Dana Provost's Cartier

[Batmom]

Foods: Spaghettios, scrambled eggs, canned green tripe, graham crackers, cinnamon bread, Lean Cuisine sesame chicken , almost anything in tomato sauce, almost anything with ice cream, honey, or molasses drizzled on top; bite for me, bite for you; those limp prepackaged cheese slices; jack mackerel (the most disgusting canned fish ever); freshly sauteed chicken livers; peanutbutter on one's fingers .......

 

Sending ongoing prayers.

[Guest Annie]

Sending prayers for Cartier... such a handsome boy.

[FiveRoooooers]

My furkids have been enjoying sardines on Saturdays, and we recently discovered sardines packed in tomato sauce. They *love* them. Me, not so much

[greyhndz]

Thank you everyone for the food suggestions!

 

Here's today's update - the liver was a go! (Ew) He really needs calories, though...

 

Yes, I've been visiting him 3 hours a day since Sunday. His values are still not normal but getting there. His albumin has come down. We are still waiting to see whether or not he has Leptospirosis. He just doesn't want to eat. He has lost 15 lbs. Dr. P has a vet tech come in at 11 PM to check up on him. So, he still cannot come home. We went over his values today and they are going getting more in the normal range but very cautiously. His albumin is low but has been kind of low ever since I got him. We compared his bloodwork from last year when Dr. P did some surgery on him. They were able to syringe some food down him but not much. He's been on Doxy and Ampicillin since Sunday but Doxy causes upset stomach, so they stopped that yesterday to see how he would do. I brought in some chicken yesterday afternoon and he would eat it - he just did some good drinking. He threw up yesterday morning but never again and not today, so everything is staying down, which is what he needs too. WELL THIS AFTERNOON I brought him some boiled liver and he ATE THE WHOLE BOWL! And he took a very long walk with me today before he ate and then after before I left. I've been going in at 3 PM and leaving at 6 PM. It was about a cup of liver. I asked Dr. P if he could have more tomorrow and he said certainly. That he wants him tomorrow to eat twice as much as he ate today. But he is going to put him back on the Doxy, which may cause him nausea and not want to eat again. I also bought some tripe made by Solid Gold because I received that info today. I don't know when my Guammie Bear can come home as yet - we still have issues to address - his chronic foot problem may have caused this whole thing too. Dr. P would really like to have an MRI on his back end because the problem he has with his one foot has started going into his other back foot. Anyway, he ate (which just seeing him eat that brought tears to my eyes) he has to eat to get stronger. I miss by boy and want him home but not before he is ready. Dana and Cartier

[Guest BleuDog]

Strength and Prayers zooming to the Laddie.....

[nmontgomery48]

OH HE'S SO HANDSOME...GOD BLESS YOU CARTIER

[MerlinsMum]

Sending lots and lots and lots of good thoughts for Cartier. :goodluck

[Guest greygirls2]

Good boy Cartier....you keep eating up your dinner so you can get strong and come home. Sending out tons of healing white light and positive energy to you. Hugs,

[duncan41]

Please ask about Cerenia. It's a very common anti-nausea drug and works wonderfully! Go Cartier! Keep eating and you will be back to your old self in no time!

[Guest greytbookert]

Please ask about Cerenia. It's a very common anti-nausea drug and works wonderfully! Go Cartier! Keep eating and you will be back to your old self in no time!

 

Cindy had the Cerenia after she didn't wasn't feeling so well after her spay and it made a world of difference! Within an hour, she was eating when previously she was looking at me like food was poison!

 

Sending more thoughts and prayers for Cartier!

[greyhndz]

Update from late last night.

 

The Lepto titer test came back today and was negative.

 

 

When Cartier came in the room and saw me his tail just started wagging! He was happy to see his mom! His BUN level continues to go down from 76 on Sunday to 63 today; creatine level has gone down to 3.7 and his phosphorus has gone up to 9.5 from 8.3. His albumin was 1.8 yesterday and now today is 1.6. But he ate 2 cans of Hills ID today and drank a lot. He was started back on Doxy and is still getting IV fluids. So happy – Cartier has gone 48 hours without vomiting. So good. He has not had a BM yet while being there. May be tomorrow since he ate twice as much as today than he did yesterday. He ate about 1-1/2 cups of liver today and about ½ cup of tripe. We took a longer walk today than any other day. We came back and he ate the liver and tripe, drank a bit and then laid down. I laid on the floor with him and I actually fell asleep massaging him curled up with him for ½ hour. I spoke with the vet tech that comes in at night to see and check on him and she said she let him just walk around the clinic with her as she was doing some of her tasks and he had a good time last night doing this with her. She said he is such a good patient. The results came back on the Lepto titer test and it came back negative. So, the vet is concerned that his back leg that may be the culprit that caused this kidney issue and just has been brewing for a while. I wasn’t able to see the vet before I left. I was able to visit with Cartier for 3 hours again. So, I will find out more on where we go from here tomorrow. At this point, I have no idea when Mr. C will be able to come home. He is looking better but needs to build more strength and we need to get that albumin level up – somewhere he’s losing that protein.

 

I explained to Dana about proteinuria as a result of kidney disease (protein-losing nepropathy). She's going to talk with her vet tonight - she didn't have much time last night. It's great that he's chowing down! I believe Dana already discussed cerenia or other meds for nausea, ranitidine, carafate, etc. I think she said that he stopped vomiting and is now eating well. One of the problems is the doxy, which as you all know make dogs (and humans) feel pretty yuck.

 

Here's another update from this morning. "Suzanne" is Suzanne Stack.

