greyhead Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 (edited) Okay, I'm officially freaked. As some of you know, Spencer has GI malabsorption of unknown cause, and we started a thread regarding endoscopy vs. surgical biopsy for dealing with that: http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php?showtopic=222039&hl= Visited the vet yesterday, and he has lost 3 more lbs this week, after 2 lbs last week, for a total of 14 lbs. I'm trying to get an appointment with an internist right now. He's off the Flagyl, still on prednisone, upped B12 shots to twice a week, Pepcid twice a day, and he's eating mostly prepared raw chicken. We suspect hookworm damage is the origin of this problem. We've ruled out PLE and EPI. On top of all this, he has LS and he's hypothyroid. His functioning is a complete roller coaster, good-ish days alternating with bad. Had great poop right after starting raw, and then it returned to mush again. Sometimes he acts like he wants to eat but then doesn't. (It helps when I then saute the raw food briefly.) He gets stiff and stumbly, and last night had trouble with the stairs. I finally realize that we actually might lose him over this. I'm not doing anything but working this problem. So this is the part where I ask for your prayers, good thoughts, candles, chants and all that mojo you do, please. As it is, GT people have been most generous and kind to us, with ideas and support. Many thanks. ETA: Internist just called. We're leaving for there in a few minutes. At least that much is good! (See how powerful GT mojo is? Nobody else has even posted to this thread yet and good stuff is already happening!) Edited February 12, 2009 by greyhead Quote Mary with Jumper Jack (2/17/11) and angels Shane (PA's Busta Rime, 12/10/02 - 10/14/16) and Spencer (Dutch Laser, 11/25/00 - 3/29/13). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KF_in_Georgia Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Your Spencer is getting all the good thoughts I can generate. Be well, big boy! (I looked at the other thread and you talked about medical tests. I'm not familiar with Spencer's history, so I'm going to ask what's probably a dumb question: Has your vet had a full panel done for tick-borne diseases? I've just heard that those things can surface long after the original tick-bites and can cause all kinds of otherwise-unexplainable ailments.) Best wishes to you both. Quote Kathy and Q (CRT Qadeer from Fuzzy's Cannon and CRT Bonnie) and Jane (WW's Aunt Jane from Trent Lee and Aunt M); photos to come. Missing Silver (5.19.2005-10.27.2016), Tigger (4.5.2007-3.18.2016), darling Sam (5.10.2000-8.8.2013), Jacey-Kasey (5.19.2003-8.22.2011), and Oreo (1997-3.30.2006) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaliforniaGreys Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 We're behind you!! All the good thoughts and prayers coming from a distance. And yes, the candle is lit Quote Missing my little Misty who took a huge piece of my heart with her on 5/2/09, and Ekko, on 6/28/12 For the sick, the lost, and the homeless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zoolaine Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Oh Spencer, baby you need to stop losing weight. I don't know what other advice to give but you guys are in our thoughts and prayers. Please update when you get back from the internist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfish Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Sending many good thoughts and prayers from England for Spencer! In my experience, the specialists usually put their finger right on the problem, and I hope this is true for you and Spencer - and that it's something easily fixable. Quote The plural of anecdote is not dataBrambleberry Greyhounds My Etsy Shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncan41 Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Ok, we've got the prayers, healing light, comforting thoughts, good karma, special GT mojo and unending chanting going for Spencer! Please update us when you can! Quote Linda, Mom to Fuzz, Barkley, and the felines Miss Kitty, Simon and Joseph.Waiting at The Bridge: Alex, Josh, Harley, Nikki, Beemer, Anna, Frank, Rachel, my heart & soul, Suze and the best boy ever, Dalton.<p> ....for all those hounds that are sick, hurt, lost or waiting for their forever homes. SENIORS ROCK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BoogieDown Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 We are sending all of our good thoughts to you, Spencer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LoveMyJoseyBean Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Good thoughts and wishes that you get the answers you need. All paws crossed here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patsy Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Spencer, you and your family are tucked cozily into the ND nightly candle . . . . let the nice specialist figure out what the problem(s) is/are . . . . scritches all around. Quote Patsy and DH with the Humane Society specials, Linus & Jazz, in North Dakota Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ss556 Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Sending prayers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carronstar Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Sending lots of prayers and good (fattening) thoughts for Spencer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhead Posted February 12, 2009 Author Share Posted February 12, 2009 Greyt mojo, y'all! The internist got us in so fast that Spencer's records didn't arrive until the very end of our appointment, nor did I