Repeated Hge In A Fluffy

[Riverhound]

So this maybe should be OT, since the critter in question isn't a houndie, but I'm hoping it'll be allowed here for better exposure, and so a non-member can view replies.

 

Tyke is a 10 year old shih tzu/bichon mix owned by my coworker. This dog is his Daddy's soul. He's had three incidences of hemorrhagic gastroenteritis in less than 2 years; each one costing my coworker well over $1000, and it's breaking the bank. They can't afford to do it again.

 

From what I understand, Tyke is on a very limited diet (but I don't know what food). They don't know what triggers the episodes. Each time, he gets a transfusion, sub-q fluids, and spends a couple days in the ER. After that, he does pretty well for another six or so months. He's just come home after one of these events. The only med he's on now is Tramadol. I *think* he got sucralfate in the hospital.

 

No diagnosed IBD. Negative tests for Addison's. I don't know about any other testing.

 

I'm thinking he should be on Pepcid before meals, maybe some slippery elm. The family should have Flagyl on hand for when things start to go south. I've seen sub-q fluids done at home for a cat in kidney failure; is it reasonable to do that in this case?

 

What am I missing to help keep this from happening? What should the family have at home for the next occurrence? Is it even possible to get dog through a bout of HGE without an ER trip?

 

Thanks for any advice you all can give. The tasty ball of fluffy goodness in question is a really, really cool little dog!

 

 

[Guest IrskasMom]

My Grand Dog had it ( Shipoo) .He nearly died , if it wasn't for my Instinct of Urgency. He spend a Night and a Morning at the EVet.

 

 

After this Episode with HGE the Vet put that little Guy on Florastor.A Probiotic available through the Vet.

Edited March 23, 2013 by IrskasMom

[JJNg]

Even straightforward HGE isn't fully understood, and we don't always identify a trigger that can be avoided or prevented. With an older dog, I'd be concerned about underlying GI disease. You mentioned that IBD hasn't been diagnosed, but have they looked for it? If they say can't afford another acute episode, would they want to pursue more advanced diagnostics (ultrasound, endoscopy, biopsies, etc)? Additionally, is he completely normal between episodes? Does he have a good appetite? Any chronic or persistent vomiting or diarrhea?

Treatment for HGE doesn't typically include blood transfusion. And the dehydration associated with HGE usually requires IV fluids and not SQ fluids. Especially since he spends a couple days in the ER, are you sure they're not doing IV fluids? Without more info about whether there is any underlying disease, it's hard to say if there's anything more they can do. In most cases, HGE is an acute disease, and once the dog is over the episde, they don't require any long term treatment. So SQ fluids shouldn't be needed. If he has some kind of underlying GI disease, Pepcid might help, but if he gets full-blown HGE again, Flagyl is unlikely to be enough.

[mychip1]

When Dustin's belly flares up, the sucralfate and flagyl help. We do have him on daily Pepcid.....we have not diagnosed Dustin's flare ups as anything specific as I don't want to put him under to test when treatments are similar regardless. We are noticing a seasonal pattern. Flare ups during August thru October.....assuming allergy triggered.

[Guest SoulsMom]

Ok, here is what I do to manage Soul's condition, and believe me I've tried EVERYTHING. I/D and I/D ONLY for food. No treats, no table scraps, nothing. If he's had a good long time between flares he sometimes gets a lick of ice cream or a pizza bone as a snack, but other than that nothing. I keep flagyl on hand for a flare. I'm on alert all the time and if he has a stinky fart or I hear a rumbly tummy I pay attention and then start the flagyl if it continues. A sure sign of a flare is that he stops eating. The key to managing it is starting the flagyl right away before it can progress. Oh, and he also gets a piece of bread every night before last out. For some reason it seems to settle his tummy. Back in the early days I forgot the piece of bread ONE time and it caused a flare.

 

I rarely do Pepcid, my motto is the less I introduce into his system, the better

 

Hope this helps and they can get this under control for the little fluffer

 

ETA: When Bailey and I first got together he didn't fully understand Soul's condition. He knew the rules, but loved Soul so much and would sneak a little piece of cheese to him now and then. Sure enough, a few weeks later it 'caught up' to Soul's system the bloody Big D started. We headed it off by starting the Flagyl riteawayquik, but when Bailey saw that it was a huge wake up call for him. We're now BOTH experts at poking poop with a stick

Edited March 23, 2013 by SoulsMom

[mychip1]

Amber's approach, other than the Pepcid, is right on with what we do with Dustin....though Dustin is on royal canon digestive food. Watch for the earliest signs and address ASAP.

[Riverhound]

Thanks all! I'm going to send my coworker a link to this thread.

 

Jennifer, I was really hoping you'd weigh in. I could easily be wrong about the vet giving fluids SQ. Coworker said yesterday that Tyke was acting fine then after an ER stay last weekend.

