Guinness Is At The Vet - Possible Pancreatitis UPDATE

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

TUESDAY MORNING UPDATE:

Last night was tough.  I was really thinking they should never have sent him home.  He seemed just as sick as he was when we brought him to the Specialty Hospital on Saturday.  He wouldn't move...just stayed in his bed in a ball.  He wouldn't eat or drink anything.  This morning I'm a little encouraged.  He did get up when I did and walked downstairs to go out.  I gave him all his meds and managed to get him to eat about two tbsp of chicken and rice.  So I guess that's some progress.  He still won't drink.  Right now he's back in his bed.  I'm taking him back to our Vet this afternoon just so they can check for dehydration.  I do think he's a little more alert because he will pick up his head when I say his name....last night there was no response from him to anything.  I'll update tonight after I see the Vet.

HE'S HOME!!!!

We just brought "the prince" home....and I call him that because that's exactly how he will be treated.  He's still a very sick boy...but I have him with me.  He is incredibly weak, probably because he hasn't eaten.  I think that's why they really wanted him to come home.  He would not eat the RX food, or their chicken....he ate two tsps of baby food last night but nothing again today.  He will not eat if I'm not there.  I have a big batch of "home cooking" on the stove right now.  He wants nothing to do with me.  I sat in the back seat with him, and he got as far away from me as possible.  He won't even look at me.  He ignores me when I speak to him...turns his head away.  As soon as he came home he went right to his bed and is just laying there.  He's mad at his Mom for leaving him, but dogs "live in the moment" so I'm thinking this won't last long.  He's still on lots of meds, but that's okay...it's what will make him better.  Murph is at Daycare so that Guinness's first few hours at home could be quiet.  So the battle is far from over...but the worst of it is behind us now.  Little by little he'll regain his strength, and he WILL start "dancing through life" once again.  I have no way to ever convey my love and gratitude to all of you who prayed and sent beams of positive thought into the universe for Guinness.  I truly believe that is what has helped him to turn this corner.  Please know that I will never forget your kindness.

NEW SUNDAY MORNING UPDATE:

I just talked to the Doctor.  Guinness did eat a little chicken last night, but he had diarrhea at 2AM..they have him a little more chicken this morning, and so far he's been okay.  He is calm and they are controlling the pain.  They are concerned about his latest blood work.  He has an elevated white count, and the main issue is with the "bands" (not sure what that means, but I'll look it up later).  This is not typical of pancreatitis and would indicate something else is going on.  There was also an elevation in his clotting times...they are going to repeat that test to confirm it.  They are considering a plasma transfusion.  They are going to go ahead with the Ultrasound tomorrow.  They will be looking for an abscess, blocked duct or tumor on the pancreas as well as looking at the surrounding organs.  They'll call me after that and we can discuss next steps.  Today is all about him getting fluids and some nutrition and resting....trying to stabilize him.  Tomorrow is all about diagnostics.  Today for me is all about trying to help poor Murphy who seems very depressed.

I haven't heard anything this morning...the Doctor will call between 10:00 and 11:00 after rounds.  I did talk to his "nurse" (they call them nurses, not Vet Techs) last night, and she said he was doing okay and had calmed down.  They did put him on pain meds, so that may be helping.  They were going to try to feed him (low fat RX food).  They said he really needed nutrition and I think they were trying to avoid any kind of "tube feeding" if at all possible.  He was able to walk outside to "potty", so that's a good thing, because in the morning he was not able to walk.  Murph is having a real hard time.  He keeps looking for his brother.  He's mopey and last night he wouldn't eat.  He did this morning, but very little.  Ben (the trainer) called last night and he said that this is normal, and we need to try to keep Murphy's schedule the same as always.  I am feeling less emotional this morning...it's 8 AM and I haven't even cried yet....a step in the right direction.  I'll update this later after talking with his Doctor.  Positive thoughts....HE WILL GET BETTER!

