What's Going On With Kayla?

[Guest Migreys]

Hi all! I am so glad to have found this forum and be able to "talk" with other grey owners! My current grey is Kayla. She's 8, turning 9 in September, and is fawn. And like all greys, she is gorgeous!

 

As I mentioned in my description she is ill. We've spent $1500+ and still are no closer to a diagnosis than before she took ill. I was hoping maybe someone here had some ideas or suggestions.

 

We received Kayla in June of last year directly from a couple that were losing their home. They knew that I previously had a grey (Italy, since passed on ) and would take good care of her. When she came to us she had not had any vet care in over 3 years. She looked and acted fine but her breath ... it would knock your socks off! She had a few brown teeth and a few that were really soft, you could scrape them with your nail.

 

So ... October 27 we took her to our local vet for a HW check, dentistry and vaccines. He sees our 4 labs and I felt pretty good about the care he could give. As expected, she lost several teeth in the rear. Her pre-op blood work was fine except for a particular blood count being high but they weren't worried about it. She was sent home on a med. and to be re-checked in 2 weeks.

 

At the re-check I mentioned that her mouth was still bleeding on occasion and her breath still stunk. They told me that it was normal for mouth to still be bleeding and that her breath shouldn't stink. They couldn't / wouldn't give me an answer as to why it did.

 

A few days after that I noticed some clear liquid with blood in it. My husband noticed a few days after that a large pile of what looked to him like vomit but it was all brown.

 

I don't know if it was vomit or from hacking or coughing. She would go hide when she did it.

 

Took Kayla to the vet and he said she either had an ulcer or incurable cancer. He put her on Sucralfate and Baytril. She was to be fed twice a day a meal of half rice and half chicken. If she got better then it was an ulcer and she'd be fine. If it didn't get better then it was cancer and there would be nothing that could be done.

 

Well, Kayla never got better. I opted to take her to different vet, one that handles all the greyhound spays in our area. It's a much farther drive but my poor girl was really sick and I wasn't feeling too good about this vet now.

 

This vet thought the other vet was way off and that she had what in humans would be considered bronchitis. She had coughed with him present. Discontinue the other meds and put her on Torbutrol. Feed her Iams canned Iams chicken and rice.

 

Two days later she had blood coming from her rectum and she wasn't keeping anything down at all. Not water, food or meds.

 

Took her back to the vet and she was dehydrated and had lost 3 more pounds in those two days. They admitted her and started her on an IV drip, meds, drew blood, etc. Because of the shape she was in they discouraged me from visiting her thinking it would upset her.

 

Two long days later I got to pick her up. They thought it was pancreatitis. That test has since come back and it's not that. She did have a UTI but no explanation for the blood, vomitting, and coughing. She came home on 4 meds, 2 of which she finished. I've forgotten the name of one. The other two are Zeniquin and Metronidazole. The one she is done with that I remember is Pepcid.

 

Ten days after that she starts yelping when the other dogs bump her, when she tries to get up or when she bumps her nose into things.

 

Back to the vet and on top of her mystery illness he thinks she has calcium deposits along her neck, the top of it. She's now also on Tramadol.

 

Where she should be eating 4 1/2 to 5 cans of food a day she's eating 1 to 2. She makes a noise like that of a cat bringing up a hairball and sometimes water and / or food will come up with it. She never plays, not even with her favorite toys. And where she took over the couch, she never gets on it now.

 

She's scheduled for neck X-rays on Wed and a urinalysis. Any ideas as to what we're dealing with? Anything I should be asking the vet?

 

If you're still with me, I sincerely apologize for the long post, especially since it's my first. Thank-you!

Edited January 20, 2009 by Migreys

[Trudy]

I'd have the xrays done and probably also an ultrasound if nothing is seen on the xrays. Then go from there.

[Burpdog]

I agree and at this point I'd see a specialist. Sounds like a lot of guess work going on.

[RobinM]

How are the stools? What labs did she have?

 

We are in the middle of something with Beau and are having a bx tomorrow to get to the bottom of it all.

 

I hope you can as well. Prayers for your sweet girl.

[MaryJane]

Was she on antibiotics after the dental? From what you said, it seemed that she was OK before that and if that assumption is correct, then the dental may have caused bacteria to get into her bloodstream and she might have septicemia. That could cause a dog (as well as people) to go downhill quickly. They can diagnose it with a culture and if it's positive, it can be treated with an antibiotic.

 

I would ask the vet whether that might be a possibility..

 

 

 

 

[Guest p51crazyhorse]

I have no advice but I feel for you and your sweet girl, I hope they figure out what is wrong fast! There are a lot of people on here that are knowledgable about meds and such, I hope they can shed some light.

