Peggy Is In Trouble - G.i. Bleed

[carronstar]

Lots of good thoughts and prayers for Peggy.

[Remolacha]

hoping it is "just" HGE or IBD. Those are not fun, but can usually be managed.

[JohnF]

hoping it is "just" HGE or IBD. Those are not fun, but can usually be managed.

Yes that's what I 'hope' too..

Nothing much to update from the vet visit today really because she has stopped vomiting, apart from the morning sickness, and the very bad bloody diarrhea seems to have stopped too.

He wants me to feed nothing but 3 cans of the expensive vet gastro diet for the next 7 days and give Zantac 75mg twice daily and 15mg of Buscopan twice daily too. He says it’s got enough energy in it even if she only eats 2 cans and is designed to be easy to digest and not promote vomiting. She's going to hate us for not giving little treats though..

He says that will determine if she has become allergic or reactive to her kibble and other junk we might be giving her. If no better after a week or so he will increase the Zantac and maybe scope her from both ends… not something I want to have done as it involves the risk of an anesthetic, but I’d probably allow it in case there was something that could be fixed in there. He says that there's no guarantee there isn't something in there that might 'blow' in any dog with upsets like these, but as she has improved that ought not to be the case.

And there i was niavely hoping that choosing a younger dog would give me until she got to 10 before loads of vet issues.

[Batmom]

John, you can make her little treats by taking some of the canned food, forming it into little patties, and baking it in the oven (not too hot!) to dry them out / crisp them up. Lower temperature, longer baking time is better than hotter temperature, shorter baking time. Your house may smell funny while this is going on ....... If she likes cold things, she could also have ice cubes or you can freeze little balls/patties of the canned food too.

 

So glad she is doing better.

[Remolacha]

John, you can make her little treats by taking some of the canned food, forming it into little patties, and baking it in the oven (not too hot!) to dry them out / crisp them up. Lower temperature, longer baking time is better than hotter temperature, shorter baking time. Your house may smell funny while this is going on ....... If she likes cold things, she could also have ice cubes or you can freeze little balls/patties of the canned food too.

 

So glad she is doing better.

I did this when Fletcher was first diagnosed with IBD, while we were still figuring out what he could eat. I sliced the canned food about 1/2" thick and baked it on a cookie sheet at about 250(F) until they were dry, I can't remember how long it took, maybe 1/2 hr?

[Guest alannamac]

Sending good thoughts....glad Peggy is doing well and you are seeing improvement!

[Guest kar]

good thoughts your way

[JohnF]

I did this when Fletcher was first diagnosed with IBD, while we were still figuring out what he could eat. I sliced the canned food about 1/2" thick and baked it on a cookie sheet at about 250(F) until they were dry, I can't remember how long it took, maybe 1/2 hr?

Thanks (and to Batmom) for that suggestion. I think I'll actually try doing that with all the kitchen windows open. What i've done so far is put a spoon of the wet food on a plate as a treat but its so messy.

 

She has to eat 3 tins a day, and has done it too, and at 6 or 7am i give the Zantac and Buscopan to stop the gurgles from starting. The price of that vet food though would be about $3.90 a 400g can in your money and it looks like rubbish to me. I couldn't find out much more than this about it:

http://www.royalcanin.co.uk/downloads/vetlibrary/pets_with_intestinal_disorders.PDF

[Remolacha]

Sometimes you can transition off the special food once their gut has settles down, sometimes not. Likely you will have to find a limited ingredient food of some sort, and they are usually expensive.

[Guest IrskasMom]

How is Peggy today ??? Was looking for an Update .

[JohnF]

Thanks for asking about Peggy.

Not much to report really as she's been eating 3 cans daily of that vet gastro diet food without vomiting or diarrhea, today she only wanted a couple of cans and hasn't really been herself. I think perhaps it is the hot thundery weather, but no diarrhea and vomiting is good - right?

I'll keep on with the Zantac & Buscopan and take her back for a vets appointment Wednesday or sooner if she's not well. If only they could talk to us and say how they feel!

 

 

Oh and on top of all that a friend's Rottie mix needed a leg amp due to that horrible Osteo high up in a thigh bone. They were all set to spend about $8K in your money on a hip replacement only for it to be cancelled on the table and a phone call demanding difficult choices followed. And there was me complaining to her about Peggy's upsets and she had something far worse to report. I wondered why there was only one dog with her that day.

[Houndtime]

Glad she is doing better.

[galgrey]

I hope Peggy continues to improve every day.

[EllenEveBaz]

No diarrhea and vomiting is good.

 

Best wishes to your friend's rottie.

[Guest IrskasMom]

So, so glad , Peggy is doing better . Huge Hugs for Peggy

[TheFullHouse]

Sounds like she's doing better.

[JohnF]

Sounds like she's doing better.

 

I like to think she is because that vet diet I was told to use for 7 days has lost her some weight, and I'm just from today adding a handful of the Duck and Rice kibble. if all goes well, and keeping with the Buscopan and Zantac tablets, I will gradually have her back on kibble in about a week and a 1/4 tin of vet food to top it. She next goes to the vet Wednesday afternoon and I will watch poops very carefully for signs of bleeding.

 

Oh... and I'll mention an update from my friend's dog who had a leg amp to get rid of Osteo in a back thigh bone. I saw him today, ten days weeks on from the op on three legs all healed up with fur growing back and hopping happily on the lead with their other dog. Fortunately as a Rottie mix, he was already a very strong dog with robust legs and huge feet. They said they have another chest xray scheduled for 12 weeks time.

Edited July 21, 2014 by JohnF

[JohnF]

She next goes to the vet Wednesday afternoon and I will watch poops very carefully for signs of bleeding.

Update: There has been no more bloody diarrhea and vomiting since that first incident.

The vet seemed to be happy with her, though wanted to sell me a 14kg bg of Royal Canin vet gastro-intestinal kibble for something like $120 in your money!

I'm going to keep the Buscopan and Zantac in place twice a day while I transition to the Burns Duck & Brown Rice kibble, I'm not going to fee her favourite Bonio treats as they have wheat. I'm 1/4 way into the transfer and poops have firmed up, so it just depends if we get the stomach gurgles starting in the morning again.

If we do, maybe I can get that vet food online and in bulk to save money.

[carronstar]

That sounds like a great update! Keep up the good progress, Peggy!