Hooks And Low Protein Levels? What About Swollen Feet?

[Riverhound]

Yay! Another hookworm topic!

 

Im fostering a ten year old double bounce who has had hooks for an unknown amount of time. He just had old dude blood work, and his protein levels are in the toilet.

 

He has two feet that swell up like crazy with activity. (He was mostly a tripod when he landed here.) We did a week of cephalexin and are now on doxycycline. Initial tests for TBDs are negative and x-rays are clear.

 

His voice is raspy. Chest films are clear. No issues eating dry food. Appetite is mostly good, but he prefers his kibble seasoned with shaky cheese, honey, or syrup.

 

We had a night where it seemed like sleep aggression was an issue. He came after people twice with absolutely dead eyes. (I can lay all over this dog, no issues.) He sounded like he was choking on his sleep just before one of those episodes.

 

One rear leg bows out. He walks on the outside toe. That is a foot that swells.

 

He is a walking skeleton. He has all his marbles. He just blew his coat in a very serious way. He can see and hear just fine. He might be the nicest dog I have ever met.

 

Does anyone have ideas? One issue (hooks), or several? New P&P samples are going to the vet Friday.

Edited June 21, 2018 by Riverhound

[Time4ANap]

Could the hooks be causing several symptoms of PLE? I have a feeling that the vet would need to do some more tests for a complete picture of the intestines before deciding if it's just the hooks or PLE also.

 

Is the protein level dangerously low at this point or just a little low? If just a little low, I think I'd keep monitoring it after deworming treatments to see if it gets better before ordering more tests. If dangerously low, or there's no improvement after deworming then the vet may need to test further and prescribe a course of action to treat that first.

 

This boy is in good hands with you!

[GreyTzu]

https://wagwalking.com/condition/hypoalbuminemia

PLE???

[MaryJane]

Did they do a urine -- it would be interesting to know what is the protein and specific gravity is.

[Riverhound]

Don I dont have copies of any of the test results.

 

MaryJane urine sample goes in tomorrow. Logistics are tricky because Im an hour away from the groups vet. Other concerned parties have been assisting with transportation.

 

Off to read about PLE. Thanks for the idea. I love this site!

 

(I hate posting from the phone. Half of my punctuation goes away and makes things look crazy!)

Edited June 21, 2018 by Riverhound

[tbhounds]

Did they do a urine -- it would be interesting to know what is the protein and specific gravity is.

 

Yup-need to run a urinalysis-need to know where the protein is being lost from-gut or kidneys. Also, need to know about liver function -protein being lost or not being made?

[Greylover97]

Im dropping off a urine and fecal sample tomorrow. No specific levels for his blood work. Not sure if thats our place to ask because we dont own him. Treading lightly in concern to the situation.

[greysmom]

Yes, find out where the protein is being lost from, and that will point you in the next direction to look.

 

Hooks *are* insidious, and can cause a host of serious problems, but I'm not clear that everything you listed has it's origins there.

Edited June 22, 2018 by greysmom

[GreyTzu]

Off to read about PLE. Thanks for the idea. I love this site!

(I hate posting from the phone. Half of my punctuation goes away and makes things look crazy!)

That's okay, we already know you're crazy!

[Riverhound]

That's okay, we already know you're crazy!

Oh! Everythings fine, then! Thanks, Wendy!

[Riverhound]

Fecal and urinalysis were unremarkable, so they are hoping the protein loss is from hooks. (Hooks werent visible in stool this time, but hed JUST been dewormed a couple days earlier.)

 

In the meantime, he and Jefferson are having boy dog issues, so he cant stay here much longer. I got him out of the kennel to reduce stress, not increase it. :-(

 

The belly is more distended, feet get puffy, reduce, do it again. His eyes are slightly glassy since starting the doxy.

 

Hes a happy little dude. He eats like a pig, dances for the leash. Anyone currently hound-less and up for an old geezer? At some point, he will break your heart, but I promise the journey will be worth it. I really love this dog.

 

BLARGH. Missing punctuation. Annoying!

Edited June 26, 2018 by Riverhound

[Riverhound]

Add Hyperkeratosis of the feet to it, with small pink spots inside one nostril. Feet are still badly swollen. Hes a week and a half in on the doxycycline with no noticeable change.

 

Could something autoimmune do all of this?

[tbhounds]

Did they do an echocardiogram?

[Greylover97]

No to the echo. At his age Im not sure how much money the group is willing to fork out for him.

[tbhounds]

No to the echo. At his age Im not sure how much money the group is willing to fork out for him.

Liver values normal?

[Greylover97]

Yes, all blood work was normal except protein (low).

Its been a battle to get this boy vet care since day one. Its been very frustrating.

