Prayers For My Sweet Beau Beau

[Guest IrskasMom]

Robin , I don't know what to say to make it better except sending you more Hugs and get well Wishes for Beau

Will be patiently looking for an Update on Beau's Condition

Edited January 22, 2009 by IrskasMom

[Guest SoulsMom]

Oh, so glad to hear he's home! Here's hoping for a peaceful night and good news tomorrow

[RobinM]

Thank you for sharing that. Did he have the scope or surgery for biopsy?

 

He had an open abdominal procedure, and we second-guessed ourselves multiple times because it took him awhile to bounce back. You would never know it now, though, unless you happened to see his "spay scar"

 

I'm sorry you had to go through this, but I am happy that I have someone who has been through the open adominal as Beau has yesterday. He is so down today. I understand why, it just breaks my heart and I understand the second-guessing as well. Better than you can imagine. As I dropped him off yesterday, I still wondered if I were doing the right thing. It didnt feel right, but Beau was beginning to get emaciated and I knew it was going to get worse.

 

They only gave Beau one medium dose pred today beacuse we don't have the bx results back yet.

 

What dose pred is/was your pup on and how long until the pred started to work? What food was he on and what did you use as your sacrificial novel protein? How long? What is he on now? OR did you just go to straight to hydrolized food?

 

When you say it took a while to bounce back after the surgery, can you be more specific?

 

He has not had a thing to eat for days and it's very hard to take. You would think I am used to this from Polli but this is actually worse.

In addtion, we are not supposed to change the food yet until the diagnosis so I feel that everything I am giving him is prob the "trigger" foods and I am trying to make him eat all the things that are making him sick. This is making me sick.

 

I just want him to get better.

Edited January 22, 2009 by RobinM

[Guest K9_Lady]

Sending positive thoughts for Beau...

[silverfish]

He has not had a thing to eat for days and it's very hard to take. You would think I am used to this from Polli but this is actually worse.

In addtion, we are not supposed to change the food yet until the diagnosis so I feel that everything I am giving him is prob the "trigger" foods and I am trying to make him eat all the things that are making him sick. This is making me sick.

 

 

Well, hopefully they did at least give him a glucose drip while he was at the vet, so he hasn't been totally without nourishment. Dogs can go without food longer than they can go without drink, like most mammals. Can you try him on chicken or beef broth? Cook up some chicken in a slow cooker or crock pot or pressure cooker - or even just boil it in lots of water - and just let him drink the broth. It will have some nutrients in it. Even if you cook some plain white rice in plenty of water and strain it so he can drink the starchy water, it will have some nourishment in it.

 

No point in 'not changing his food' if he won't eat at all. Did they say anything about that?

 

 

[RobinM]

He has not had a thing to eat for days and it's very hard to take. You would think I am used to this from Polli but this is actually worse.

In addtion, we are not supposed to change the food yet until the diagnosis so I feel that everything I am giving him is prob the "trigger" foods and I am trying to make him eat all the things that are making him sick. This is making me sick.

 

 

Well, hopefully they did at least give him a glucose drip while he was at the vet, so he hasn't been totally without nourishment. Dogs can go without food longer than they can go without drink, like most mammals. Can you try him on chicken or beef broth? Cook up some chicken in a slow cooker or crock pot or pressure cooker - or even just boil it in lots of water - and just let him drink the broth. It will have some nutrients in it. Even if you cook some plain white rice in plenty of water and strain it so he can drink the starchy water, it will have some nourishment in it.

 

No point in 'not changing his food' if he won't eat at all. Did they say anything about that?

 

yes, he was on an IV drip until they discharged him. he won;t take a thing right now. Vet said don't change his diet, meaning starting him on a sacrificial protein or go straight to a hydrolized food until we get the bx back. I will continue to try every hour. It's still early. I have to be hopeful.

 

 

[Guest BoogieDown]

Feel better, sweet Beau! I'm sure he's much happier being home.

[4greyhounds]

Hope you feel better Beau!!!!

[Guest EmbersDad]

home is always good....better than just about any med...feel better soon buddy!

[Xan]

Not sure what you mean by "sacrificial protein", but agreeing with silverfish about changing the food. If he's not eating, what's to change? Can't get any worse than starving! Of course it's a tough decision that only you can make, but I think I would be trying new stuff, knowing that all the old stuff didn't help, and he's not eating it anyway.

 

BIG HUGS!!

[fourofem]

I hope he's still a little sleepy and just not interested in food right yet. I know this is a totally different situation but when I got Lewis home from his long night out, he didn't want to eat (which is TOTALLY out of character!). Maybe he just needs a good night's sleep and then he'll realize he's hungry for something. I'm glad he's home. Like Embers Dad said, home is good.

