Help, Advice Needed - Asap

[Guest HornGreys]

Let me give the run down on what is going on. We have a 9 year old male greyhound that is really sick, stumping the vet and we are quickly losing him for no reason. (Sorry this is long but we and our vet are totally baffled by what is going on and don't know what our next step is.)

 

For the past 3 months Waldo has had problems eating. He has been throwing up most of his meals. We tried pepsid and that worked for a couple of weeks and he was able to gain weight back. Now, less then a week later he has dropped a lot of weight. He is down to 62lbs and should be around 75lbs. We have done blood work, urine work and x-rays and everything came out fine. The only thing that they have found was that he had a slight case of hookworms. On Thursday we went in for the x-rays and there is nothing on them that would concern our vet. He went back and looked at both his blood work and his urine check and everything is in the normal range for greyhounds. He told us to give him carifate 1/2 hour before feeding him a bland diet. Here is where we are having a problem. He is refusing to eat. It has gotten to the point that we are makind his food into liquid (turkey and rice) and force feeding him. He acts like he is interested in eating then will refuse to eat.

 

When he is throwing up it is mostly water/fluid that is coming up. From what we can tell the food is staying down as there are no particles in the throw up. The carifate was working for a few days and he was not throwing up. Now on two different times when he has thrown up in the last 24 hours there has been water but also the carifate pill. Mind you he is throwing up at least 3-4 hours after being given both the carifate and food. When we go to pick up the carifate it disolves into powder in our hand. Why is the carifate not desolving in his system?

 

Now to the other part that is really concerning us. He is having black stools. There is no color. red or anything to it. We know that there is blood in there from the tests but have no idea why. When they found the hookworm we treated with Panicure. His last dose was last night. Then during the middle of the night he had diarrahea that was black. So he is going from firm black stool to liquid black stool.

 

The other night we thought that we were loosing him. He had some sort of episode where he was un-responsive and wasn't breathing. We all believed that it was the end and were readly to let him go. His breathing became very shallow and he only took little breaths that were very few and far between. After a while of this his breathing started to regulate and by the next morning there was no signes that he had the episode the night before. We all believe that he shouldn't be alive today but he is.

 

We are all stumped and wish something had come up in all of his blood work and x-rays but nothing. If anyone has any ideas of what could be going on we would greatly appreciate it. Even if you know something about one thing or another we would love the information. Waldo's mom is in a panic right now and we are doing all that we can to help her out.

[Guest greytbookert]

I wish I had more information but I've always thought black stools were some how related to blood in the intestinal track somewhere.

 

I'm sure others will chime in very soon with more helpful advice. Many prayers for Waldo!

[HopeForHounds]

I would contact OSU 's Greyhound Health and Welness Program asap. The link is at the bottom of my siggie.

 

Saying prayers.

[ahicks51]

How good is the vet with greyhounds? With the track down there, there should be plenty of good options for grey-savvy vets, but if not- consider Dr. Yocham in Phoenix for a semi-local consult.

[Guest GreytMuse]

Poor pup...

 

I see that x-rays have been done. Have ultrasounds/sonograms been done as well? Has he had a fever during any of these episodes?

 

 

[Batmom]

When were his last x-rays? I'd want to redo those and an ultrasound ASAP. Sending prayers.

[Guest meakah]

I would get an ultrasound and if you can, get him to a veterinary college asap. Black stool can be a sign of bleeding higher up in the intestines...possibly in the small intestines. This can be very serious and should be addressed asap. An ultrasound may reveal a growth and should be done. If there is a vet college anywhere near to you, I would get your pup there asap...they have more testing equipment and heads to try to figure out what is going on. :hope

 

How is his circulation? Are his gums pink? When you push on them with your thumb...does the colour come back right away (1-2 secs) or does it take a lot longer? Is his temperature high or low?

 

I should add...if there isn't a vet college anywhere near...please seek a 2nd...3rd...opinion. Your time may be running out and so the more heads involved the better.

[Guest jurishound]

I agree that an abdominal ultrasound would be wise, pronto. Sending hope and good wishes his way.

[ZoomDoggy]

I agree with all of the above: Ultrasound is the next logical step. And very soon!

 

Are you giving the carafate on an empty stomach? No food two hours before or after the administration of carafate, is how I've always been instructed to give it.

[Guest HornGreys]

Thank you all. Yes our vet here is very greyhound savy. He has been working with greyhound rescue for over 20 years.

 

Waldo's gums have always been fine, even during his "episode" the other night. He has never had a temp during all of this it is normal. The x-rays were done on Thursday.

 

All of your thoughts go to what we also have been thinking. Our vet doen't do ultrasounds but we will get him into another vet that can do it right away.

 

We are giving the carafate on an empty stomach. We were told give it 1/2 hour before eating.

Edited November 23, 2008 by HornGreys

[ZoomDoggy]

Try giving the carafate two hours before feeding (or at least 90 minutes). I don't think 30 minutes is enough time for it to dissolve and coat the stomach properly.

