greyhead

{{{Ed}}} I'm so terribly sorry for your loss and for how you're feeling.

Although Spencer's dental went fine yesterday and he has been doing very well, his blood work results came back from the lab today with liver enzymes that have doubled and tripled since September. I've tried to attach a text file with the numbers to this post. If it doesn't work, I'll come back and copy/paste through an edit. liver values.txt In September 2012 the ALT was 202 and now is 495. The alkaline phosphatase was 473 and now is 1457. He took and passed a bile acids test last summer, I believe. (His liver values had been creeping up for some time.) His vet asks if his eating and drinking have increased a lot, and they have not. He is eating more, but only because I offer it in trying to put some weight back on him. Surely she's wondering about Cushings. She wants a first-catch urine sample next week. So if it's not Cushings, could it be all the meds he has taken since September? He was back on budesonide and metronidazole for a few weeks in the fall, was treated with Drontal and Drontal Plus on a couple of occasions, takes Tylan and soloxine daily always, started gabapentin and tramadol last summer, Adequan a couple months ago, and took Trifexis for three months after Interceptor became unavailable. I didn't like his response to Trifexis (diarrhea in an IBD dog makes one nervous), so I've found a source for Interceptor and put him back on that last month instead. We also just started Denamarin in December but at a very low dose, like 1/2 to 1 tablet per day. (The internist recommended it at that time, after reviewing the blood work he'd had done in September.) The rest of his blood work looks so good to me!!! He has gained a couple much-needed pounds over the last month, but his eyes have developed that sunken look, with dark circles underneath. (That has happened before, but it went away.) Not seeing any yellowing, like jaundice. My vet is gone for the day and may not be back until Tuesday. (She emailed me the blood work and her question about eating/drinking.) So any thoughts about what this might mean? Meanwhile, I'll be mining the archives, my books, and the Internet. But I was hoping to reap some wisdom here before everybody starts their weekend. Thanks.

I found two articles in the 2011 issue and one in the 2000 issue of CG. I'll scan them and email them to you, okay?

Liza, I've emailed the vet to ask if she does scoping and tie-backs, so I'll let you know what I hear back. I'm not sure that bringing him over the hill this time of year with breathing problems is the absolute best move, though. I could also check with my greyhound group if you like, as the main group is in Spokane, and they might know of someone qualified somewhere between them and you. Which is not to say that I think it's LP, because I surely don't know. Meanwhile I'll check my issues of CG as I should have the one that was mentioned.

Sorry, Liza, I didn't get to speak to the vet personally today. So I'll email her to see if she has the scope and if she's comfortable doing the procedure. At least we know she handles greyhounds and anesthesia very well! (Spencer's dental went fine and he's fine. Bounced into the car an hour after waking up. Thanks for asking.)

Spencer's in for a dental today, Liza, so I'll ask about equipment for LP surgery when they call to tell me I can pick him up. (My vet *loves* to do surgery, she says, so she very well might have it.) Spencer's breathing has been husky at times, with panting, so we had him checked for LP while he was under for his last dental. It wasn't that. But his breathing's nothing like Ace's. (I wonder if the doc at Protatek would feel differently if she knew about this new development.) Ace sounds like a lion in that last clip! Bless his heart.

Sending sympathy to all who loved Cabriole. I'm so sorry she had to leave.

What a lovely tribute to your perfect, graceful girl. I'm so very sorry for your loss and the hurt you feel. What a blessing to have shared love with her.

Upper respiratory problems are also symptomatic of babesiosis. https://sites.google.com/site/tickbornediseaseindogs/babesiosis Maybe it's time to think about treating Ace's? Scoping is the only way to diagnosis LP, from what I'm told. Scritches to your sweet boy!

I'm awed by the beauty of your tribute and the wonderful life she shared with you. And I'm so sorry she couldn't stay longer.

Yup. Gurgly tummies aren't normal. May not be a huge problem, but the symptoms taken together do indicate a problem, I think. Time for the vet.

Calm and self-possessed, she found the perfect home with you. I'm so sorry she had to go.

Glad you have new medicine and a plan for Sparky. Just want to encourage you to do at least one 20-minute walk per day, and perhaps two, because six weeks is a pretty long time. We were told four years ago that keeping the muscles up as much as possible would be very important to Spencer's prognosis with his LS, and it has proven to be true. (Now that he is losing more muscle at age 12, his back end is doing much less well.) But I laugh at myself writing this, because Sparky will probably give you more encouragement than you need, right?

Keeping sweet Ripley in our thoughts today and sending hugs to you.

I'm so sorry, Karen. You were so fortunate to have the perfect cat. Just wish you could have had her longer.

Shane was like that too...until we discovered and treated his Babesia and Lyme. Then he was fine! Oh, and this tests were both what they call "low positives," but treating them turned his life around.

I'm glad your stunningly handsome character Doc could stay with you as long as he did. And I'm so sorry he had to leave.

A beautiful tribute to Cody and the wonderful life he had with you. I'm so very sorry for your loss.

Devastating news. We're heartbroken with you.

Fingers crossed, and thanks for the update.

Oh crap. I'm so sorry.

That was a heartfelt tribute to your wonderful boy. (We love the big guys too.) I'm so sorry for your loss.

Way too young, terribly sad. I'm glad for the time he had with you and very sorry he had to go so soon.

Champ was a handsome boy. I'm very sorry he couldn't stay longer.

https://sites.google.com/site/tickbornediseaseindogs/ I also think you should see the group's vet. In my experience, vets who have little experience with TBD's aren't as good at treating them. Above is an excellent web site on TBD's, written by a man who's prominent on the Tick List. Ehrlichiosis is a clickable link in the column on the right. I'd also add that some of the symptoms generally cited for a given TBD are dire and only seen when the disease is very advanced. However, dogs that have the less florid symptoms are also sick and deserve treatment. One of ours had Babesia and Lyme and led what I'd call a less than optimal life for several years until we ran TBD tests and found them. Our vets hadn't thought to test because there aren't many TBD problems in our state. But TBD's can be contracted anywhere from the farm to the track and be dormant for years, so state of current residence is pretty much irrelevant.