Page 1 of 6 123456 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 79

Thread: UPDATE In Dog Memorial - I am back - with very sad news...

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    ILLINOIS, US
    Posts
    1,778

    UPDATE In Dog Memorial - I am back - with very sad news...

    Hello all.

    First, allow me to apologize for this very long thread....I just need to get this all out.

    It has been a while since I have been on Pet Talk. Things have been a bit hectic for the last several months. We had no home internet for almost 6 months, but now have gone with Clear and really like it - good service, cheap bill! We have had lots of sick dogs come into the rescue, but we are getting by. And we are planning our 2nd Annual BowWow BBQ for 9/11/10 - busy, busy, busy! I hope you are all well.

    SO, the sad news....

    Many of you know our dog Scruff. He is my third child. And he is sick. Very sick.

    Scruff, is battling an unknown illness. He has been in and out of vets since June 1, 2010 for lethargy, loss of appetite, weight loss, and staggering. The vets sent him home telling me to give him Chicken and rice, Doxycyline, and Flagyl.....he lost 10lbs in 6 wks, so we took him back in on 7/16. The vets took blood - finally! They then recommended us going to The Veterinary Specialty Clinic for more in depth testing. On 7/19 Scruff had an xray and and ultrasound to reveal that Scruff has a growth on his spleen. The vets feel its benign and wants to re-ultrasound him in 8 wks to be sure its not growing. If it is he will need surgery. He is also very anemic. His red blood cell count was at 19 on Friday, when it should be between 35-50. The vets feel it is either a mediated anemia disease or a tick born illness. I use frontline plus on him monthly, but the vet said all it takes is one bite, even if the tick dies at contact, to infect a dog. More blood was taken on 7/21. On the 16th, Scruff was down from 78lbs to 66lbs, today he was at 69lbs...so that is an upside, and his blood count was up to 28.

    We went to the vet on 7/29/10 and had a fecal and more blood drawn. The vet wanted to be sure there were no parasites we were missing in his stool - but it came back negative. At the last vet visit Scruff went up to 69.8 pounds from being down to 66.3. (His normal weight is a solid 75). Today he weighed in at 67.9, which means he is losing again - that in just a week's time. His RBC was also down to 18. His platelets were low as were some of his other readings....I am sorry, but I cannot remember every detail.

    The vet and I talked for a bit today and discussed possibilities and options. He is concerned that the growth on his spleen may be Lymphoma. There is no way to tell until we go in for another ultrasound in 6 weeks. If the growth is decreasing then we are in good standing, but if it is growing, we have to discuss removal of the spleen. The vet discussed the possibility of it being Autoimmune Hemolytic anemia - but they are confused because in normal cases of AIHA, once the dog shows signs of illness, they do not bounce back on their own. Scruff is fine one week then down another. If it is AIHA, steroids will help fix this. If it is cancer, our options are not so good, and we will discuss them. As we do not want our boy to be in pain or suffer any more.

    Scruff was put on Steroids, Prednisome twice a day. We are hoping this will increase his Red Blood Cell Count and help him feel better. I have researched the drug a lot that evening and prepared myself very well. He has been doing very well on the sterioid. Typical side effects such as vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst & hunger but not too bad - yet anyway.

    Scruff went back in the vet on Monday, 8/9, for more blood tests. Test came back very good....not great, but better. His RBC is up to 27 and his platelets went up as well. But I am very concerned because he is having another bad couple of days. Appetite is low, diarrhea (which could very well be the steroids), he is staggering a bit, and now his stomach is bloated. The vet said to give it a few days and bring him back in on Monday for more tests and to check his stomach.

    Scruff is a Great Dane/Pointer mix who will be 6 yrs old on August 25th. He is my oldest son, Austin's best friend....as well as our deaf dog, Piglet's. Piglet knows something is wrong as he is acting out and won't leave Scruff's side for more then a short time. Scruff is my son and I love him. I know the power of prayer can do a lot - so I am asking you all to PLEASE pray for my boy. I know I have been away for some time, and I apologize. I am not asking for much - just for you to mention him in your prayers and/or in your church. Ask our God to please spare our boy and let him stay with Austin and Piglet...we love him so much.

    Our Boy Scruff....




    Scruff Now....


    Last edited by Reachoutrescue; 10-19-2010 at 04:25 PM.

    "The dog represents all that is best in man." Etienne Charlet

    www.rornfp.org

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2000
    Location
    Windham, Vermont, USA
    Posts
    40,850
    Prayers on the way for Scruff.
    I've Been Frosted

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    ILLINOIS, US
    Posts
    1,778
    Thank you Karen.

