He's Starving

[sea4th]

Tam is starving himself to death. It's been 10 days since he's eaten any significant amount of food. Nothing going in, nothing coming out except by vomiting and he's been doing that a lot more lately. I tried feeding him chicken broth by syringe yesterday. 16cc---came up within 10 minutes.

 

Today I'm getting raw goat's milk which I'll be feeding him by syringe. I can only hope it stays in him.

 

I'll work with him this weekend--small amounts of broth & goats milk spread over several times a day, but it looks like we're going back to the vet on Monday. He's stumped too. The barium x-rays showed nothing.

 

Now Tam losing muscle tone and this morning I noticed his coat is beginning to look like a pelt draped over his body.

 

I'm losing my dog---2 weeks ago he was the image of a dog in his prime---and he's slowly fading on me now.

 

Desperate for some insight here.

 

Vicki

[2 Devils]

Vicki,

 

Seems we are in the same boat. The wait and see approach sucks.

 

Have they tested for pancreatitis and other such disorders?

 

I hope they find some answers for you soon.

 

Kim (still waiting on Charlotte's biopsy results)

[codypup]

Vicki,

 

I'm sorry to hear things are not going well with Tam. I have no advice to offer but am thinking of you! I can only imagine how hard it must be......

 

Jill

[Kirstymellon]

I am so sorry. I can't even imagine how heartwrenching this is for you!

 

You and Tam are in my thoughts.

[Spike's Bitch]

Praying for Tam and Charlotte now.

 

Liz & Spike xxx

[Barb Scott]

Very sorry to hear about Tam. Several years ago, Blaze stopped eating etc. and after many tests locally and at the MI State Vet Clinic (where he spent 5 days in intensive care), he was diagnosed with an immune system problem. He was finally given Prednizone and recovered fully.

Barb S

[Laura (Cady and Koda's mom)]

So sorry to hear about Tam. That must be horrible to watch and not be able to help. We'll be praying for him over this way.....

[Denise Wall]

Vicki,

 

Have any of the vets considered ruling out a diagnosis of Addison's for this dog? It's possible for it to present without the sodium and potassium abnormalities in his bloodwork, although not common. Severe GI symptoms are common. I wouldn't suggest it except it seems as if a lot of the obvious stuff has been looked for.

 

Denise

[urge to herd]

Ulcers caused by the helio something bacteria. A friend's older dog had much the same symptoms as yours, including the prolonged anorexia and major weight loss. Once the vet got the diagnosis, a round of antibiotics put Alex right pretty quick.

I hope and pray that Tam is better soon.

Ruth

[sea4th]

Denise,

 

Addison's has been brought up several times in dialogues about this situation, but not by any of the vets. First thing Monday morning, I will be waiting at a vet's---just got to figure out which one. This whole thing started with an obstruction---and Tam has never been the type of dog, even from puppy hood to eat the stuff that puppys eat---yet what passed through him were leaves and twigs. Perhaps there is still another blockage?

 

Here's what going through my mind right now and I will be discussing this Monday morning with a vet--first--possibility of a blockage that didn't show up on the barium x-ray.

 

Second---could there be a perforation somewhere in the intestine---when the twigs & stuff passed after the enema?

 

Third---Addison's---I don't know all the specifics, but enough people have mentioned it.

 

Fourth---although bloodwork a week ago showed everything within normal ranges--I'll be asking for the more tests involving the pancreas.

 

There has been zilch, nada, coming out before and since his enemas a few days ago. I never thought I'd be happy to see diahrrea.

 

I had to work today and when I came home, I let him out of the crate. He immediately threw up a big amount of bile.

 

I find it interesting that while he is crated, he's not really throwing up. Once he is out and moving around, he is.

 

I have been giving him raw whole goat's milk by syringe, 8 cc. in 4 cc. increments, every two hours. So far, he's been holding it down. That might not mean much though, because solid food that I hand fed him a couple of days ago, took several hours to come up. But I'm trying not to be negative---hoping that he'll hold down the goat's milk. He is holding down water.