[ahicks51]

I would get an ultrasound and if you can, get him to a veterinary college asap.

 

Yes- come to think of it. The OP is down in Tucson, where there's the state veterinary school. I'm not sure how they are specifically with greyhounds.

[Guest argolola]

I feel so bad for the poor little boy. He will be in my prayers.

Edited November 23, 2008 by argolola

[Cynthia]

Hookworms do cause black stools. Not sure how a hookworm infestation could be judged as 'slight', if the dog has any number of hookworms, they reproduce and a single round of wormer will not affect those that haven't migrated. Hookworms can be lethal if not treated and they can be resistant to treatment. So yes, continue to rule-out other causes, but discuss with your vet or a second opinion vet immediately treating your dog again for hookworms.

Edited November 23, 2008 by Cynthia

[Guest HornGreys]

ahicks51 - Thank you for the info. We will definatly contact them asap.

 

Our major concern is that he may not be stable enough to do any kind of surgery. Other then the big bad "c" is there anything else that the growth could be? It is sad to say but money is also a major factor here.

 

As for the hookworms. They didn't say that it was an infestation. We just finished the first treatment for the hook last night.

Edited November 23, 2008 by HornGreys

[ZoomDoggy]

Currently you don't know if there is a growth or not (xrays were clear, right?) The ultrasound would help determine if there is a growth or other possible abnormality in the internal organs (enlarged spleen, etc), or (better yet) rule it out so you can then make a more informed course of action.

Edited November 23, 2008 by ZoomDoggy

[Blaidd49]

This sounds horribly like an episode I had with an elderly Border Terrier female 10 years ago - we did not find a cause at the time and lost her six months later to peritonitis.

In hind sight we believe it was a serious bacterial infection (which for some reason did not result in a fever)

Aside from the great advice you have already received I would consider a bacterial cutlture of the stool - also checking (or treating) for giardia and coccidia

The dark stool is indicative of upper GI bleeding or peritonitis

Sending lots of good vibes

Pam

 

 

<<The other night we thought that we were loosing him. He had some sort of episode where he was un-responsive and wasn't breathing. We all believed that it was the end and were readly to let him go. His breathing became very shallow and he only took little breaths that were very few and far between. After a while of this his breathing started to regulate and by the next morning there was no signes that he had the episode the night before. We all believe that he shouldn't be alive today but he is.>>

[Guest luckydog]

I would get an ultrasound and if you can, get him to a veterinary college asap.

 

Yes- come to think of it. The OP is down in Tucson, where there's the state veterinary school. I'm not sure how they are specifically with greyhounds.

 

I lived in Tucson for many years, and graduated from the UofA and I never even knew that it had a vet school. So I went to this website to check it out. Turns out, it isn't a vet school. It's an undergrad prevet program, and graduate studies in veterinary microbiology.

 

Straight from the website:

 

The State of Arizona does not have a Veterinary Medical School. Arizona residents must go out of state to obtain a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM).

[ahicks51]

I lived in Tucson for many years, and graduated from the UofA and I never even knew that it had a vet school. So I went to this website to check it out. Turns out, it isn't a vet school. It's an undergrad prevet program, and graduate studies in veterinary microbiology.

 

Straight from the website:

 

The State of Arizona does not have a Veterinary Medical School. Arizona residents must go out of state to obtain a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM).

 

I'm way wrong. My bad. I thought they had a vet school because of their veterinary diagnostic lab.

[RobinM]

Prayers for an answer and solution QUICKLY.

 

[Guest CyndiW]

Please get him for an ultrasound ASAP. Those were Alex's symptoms and it took months for a dx because nothing was showing up on x-rays, bloodwork, etc. He had intestinal lymphoma but it could be many things.

[Guest SoulsMom]

Ultrasound, pronto. Shouldn't he also be hospitalized and on IV treatment for bloody, watery Big D?

 

My friends dog was throwing up consistently every night all throughout the summer. When he stopped eating and had thrown up five times in one day the ultrasound showed a ruptured gall bladder. He had emergency surgery, and then spent a week in the hospital because he had inhaled the toxins from the gall bladder and developed pneumonia.

[Guest HornGreys]

I am here visiting Waldo right now. He has gone down hill very fast today. He is drinking and peeing but not much food getting into his system. We are giving Nutro Cal and ensure to keep him going. I just checked his gums and tounge and they are at a good cooler and have good refluxes. But the poor boy just doesn't look good and may be done fighting.

 

We have access to fluids to give to him tonight if we feel that is necessary.

 

We will be in contact with our vet first thing in the morning and see if we can find a vet that can ultrasound him. The good note is that he has not thrown up since very early this morning. So what he has gotten in has not come back up.

 

Keep him in your prayers.

[CaliforniaGreys]

Lots of prayers for this boy

[duncan41]