Dog with dodgy belly

tk123

I’d probably go back to the vet or get a second opinion tbh. Just from when B was bad he was on omerprazole, zantac and some other liquid I forget the name of that was basically vanilla gaviacon all to settle his tummy and encourage him to eat.. your vet seems to be treating for a bacterial infection rather than pancreatitis.

Springwell

MonkieSocks wrote: »

Just seen this and as this thread is about Dog food



FDA Alerts Pet Owners and Veterinarians About Potentially Toxic Levels of Vitamin D in 33 Varieties of Hill's Canned Dog Food in Expanded Recall.



FDA. Mar 20, 2019


Linky

Just to calm anyone's worries - this was the adding of a barcode previously missed from the recall because the pallets of food it related to had never actually left the Hill's facility. It was a paperwork exercise really!

tk123

Springwell wrote: »

Just to calm anyone's worries - this was the adding of a barcode previously missed from the recall because the pallets of food it related to had never actually left the Hill's facility. It was a paperwork exercise really!

It may have been a paper work exercise.. but they recalled food after animals died.. granted in the US so people here probably have nothing to worry about but they didn't just randomly decide to recall batches of food - it was after complaints were made.

Springwell

Oh I agree but in the last year there's been tens of recalls on various pet foods in the USA. Everything from prescription diets to kibble to grain free kibble to raw food. Recalls are good, in a way, it means an issue was picked up at quality control. There's more recalls for raw food than anything else on the FDA list....it doesn't stop me feeding raw here!

Taiga

Hi guys, thanks again for your continued help. I spent last night reading up on pancreatitis, on the net so I had myself in knots.

I brought him for a walk yesterday but he wasn't full of beans on it. He tried to do a poo but nothing happened which didn't surprise me as he hadn't eaten a thing. When I got home I gave him a tiny piece of mackerel which he ate.

He wouldn't eat a thing this morning. Vomited bile in the kitchen earlier this afternoon. He's going around looking for food, he's obviously hungry. We got him a turkey leg, wholewheat pasta and green beans today so this evening we gave him a couple spoonfuls of turkey, little pasta and half a green bean. Literally a snack. He left a couple pieces of pasta. Then he did a squelchy poo (sorry!) but so far he's otherwise ok. Not looking as sorry for himself.

He keeps spitting out the pill so it's a struggle getting them into him. I've given up completely on the i/d. I didn't walk him today, he's losing enough weight the poor little mite.

cocker5

Taiga wrote: »

Hi guys, thanks again for your continued help. I spent last night reading up on pancreatitis, on the net so I had myself in knots.

I brought him for a walk yesterday but he wasn't full of beans on it. He tried to do a poo but nothing happened which didn't surprise me as he hadn't eaten a thing. When I got home I gave him a tiny piece of mackerel which he ate.

He wouldn't eat a thing this morning. Vomited bile in the kitchen earlier this afternoon. He's going around looking for food, he's obviously hungry. We got him a turkey leg, wholewheat pasta and green beans today so this evening we gave him a couple spoonfuls of turkey, little pasta and half a green bean. Literally a snack. He left a couple pieces of pasta. Then he did a squelchy poo (sorry!) but so far he's otherwise ok. Not looking as sorry for himself.

He keeps spitting out the pill so it's a struggle getting them into him. I've given up completely on the i/d. I didn't walk him today, he's losing enough weight the poor little mite.

Why delay bringing him back for another blood tests? Not trying to scare u but pancreatitis (if it is this ?) can be fatal... I wouldn’t wait

My dog was in the vets on a drip 2 weekends ago due to pancreatitis.. he was in an awful state after only 2 days is symptoms.. ur guy has had suspected symptoms for ages .. I’m sure he feels awful and is dehydrated etc ... it’s getting serious now IMO he needs proper blood tests .., not trial and error with different foods each day ...

Taiga

Thanks Cocker, yes you're right. It's just that he'd seem to be improving for a couple of days and I'd think maybe he's on the up and then he'd go down again. He was a bit subdued this morning and only ate a tiny piece of turkey, though he's doing his best hunting for scraps. Why is that? Is it that he's looking for fat? He's a small little fella and was the proper weight so when he loses it you'd really notice it.

Anyway, hubby brought him back to the vet this morning and vet said he had no signs of pancreatitis in his bloods but he said he'd check them again so he took more. He said to keep the fat low and not to chop and change and when bloods are back we'll see where we're at.

He seems in better form this evening but that's the trouble. Tomorrow he could be all low in himself again. Hasn't eaten much at all and is going around looking for scraps, yet won't eat what we give him.

Guys thanks again for your concern and advice, it's a great help.x

cocker5

Taiga wrote: »

Thanks Cocker, yes you're right. It's just that he'd seem to be improving for a couple of days and I'd think maybe he's on the up and then he'd go down again. He was a bit subdued this morning and only ate a tiny piece of turkey, though he's doing his best hunting for scraps. Why is that? Is it that he's looking for fat? He's a small little fella and was the proper weight so when he loses it you'd really notice it.