have time to grab the ones I have at home! Which means I had to recite everything in his whole history as to testing, results, treatment, and his responses to every change. And memory is not my best feature!!! So now I'm really wiped out and brain dead. And, unfortunately, I can't remember all the vet said to me about her reasoning. But hopefully I'll get those blanks filled in again later and pass them on so it can help other dogs/owners with GI trouble. Here's what I remember: The bottom line is that she thinks the GI trouble the result of worms, historically and presently. The hooks we know about, but she says whips are also really hard to pick up in fecal testing. She's going to nuke them all using Drontal Plus, a pill costing $17.99, to be given monthly for at least a year! To both our dogs! Hey, it's okay...lots cheaper than biopsies! She sees no point in biopsying. Endoscopy couldn't access very much of the small intestine at all, and we know that most of his trouble is located there. Doesn't think it's IBD -- and here's where I'm brain dead. I think it's because his response to prednisone has been underwhelming. We pretty much had ruled out everything else: PLE, EPI, TBD's. Don't know if allergy is any factor, but we're not suspicious of it. In any case, we're sticking to chicken for now (the premade raw that includes veggies). She noted that we did get a good response when we started feeding raw, so she said stick to that for now, maybe moving on to home-cooked in the future. She said I may have messed him up with I added digestive enzymes and probiotics a couple days after starting raw food. I can't remember that explanation either, but I think it was to the effect that I was overdosing him on enzymes, given that he was eating raw food already, and that made his poop go soft again. What's really interesting is we're discontinuing the prednisone, and the pred is what probably accounts for most of his weight loss! If it were going to work, he should have markedly improved in a couple days on the 20mg/day. Upping it to 40mg/day last week was way too high a dose, and it's not working anyway. Since he hasn't been on it long at all, we can discontinue pretty fast: 10 mg today and tomorrow, skip the next day, then 10 the next day, and assess how he's doing. If he's doing okay, we can just stop there. And then he ought to put some weight back on! So there we have it. And I am SO grateful to you all for the good thoughts, candles, etc. that I asked for and you graciously bestowed! I've really been suffering this emotionally a lot more than I've talked about, but it's hard for me to just go ahead and say, "Shriek!" Thanks for coming through for us and getting us this greyt outcome! Spencer sends his thanks and love. Shane does too cuz he's been concerned about his big brudder. Quote Mary with Jumper Jack (2/17/11) and angels Shane (PA's Busta Rime, 12/10/02 - 10/14/16) and Spencer (Dutch Laser, 11/25/00 - 3/29/13). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinM Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 What's really interesting is we're discontinuing the prednisone, and the pred is what probably accounts for most of his weight loss! If it were going to work, he should have markedly improved in a couple days on the 20mg/day. Upping it to 40mg/day last week was way too high a dose, and it's not working anyway. I'm not saying it is IBD (and I hope to GOD it's not) but, it's not uncommon for the pred not to work alone especially if you are not doing a novel protein dietary change at the same time. Beau has a documented case of IBD and has still not responded to the pred alone (40 mg) 3 weeks tomorrow- so they started him on another immune suppressive med- imuran. We pray that this does the trick. I feel your frustration. Quote ROBIN ~ Mom to: Beau Think It Aint, Chloe JC Allthewayhome, Teddy ICU Drunk Sailor, Elsie N Fracine , Ollie RG's Travertine, Ponch A's Jupiter~ Yoshi, Zoobie & Belle, the kitties. Waiting at the bridge Angel Polli Bohemian Ocean , Rocky, Blue,Sasha & Zoobie & Bobbi Greyhound Angels Adoption (GAA) The Lexus Project Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaliforniaGreys Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 And may the outcome continue to be good news Quote Missing my little Misty who took a huge piece of my heart with her on 5/2/09, and Ekko, on 6/28/12 For the sick, the lost, and the homeless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KF_in_Georgia Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 We'll be keeping Spencer (and you) in our thoughts. All of us know how our dogs are so stoic, and when they're sick enough for us to see they're sick, it's really frightening. Take care of yourself...and both your boys. Quote Kathy and Q (CRT Qadeer from Fuzzy's Cannon and CRT Bonnie) and Jane (WW's Aunt Jane from Trent Lee and Aunt M); photos to come. Missing Silver (5.19.2005-10.27.2016), Tigger (4.5.2007-3.18.2016), darling Sam (5.10.2000-8.8.2013), Jacey-Kasey (5.19.2003-8.22.2011), and Oreo (1997-3.30.2006) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest isntitgreyt Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 Spencer's in my thoughts and prayers. Good luck handsome boy!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIGreyLady Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 Hoping the internist is right and Spencer has good outcome Quote Mimi- mom to Burdette (KB's Burdette), Sophie (LL's Stupid Is) and bridge babies Kelsey (Kelso's Logo), Sterling (Cold B Tiger), Fritz, Tasha, Chloe and Molly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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