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Elevated Alt, Temperature, Blood In Abdomen - What's Going On?


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Looking for ideas.

 

I've been posting about Tessa (fka Pizza Joint) in the Watching & Waiting thread for a long time (maybe 4 years now?). Two weeks ago, I learned she was officially retired from both racing and brood duties and was headed my way. Sunday a week ago she arrived at PRH. I met her Monday. She was staying to get vetted before I brought her home. I visited again last Saturday and yesterday. I'm 2.5 hours away from the kennel now, so I'm getting all my info through the grapevine (and therefore worrying like crazy between messages).

 

Here's what we know...

 

She's 5 1/2 years old, raced until just before her 3rd birthday, was a brood the rest of the time. Two litters, April 2016 and October 2016. Retired and arrived at PRH at the very end of June. Was supposed to come home (finally!) in about two weeks after being vetted.

 

Initial symptoms over the past week:

-She's dropped some weight, but she was a brood and so was fairly hefty when she arrived and had a couple pounds to spare

-Ate well for a couple days, then threw up twice Saturday morning, had fairly explosive diarrhea outside, and refused breakfast and treats. A couple other dogs were having GI issues so we figured there was a bug going around (happens occasionally). As far as I know, her appetite has been off and on since then. She didn't want to eat yesterday morning but eventually did, and she took some treats

-She's a bit nervous in general, but she was really distressed yesterday. I figured it was because I brought my parents to meet her and she takes a while to warm up to new folks. She trotted circles around the grass lot (doing fly-bys - she'd run up, get a pat, then run away), laid down against the wall, let me pet her, but was obviously only interested in getting back inside. We walked up the road a little ways (not too far because it was hot).

-She didn't really respond to being called (she knows her name and, when I was spending time with her a week ago, I'd call her and she'd come running, or at the very least wag her tail enthusiastically). Tuesday when I called her, she got up, trotted a couple steps, then turned around and laid back down.

-I noticed some redness on one of her back legs on Saturday

 

I left the kennel yesterday feeling concerned and like something was wrong, but without really knowing her and being around her all the time, I figured I was just being paranoid.

 

Symptoms today:

-Really bad bloody diarrhea overnight and this morning

-Fever of 105, climbed to 106 after arriving at the vet

-Disorientation (seemed to have no idea where she was)

-Lethargy

-Head tilt

-Once the volunteer noticed the head tilt, she got her out of her crate. She was acting odd, confused, and within a few minutes wasn't able to stand

 

The volunteer rushed her to the vet. They started getting her cooled down immediately and started her on Doxy and fluids also.

 

Her blood tests looked normal except for a pretty elevated Alt (not sure what the number is, just that it's pretty elevated). Other values were fairly normal.

 

They're having a hard time keeping her temp down. Whenever they took her off the cooling thing, her temp spiked again.

 

They took x-rays and nothing was as defined as it should be. She has blood in her abdomen, but it doesn't look fresh like something has just ruptured.

 

She's headed to a specialty vet for overnight observation just in case her temp spikes again or she has another episode like she did earlier today, then back to the regular vet in the morning. Since she needs to be spayed anyway, I'm wondering if they'll go ahead with that (as long as she's able to handle it) and poke around a bit while they're in there to see if they can figure out what's happening and where the blood is coming from.

 

Original guess was something tick-borne, possibly ehrlichia, but now no one is sure. The vet is at a loss trying to match these symptoms with any one thing.

 

Does anyone have any idea what these symptoms might fit?

 

Last I heard, her temp was down below 103 (yay!). Hopefully it'll stay down this time. I just drove home today and I'm so tempted to turn right around and drive back down to see her tomorrow morning. I'm not sure what good I'd be doing besides being close. While she's my dog, she hasn't had a chance to really learn this yet (I've spent time with her since her arrival, but not enough for her to bond to me yet). While I feel very attached to Tessa, to her, I'm just another nice person who has given her food and affection a couple times.

 

And a photo (because I know the rules!) until I can actually make an introduction thread for her - I've been waiting till I got her home...

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Mom of bridge babies Regis and Dusty.

Wrote a book about shelter dogs!

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If they've done bloodwork and x-rays they probably should already have a pretty good idea if it is or isn't a pyo. Most pyos are visible on x-rays, and the white blood cell count should be quite elevated on the bloodwork.

