How Did Things Get So Awful So Quickly?

[Guest lynne893]

Timber has had a limp off and on for months (7?). I've had her in to our vet half a dozen times and he's always done a quick look and says he thinks she has degenerative joint disease or arthritis (and me, coming to this forum all the time, every time I see him I ask "are you sure it's not cancer?"). He's had her on a 50mg dose of Deramaxx since January (about), she had the Deramaxx blood panel and all seemed fine, and the limp was a lot better (not cured, but a lot better).

 

All this time her appetite is off and on. Sometimes she would ignore her breakfast (esp. if it didn't have her daily dose of plain yogurt) or her dinner (we usually don't add anything to it) all together.

 

5 days ago, she began to get REALLY gassy (stinky awful gas, not normal at all), and her poops have had a bit of a reddish undertone and weren't same consistency- kind of lumpy and disfigured looking. Then on Thursday, she didn't eat her dinner at all, woke up with a stomach ache (soft serve poo) at 2 am, then threw up what looked like bloody bile twice at 4:30am. Then 2 pure soupy liquid poops. Off to e-vet at 5:00am. Evet says she's stable, recommends Flagyl, stomach protector (Carafate), x-ray of stomach to look for blockage, x-ray of leg for limp. Says this can wait until we can get into our regular vet that morning.

 

Go to regular vet, except I ask for the more compassionate vet who works at the clinic. We take x-ray of shoulder, leg, paw (all left front) and stomach. They give her Flagyl and Tramadol at vet and inject some fluids into her to rehydrate. Timber comes home with the following regiment prescribed:

 

1/2 pill Carafate twice a day (dissolved in a little syringe w/ water- we squirt into her yogurt) (and vet says try to give an hour before other meds)

1/2 - 1 pill Tramadol twice a day

1 pill Flagyl twice a day

1 pill Pepcid twice a day

 

(sorry not to put dosages on here and how many days- I'm being lazy)

 

She's all bruised up from x-rays (normal?). I know the folks who work at the clinic are really kind and compassionate. But all night last night she's panting heavily (obviously in terrible pain) and as the night went on, the harder it was to use her front left leg. Now, her limp before, controlled by Deramaxx didnt incapacitate her at all. She was basically disabled last night and much of this morning. Her front left leg is like a club today- almost totally useless.

 

X-Rays by the way, didn't show anything conclusive. No suspicion of cancer. Vet thinks it might be a tendonitis thing. Referred us to take the images to a specialist.

 

I'm feeling so at a loss. She's in pain, uncomfortable, and so much worse than even before. This will pass right? She's just feeling a little beat up from all of the procedures, right? It was horrible to see her limping, depressed, and in pain from liquid poop. (her poop this morning was tarry and somewhat solid at 5am, and chili-pepper red liquid at 8:30am.) I'm trying to get her to take her meds with boiled chicken, rice, some yogurt. She refuses peanut butter and isn't keen on applesauce.

 

It's just awful and exhausting. Please tell me she'll do better as the day and weekend goes on....

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest ChasesMum]

BLAH! poor all of you...

 

I would stick to a bland diet, rice and chicken (or boiled hamburger), I would stay away from fatty things like pb until the D stops.

 

As for the pain... George had his films cleared twice but did have OS. THe oncologist "thought" about 85% sure even, so his was eigther hiding or in the very early stages. The pain was uncontrollable... fentanyl patch, codeine, metacam, and it wasnt enough. Definitley get someone else to look at the films, send them to OSU/Dr Couto maybe?

 

I hope it all passes, and your pupper starts feeling better! Lots of gentle scritches, and prayers!

[September]

I hope Timber feels better!

 

[Remolacha]

the medicines she's on should get her GI track and pop under control and help her pain. Has she been tested for Valley Fever? It can mimic OS. hope she starts to feel better soon!

[Guest greydogluvr]

I am so sorry. I know the feelings you are experiencing all too well. Prayers and big healing hugs coming your way. Timber is in good hands. I just KNOW she is going to be fine.

[GeorgeofNE]

I'd as a LOT of questions if my dog was "bruised" from x-rays. That shouldn't happen, unless she struggled and they physically restrained her.

 

I'm sorry you're going through this. My old dog could not tolerate Dermaxx at ALL (gave him explosive diarrhea), but did fine with Rimadyl. He also did really well on Tramadol. He had very bad arthritis as a result of an orthopedic surgery gone very wrong.