Anyway, hubby brought him back to the vet this morning and vet said he had no signs of pancreatitis in his bloods but he said he'd check them again so he took more. He said to keep the fat low and not to chop and change and when bloods are back we'll see where we're at.

He seems in better form this evening but that's the trouble. Tomorrow he could be all low in himself again. Hasn't eaten much at all and is going around looking for scraps, yet won't eat what we give him.

Guys thanks again for your concern and advice, it's a great help.x

Not sure ur vet is correct to be honest ... he said initially the pancreas and liver were stressed...that means they are showing signs .... in order to test for pancreatitis you need a separate blood test.. mostly it has to go to external lab for this.

Your dog has been like this a long time OP personally I’d go to another vet request full bloods and pancreatitis snap test to be sure...

Something is seriously wrong if he refusing food ongoing ..

Ur vet isn’t doing ur dog any favors here imo.. I would be very insistent on some sort of answers at this stage the dog must be miserable

cocker5

Apologies op I miss Read ur post..

Ur vet did take more bloods .. ask for a snap tests NOT just check the levels of amalase and lipaese etc (sorry spelling may be off)

I really hope u get some answers fast x

Taiga

Thanks Cocker, I'll report back as soon as I have more news.x

tk123

I’m not sure going into the vets guns blazing telling them what bloods to take is the right approach(!). The vet mightn’t have the snap device or an in-house lab (our vets have both) and the only option might be to send bloods out. Also the dog needs to be symptomatic.

Will he take the scraps off you OP? I’d be inclined to give him whatever he’ll eat as long as it’s not fatty to get something into him - forget what his poo is like for now. When Lucy was off her food she’d follow Bailey into the kitchen at meal times...then walk away from her bowl of food . We eventually got her to eat some biscuit treat we had (I went up and bought all the bags they had left in maxizoo lol). at that she’d only eat when we were doing stuff like asking for her paw and treating her for it - not from the bowl!

Taiga

I'm assuming he sends the bloods away as last time it was nearly a week before we got results.

I'll have to feed him bits little and often as he can't lose any more weight, I can feel the bones in his little back, and hollows at the base of his neck. I got scared today when he wouldn't take turkey from my hand as he went mad for it last night, but hubby gave it to him this evening, just a little, and he gobbled it up.

Can I get him frozen fish and give him that? The tins are either in oil or tomato sauce. Is it enough to go on like that until I get results?

em_cat

Taiga wrote: »

I'm assuming he sends the bloods away as last time it was nearly a week before we got results.

I'll have to feed him bits little and often as he can't lose any more weight, I can feel the bones in his little back, and hollows at the base of his neck. I got scared today when he wouldn't take turkey from my hand as he went mad for it last night, but hubby gave it to him this evening, just a little, and he gobbled it up.

Can I get him frozen fish and give him that? The tins are either in oil or tomato sauce. Is it enough to go on like that until I get results?

You really need to stick to one novel protein, say turkey if he is taking it and some type of low carb veg and stop changing foods when he won’t eat. His food needs to be easy to digest and consistent. I also would look for a second opinion too as this has been going on for a while now.

We have a Yorkie x that has EPI so any sign of pancreatitis would mean we’d be straight to UCD, we have to be extremely cautious about his food, for him it’s pork, brown /wholegrain rice, peas and a small bit of carrot, butternut or turnip. I pressure cook a batch, freeze and thaw but do the rice every day. He also gets the shells of hard boiled eggs and sometimes a clean chicken wing (bone only). That’s it. He is happy out, lean and has normal energy for him.

We don’t do raw as i just can’t, it makes me retch so cooked it is. If we use dry kibble we use Burns & Potato. I hope your little guy gets better soon but definitely find another vet that can do the snap test on site.

Taiga

Hi guys,

So the bloods came back showing no pancreatitis. He hasn't been eating much at all for me. Vet looked over his notes and said he stopped eating the i/d when he finished his steroid tabs so he hadn't felt well enough after them. He gave me some more today and more metrobactin (double the dose) but if he hasn't improved by Friday I'm to ring him. He says he reckons it's something like irritable bowel disease. He said he may need to be seen by a gastrointestinal doc.

Doggie was very bad this morning but a bit brighter since steroid injection. Still hasn't eaten though.

muddypaws

Taiga wrote: »

Hi guys,

So the bloods came back showing no pancreatitis. He hasn't been eating much at all for me. Vet looked over his notes and said he stopped eating the i/d when he finished his steroid tabs so he hadn't felt well enough after them. He gave me some more today and more metrobactin (double the dose) but if he hasn't improved by Friday I'm to ring him. He says he reckons it's something like irritable bowel disease. He said he may need to be seen by a gastrointestinal doc.

Doggie was very bad this morning but a bit brighter since steroid injection. Still hasn't eaten though.

Obviously I'm not going to argue with a vet but steroids increase appetite so that may have been why he ate the ID

muddypaws

volchitsa wrote: »

That could be what the vet meant, couldn't it? That the increase in appetite during treatment wasn't necessarily a sign that steroids were really helping because his appetite dropped again when the steroids stopped?