 

Welcome to the group!

 

Holly

[Guest Migreys]

Thank-you for the welcome and the advice!

 

To answer a few of the questions -

 

Her stools now are very soft. I was told that is due to the Zeniquin and Metronidazole.

 

I have felt, but the new vet won't say either way, that something with the dental triggered all this. She was happy, playful, full of energy, everything a greyhound should be, before the dental. It was after the dental that she took ill, not the very next day but within a 2 week period.

 

I have to run some errands this evening but I will pull my receipts and see if I can pinpoint the antibiotics she was on and the specif lab work.

 

Again, thank-you so much!!

[Guest GreytMuse]

I'd second the ultrasound, to rule things out if nothing else.

 

Welcome to GreyTalk, though I am very sorry it's under these circumstances. You'll find amazing wisdom and compassion here, I promise.

Hugs to you and your pup, please keep us updated.

[silverfish]

I would insist on a specialist referral ASAP, if she were mine. Heaven knows, I'm famous for suggesting it, but I've now lost two greys at the specialists after finally getting a dx of something terminal. One had undiagnosed kidney cancer which had spread to her lungs, and the other had a inoperable tumour which had spread into her spine. Previous to that, I took my first grey to a heart specialist who put him on drugs my own vet had not thought of using, and which I'm sure extended his comfortable lifespan.

 

It's not that your own vet is 'wrong' (although that can certainly happen), simply that specialists will often take a look at a dog and put their finger on the problem, and they have the facilities to do all the tests they need done, right there and then. And they have up to date knowledge too, both of their area of expertise, and the drugs and treatments available - that's why they are called specialists.

 

There are so many things we could suggest - a fistula somewhere in her mouth acting as a reservoir of infection, laryngeal paralysis causing her to have bronchitis-like symptoms, damage to her larynx from rough tubing maybe ... that would be most unusual but not impossible ... parasites, TBD, septicaemia. But we are not vets, and can only make guesses.

 

Your poor girl has been through the mill. I'd want swift answers now, and a treatment plan, not more 'let's try this'.

 

 

[Guest boondog]

Where are you located? I'm asking because Ohio State in Columbus is an outstanding resource for greyhounds. Even if you're not able to come to Columbus, your vet/specialist can consult with them. Your poor girl.

[Guest greyvettech]

Current cbc/chemistry panel-abdominal and chest x rays and possible ultrasound if anything is noticed on the radiographs....Start with the basics,..since you've already consulted your vet, with no definitive diagnosis, you should seek an internal medicine specialist...It could be so many things or a couple things all at once.... I hope she has a diagnosis soon and feels better

[carronstar]

No advice, just lots of good thoughts and prayers coming your way.

[Guest DebR]

Wish I had the wisdom, but I don't but I'll keep your girl in my prayers. Please keep us posted

 

[Guest PiagetsMom]

I feel for you for what you and your girl are going through.......I can't help, but you'll get lots of good advice and suggestions here. Sending many good thoughts your way that you find some answers for Kayla and you can get this girl fixed up again!

[FountainLady]

With your Greytalk name being MiGreys - are you in Michigan?

 

If so - if you can drive the long distance, please consider taking her to Ohio State - they are truly Greyhound experts.

 

If you can not travel as far, then getting a referral the Vet Hospital at MSU is a good idea - a wonderful medical resource right in our own state.

 

Sending you hugs and wishes that a specialist can figure out what Kayla's problem(s) are.

 

 

[Tallgreydogmom]

Please contact the Greyhound Health and Wellness Program at Ohio State Univeristy. Dr Couto and his team for a consultation. This is a link to his information.

 

http://www.casualbling.com/OSU.html

[Guest Migreys]

Sorry if it seemed like I left everybody hanging. I came down with the worst flu I've had in the longest time. No sooner did I recover then my husband came down with it. No sooner did he recover then my youngest son came down with it. It was rough for a while there.

 

Thanks for the links and suggestions to contact Ohio. I will be doing that as Kayla has taken a turn for hte worse, again. She is regurtitaing everything - water, food, ice chips. Nothing is staying with her and yet today she picked up her favorite toy and took a short sprint through the living room. She looks like a walking skeleton. It hurts me to see her like that.

 

So ... thanks again for the words of comfort, advice and suggestions. Kayla and I appreciate it!

[silverfish]

Oh gosh, I'm sorry to hear you've both been ill while Kayla is going through this. I had flu over Christmas while Renie was struggling in her last week and it was just horrible trying to cope with everything at once. I feel for you.

