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Health and Medical Issues (for our pets)

This group is a place to discuss any and all health and medical issues related to our pets. We can have in depth discussions here. All discussions on Seizures are now in their own group.

Members: 778
Latest Activity: Aug 20, 2019

General Guidelines

Over the years that this group has been in existence it has assisted many doodles and their humans.  It has offered advice, a place to vent, etc.  This group MUST be a place where people can turn and be confident that the advice they will get is based upon FACT - medically and scientifically accepted FACT- not "I heard", anecdotes, advertising claims, or other unfounded or misleading advice. The moderators of this Group will delete any post that we feel does not meet this criteria. 

 




Discussion Forum

Inflammatory matory Bowel Disease

Started by Rita and Fazzy. Last reply by Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle Aug 20, 2019. 18 Replies

Hi all....after a scare of bloat without torsion in May, my7 year old labradoodle Fazzy was diagnosed with IBD via biopsy.  He was doing OK once he got back to eating again until I thought it might be a good idea to switch to raw...didn't go well.  Switched him back to what he was on prior, Canidae kibble, variety of canned "flavors" as well as chicken breast, turkey breast, low fat hamburger...just depending on what we had on hand and cooked for the dogs.  I've never been able to get his stools back to normal and consistently solid and in the past week its just been yucky. He went to the vet yesterday and per their suggestion, we carried home a bag of Purina HA both dry and canned.  He ate a few bites yesterday but wants none of it today.  Over the past couple of weeks he has become less and less into eating, needing plenty of encouragement and hand feeding.  Vet also sent us home with Cerenia, metronidazole and Diagel.  Waiting for results of stool sample.  I really don't want to deal with the rx diet, but we also need to get his gut back to feeling better.  A couple of friends are pushing me to see a holistic vet, which I'm not opposed to, it's just expensive.  I hate that I have to even throw that word out there, but seeing a holistic is not out of the question.  Jolene suggested I reach out to Karen for some words of wisdom/suggestions ..and I know she'll see this.Any suggestions, feedback etc would be great!!Rita and Fazzy Continue

Denamarin for elevated liver enzyme

Started by Michelle and Chloe. Last reply by Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle Aug 6, 2019. 1 Reply

Chloe is turning 10 years old in October.  I recently took her to the vet to check out some new masses on her flank and to see if there was a correlation with these masses and her increased water intake and occasional vomiting. Her 2 masses were lipomas ( needle aspiration) and the vet checked lab values. Although most of the values came back normal, her ALT was slightly elevated at 213 (nl 12-118) so vet recommended placing her on Denamarin.  She is also going to have an abdominal ultrasound and a chest X-ray.  Has anyone have experience with Denamarin?Continue

Dinah has an enlarged heart and mild left ventricle dialation

Started by c zoomer. Last reply by Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie Jul 3, 2019. 15 Replies

the Doctor (cardiologist) has ordered me to take her off of the grain free dog foods and retest in 6 months.Continue

Emergency stomach surgery and the after effects

Started by Gracie, Jade, & Barkley. Last reply by F, Calla & Luca Jun 30, 2019. 6 Replies

It's me again. We are having the worst luck when it comes to our doodles this year. :( We lost Gracie who was only 4 in February to Hemangiosarcoma which appeared out of nowhere and hit us pretty hard. Now Jade who is 3.5 yrs is having issues. She was vomiting for hours early morning on Thurs and after getting a dose of cerrenia (She had gotten sick 2 weeks prior and we had some leftover), she was drooling excessively. The vet had us drop her off to observe, take tests, and xrays. She said it sounded like an obstruction of some sort. When she called, she said bloodwork was normal for a dog who had become dehydrated and was what she expected. But, had sent the xrays to a radiologist - which they didn't do two weeks prior. The radiologist said there was some sort of blockage in the upper gi and so the vet asked if we could do a barium treatment to see where it stopped - which was the stomach.I agreed to surgery and the blockage was caused by excess fluid and the pyloric muscle was thickened and the entry (exit?) was narrowed. The vet asked if she had had any issues prior as it looked like she had pyloric stenosis and maybe some ulcers as in the fluid there were flecks of blood. They do not have a flexible endoscope at their office, so she could only surmise that the flecks of blood came from ulcers. The only vomiting Jade has done previously was for car sickness which she outgrew. Then the episode 2 weeks ago which was an expulsion of her breakfast and she collapsed afterward which is why we took her to the vet.  The vet took care of the fluid in her stomach and sent her home with sucraflate, famotidine, and omeprazole.Jade hasn't been eating much. She refuses the science diet l/i that they sent home, but she has ate some chicken and rice.She also continues to regurgitate small amounts of liquid. Sometimes it has yellow blobs in it. Usually this happens after she drinks some water. I am going to call tomorrow to update them, but am concerned we really haven't gotten…Continue