 

Thank you everyone, for your thoughts, suggestions and prayers. That's a lot to have going for anyone.

 

And Kim---yeh, I guess we are in the same boat. I feel like our boat though has sprung and leak and we have to bail like hell. So let's bail like hell.

 

Vicki

 

Oh, and BTW, Tam thanks everyone too.

[AK dog doc]

Vicki, not that there's much I can do from here, but in the short run, things you might monitor are hydration, capillary refill time, heart rate and temp. If he has a perf, he should spike a fever. (Tests to run: CBC/panel, Xray, ultrasound, four-quadrant tap, exploratory).

 

If he has Addison's, this should be determined BEFORE any invasive pocedures are done; if this is a possibilty, and if he's dehydrated, his color is poor, &/or if you're getting a heart rate below 40 beats per minute, I'd seek emergency care and not wait til Monday. An Addisonian crisis should not wait through the weekend. (Tests to run: sodium:potassium ratio, ACTH stim.)

 

If he has an obstruction missed on the barium (like a sliding intussusception), sometimes an exploratory is in order. (Tests to run: repeat abdominal film or ultrasound, four quadrant tap, CBC/panel, exploratory surgery +/- biopsy.)

 

If he might be an ulcer candidate, they can be tough to diagnose with just scout films and a barium study. (Tests to run: fecal occult blood, endoscopy with biopsy, exploratory with biopsy, four-quadrant tap, CBC/panel.)

 

I don't remember how old Tam is, but there are also the possible tumor things and so on that tend usually to occur in older dogs. Same general group of tests: CBC, panel, Xray +/- ultrasound or exploratory. BTW, when I list "tests to be done" that doesn't mean ALL those tests should be run, necessarily, just that those are possible tests to run that might shed some light on this.

 

I'm thinking of you and Tam; keep us posted.

[AK dog doc]

P.S. for Ruth - Helicobacter.

[sea4th]

Quick update:

 

He managed to keep all the goats milk down---he's been getting 8 cc. by syringe every 2 hours since 6:00 last evening. So that's a good sign. -- baby steps.

 

AK Dog Doc---I'm taking your advice along to the vet tomorrow. Thank you so much.

 

BTW, you asked how old Tam is---he'll be 8 yrs. old in October.

 

Thanks

 

Vicki

[Val]

I am so sorry to hear about your baby. I know all too well the pain and anxiety that a sick dog brings to a house.

 

Just a thought, but perhaps the obstruction was secondary or not really related at all. I would ask the vet to look into cancer issues. As Tam is in the right age category, and you said he has never been an eater of strange things. Maybe his stomach was upset and he was eating grass, etc to try and settle it. The obstruction may have occurred due to some other abnormality in his system.

 

You might also look into any vet schools in your area. They typically have a lot of specialist under one roof, making the process a bit quicker.

 

You are in our thoughts and prayers, give your baby a big hug and kiss from my menagerie!

[AK dog doc]

Hmmm, a vet school is a thought... how far are you from Ohio Sate? Also, we do see pica (the eating of non-food items) in dogs in response to belly pain and sometimes anxiety, as with ulcers and so on (pain produces anxiety in animals, since they can't rationalize it.) So it could be that he DID eat the sticks as a secondary thing, but also that he just got a wild hair one day. Hopefully this will shake out and we'll see if it's a chicken or an egg.

 

If you do take my suggestions in, *please* let them know I know I can't see the dog and they're just some thoughts... I'm happy to offer what advice I can and I always hope it's of some use, but I don't want to look TOO pompous in front of my colleagues...

[2 Devils]

I would ask about giving pepcid to help control the empty stomach which will cause the vomiting of bile.

 

Along with everything Charlotte has going on, she also has bilious vomiting syndrome. She has to have 10mg of pepcid a day to prevent vomiting bile.

 

Good luck tomorrow. Don't let the vets procrastinate any more. I don't think the vets really took Charlotte's problems that seriously and now look where we are...

