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Help and Advice Needed

CVFlagg

CVFlagg

Well-known member
Hi-

I have been meaning to post this but the past few weeks have been crazy dealing with a sick pup. I am needing some help, advice, suggestions. About three weeks ago, I came home to find pools of straight dark red blood all over my living room. I had no idea which of my four was responsible but I called the vet in hysterics and he said to bring them all and they would figure it out. Before we left, I noticed my 10 year old Lance scooting on the floor so I picked up his tail and found the blood. He spent the day at the vet where they gave him SubQ fluids and injectable GI meds. We had to move him to the emergency vet overnight to go on to an IV and be monitored because his pulse was dramatically low. After that day, he has not had any more bloody stool incidents but he has been losing a half pound every week. Obviously being a little dog, this can't go on. So far, we have done an x-ray, sonogram, every blood test known to mankind and a fecal-all have been normal. The bizarre thing is he is super energetic, eats well and drinks normally. Myself and my vet are at a total loss as to what is going on. He is about to refer me to the specialty clinic here but I thought I would check in here too to see if any one has any ideas or has had a similar experience so I can suggest things we need to be checking for. At a half pound weight loss a week, we are having to act fast before he wastes away.

Thanks in advance for any help!
 
I would get the referral to the specialty clinic.

Could Lance have eaten a small rodent that had been poisoned with rat poison? That's the only idea I can come up with.

I hope he gets well soon. :flwr:
 
Definitely get a referral to a speciality clinic.
I wonder if it might be a pancreatic problem...the fact that he's not a young boy you would probably need to get a handle on what's causing it.I think a case for the experts for sure.
Sins
 
Just got off the phone with the vet. We have an appointment with the specialist tomorrow morning. I have actually seen this specialist before with one of my other dogs and really liked him. He diagnosed my other baby pretty quickly so hopefully he can do the same for Lance.
 
I'm going to cross-post what I wrote on another forum here for Cavalier Talk members. We had a long discussion on this case (original post was made at a couple of sites), and we've been speculating about EPI and SIBO. I found an excellent site that discusses these diseases. I've bookmarked it and others may want to do the same. Below is copied and pasted from a couple of my posts at the other location:

Here is some info about EPI and SIBO:

http://www.globalspan.net/epi.htm

I just dug deeper and read a lot more on the link about EPI......I found this, which I want to point out for those who haven't read the info in depth:

Breeds At Greatest Risk

It's estimated that over 50% (and possibly as many as 75%) of EPI cases occur in the following breeds:
German Shepherds
Shiloh Shepherds
German Shepherd mixes

Some sources have reported higher-than-expected rates in the following breeds also:
Rough-Coated Collies
Terrier breeds
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels
Chow Chows
English Setters

The rest of the cases occur in all the other breeds. No breed is immune. In fact, EPI is now being reported in breeds where it has never been seen previously as well as in non-Shepherd mixed breeds.
-----------------------------
It looks like I stumbled upon a very good site for info on EPI - I plan to bookmark this.

Hope this isn't confusing since this conversation is going on in two different places.

Pat
 
Back from the vet!

Hi-

We just returned from the vet specialist and I am very optimistic. I decided to let him go through his thoughts before I busted out all of my EPI print outs so he began asking questions and after about 20+ said, "you know, this sounds like a chronic condition that is very rare and oftentimes regular vets don't think to check for it but it is called EPI!" I was SO absolutely relieved that he was thinking the same thing. I then proceeded to show him all of the articles Pat sent to which he said "I am so glad you already have an idea what I am talking about, it makes my job much easier-very impressive." Thanks Pat for making me look so good!

All that said, he drew blood and is sending it down to the Texas A&M GI lab to be checked and said we should have the results early next week. He did not want to scope until we had ruled out EPI since EPI is not something that would show on a scope any way. He went ahead and prescribed the pancreatic enzyme powder that we would treat Lance with and said we could go ahead and get started on it. If he has EPI, great, we are already starting treatment, if not, it does no harm to him.

Fingers crossed that we have figured this out-thanks again to the entire team for your advice and support!

Lance & Catharine
 
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