    "The dog represents all that is best in man." Etienne Charlet

    www.rornfp.org

  4. #4
    I'm so sorry Tracy to hear that Scruff is doing so badly. Many prayers headed his way.
    http://petoftheday.com/talk/signaturepics/sigpic9646_1.gif
    Forever in my heart...
    Casey.Ginger.Corey.Mandy.Sassy
    Lacey.Angel.Missy.Jake.Layla

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Calgary, Alberta, Canada
    Posts
    4,789
    Prayers and good thoughts for your family and Scruff.
    Gayle - self proclaimed Queen of Poop
    Mommy to: Cali (14 year old kitten)
    (RB furbabies: Rascal RB 10/11/03 (ferret), Sami RB 24/02/04 (dog), Trouble RB 10/08/05 (ferret), Miko RB 20/01/06 (ferret) and Sebastian RB 12/12/06(ferret), Sasha RB 17/10/09 (border collie cross), Diego RB 04/12/21

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    Iowa
    Posts
    2,362
    Will be saying our prayers here for Scruff.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Bexhill, UK
    Posts
    8,815
    Add mine too
    Give £1 for a poundie www.songfordogs.co.uk

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    My Home!
    Posts
    1,822
    Awww... such a sweet little Scruff. Please God let him stay on Earth for a very long time. Please God give him a long happy life. Ameen!

  9. #9
    Oh no. Scruff will be in my thoughts and prayers. (((hugs)))
    Krista- owned by Rudy, Dixie, Miagi & Angel

    Rocky, Jenny, Ginger Buster & Tiger .. forever loved & always in my heart..



  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Methuen, MA; USA
    Posts
    17,105
    Dear Scruff: I am praying for you to feel better, and for the white coats to figure this out. Let the meds help, so you make a full recovery. You are a very dear boy, and loved so much.

    - from us in RI
    .

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Ellicott City MD
    Posts
    5,733
    Prayers from Ellicott City for the poor boy to feel better.
    http://bestsmileys.com/cats1/4.gif

    ​GO RAVENS!!

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Chihuahua, Mexico
    Posts
    7,515
    sending Scruff healing vibes from us...

    hang in there buddy!!
    Corinna´s Christmas Card Swap ´06
    dedicated to a lovely woman who won many hearts along her life...........
    she will be deeply missed.......Thank you for letting us be a part of your life, you will surely remain in ours FOREVER........R.I.P. Dear Corinna

    Best Fireman in da House´10
    dedicated to the kindest,loveliest and always helpful dude that one would be honored and proud to know........R.I.P. Dear Phred



    notes-to-my-husband blog

    http://365project.org/isabelle/365

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Rural Eastern Ontario Canada
    Posts
    1,979
    Loving thoughts for Scruff and all your family.
    Lilith Cherry
    "
    "Love never claims, it ever gives. Love ever suffers, never resents, never revenges itself." -Mahatma Gandhi

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Delaware, USA - The First State/Diamond State - home of The Blue Hens
    Posts
    9,321
    I'm so sorry to read that Scruff is not well. Here's hoping that things will turn around for him in no time.

    All of this sounds very familiar to me, since I went thru a lot of the same with my Pom Myndi this past June and July - loss of appetite, lethargy, staggering and weight loss. Did your vet check for blood in the stool sample? With Myndi, it was a GI bleed from somewhere. Her RBC was at a very critical 13 and that was causing the staggering and lethargy, since not enough oxygen was getting to her brain, and she actually passed out once and I thought at that point that I had lost her. She also lost 2lbs in a very short time, and being just a little Pom, then that's a huge amount. Her vet didn't want her on Pred because of her age (almost 15), but she was on high potency vitamins, Flagly and Sucralfate. She was extremely sick and the prognosis did not look good. However, her appetite picked back up and she was eating like a horse, and in 2 weeks when she went back to the vet for a checkup, she had put 2 pounds back on and her RBC was up to 37. Energy level was back, no more staggering or wobbling, and appetite continued to be great. Then when we thought all was well, the severe diarrhea started, so back to the vet and a diagnosis of probable IBS. She got a shot of Reglan and put back on Sucralfate and another antibiotic, and is now back to her bouncy, spazzy self.

    Perhaps you could run this by your vet and check with him about a GI bleed. I know you said there was a growth on the spleen, but maybe there is something else going on too. Just a thought.............

    Prayers going out to you and Scruff, that he will be with you for a long time to come. PT prayers work miracles - they did for Myndi!
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Wolfy ~ Fuzzbutt #3
    My little dog ~ a heartbeat at my feet

    Sparky the Fuzzbutt - PT's DOTD 8/3/2010
    RIP 2/28/1999~10/9/2012
    Myndi the Fuzzbutt - Mom's DOTD - Everyday
    RIP 1/24/1996~8/9/2013
    Ellie - Mom to the Fuzzbuttz

    To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.
    Ecclesiastes 3:1
    The clock of life is wound but once and no man has the power
    To know just when the hands will stop - on what day, or what hour.
    Now is the only time you have, so live it with a will -
    Don't wait until tomorrow - the hands may then be still.
    ~~~~true author unknown~~~~

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Posts
    2,616
    I will be praying for Scruff. If love could heal him, he'd be invincible

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 25
    Last Post: 01-15-2008, 09:42 AM
  2. Replies: 9
    Last Post: 07-23-2007, 06:32 PM
  3. Kai's back from the Vet's.. good news and bad news
    By binka_nugget in forum Dog General
    Replies: 13
    Last Post: 10-12-2006, 08:20 PM
  4. Memorial Garden Update
    By Craftlady in forum Cat General
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 06-16-2005, 07:48 PM
  5. Replies: 30
    Last Post: 06-03-2003, 09:56 AM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Copyright © 2001-2013 Pet of the Day.com