 

I'm sorry to hear Kayla has taken a turn for the worse too. I hope OSU can help you. I really do think it's time for a specialist. Good luck!!

[Batmom]

 

I'm sorry she is worse, not better.

 

Did she have any x-rays?

 

If she can't keep down water, you will have to watch for dehydration.

 

It might be worth trying her on a few sips of water/broth at a time, while you stay with her and keep her upright (at least her front end; OK if she sits and leans against you) for 15-20 minutes after drinking. That can help if there is some inflammation in the esophagus.

 

Sending prayers.

[Guest Migreys]

I sent an email off to Ohio so we'll keep our paws crossed.

 

She's been X-rayed on two different visits. Once for her coughing and regurgitating problem and another time for the new pain in her neck. She has a slipped disc on top of the mystery illness. With the last set of x-rays the vet said something about her soft palate not being right and her thorax (maybe the trachea?) being a little curved. However he doesn't feel that either of those has anything to do with her mystery illness.

 

I told my husband the vet said something about her soft palate being a little off and he wondered if that's why her tongue was weird. I started watching her and her tongue is weird! It hangs out to the left when she tries to eat.

 

Thanks for the tips on keeping her upright after eating and drinking. I'm going to go try that now. I can hear her tummy grumbling.

[Batmom]

Ultrasound of those suspicious areas -- soft palate and trachea -- if you can get them.

 

I would talk to the vet tomorrow about getting her on IV fluids ASAP if she can't hold anything down. You can give IVs at home.

 

Sending more prayers for your sweet girlie.

[Guest jerrybird]

I'm sorry to hear that Kayla is not improving for you. Please keep us posted about your sweet gal.

[Guest Migreys]

Kayla's regurgitating problem became increasingly worse over the weekend and I ended up taking her in at 2:30 today. The vet is not hopeful. My heart keeps saying she'll be fine but my brain is telling me she is on comfort measures until the rest of me catches up with the reality.

 

They did a barium test and where the esophagus is supposed to be a straight line hers is wavy and has a pinch in it. There is nothing in the x-rays showing a reason for the pinched up spot. One would think there would be a tumor or growth pushing it up but 2 vets looked at it and there's no visible reason for it.

 

What's happening is that anything she ingests gets stuck there and except for a little tiny bit that gets past that spot, it explodes out the way it came.

 

So what can we do? I had two options - anesthetize and scope her or send her home on 2 entirely different meds and sub-Q fluids. I didn't get the feeling he felt anesthetizing her at this point was a good idea. She's severely dehydrated and down to 55lbs from 70lbs in October. Added to that, the costs. My husband is clueless as to how much I've already spent on her. I've avoided that subject with him so far. He wouldn't be mad but given this economy ...

 

So, like I said, unless we get a major miracle I think this our last dance. I hate myself for thinking that way. I hate that I've only had her since June. I hate that there's no absolute diagnosis yet. I hate that vet care is so costly. I hate that when the first vet wanted to scope her I switched vets and now that could have been an option with the new vet. I switched vets because he had said "scope" and "terminal cancer" in the same sentence. I felt then that he was giving up before giving her a chance. But now .... I guess there never was a chance and I've made her suffer. And I'm so angry and hurt and confused that I can't eat, sleep or stop crying.

 

She aspirated slightly so barium is leaking from her nose. And even though the test was 5 hours ago she has barium dripping from her mouth too. It's a small drip, no regurgitation but still, it's obvious it didn't all make it to her stomach.

 

Tomorrow I have to try and get her to keep a pill down and some water which I will be giving her by syringe. He said don't even bother trying to feed her. I can hear her stomach gurgling. She's so hungry.

 

Sorry to be a cry baby but this is just a really bad day for me.

 

 

[Batmom]

Instead of "not bothering to feed her," you could try giving her some Ensure or similar by syringe.

 

If you have a blender, you can also blend almost anything -- meat, canned dog food, dry dog food -- with water till it's thin enough to maybe go down.

 

I'm so sorry you and your sweet girl are going through this.

 

My angel Batman had a similar issue. Unfortunately, in his case it was terminal cancer. There was a suggestion of it on x-ray. We needed ultrasound to find the mass. He was able to eat pureed (liquified) food on his own for many months.

 

P.S. Forgot to mention, gazehund's dog also had a similar problem. His was caused by a lesion in his esophagus, and it did get heal. I don't know that his esophagus ever looked like that on x-ray, tho.

 

P.P.S. re pills: You can crush them up and syringe them down with some water, too.

[duncan41]

Sending prayers for Kayla. Don't stop fighting for her. Make sure she's hydrated. Listen to Batmom..........she's been there, done that.