Flea and Tick Prevention Choices

Started by Cindy and Olive (Ollie). Last reply by Stacy Jun 26, 2019. 44 Replies

It is tick season here in NJ and I have always given Olive Sentinel (every 39 days) and Frontline Plus every 27 days. What’s the deal with Frontline Plus vs Frontline Gold - I see one new med added to the Gold, but figured I’d ask the experts. I’ve stuck with Frontline as it has been the forerunner in this and is tried and true, and I’m a bit leery of those oral tabs. But should I switch her to Frontline Gold? Thanks!Continue

UTI infections

Started by DonMarie and Picco. Last reply by Jane, Guinness and Murphy Jun 24, 2019. 10 Replies

A friend of mine has a sweet yellow lab that frequently has urinary tract infections.  We were discussing cranberry pills since it works for humans.  When I Google it I'm finding some sites it is okay but also finding that in larger dosages (who know what that is) that cranberries can be toxic to dogs.  These aren't necessarily referring to the pills but dried or fresh fruit.  I can't imagine a dog eating the fruit or juice, that's why we thought of the pills! So anyway I figured I'd pose this question here.  Does anyone know or can clarify if cranberry pills can be helpful or harmful to dogs and can actually help UTIs?Continue

Fatty deposit

Started by Murph and Me. Last reply by Bonnie and Kona May 20, 2019. 4 Replies

So Murphy has on his stomach some fatty deposit that the Vet has checked in the past and said no big deal he said. It has gotten bigger of late. It feels like a small balloon. Does not bother him when you squish it around. I'm going to bring him in for another checkup of it. I trust the vet but it doesn't hurt to ask here in the group if anyone has had any history with a similar situation. and if so what did you do about it. Thanks in advance.Continue

Recessed Vulva (this is a new one) and an ear infection

Started by Stacy. Last reply by Stacy May 20, 2019. 13 Replies

Willow went to the vet yesterday with an ear infection, and Karen you should be pleased to hear I do finally have a vet who cultures ear infection goo. We treated it with a medication I hadn't heard of before called Claro. It's still a combination of antibiotic, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory. But the nice thing about this drug is it's a one time treatment that is supposed to work continuously for 30 days, so I don't have to squirt anything in there. She has an appointment for a recheck in 2 weeks. The vet said as an isolated event it's not a big deal, but if it becomes a chronic problem it's often associated with food allergies and we should do a food trial. I have mixed emotions about that. Right now I'm hoping it isn't a recurrent problem so we don't even have to go there. The other thing I brought up to him is that Willow always seems to pee on herself. The hair surrounding her vulva is always dirty. And she had that UTI a while ago. He looked at her and said she has a recessed vulva, and if it's a problem they can do a vulvoplasty to resect the skin folds there so the vulva protrudes more. Or if it seems to be more minor we can just keep the fur clipped from around that area - something I knew needed to be done but clippers, delicate skin, wiggly puppy and I have not been able to accomplish that on our own.This issue is something I haven't experienced before but I had been reading about it and I couldn't figure it out. The trick is, she looks normal when you look at her lying on her back with her belly up. But if you look at her from behind when she's standing you can see that her vulva is surrounded by skin folds and does look different than the other girls. I had heard that they usually grow out of it, but that's not really what I'm reading in the veterinary articles. But I'm still hoping that if she grows a little more she might grow into her skin folds. He also mentioned that slightly delayed spaying may help with this. We are doing slightly delayed…Continue

Struvite Crystals (Also posted in Food Group)

Started by Laurie, Wally & Charlotte. Last reply by Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle May 14, 2019. 1 Reply

For the past six months, Charlotte's pH has been fluctuating and she has had a number of urine tests with some showing struvite crystals and some without. An x-ray was taken in December and revealed no bladder stones. Our vet concluded that Charlotte's pH just goes up and down, and without any stones, this is Charlotte's "normal." About 10 days ago, she was showing physical signs of a UTI and was put on an antibiotic since we'd be traveling, but the urine evaluation did not find any bacteria. We have been flooding her food (Acana Grasslands) with water to dilute her urine, hoping that this will help keep the pH down. Next week, she'll have another x-ray done as well as a sterile urine culture. Here are my questions: If the x-ray shows no stone/s and the culture indicates no bacteria, but possibly struvite crystals again, should I change her food to one without starches (since starch alkalizes pH) and one without magnesium and calcium? Should I give her any supplements such as ascorbic acid, cranberries, d-mannose? Some of these are just for bacteria prevention if I understand it correctly. And if she doesn't have any bacteria in her urine, what would be the point? I'm hoping to find some additional perspectives to help inform our decisions moving forward. Continue

Spay & Gastropexy Surgery - After Care Advice?