[Guest tumeria33]

We will keep Timber and you in our hearts and prayers. I hope things improve very soon.

[Guest greytful4]

We are also going thru something similar and my girl is also on Deramax, so I feel your pain and fear. Hugs to you and your girl...we'll get thru this

[Burpdog]

Hopefully you have stopped the deramaxx and done a full blood panel to check everything out (especially kidneys and liver and platelets) If her platelets are dangerously low, it could account for the bruising.

 

1/2 carafate is not much. Usual dose is at least one twice a day. I'd talk with your vet.

 

Sending many prayers....

[duncan41]

Hopefully you have stopped the deramaxx and done a full blood panel to check everything out (especially kidneys and liver and platelets) If her platelets are dangerously low, it could account for the bruising.

 

1/2 carafate is not much. Usual dose is at least one twice a day. I'd talk with your vet.

 

Sending many prayers....

 

................and have your vet send xrays to OSU - stat! Sending bushels of prayers for a dx and swift healing!

[Guest lynne893]

THANK YOU to you all for your encouragement. Shortly after I posted, we realized Timber had wet herself and her bed, perhaps twice (and had been out and peed many times only an hour before!).

 

She's resting seemingly comfortably now.

 

Is it okay to just send a "cold" email to Dr. Couto at OSU? We do have her x-ray images on disc, and were referred to bring them to a specialist here in LA on Tuesday, but Dr. Cuoto doesn't mind taking a look? Shall I tell him that the folks on GreyTalk sent me?

[Houndtime]

I hope she is feeling better soon.

[Guest jerrybird]

I would definately send x-rays and history to Dr. Couto.

[Guest lynne893]

Thank you, all, again. The moral support on here is a priceless resource. I will indeed email the images to Dr. Couto.

 

Update on Timber: she's been resting pretty peacefully all day, except when I bother her to go out for short walks to do business (no more pooping since this morning..... I hope she's not getting constipated now, but she's had so little boiled chicken and rice) or give her her medicine. When she does go out, it's so obviously painful and difficult to be on her feet.... she's just not steady on her feet, very stiff. But once she gets to resting, she seems to be able to get sleep.

 

The vet technician couldn't reach the vet today, but the technician herself was great. She said the incontinence might be from the Tramadol, so she said only give her half a pill at bedtime, keep up with the other meds (Carafate, Flagyl and Pepcid). She said to keep up w/ the chicken & rice, and try adding chicken or turkey baby food to get Timber to get the pills down, and possibly low sodium chicken broth.

 

She thinks Timber's bruising, stiffness and pain is probably from having to stretch her out and lift her and such for the xrays, though she said it's not normal and was concerned about Timber's state last night and today... Her bruise/ the blood under her skin near her ribs looks like this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hematoma (It's the closest thing I could find.) She also seems to have one under her armpit, though she screams out whenever we even GENTLY touch around there, so we can't inspect.

 

I know this is more information than anyone here needed, but it's cathartic to type it out. The vet tech said they'd like to see her again on Monday.

 

It's just so discouraging that we've tried to help her (with her limp, she got Deramaxx then gets an ulcer; with her ulcer she gets treatment and comes out so much worse for the wear!). What are we supposed to do the next time Timber needs xrays, etc? She doesn't handle these trips to the vet well... never really has...

 

Does anyone else have issues like this? Thank you.....

[Guest lynne893]

Hi again,

Quick update. Timber got a shot of Dexamethasone at the vet yesterday, which helped give her strength and appetite and even seemed to block a lot of the pain and discomfort.

 

In to see the specialist today who first wanted to take a coagulation blood panel to see if she has any kind of clotting disorder (she's had big bruises) before proceeding to order MRI or other tests/scans. He doesn't seem to think it's a disc thing, so far. He's thinking orthopedic or neurologic issues.

 

She was fine this morning, as fine as she could be in these circumstances, and I was feeling really good about that steroid. I went to work, came home, and learn from my husband that she got up on our bed twice today (which of course means she had to jump back down off it on to our wood floors) --- just about the WORST thing that could happen to a dog with disc problems or orthopedic problems, right?! I could kill him for letting her up there, and I'd even warned him that, feeling better from the steroid shot, she might try... and he let it happen. And of course, tonight her limp is really bad again. Ughhh!

 

Thanks for your concern. I'll keep ya posted.

[CaliforniaGreys]

More prayers coming from here

[MandysMom]

Sending good thoughts for Timber.