[MerlinsMum]

Rachael, I'm sorry for your co-worker. Having been through HGE (and later a diagnosis of IBD) with Merlin for the last two years, and dealing with periodic flare-ups, expensive prescription food and meds, and the stress or hearinghis stomach gurgle and not wanting to eat the only food he is able to take.... it's all exhausting and worrying, so I sympathize. We spent over $2000 when he was first diagnosed between specialists and tests and hospitalization... it builds up quickly. Luckily he is insured so we got some of that back.

 

I was a bit puzzled at the mention of a blood transfusion, but I don't know all the details in that case. Merlin was hospitalized and started on Sucralfate, Metronidazole (Flagyl) and sub-q IV fluids. After 24 hours he came home but we continued the IV fluids. He has been on Pepcid and Metronidazole DAILY for the last two years. It took us several months to figure out what dose was needed for him, in order to avoid frequent flare-ups. He had two bad episodes of HGE but hasn't (fingers crossed) had one since, as we've been managing the condition with the Metro. It sounds to me as though Tyke needs to be on Metronidazole (at a minimum) on a constant basis at this point. Or Tylosan (Tylan powder), if that works better for him. Tylosan didn't work for Merlin, his "magic number" seems to be 500mg of Metronidazole TWICE a day, so 1000mg daily. I also feed him three times a day instead of two, and that has helped as well. I just spread out the same food over three meals. If course actually GETTING him to eat is like trying to get blood out of a stone... but that's a separate issue. He doesn't like his prescription food much (I/D) but I have tried SO many other things and this is the only food that keeps his flare-ups under control with the Metro. He also takes Pepcid in the evening.

 

Good luck... It DID get a lot better and more manageable, the expense has drained our savings and we've had to tighten our belts considerably to accommodate the expense of meds and prescription food, but I'd rather go without other things to pay for the vet bills. On the other hand I also don't have the expense of kids, so I am sure that helps...

Edited March 23, 2013 by MerlinsMum

[Rachelle]

On 3/22/2013 at 9:38 PM, Riverhound said:

So this maybe should be OT, since the critter in question isn't a houndie, but I'm hoping it'll be allowed here for better exposure, and so a non-member can view replies.

 

Tyke is a 10 year old shih tzu/bichon mix owned by my coworker. This dog is his Daddy's soul. He's had three incidences of hemorrhagic gastroenteritis in less than 2 years; each one costing my coworker well over $1000, and it's breaking the bank. They can't afford to do it again.

 

From what I understand, Tyke is on a very limited diet (but I don't know what food). They don't know what triggers the episodes. Each time, he gets a transfusion, sub-q fluids, and spends a couple days in the ER. After that, he does pretty well for another six or so months. He's just come home after one of these events. The only med he's on now is Tramadol. I *think* he got sucralfate in the hospital.

 

No diagnosed IBD. Negative tests for Addison's. I don't know about any other testing.

 

I'm thinking he should be on Pepcid before meals, maybe some slippery elm. The family should have Flagyl on hand for when things start to go south. I've seen sub-q fluids done at home for a cat in kidney failure; is it reasonable to do that in this case?

 

What am I missing to help keep this from happening? What should the family have at home for the next occurrence? Is it even possible to get dog through a bout of HGE without an ER trip?

 

Thanks for any advice you all can give. The tasty ball of fluffy goodness in question is a really, really cool little dog!

 

 

I know this post was from awhile ago, but I pray you'll reply if you see this. My shih tzu Bichon mix has had two cases of HGE since November with the exact same symptoms and everything you've described. Tested negative for Addison's, haven't been able to afford a test for IBD yet. Please tell me if you ever found out what Tyke had. My baby is only 4 years old and it's breaking his Mama's heart not knowing what's wrong with him. I'm so afraid it'll happen again and possibly soon, just because he's been having weird ulcer-like symptoms recently (he was treated for a week for an ulcer and felt a little better, but then got bad again as soon as the medications ended). 

[Riverhound]

On 4/10/2020 at 1:18 PM, Rachelle said:

I know this post was from awhile ago, but I pray you'll reply if you see this. My shih tzu Bichon mix has had two cases of HGE since November with the exact same symptoms and everything you've described. Tested negative for Addison's, haven't been able to afford a test for IBD yet. Please tell me if you ever found out what Tyke had. My baby is only 4 years old and it's breaking his Mama's heart not knowing what's wrong with him. I'm so afraid it'll happen again and possibly soon, just because he's been having weird ulcer-like symptoms recently (he was treated for a week for an ulcer and felt a little better, but then got bad again as soon as the medications ended). 

Suggested via email that a new topic be started to draw more attention to this pupper’s issue.

The dog I posted about sooooooo many years ago was around at least until his Dad retired from the lie-berry. Oh, the memories! I can almost smell the poop, and I’ve suddenly gotten REALLY itchy.