Suzanne said that when he is eating the way he is that he is over the hump! However, the vet and I really think the stem of this whole issue is his foot swelling chronic problem. It is mysterious circulatory issue and no one seems to know what the problem is with his swelling in the foot/hock. Now it is going into his other foot/hock back legs. I'll find out more tomorrow.

Thank you all for your prayers and well-wishes for Cartier! I know Dana is deeply touched, and very grateful!

[greyhndz]

Good news!!!

 

HE'S HOME!!!! His values didn't change over night, so Dr. Patton thought he'd feel better at home. He's resting right now. I have to get him to keep eatting. He goes in on Sunday to check his values. Yee-hah! We will have to do some testing down the road to find out if his foot problem is the culprit as far as losing protein because his feet really leak. So, we will be doing testing on his urine, poop - if all is that is clear then everything has been eliminated and it is the foot circulatory issue leakage. It will take some time, but for now, we want to get his strength up. We still have a long road but at least he is home now and I'll be watching him like a hawk.

 

[Guest BleuDog]

YAY!!!!!!!

[Guest greytbookert]

I'm so glad that Cartier is home and seemingly on the road to recovery!

[greyhndz]

Another pupdate, now that the Polished Pooch is home!

 

Cartier came home last night! He is completely hydrated and starting the regimen of KD and UD diet along with some good stuff to get him to stay eating and drinking. He has a lot of meds that he will need to keep taking to sustain him to complete his recovery. His values didn't change the night before being on IV-Fluid, so the Vet felt he'd do better in his home environment with me being there for him. We want to get him back on his feet before we do anymore testing of where he is losing his protein. It is going to be a long road for us but he is home and that's a start. Getting some weight back on him as to where he can take these tests.

 

We don't have a lot of specialists here in Las Vegas, like they do out east. When I adopted Cartier he had this issue with his foot. I don't have a lot of resources to pay for extensive testing to find out what the disorder is on Cartier, so I tried to manage his care with holistic and western medicine. It seemed to be working up through now. His past being in Guam and ridden so hard, so to speak, brings a lot of uncertainty to where his condition spiraled from. No other dog from Guam has had this issue. I have attached a picture of a flair up of his foot. I am a bit overwhelmed right now Jordan. He still isn't right there wanting to eat. It took me 1/2 hour to get 1/2 cup of food and meds in him. With having to work full time, this is going to be a challenge for both of us the next few weeks. I'm trying to gather everything together from everyone and start a plan of attack. But with that I need to be realistic as to my available funds. Right now, I have to get him back up on his feet and then we will proceed with testing. His foot/hock swells and goes up and stops around the knee area. The area is squishy. Yes, it has been asperated several times and nothing shows up in the fluid. It really has everyone stumped. It gets inflamed and warm to the touch but he gets no temperature. His swelling has gone to his other back foot and a bit in his front foot. He has to be mobile otherwise it start collecting and I think with him being able to get up and move around now, that it will go away. They pumped him up with a lot of fluid and that may be part of it too. Since I've had him it has never gone into the other feet. I was warned that this may at some time be an issue and that it was a chronic issue up front. No one else wanted to adopt him and my heart went out to him. I'm doing all I can to keep him here. He is a fighter and we will get through this. That's all for now - I have to go back to my day job

 

Now, to offset his medical bills, I'm having a CARTIER SALE!!!!!

 

I'm offering 20% discount on any purchase from Wild Things for Greys (www.wildthingsforgreys.com). To get your discount, please email me privately and mention CARTIER and you will get that discount! And this helps in a few ways, keeps me busy in my sewing room with my boy close to me and snoozing away, helps with his medical bills, and you get a design from Wild Things for Greys for you grey. So, it is a WIN WIN for everybody! Contact: stealthn@cox.net - FEEL FREE TO CROSSPOST TOO!

Dana and Cartier (my jewel)

 

 

[greyhndz]

Cartier continues to improve!

 

Oh, we are doing the greyhound happy dance!!! He ate 3 cups of food today - 2 cups dry kibble Eukaneba straight nothing in it and 4 liver balls of phosphate binding meds and took all his meds. Tonight another cup of dried kibble - will try to get another cup towards the time I go to bed and will give him the meds that day too. Now for the good part: BUN from 63.7 down to 55.7 Creatine from 4.1 to 5.5 (expected to go up because of the kidneys not functioning properly). Phosphorus 9.5 down to 93. Albumin (his norm is 2.0) from 1.6 up to 1.8. The last test was 3 days ago. Then they took urine today they are sending in a UPC test. Should get the results on Tuesday. Electrolytes look good. Blood count normal. The vet is overly pleased with his results today. And if you ask me - I am as Bruce Willis says: "Yippee Cayea" Not out of the woods but he is EATTING!!!!! Dana

[greyhndz]

another quick update, and fortunately, Dana is finally getting some answers. And the best news is that Cartier is eating and feeling better.

 

Dr. Couto just responded back to me that he said "absolutely" when I asked if he could help us. Cartier is actually pooping solid and this is his 3rd day of eating.

 

I just got off the phone with my vet and they told me his UPC results shows that his protein loss (albumin level) is positively thru the kidneys. His level shows 5.9 and they have diagosed his with glamarial (sp?) disease.

 

He is being placed on Enalypril (1 pill a day) (which I asked for a prescription to be able to fill it at Walmart)

Omega 3 fatty acids (which he takes already)

Diet change (I'm going to try the Royal Canin Renal diet and received a prescription for that)

 

They want to recheck his UPC in a month.

 

I feel a light beyond the tunnel. Please pass on the news!

 

Dana and Cartier

[seeh2o]

I'm so glad to hear that he is continuing to improve. He is such sweet sweet (and beautiful) boy!

[Jenbo]

YAY!! He's improving, I'm so happy to hear this!