy, and a rib bone or two, maybe. The vet thinks he may have food allergies which could have contributed to this.

3) Be careful with supplements. I've been putting Shelter Blend ( similar to Rescue Remedy) in his water, a few drops. Didn't know it has brandy in it! That prolly didn't help his stomach.

4) Some vets believe that HGE can be brought on by stress. Tiki was abused and extremely traumatized when we rescued him 4 months ago. Usually, DH or I are home during the day and Tiki goes to doggy daycare 1-2 times a week. We went out of town several times in the last 5 weeks. Usually our DD20 kept him for us, but he did have to board with the groomer a couple times. We were OOT July 4 week and that's when DD noticed him being picky with his food. I have decided that PTSD is something to be respected. It would be far less expensive and enjoyable to just take him with us than to spend over $1000 for 3 days of aggressive vet care!

[Chock_Full_o__N]

double post

[emzee]

Just read this Chock. I hope things are looking better today. So sorry, our furry family can be such a worry because they can't tell us what hurts.

[doxiemom11]

Sometimes low sodium chicken broth will entice them to drink. Offer fresh water often. I know with ours though, if she has an upset digestive system, she isn't interested in drinking anything either. One of our previous dogs had these symptoms with whipworm. One test can miss them as the female has to lay eggs for a positive result. Hit or miss with that. The whipworm feeds off their digestive tract and eventually there will be blood in the diarrhea.(It was always red) I would ask for a recheck of that if things don't improve, or if the amount of blood increases. Sometimes they just need to rest the digestive tract and withholding food for awhile (24 hrs or so) will help. Ask the vet about that also. Could there be a food allergy -- an ingredient in the food causing this? So hard to tell what it is sometimes.

[azgundog]

Did they run a test for pancreatitis? You will need to let his insides rest. Is he on any new meds? Our dog suffered after having a steroid shot for allergies years ago. If it is pancreatitis you will need to look at a low fat diet

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

Another thought, since I'd go through this with Ike too often: have you or your neighbors recently fertilized or treated your lawns?? Ike was very sensitive to that sort of stuff, and would get his digestive system so bungled up that he'd need meds to stop the vomiting, etc.

[Code2High]

Under the circumstances, I'd be very happy to know how to give fluids and be able to do that at home. Worth having them show you if they will.... it isn't hard.

[West_Beachhouse]

Was the dog tested for parvo virus? Our year old dog who had her parvo series came down with parvo last August.

[Chock_Full_o__N]

Code2High wrote:
Blood that looks like blood is not a big worry.... diarrhea itself will cause irritation and a little bleeding near the rectum. Black blood that's from higher up the system or of course if there's a lot of it, can be a problem.

Oh, good. Thanks for responding. It's not much--he is only pooping by the dropperful. His poor tummy is rolling, but he's sleeping quietly. And his nose is completely dry. Prolly needs more fluids in the morning, I'm thinking.

[Code2High]

Blood that looks like blood is not a big worry.... diarrhea itself will cause irritation and a little bleeding near the rectum. Black blood that's from higher up the system or of course if there's a lot of it, can be a problem.

[Chock_Full_o__N]

yes, she did do a fecal sample and said it was clean. Just in the last hour I noticed that Tiki's diarrhea is a little blood tinged(at least that's what it looks like to me, kinda yellow-orange). He only goes a drop here and a drop there, not a lot of diarrhea. He's not crying and he is urinating. Mostly he's just sleeping. I can hear his stomach gurgling--it has a high pitched squeal, like a steam pipe. Poor baby!

[JRS___B]

Vomiting and diarrhea are common symptoms for just about every dog ailment known to mankind.

Since a dog's intestinal tract is short, compared to a humans, dogs usually can eat and drink just about anything (garbage, water in rain puddles, etc.)and pass it through before bacteria can grow.

So when a dog does have these problems, there is a reason, but the list of reasons is lengthy, including eating sticks, bones, bacteria, viral infection, etc..

If there is no blood present, that is a good sign. I assume the vet took a fecal specimen and checked it for worms. As long as your dog's condition is stable, or improving, you are on the right track.