Jasper's (and my) crummy week

I'm just...vening, I guess. It's been a long long long week. And expensive.

First, I did something stupid at work and threw out my back. I've been in horrid pain all week and I've just been forgetful and things aren't getting done the way they should.

Jasper has been having some stiffness in his back legs, and it's gotten worse since we brought Alyssum home. So I took him in for an exam and X-rays. Turns out he has luxating patellas on both sides, worse on the right. Nowhere near bad enough to need durgery or anything, but he was sent home with some Rimadyl just for a few days, and I was to restrict his playing and make sure he didn't re-irritate his knees.

After just two days on the Rimadyl, his stools started getting a little soft, so I stopped giving it, knowing that Rimadyl can have serious side effects and that the soft stool might be an early sign of them. Unfortunately, I also fed him his dinner that night rather than fasting him like I should have (His stools weren't RUNNY, just softer than normal).

Sometime that night, he popped downstairs and got into the garbage in the office. The office door is almost always kept closed at night so the cats don't eat my fern, it just got overlooked because my back hurt and I wanted to get into bed NOW.

So yesterday started off with Jasper having diarrhea in the house. Fabulous. It's full-on runny now, but I'm still not super alarmed. I didn't feed him in the morning, and kept a close eye on him. As the morning passed his diarrhea graduated to full blown squirts and he vomited once as well. My regular vet is closed for the holiday, and when I called the emergency clinic they didn't seem to feel that he needed to come in unless there was blood in the stool/vomit.

---I should pause here to mention that in rare cases Rimadyl can cause abrupt liver failure, so the advice they gave me was WRONG---

I waited a bit longer and suddenly he vomited three times in a row, so we took him in to the E-clinic after all.

I really dislike my local emergency clinic, but the one I LIKE has moved and I don't know where their new location is, so I didn't want to be driving around lost with poor Jasper barfing all over the place.

So we arrive, and the vet we talk to seems pretty good, wants to run x-rays to check for a blockage, give him some subQ fluids, but blows off my request to check liver enzymes completely. He wants to run an ISTAT to check his electrolytes and whatnot, which is great, but I request another test to make sure his liver function is normal.

Next, an RVT comes in with my estimate, which has a test on it that I'm not too sure what it is, but I think maybe it's liver enzymes, so I ask. It quickly becomes apparent that the tech doesn't know what's on the test, and she gets snippy with me when I push the topic "Dr. Whoever is prescribing the RIGHT test for your dog's condition based on his findings" blah blah blah. My husbands restates the request. My sister in law restates the request. (She's an RVT with over ten years of experience in the field, so I trust her completely wiht my animals) The tech gets snippier and never gives a clear answer.

Eventually I pay the deposit and leave. When I come back, THEY HADN'T RUN THE LIVER ENZYMES! I mean, WTH!? I paid $600 for their services without batting an eye and I was MORE than willing to pay for the extra test to put my mind at ease. Even if they thought I was being silly, I feel like they should have humored me. I've worked in a vet clinic and I know exactly how much extra work it would have been to pull an extra tube of blood....next to none. I was FURIOUS.

Since Jasper's serum was normal and he doesn't have any jaundice or other signs of liver trouble, I'm just waiting until my normal vet re-opens and I'm 100% certain they will let me bring him around for a blood draw just to ease my mind. I LOVE my regular vet.

Meanwhile, he's still miserable, he's still got liquid stool, he's eaten exactly 1 1/2 cups of rice today and nothing else, and I feel so helpless because I can't help him. Not to mention, I'm out a total of about $1,000 and I still don't know what's wrong with him.

Yikes, what a time you're having!

Hope your back heals up quickly. Are you taking anything, even Ibuprofen? Hope so!

Poor Jasper, he can't feel well. I never allow my pets to have Rimadyl, too many complications. The Senior Dog Project found so many issues w/ it that they actually recommended it be removed from the market.

Ask for Deramaxx, Metacam, or Tamidol are all good. You don't want him in pain, and there are so many good options.

Give him time on boiled chicken and rice to settle his tum (could take 3 to 4 days) and get the Rimadyl out of his system, then get him back on routine.

I'm not sure, but I don't think 2 or 3 doses of Rimadyl will cause liver issues, I think it has to be more long term.

Praying for healing for both of you.

I believe also that Rimadyl liver damage is from long term use, although I would be as worried as you. Pawsitive thoughts and prayers that Jasper is better soon, and your back also.

Thanks guys. I know I'm most likely overreacting, especially since he DOES have a history of dietary indescretion, but he's my baby. :) He seems much the same this morning, though he hasn't asked to go outside yet which tells me his stomach may be settling a bit.

Poor Jasper, potty problem are NOT fun. :( And poor Mom, back issues are NOT fun either.
I hope you are both feeling better soon.

Wow! Our J dogs have similar intestional issues. I do the rice and green bean diet for a few days, and on the third day start adding canned pumpkin. The chicken is still more difficult to digest. I keep him on a sweet potato and fish limited ingredient diet, including his wet food and treats. It works until he eats what he shouldnt. Then it is awful, and we are just now rebounding from that. Sorry you both are under the weather.

I'm sorry to hear that both you and Jasper aren't feeling well.:( I know all about diarrhea problems but only in cats. I hope that you'll both start feeling better soon. Lots of prayers and positive thoughts are being sent your way.