Kristie and the Apex Agility Greyhounds: Kili (ATChC AgMCh Lakilanni Where Eagles Fly RN IP MSCDC MTRDC ExS Bronze ExJ Bronze ) and Kenna (Lakilanni Kiss The Sky RN MADC MJDC AGDC AGEx AGExJ). Waiting at the Bridge: Retired racer Summit (Bbf Dropout) May 5, 2005-Jan 30, 2019

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If they've done bloodwork and x-rays they probably should already have a pretty good idea if it is or isn't a pyo. Most pyos are visible on x-rays, and the white blood cell count should be quite elevated on the bloodwork.

That's what I was thinking - as far as I know, her wbc was fairly normal. The only thing I was told was significantly elevated was her Alt.

Mom of bridge babies Regis and Dusty.

Wrote a book about shelter dogs!

I sell things on Etsy!

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Ultrasound done?

 

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What a pretty girl. Her eyes are amazing. Good healing thoughts for Tessa. :hope

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Incredible start already. No ideas. Thinking of you two...

 

Btw - I have never heard of Pyometra so I looked it up.

I've only ever owned boys. So this is a bit fascinating to me.

http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/treatment-options

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Pyometra was my first thought as well though I'm not sure the symptoms fit exactly.

 

Otherwise, TBD seems reasonable. Has she had a full tick panel run? Or lepto? Usually affects kidneys I think, but I wonder if starting her on doxy prophylactically is a good idea at this point.

 

She's gorgeous. Hope she feels better soon!

 

ETA: What about hepatitis?

 

"Infectious Canine Hepatitis - an acute liver infection in dogs caused by the canine adenovirus type-1 (CAV-1). This disease is spread in the feces, urine, blood, saliva and nasal discharge of infected dogs. Its contracted through the mouth or nose, where it replicates in the tonsils. The virus then infects the liver and kidneys. The incubation period is 4 to 7 days.

 

Symptoms: fever, depression, loss of appetite, coughing and a tender abdomen. Severe cases will develop bleeding disorders which can cause hematomas to form in the mouth."

 

From another site:

 

"Symptoms will depend on the immunologic status of the host and degree of initial injury to the cells (cytotoxic):

 

Peracute (very severe) stage will have symptoms of fever, central nervous system signs, collapse of blood vessels, coagulation disorder (DIC); death frequently occurs within hours

Acute (severe) stage will show symptoms of fever, anorexia, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, enlarged liver, abdominal pain, abdominal fluid, inflammation of the vessels (vasculitis), pinpoint red dots, bruising of skin (petechia), DIC, swollen, enlarged lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy), and rarely, inflammation of the brain (nonsuppurative encephalitis)

Uncomplicated infection will have symptoms of lethargy, anorexia, transient fever, tonsillitis, vomiting, diarrhea, lymphadenopathy, enlarged liver, abdominal pain"

 

http://m.petmd.com/dog/conditions/infectious-parasitic/c_dg_canine_hepatitis

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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Good thoughts for your pretty girl. I hope you can find out what is ailing her and get her better soon.

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One of mine had Pyo and the symptoms were not the same apart from lethargy elevated temperature and an unusual discharge.

There shouldn't be ANY leaked blood or unexplained fluid in the body cavity. I'd think about Ascites from a bleeding ulcer or other lesion, and I'd be investigating to rule it out immediately.

Any chance of Parvo? Has the dog been moved recently?

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I hadn't thought about hepatitis! I'm not sure if they have either. I'll suggest it.

 

She was moved from Kansas to Florida about two weeks ago, then from Florida to PRH about a week ago. Not sure about parvo, though I hope it's not that - I lost a litter of foster pups to parvo years ago and it was absolutely terrible :( Her symptoms don't sound similar to theirs, but I've never seen it in an older dog so maybe it acts a little differently.

Mom of bridge babies Regis and Dusty.

Wrote a book about shelter dogs!

I sell things on Etsy!

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Best thoughts!

Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in Illinois
We miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.

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She made it through the night! :yay Her temp is currently 103, it broke and then spiked again during the night but is back down.

 

I suggested hepatitis but her WBC is normal. The internet says hepatitis would lower her WBC. A couple different greyhound vets have looked at her bloodwork and symptoms and are just as baffled as the original vet.

 

She's being transferred back to the regular vet. I believe they're planning on surgery to see if they can figure out what's going on and to spay her while she's in there.

Mom of bridge babies Regis and Dusty.

Wrote a book about shelter dogs!

I sell things on Etsy!

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One thing to consider, WBC counts run low in greybounds so if you don't have a baseline for her its possible elevated shows up as within normal on b/w. Though with how sick she sounds, I would think they'd be way up.

 

So strange. Hope surgery goes smoothly and this is the start to recovery. :goodluck

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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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