[silverfish]

Well, hopefully they did at least give him a glucose drip while he was at the vet, so he hasn't been totally without nourishment. Dogs can go without food longer than they can go without drink, like most mammals. Can you try him on chicken or beef broth? Cook up some chicken in a slow cooker or crock pot or pressure cooker - or even just boil it in lots of water - and just let him drink the broth. It will have some nutrients in it. Even if you cook some plain white rice in plenty of water and strain it so he can drink the starchy water, it will have some nourishment in it.

 

No point in 'not changing his food' if he won't eat at all. Did they say anything about that?

 

yes, he was on an IV drip until they discharged him. he won;t take a thing right now. Vet said don't change his diet, meaning starting him on a sacrificial protein or go straight to a hydrolized food until we get the bx back. I will continue to try every hour. It's still early. I have to be hopeful.

 

So you can go on using whatever proteins he's been taking until you get the biopsy results? What are you planning to use as your sacrificial protein? Something like rabbit?

 

If I'm right in my assumption that you are to continue on whatever you've been trying, you could look to see what the protein is in the kibble he's been on, and buy that type of meat to cook up in a broth for him. Many dogs will drink 'flavoured' water for a while, especially if it's warm, and it can sometimes kickstart their appetite.

 

HOpefully, just being home with you will help, too.

[Guest Becki]

What dose pred is/was your pup on and how long until the pred started to work? What food was he on and what did you use as your sacrificial novel protein? How long? What is he on now? OR did you just go to straight to hydrolized food?

 

When you say it took a while to bounce back after the surgery, can you be more specific?

 

I wish I could remember dosage, but it has been a few years and the old vet records are filed pretty deep. He was on pred, flagyl and something that started with an M. His first protein was duck, mixed with sweet potato. He was on that food for close to a year before we reviewed his file with the vet and decided to attempt to transition him to a non-chicken based food. (Chicken is his protein NO NO).

 

The pred started to work within two or three days, but we started the food transition as soon as he was eating. We went cold turkey on his old food and started him on wet duck and potato. He was fed half a cup six times a day to start and then we transitioned to more food at one time and fewer times per day. About ten days after we started the saga was when I could honestly say I was glad we had made this decision, and it was almost like a switch had flipped. Up until that day, I had thought he was going to be sad and mopey forever, even though his eating was improving, and his vomiting/diarrhea had decreased. He also quit looking like a skeleton, which was horribly scary.

 

Max is not a very trusting fellow. He had a really rough time before he came to our house. He likes to be petted and he likes to be loved on....on his terms. He is not now, nor has he ever been, a lapdog kind of a dog. I realized how sick he was as we were waiting for surgery that day. He stood up and then put his paws on my lap. I pulled him into my lap and held him like a baby for almost 20 minutes. It was the only time he has ever allowed that type of contact.

 

Give it time to work. Miracles, unfortunately, don't happen over night, but IBD is treatable and it isn't the end of the world. I know how scary it is to wait for bx results to come back and the impatience you have when you want to do something, anything, to make them better. Know that I am thinking of you and if there is anything I can do, just let me know.

[MandysMom]

I'm glad Beau's home. Continuing to send prayers for a diagnosis and treatment plan to get Beau back to feeling good.

[duncan41]

So glad Beau's home! Just whisper in his ear, "There's no place like home! There's no place like home!" Praying for a restful night for everyone and a refreshed appetite in the morning.

[RobinM]

Not sure what you mean by "sacrificial protein", but agreeing with silverfish about changing the food. If he's not eating, what's to change? Can't get any worse than starving! Of course it's a tough decision that only you can make, but I think I would be trying new stuff, knowing that all the old stuff didn't help, and he's not eating it anyway.

 

BIG HUGS!!

 

Oh we tried everything in the house. While we can, we did and he wont'.

 

A sacrificial protein is a "novel "protein that he has never eaten before to be used as a tranistion food once we start the pred and it starts working. The theory is that because you are transitioning from the foods that did cause the inflmmation, there is a higher probability of the new novel protein will also become intolerable. So, you use it as a transition, and switch him off before it becomes a problem to a new permanet novel protein.

 

The other option if to go straight to a hydrolized food such as Purina HA. (and the Ha is for the laugh at what a joke the indredients are )

 

 

See how IBD educated I have becone in 24 hours. Yeesh.

 

What dose pred is/was your pup on and how long until the pred started to work? What food was he on and what did you use as your sacrificial novel protein? How long? What is he on now? OR did you just go to straight to hydrolized food?