[Riverhound]

Hes going back to the groups kennel today. He and Jefferson dont work well together, and he needs vet attention that wont be given if he isnt physically there. If its an end of life situation, Ive been told they will let me have him back for hospice care. Jefferson will go hang out with Mary Pat frequently if that happens.

 

Im royally pissed. I went into this expecting support that just hasnt been there, and Ive never had all the available information about the dog, despite asking multiple times. I was promised meds for him that never materialized and have been treated like an annoyance for trying to get the dog treatment. Just not ok.

[cleptogrey]

Hes going back to the groups kennel today. He and Jefferson dont work well together, and he needs vet attention that wont be given if he isnt physically there. If its an end of life situation, Ive been told they will let me have him back for hospice care. Jefferson will go hang out with Mary Pat frequently if that happens.

 

Im royally pissed. I went into this expecting support that just hasnt been there, and Ive never had all the available information about the dog, despite asking multiple times. I was promised meds for him that never materialized and have been treated like an annoyance for trying to get the dog treatment. Just not ok.

if you took him in with a verbal agreement of support you have the right to be pissed. you are doing the right thing so he can get the medical support needed.

[Greylover97]

Hes going back to the groups kennel today. He and Jefferson dont work well together, and he needs vet attention that wont be given if he isnt physically there. If its an end of life situation, Ive been told they will let me have him back for hospice care. Jefferson will go hang out with Mary Pat frequently if that happens.

 

Im royally pissed. I went into this expecting support that just hasnt been there, and Ive never had all the available information about the dog, despite asking multiple times. I was promised meds for him that never materialized and have been treated like an annoyance for trying to get the dog treatment. Just not ok.

Cant argue with any of that. They dont normally foster and their inexperience really showed. This poor boy has potentially more serious medical problems than anyone expected which didnt help the situation.

[Riverhound]

Cant argue with any of that. They dont normally foster and their inexperience really showed. This poor boy has potentially more serious medical problems than anyone expected which didnt help the situation.

Candice, you are sugar coating it and making excuses for your group. I get it, because they are your people, but this was bad and hurt me terribly. You also know how hard we both fought to get them to take his medical needs seriously and you witnessed first hand their lack of response and the vets shock at his condition when you finally got them to take him in (thank you).

 

They didnt provide promised treatment for a known issue or let me know they werent going to. I dropped off a notebook full of notes on the dog when I left him there yesterday. I doubt the vet or potential adopters will see it, because it says every. damn. thing. and I dont think this group does full disclosure.

 

I was jerked around beyond belief by these people, and I HATE that I took him back to them but there wasnt a ton of choice with the tension between G. and Jefferson after the fight. I had an alternate foster lined up that they wouldnt go for.

 

Kennel conditions are awful there. Dirty. They showed a potential adopter a white dog, colored brown, who was known to roll in her own feces, without giving the dog a bath or mentioning to the person.

 

None of this is all right.

 

(Edited to add that Im trying hard not to go off the deep end because Candice is a good friend who is caught in the middle of all kinds of crazy.) :-)

Edited July 4, 2018 by Riverhound

[FiveRoooooers]

Hes going back to the groups kennel today. He and Jefferson dont work well together, and he needs vet attention that wont be given if he isnt physically there. If its an end of life situation, Ive been told they will let me have him back for hospice care. Jefferson will go hang out with Mary Pat frequently if that happens.

 

Im royally pissed. I went into this expecting support that just hasnt been there, and Ive never had all the available information about the dog, despite asking multiple times. I was promised meds for him that never materialized and have been treated like an annoyance for trying to get the dog treatment. Just not ok.

[Greylover97]

There was a lot of miscommunication on all parts and being an hour away from primary vet care didnt help the situation. You cant pin everything on the group though. When he came back he wasnt up to date on vaccines and had no health records. Whatever information they had, I passed on to you.

I fought to get him with you and to get him vet care. I took days off of work to transport him to make sure he was properly looked after at the vet and to make sure he came back to you. After all I did, to get a text out of blue saying hes going back to the kennel when I thought alternative arrangements were made. To find out that his health was even worse than before. You dont think Im not upset too? Im done.

[NeylasMom]

Hes going back to the groups kennel today. He and Jefferson dont work well together, and he needs vet attention that wont be given if he isnt physically there. If its an end of life situation, Ive been told they will let me have him back for hospice care. Jefferson will go hang out with Mary Pat frequently if that happens.

 

Im royally pissed. I went into this expecting support that just hasnt been there, and Ive never had all the available information about the dog, despite asking multiple times. I was promised meds for him that never materialized and have been treated like an annoyance for trying to get the dog treatment. Just not ok.

I'm sorry.