SAT MORNING UPDATE"

It was a bad night.....explosive diarrhea, like I've never seen in my life.  On my way to the Vet.  He's not moving again...has to be carried.  Awful, just awful to see him like this. 

FRIDAY MORNING UPDATE:

Well Guinness was readmitted to the Vet Hospital this morning.  He was very lethargic and dehydrated again because of the vomiting last night.  They are going to try some new meds and put him back on the IV.  The poor guy really didn't want to leave me this morning...he was stuck like glue to my leg.  Maybe today he'll turn the corner.

THURSDAY EVENING UPDATE:

Guinness seemed to do a little better this afternoon at the Vet Hospital.  He was interested in playing....and he was able to remove the bandage and pull out his IV even with the soft cone.  So, they gave me pages of discharge instructions, lots of meds, and said if he did well tonight he didn't have to go back tomorrow.  Well I got him home and gave his evening meds.  He wouldn't eat or drink anything....just wanted to lay down.  Then a few minutes ago he vomited what I think was his chicken and rice from breakfast...and all his meds.  So now I'm thinking he will be readmitted tomorrow.  It won't take long for him to become dehydrated again.

THURSDAY MORNING UPDATE:

Just back from dropping him at the Vet.  They told me this morning that this is an acute case of Pancreatitis and that it will probably be chronic.  As of late yesterday his enzyme levels had not come down....they will check again later today.  He will likely be there again tomorrow and they will be checking him every day or two for at least another week.  We have to talk later about diet.  They don't like the fat content in the Honest Kitchen...we may be back to home cooking permanently.  He will never be able to have anything other than chicken or turkey going forward....and no treats other than little pieces of chicken or turkey. 

Good news and bad news.  Guinness ate a little chicken & rice last night...and no vomiting or diarrhea which is a HUGE positive.  He just ate again this morning...with a little coaxing from Mom (hand feeding which I said I would never do).  The bad news is that he still won't move.  He doesn't walk.  We have to carry him everywhere.  He's very "out of it", and he hasn't had any pain meds all night so I'm not sure why.  He just lays where you place him and doesn't move or even pick up his head.  Weakness???  Off to get dressed and get him back to the Vet. 

Wednesday Update:

Still no word from the Vet.  This morning when I dropped him off (and he didn't want me to leave him) they said he would be there all day again on IV fluids and meds.  He will come home again tonight, but may have to be readmitted again tomorrow.  He is so weak that it's going to take us some time to get him back to himself.  He'll go back on home cooking, probably for at least a few weeks.  We have to keep him away from other dogs.  The Vet said that he will be very susceptible to all kinds of things for a while.  I thought I'd share this picture my DH took with his phone this morning.  Notice how far away Murph is from his brother....he's terrified of the cone....baby!

I just had to leave my little Dood at the Vet....boy do I hate that.  It looks like he may have Pancreatitis again.  We were up all night with this poor guy....vomiting and diarrhea.  Yesterday he wouldn't eat breakfast, but I didn't think too much about that.  He spit up some bile in the morning...I thought because of an empty stomach.   In the afternoon he had some diarrhea.  I attributed that to the treats he has on Sunday at Agility training.  Last night I made him some chicken and rice and he ate every bit of it, so I was thinking that he just had a little upset tummy during the day.  Then during the night he started vomiting a lot and several episodes of diarrhea.  He also became really lethargic and I could tell by his gums he was getting dehydrated.  So I brought him into the Vet as soon as they opened.  They asked me what he could have eaten that was different.  The only thing was at one point during Agility the trainer gave him a few of her treats when he was reluctant to go on the teeter.  It happened too fast for me to stop her, and I have no idea what those treats were.  I'm thinking that's what it had to be.  I only give him the Zuke's mini chicken treats for training, and those have never bothered him.  So, now I'm really worried about him, and I hate that he's there without me.  Please cross those fingers and paws that it's something easily treatable. 

