Prayers for Tucker Please - Latest Update #35
Tucker has not been feeling good since Friday. He woke up on Friday with diarrhea. He had it throughout the day and some vomiting. Saturday he was still having diarrhea but no vomiting. Today more diahrea and vomiting. He has been eating rice with a little chicken mixed in but not very much of it and been drinking water well and for the most part keeping it down. Yesterday I tried Pepto and today I tried Immodium. This afternoon I was away for a little while and came back to a lot of vomit in his kennel. A short time later he started vomiting blood. Our vets office is now doing a sharing weekend duties with another vet in a small town just south of here and of course with my luck he was the one on duty today. I called and then after discussing how he was acting etc. we decided on a wait a couple of hours and see avoiding food and water during that time. I sat down on the couch with him and then all of a sudden noticed blood on his side. Sure enough he was bledding from the bowels. So we had to load him up and meet the vet in Arlington. He checked him over and said he would do some testing but he didn't think it was an obstruction because he didn't seem to have an enlarged areas or seem too sore when he pushed on hiis stomach area. He was leaning toward hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis which happens in small dogs - they don't know why but what that meant was he would have to stay and be on an iv to avoid dehydration and to calm his stomach. Tonight he called and said the x-rays looked fine and the blood tests seemed okay so he was still leaning toward hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis and he would call me in the morning to tell me how he was doing. And then we would see how long he felt he needed to keep Tucker. I miss my little buddy already and am terribly worried about him. Please keep him in your prayers. March 18th last year was when we lost Snoopy and I am not ready to lose another of my babies.
What's "Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE) ?
From the Merck Vet Manual:
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/in...m/bc/23311.htm
Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE) is characterized by an acute onset of bloody diarrhea in formerly healthy dogs.
Young, toy, and miniature breeds of dogs appear predisposed. Mortality is high in untreated dogs.
Etiology and Pathophysiology:
The etiology is unknown. An abnormal response to bacteria, bacterial endotoxins, or diet may be involved, but evidence is lacking. Clostridium perfringens has been cultured from some dogs with HGE, although its significance is unknown. Escherichia coli has also been identified from some dogs with the disease, but no toxigenic strains have been isolated. There is no sex predilection, and dogs of any age may be affected. King Charles Spaniels, Shetland Sheepdogs, Pekingese, Yorkshire Terriers, Poodles, and Schnauzers may be more frequently affected than other breeds. Hyperactivity and stress are possible contributing factors. Although no definitive cause has been found, a marked increase in vascular and mucosal permeability is likely. RBC, plasma, and fluid leak into the bowel lumen. Inflammation and necrosis are rarely seen. The increase in bowel permeability may represent a type I hypersensitivity reaction. Inciting factors may include food allergens, bacterial products, or intestinal parasites. Splenic contraction and the loss of fluid into the bowel contributes to the increased PCV and the maintenance of a low or normal serum total protein.
Clinical Findings:
The disease is often seen in dogs 2-4 yr old and is characterized by an acute onset of vomiting and bloody diarrhea, anorexia, and depression. Dogs are not clinically dehydrated, but unless fluid support is initiated, hypovolemic shock may develop. The disease is not contagious and may be seen without obvious changes in diet, environment, or daily routine; the history is unremarkable.
Diagnosis:
Diagnosis is based on the clinical sign of acute, bloody diarrhea accompanied by an increased PCV, which is often >60%.
Findings on physical examination and biochemical profile tend to be normal.
Other causes of GI bleeding that should be considered include parvovirus, coronavirus,
Campylobacter spp , Salmonella spp , Clostridium spp , Escherichia coli , and leptospirosis,
as well as whipworms, hookworms, coccidiosis, and giardiasis.
Coagulopathies (including warfarin toxicity and thrombocytopenia), GI neoplasia, ulceration, colitis,
and hypoadrenocorticism are other potential causes of GI bleeding.
Treatment:
Most dogs respond to supportive treatment, including fluid therapy (eg, lactated Ringer’s) and antibiotics (eg, ampicillin at 20 mg/kg, IV, tid and gentamicin at 2.2 mg/kg, SC, tid). Potassium chloride should be added to the IV fluids. Less severely affected dogs may be treated with amoxicillin, trimethoprim-sulfa, fluoroquinolone, or cephalosporin antibiotics. Food and water should be withheld for 2-3 days. When vomiting has ceased, food can be gradually reintroduced. Because of the possibility that food sensitivity may be an inciting factor, the protein source chosen should be one not previously fed to the dog, eg, cottage cheese, lamb, or tofu, mixed with rice. This diet is fed for 1-2 wk, after which the dog’s regular diet can be gradually reintroduced.
Serious complications are uncommon but may include disseminated intravascular coagulation.
Most dogs recover.
Fewer than 10% of treated dogs die, and 10-15% have repeated occurrences.
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With the early intervention treatment Tucker is getting,
his prognosis should be excellent. Here's a Prayer that the 'fix' is
quick and complete!
Hurry Home, Tucker!!
{{{Hugs}}} to Mom!
/s/ Phred :love:
