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Jeff Is Turning Blue On Tummy And Inside Of Back Legs


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Had Jeff in to the vet a few days ago - he's been listless, has lost muscle mass, and very recently, though he is eating, he is not as keen as usual. Poop has had an orange-y cast the last few days.

 

Initially there were other reasons to account for some of this - he was grieving for the loss of another dog, and he was still in rehab due to shoulder surgery as a result of which he has been on very limited exercise. But earlier this week it all sort of converged.

 

Vet ran urinalysis and the results were normal other than more bilirubin than she wanted to see (I don't have the value). She got him back in for bloodwork - all normal except his bilirubin was 18 (high normal is 5).

 

She believes something is going on with his liver. She doesn't think it's pancreatitis as he isn't vomiting and he doesn't have diarrhea, but she is going to have another test run to be sure. She said if the pancreas was inflamed it could constrict the bile duct. We won't have that result for a couple of days. In the meantime, I have cut most of the fat out of his diet, just in case.

 

But, he's turning blue. I noticed it yesterday afternoon and took him back in - at that point it was mainly one side of his chest, and on the inside of his upper thighs. She could see it, but couldn't find anything wrong on exam, and we had fresh urinalysis and bloodwork that didn't suggest anything.

 

I can't get a good look at his tummy right now, but the blue is spreading down the inside of his legs. We are having a rainstorm and the light is awful but I will get and post photos when I am able.

 

I tried searching online but people talk about "black". Hopefully that isn't where this is headed, but I didn't really find anything helpful about "blue".

 

If you have experience with anything like this, please share. I am very concerned but don't know what to do.

 

Thank you!

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How are his gums? Just wondering if he could be bleeding under the skin somewhere. Did they give you any indication why there is an orange-ish color to the stool?

 

I would be back in touch with your vet or head to an E-Vet ASAP since this is spreading.

 

Hoping it all turns out okay for Jeff.

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Can it be some kind of cyanosis? The red bloodcells can't transport enough oxygen and therefor turn blue or purple. The colour shimmers through the skin.

 

But I guess your vet would have seen something in the bloodworks. And it doesn't explain the orange poop.

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I have no clue, but blue makes me think not enough blood flow. Did this start on the surgery side? Wonder if there could be some sort of internal swelling or damage that's causing problems and maybe x-rays or a CT scan would be helpful?

 

I really don't know, but blue seems scary. Thinking I'd be headed to the e-vet. A second opinion (albeit a much more expensive one) may not be a bad idea at this point.

 

Hope it's nothing major and you get it sorted out soon.

Edited by NeylasMom

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Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart

"The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong."

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I need to get some photos - he's not dark blue, it's subtle, but it's there. The weather seems to be clearing, I will post photos as soon as I can get something decent.

 

Thank you all for your thoughts. To answer a few questions:

 

- he has no symptoms that fit any of the usual causes of "blueness", bloodwork, urinalysis and two detailed physical exams offered no explanation, and the vet doing all of this is one of the two vets in the practice I respect and trust the most

 

- she does think there is something going on with the liver, which would account for his other symptoms, including the orange-y poop, and this is why we will do the ultrasound Monday

 

- he is showing no escalation in terms of behaviour or symptoms

 

- gums are fine

 

- ETA the surgery was in June so I don't think it's related. He has had to be on limited exercise for 12 - 16 weeks. We have been doing gradually longer walks (quite long now) and "stronger" rehab exercises which is why the muscle loss no longer made sense.

 

The practice is closed but I did e-mail the other vet I know best a little while ago. He was on earlier today and there is a good chance he'll see it.

 

I am considering the e-vet - Jeff is insured so cost is not the inhibitor - I am more concerned about putting him through the time there and a potential battery of tests when we believe his liver has issues. Unless something escalates, I want to wait.

 

I am so hoping someone who has experienced something along these lines will post.

Edited by Rickiesmom
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Here are some photos - not great but best I can get. These are all the inside of the same leg, The photos make it look a lot darker than it actually is, but at least this way you can see it.

On this one, you can see it from upper right going down toward the left:

 

IMG_1070.jpg

 

Upper left going down toward right:

 

IMG_1069.jpg

 

In wide part of thigh, down the leg:

 

IMG_1068.jpg

 

Similar, focus not so good:

 

IMG_1068.jpg

 

Now that I have these I will also send them to my vet.

 

Please look at your own hound if they are white or like Jeff, white with ticking. Maybe this isn't as weird as I think it is.

Edited by Rickiesmom
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Kasey (WTR) looked like that on occassion and I never found it unusual, however based on his issues of late, I can understand why you are worried. That is very very very light. How old is he? Have you massaged it for perhaps improved circulation to see if it goes away? Can you get a comparison photo of the other leg?

Edited by XTRAWLD

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Bandita's lower legs looks blue too. She just had her yearly check up and is healthy as a horse. My guess is her skin is so thin there that I see more color than I do in my other dogs and since she has thin white hair it's more noticable.

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Thank you - ever since the bilirubin results I have been micro-monitoring him, and wondered if maybe I was just seeing something I hadn't paid attention to before. I do think it is further down his legs than it was yesterday, but I feel better now. If I were seeing any behaviour change / escalation in symptoms I would take him to the e-vet in a heartbeat.

 

ETA the other leg is similar.

 

Jeff turned 6 in January.

Edited by Rickiesmom
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Mark the outlines where you think they are with a few small lines of marker? That way you can easily see if it changes.

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Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart

"The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong."

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no idea what this could be but sending hugs because I know how worried you must be :grouphug

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Sometimes you will see a change of skin color-blue-like that with corticosteroid use.-it's from the thinning of skin. I don't believe that to be your case. He's not symptomatic of cushings is he?

No, I don't think so. I just looked up the symptoms and they don't seem to fit. The main changes are listlessness, loss of muscle mass, eating but no anticipatory enthusiasm, the elevated bilirubin and pain on palpation of what the vet described as mid-abdomen above the bladder (he screamed very convincingly during both examinations), and the orange-y poop. I don't remember seeing blueness like this before, but it might be something that didn't really register when he didn't have other problems.
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Not since he first came home. I can bring that up with the vet - what aspect of what is going on with him made you suggest that, so I have somewhere to start?

Phoenix developed some of the same symptoms shortly after I adopted him, especially the listlessness. It was very difficult to have him tested for babesia, as the carrying brown ticks don't live here on Ontario. Finally I found a vet in Oakville who did the test, and it was positive. Although his titres were borderline, the critters were visible in his blood. The treatment has to be brought in from the US. I was told that babesia can be dormant for a long time, but can be activated due to stress, such as being adopted or mourning the loss of a good friend.

Edited by robinw

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Xavi the galgo and Peter the cat. Missing Iker the galgo ?-Feb.9/19, Treasure (USS Treasure) April 12/01-May 6/13, Phoenix (Hallo Top Son) Dec.14/99-June 4/11 and Loca (Reko Swahili) Oct.9/95 - June 1/09, Allen the boss cat, died late November, 2021, age 19.

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