UPDATE:

Guinness came home a little while ago, but he is a very sick boy.  The Vet thought he'd rest better here tonight, but he has to be back there first thing in the morning and spend the day again.  His diarrhea turned bloody during the day today, and she feels the pancreas is very involved.  He came home with a port that we will have to flush before bed and early tomorrow morning.  She loaded him up with IV fluids before letting him leave.  He's in a cone because of the port.  He's on meds and we have to keep trying to get him to drink Pedialite...which DH has just gone to get.  His butt is raw and also bleeding...we have to keep Desatin on it.  DH went to pick him up while I was making dinner, and the Vet Tech tried to give him some RX food.  He called me and told me there were corn and pork by-products in it, and he thought that could be a problem.  LOL.  I told him to not even think of bringing that garbage home.  A few minutes later the Vet called and she was laughing hysterically...she said the Vet Tech had no idea who she was dealing with.  So tonight I got to feed him a couple pieces of plain boiled chicken, and tomorrow I'll send his food with him.  It's been quite a day.  I have been a nervous wreck, although they're been good about keeping me updated.  Murph has also been pretty much a "mess".  He kept looking for his brother, and he would not eat without Guinness.  He seems to realize that Guinness is sick and he is not harassing him at all.  He keeps trying to lick his little "cone face".  The Vet said that Guinness was a real little "soldier" today.  He never cried and just kept looking out of his crate watching "the action".  She loves him, and said she kept checking on him, and the cute young Vet Techs were "sweet talking" him all day.  All this from a few pieces of "garbage treats".....I'm sure that was the cause and the Vet agrees.  Guinness's digestive system is so delicate that something as seemingly harmless as that can put him in this state.  I just wasn't fast enough to see it happen.  Thank you all for your positive energy and support.  I'm praying he can rest tonight...and we can get some sleep.  We were up most of last night, and we're exhausted.  I'll keep you all updated.  Nite....

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

Just checking in to see how things went last night.  I hope Guinness starts feeling better soon.  Poor little guy!

[Phoebe's Mom]

Thanks so much for keeping us posted--I check constantly throughout the day to see how you are doing.  I am praying that today is better and that the vomiting has stopped.  I am so sorry that you all need to deal with this--poor little Guinness.  My thoughts are with you!

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Thinking of you.  Good morning, I hope

[Pam & Trixie]

Good to hear he was feeling a bit better after his day at the vet.  So sad to hear he  then threw up : (

I hope he is feeling good this morning.   Maybe another day at the vet & IVs will help him get more strength & settle his stomach ?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

She's back at the vet with him as we speak. But he got through the night without any more vomiting according to Jane's DH.

[Bonnie and Kona]

Thanks, Karen. Glad to hear that the vomiting stopped. First thing I wondered about.

Hugs for Jane, DH, Murphy and extra love for Guinness. Hoping he is making steady improvement.

[Sharon & Monty]

So very sorry to hear all of this!  I sure hope they get him on the mend soon and he's back to being his playful self.  Take care.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Here's what it means to have an amazing Vet.  This is a Facebook message my Vet sent me at 10:00 last night.

Oh no, Jane. Guiness is having a bad night? Don't give him the metronidazole until he eats on his own. If you have the pedialyte, syringe feed him a few tablespoons every few hours. I think he may have pancreatitis bad enough that he could have GI stasis/ ileus. He really did look good today. But, I am worried that he is not moving due to significant nausea. I may need to put him on metoclopromide ( promotility/ anti-nausea med). Don't worry, Jane. He will recover from this. Send him my love. I am here for you!

This actually brought tears to my eyes when I read it.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

That does it. I'm moving to CT!

[Margaret & Pebbles]

That note brought tears to my eyes too.  I know how hard it is to leave Guiness at the vet, but just knowing this kind and compassionate vet your leaving him with must help.  My prayers continue for your little guy.

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

And I am right behind you.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Awesome vet, you are so lucky.  Keep us posted. Guinness get better soon!