 

When you say it took a while to bounce back after the surgery, can you be more specific?

 

I wish I could remember dosage, but it has been a few years and the old vet records are filed pretty deep. He was on pred, flagyl and something that started with an M. His first protein was duck, mixed with sweet potato. He was on that food for close to a year before we reviewed his file with the vet and decided to attempt to transition him to a non-chicken based food. (Chicken is his protein NO NO).

 

The pred started to work within two or three days, but we started the food transition as soon as he was eating. We went cold turkey on his old food and started him on wet duck and potato. He was fed half a cup six times a day to start and then we transitioned to more food at one time and fewer times per day. About ten days after we started the saga was when I could honestly say I was glad we had made this decision, and it was almost like a switch had flipped. Up until that day, I had thought he was going to be sad and mopey forever, even though his eating was improving, and his vomiting/diarrhea had decreased. He also quit looking like a skeleton, which was horribly scary.

 

Max is not a very trusting fellow. He had a really rough time before he came to our house. He likes to be petted and he likes to be loved on....on his terms. He is not now, nor has he ever been, a lapdog kind of a dog. I realized how sick he was as we were waiting for surgery that day. He stood up and then put his paws on my lap. I pulled him into my lap and held him like a baby for almost 20 minutes. It was the only time he has ever allowed that type of contact.

 

Give it time to work. Miracles, unfortunately, don't happen over night, but IBD is treatable and it isn't the end of the world. I know how scary it is to wait for bx results to come back and the impatience you have when you want to do something, anything, to make them better. Know that I am thinking of you and if there is anything I can do, just let me know.

 

thank you.

[Guest Hollys2hounds]

Robin,

Our thoughts, and prayers are with you, and your boy!

 

Hope he has a speedy recovery, and starts feeling better on the pred!

 

 

 

[nyGreys]

Sending more prayers for your boy.

[Batmom]

The other option if to go straight to a hydrolized food such as Purina HA. (and the Ha is for the laugh at what a joke the indredients are )

 

Actually, HA and the Hills equivalent, ZD, are more on the order of a miracle for many IBD dogs. They're unique in that the proteins are preprocessed so that the body generally doesn't recognize them as allergens. Truly amazing and sometimes lifesaving as well. Reading the label sure does raise a person's eyebrows, but a fair number of dogs lead long and happy lives expressly because of these foods.

 

 

I wouldn't worry over Beau not eating for a day or two after his procedure, as long as he stays hydrated.

 

Sending hugs and crossed paws, fingers, toes that the prednisone helps him.

[patricia]

I'm glad Beau's home. Continuing to send prayers for a diagnosis and treatment plan to get Beau back to feeling good.

Me too! Kiss that sweet boy for me....

[RobinM]

The other option if to go straight to a hydrolized food such as Purina HA. (and the Ha is for the laugh at what a joke the indredients are )

 

Actually, HA and the Hills equivalent, ZD, are more on the order of a miracle for many IBD dogs. They're unique in that the proteins are preprocessed so that the body generally doesn't recognize them as allergens. Truly amazing and sometimes lifesaving as well. Reading the label sure does raise a person's eyebrows, but a fair number of dogs lead long and happy lives expressly because of these foods.

 

 

I wouldn't worry over Beau not eating for a day or two after his procedure, as long as he stays hydrated.

 

Sending hugs and crossed paws, fingers, toes that the prednisone helps him.

 

yes, I 've been doing a ton of reading about IBD and I just hope he will eat it. So, Im not sure which path to take. The proteins or just straight to the hydolized food keeping in mind that the only processed ingredient is the protein, still have ot be concerne about possible carb allergies.

 

I just want to get a IBD diagnosis (over the other diagnosis) and start the pred. (he only has had one)

[Remolacha]

He probably won't feel like eating until all the anesthetic is out of his system. I don't remember, have you tried him on Ensure?

[PrairieProf]

I'm glad you're at least considering the hydrolyzed protein. As I posted on another Beau thread awhile back, my friend's dog was diagnosed with IBD and has been doing fabulously on Purina HA for a number of years now -- no bowel issues at all. Admittedly he wasn't a touchy eater. She did extensive research on the different hydrolyzed formulas out there and came up with the HA as the best -- no ethoxyquin in it.

[Batmom]

HA and Z/D are great foods. But for a picky eater, I'd probably start elsewhere. Rabbit, venison, kangaroo, beaver, something along those lines.

[Guest IrskasMom]

 

 

 

Robin and Beau for Beau a Protein