 

Kim

[diane allen]

Don't know if this is too late or not...but you might also consider adding to the goat's milk - Pedialyte. My big mixed breed is having post-surgical problems, and wasn't eating. Its so hot here, I was worried about dehydration also. I was using a syringe too - at least MOST of it went down. But today he lapped some up from a bowl - just a thought.

 

Keep us posted and we'll keep our fingers (and paws) crossed for you.

 

diane

[Margaret M Wheeler]

I'm very sorry, Vicki

 

This has helped me get some ideas in the past. I use it Only when I'm desperate. For mild issues you can scare yourself unecessarily:

 

http://www.vet.cornell.edu/consultant/consult.asp

 

I selected "canine" and used the search words "loss of appetite" and got around 565 matches.

[sea4th]

Thanks Margaret. I appreciate the information. That link is definately going to go in my files.

 

 

Vicki

[Joe Anne]

VICKI, I STRONGLY AGREE WITH GOING TO A VETERINARY SCHOOL. I LOVE MY HOMETOWN VETS, AND THE THING I LIKE BEST IS THEY KNOW WHEN IT IS BEYOND THEIR SCOPE OF KNOWLEDGE & TREATMENT(S) AND NEVER FAIL TO REFER US TO A SPECIALIST.

WHENEVER MY DOGS ARE REALLY SICK... IT IS STRAIGHT TO VIRGINIA TECH.. VET SCHOOL. THEY ARE ON TOP OF THE LATEST DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURES, AND TREATMENTS, ALSO YOU USUALLY HAVE AT LEAST 3 BRILLIANT MINDS WORKING FOR YOU AND YOUR DOG. AT VIRGINIA TECH YOU ARE ADMITTED BY A SENIOR STUDENT (IN THEIR LAST YEAR), THEN YOU ARE SEEN BY A GRADUATE DR., AND THE RESIDENT DR. WHO ADVISES AND WORKS WITH THE OTHER 2. NOT MUCH GETS BY 3 DRS. ON ONE CASE!!!

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND A VET SCHOOL.. YOU WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO GET YOUR VET TO RECOMMEND YOU.

I JUST LOST MY BEST FRIEND, MY.. 11 YEAR OLD BC BOY IN OCTOBER BUT I CAN TELL YOU THE PROFESSIONALISM AND LOVE AND CARE AT VA. TECH. WAS UNSURPASSED..

MY BEST WISHES FOR YA'LL... JOEANNE, MIRRA & SITKA

[workindogs]

Vicki

This may be a long shot...but the vomiting has me considering myasthenia gravis with megaesphagus symptoms. A friend of mine went through this with her dachshund. Her dog vomited alot of bile..the only neurological symptoms were licking of lips. MG onset is usually later in life. Are there any neurological irregularities??? Here is a link to some discussion:

 

http://www.vetinfo.com/dmyasthenia.html

 

http://www.akitaclub.org/health/AcquiredMG.htm

 

This may not be it at all...but the symptoms brought it to mind.

 

I hope all works out for the best and Tam has a quick recovery.

[sea4th]

Elizabeth,

 

Thank you for your links on MG.

 

Fortunately---as opposed to MG, it was a blockage (see the other Tam posts) and was removed, probably in the nick of time.

 

However, I did have a GSD not that long ago who began displaying neurological symptoms and the initial diagnosis was MG. Five weeks from the onset of noticable symptoms, I had to have him euthanized and although I didn't have a necropsy done, I was told it is more than likely a brain tumor. In either case, it was gut wrenching and heartbreaking to have watched this dog go downhill the way he did. He was only about 8 yrs. old.

 

BTW, the vet that did the surgery on Tam said that the cause of the obstruction had passed from the duodenum to the jejunem (sp?). That's the part he removed the necrotic bowel from. He said had the ball lodged in the duodenum, there would have been no removing necrotic tissue in the duodenum and the outcome would have been far different.

 

I guess Tam & I were lucky in more ways than one.

 

Vicki