The op's post said that the vet felt that the dog was ill and the steroids were making him feel better so he ate. Steroids increase the appetite, whether feeling ill or well. You just want to eat all around you. It doesn't necessarily mean that the steroids were having a positive effect on the illness or condition.

volchitsa

muddypaws wrote: »

The op's post said that the vet felt that the dog was ill and the steroids were making him feel better so he ate. Steroids increase the appetite, whether feeling ill or well. You just want to eat all around you. It doesn't necessarily mean that the steroids were having a positive effect on the illness or condition.

Yes I saw that when I read it properly (I'd missed that he gave him some more).
That's why I deleted that post about 2 minutes after posting it, lol.

Taiga

He's much brighter due to the steroids and he's doing everything he can to get some scraps but he has no interest in the i/d. He ate half a can last night and and a quarter, if even that, today. I had to give him a sneaky tiny bit of bread to get the steroid into him this morning but less success with the antibiotic.

aonb

OP, I really feel for you - nothing worse than looking at a loved pet with medical problems. Im a 'feeder' and having an animal off his food and trying to tempt him/her to eat is just so stressful

Taiga

Oh Aonb, it's torture! He's following me around watching every bite I put in my mouth and he doesn't understand why he's not getting a little treat anymore, not even a bit of chicken.

I don't get it though, if he's that hungry now, then why won't he just eat the i/d?

On another note, I have insurance and haven't used it yet. I forgot to get receipts from all of our visits over the past couple of months. I reckon he'll have to be checked out by the gastro guy, I'll be bloody glad of it then!

He's gone into bed sulking now. I've his bowl right in front of him and he won't even look at it.

aonb

My dogs wont eat I/D either - ever! - there is a Royal Canin one too - would it be worth buying a tin of that to try it out.

OP this is going on so long - Id be insane at this stage.
So, not pancreatitis is very good. Maybe irritable bowel - what does the vet see as the solution after Friday?
Can you start him, as has been mentioned on here, with one food... make it something like turkey or duck, cooked with a bit of brown rice and water. Chop it up fine. See how he does with that for a few weeks.
Check with your vet first of course.
If its just runny poo I'd live with that as long as the dog is getting some food into him.
So upsetting

Taiga

I was getting 1% fat turkey mince in aldi, boiling it with a little rice and veg and day 1 he loved it. I thought, great, he's gonna be fine again. Day 2, he ate a couple of bites and was off again by that evening. Day 3 was yesterday where he was quite bad in himself. I mean, if that doesn't agree with him I don't know what else to do.

I'll get the RC one tomorrow. Will they have that in any pet store?

Vet seemed quite worried and said if he's not right by Friday, he'll need to be looked at more in-depth.

Taiga

Not sure if this works, but this is the little cuteness. How to resist that face!

Taiga

Ah lads I'm delighted with myself. That took me ages to do. Sorry it's so big.:pac:

He's smaller in real life.:D

aonb

Hes an absolute beauty, And those eyes!
Hard to know what to do when he had a prob with turkey/rice - good that the vet is worried and will reassess friday.
Pet shops that stock Royal Canin should have the tins
Great that you have insurance!


What about some scrambled egg?

dashoonage

for what its worth my huskie used to eat i/d on my vets recommendations and then one day just said **** this **** and stopped. i spent the worst weak of my life worrying about her not eating and then changed the dog food and off she went like a hungry baby.

really hope you get this sorted OP. what a beautiful dog.

Choc Chip

Will he eat it from your hand OP? I've had a couple of fosters (and my own big one) who would go off their food and not want to eat a meal if they'd had a dodgy tummy. Sometimes they'd eat a little out of my hand for a meal or two and that just seemed to jump start their appetite again...?

I'm sure it's not that as it's been going on so long, but maybe worth a try to get something into him...?

Choc Chip

P.S. He is gorgeous!

Taiga

Thanks guys!:) I did try scrambled egg and no joy. I also tried hand feeding him and also no joy (with the i/d).
I went and got a tin of RC Intestinal today (€4 a tin!) and I gave him half with his meds and he wolfed it down. I won't get too excited because he was like that when he first had the i/d too.

I gave him the other half there now with the rest of his meds and he loved it. Poo much improved too.

Vet said he has food for me to try over the weekend so I'm getting that tomorrow. He sells RC too so I don't know if that's it.

I don't want to get my hopes up, it's like groundhog day. I'm dreading when he finished the steroids and if he starts refusing his food or gets diarrhoea again.:(

Taiga

A bit on an update. The little guy has been on various meds but continues to lose weight and poo issues and some vomiting. His belly is distended and I've had him back and forth to the vets. I'd say he's sick of the sight of me. I'd been mentioning the belly looking bloated but it's now a concern as he isn't responding to the treatment.
He was kept in yesterday and turns out he has a lot of fluid in his abdomen, his white blood cells are low. His liver enzymes were elevated when we began if you remember so whether it's connected we don't know. Vet wants him seen by an expert as soon as possible but if he can't get an appointment he'll open him up himself. He's saying cancer is a possibility.
I'm kind of numb about it at the moment, was so upset yesterday. I'm hoping for the best but trying to mentally prepare for the worst.