Started by Jolene, Sassparilla & Josie. Last reply by Jolene, Sassparilla & Josie May 6, 2019. 44 Replies

So my baby girl goes in this week for the double surgery, I'm just reaching out for feedback/advice on aftercare.  I know the gastropexy is much more invasive than the spay and I know I'll get a checklist of things to do from the vet when I pick her up but looking for feedback from those who have already been through it (hits, misses, things to watch for, etc).  I'm just real nervous for her, she's my odd little wild child so I'm concerned about her plus the surgery facility is not local so any issues will fall on my vet and/or at an emergency facility. The more I know the better prepared I'll be. This poor girl had a rough start in the beginning so I want to make this as easy on her as possible.It's been a while since my other two were spayed and neither had any interest in the stitches luckily but Sassy was extremely hyper (spastic) the week following her surgery so keeping her calm was a real challenge.  I'll be home with her the first few days then will do a tag team with my daughter.Any advice on keeping her from the stitches if it poses a problem, resuming her normal diet (vet office briefly mentioned transitioning slowly back to kibble), walking, stairs, downtime, etc.Thanks in advanceJolene and Miss MaisieContinue

Comment Wall

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Comment by Jane, Guinness and Murphy on March 20, 2013 at 2:23pm

Diane, I'm so sorry to hear about Hurley.  Our Murphy also had a tick bourne illness a couple years ago and was very seriously ill.  It took about a week for him to turn the corner.  Please update us on what the tests show.

Comment by jeanne & Lilly on March 20, 2013 at 12:16pm
Diane, I'm so sorry Hurley isn't well.
How are his poops? Did they check for possible bowel obstruction?
Comment by Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle on March 20, 2013 at 11:30am

Diane, tick borne illnesses can be very serious. I hope that's not the case with Hurley, and that whatever is found is easilt treated. I would strongly suggest that if the latest panel doesn;t show anything, you consult a veterinary internal medicine specialist. 

Comment by Diane, Hurley and Sidney on March 20, 2013 at 11:24am

I initially posted this in the puppy group not even thinking to look to see if there was a health group.   Hurley is 16 months old and has never had any health issues.  I noticed over the last couple of weeks he seemed to be sleeping more and not playing as much.  I wondered if there was something wrong but I also wondered if he was just mellowing out as he became older.  Then Monday night about 1:30 AM he threw up bile.  In the morning he wouldn't eat or drink and just laid around.  Up until Monday night his business had been normal but he had a loose movement Monday morning. We called the vet and were able to get him in that afternoon. Our vet checked him out, took blood and ran a bunch of tests and because he was running a high fever took him in the back and put cold towels on his feet, etc., got him on an IV and on antibiotics.  His temp didn't come down even after a couple of hours.  Kidneys and liver function were fine, everything that could be checked prior to additional tests looked fine.  We took him to the over night ER Vet where he was kept on the IV's and monitored all night.  The ER Vet ran additional tests and nothing specific showed up. Needless to say I shed a lot of tears as did DH.   Well, we picked him up this morning as his temp was down and he was eating, drinking, etc.  Took him back to his regular vet who released him.

The ER Vet focused in on the fact that Hurley came for SC and even though he is 16 months old wondered if his issues could be related to a tick.  He has been with us here in the Las Vegas area since he was 3 months.  She had seen a case where a dog lived in a tick area and then moved away.  It took well over a year for the dog's system to finally not be able to fight it off any longer even though the dog had been living in a tick free area for that year.  Our vet is having a tick panel run. I don't know what the tick panel will show but I am almost hoping that is what his infection is related to because if not neither vet has an answer even after lots of various tests were run and nothing showed up.  So anyway, I just felt like relating Hurley's story.  He is home sleeping right next to me right now and all I want to do his hold him and never let him go.  

Read more here: http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/trainingmindsets?commentId=206524...

Comment by Cherri Lynn Kading on January 26, 2013 at 7:14am

It could be Nancy...it just smells different than what I would expect of a gassy smell. She's going to get groomed at the vet next week. I plan on checking on it again.

Comment by Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie on January 22, 2013 at 7:28pm

Cherri, could is just be gas?  That could be a food issue.

Comment by Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle on January 21, 2013 at 5:31pm

Cherri, as I mentioned in your other discussion about this, if the stools are firm, it isn't a food issue. I'm not so sure that it is her anal glands being expressed, as that it an absolutely horrible smell unlike any other, and not really a "fishy" smell like you described. Did the vet examine her anal glands? Were they impacted? that's usually the cause of this, if it is in fact anal glands.

The only difference between adult food and puppy food is that the puppy food is usually higher in calories or fat. I don't see any way that could make a difference with anal glands.

These comments sections don't really lend themsleves to questions and answers, it's really better if you start a discussion about this rather than just leaving a comment.

Comment by Cherri Lynn Kading on January 21, 2013 at 4:46pm

Does anyone else have a problem with their dog expressing their anal glands other than when they have a bowel movement? Sometimes Jacki will just be sitting on "her" chair and she will start to wreak! She has been checked out by the vet and they couldn't find anything wrong. The vet suggested changing her food so I am in the process of changing her from puppy food to adult food. Any other suggestions?

Comment by J and Riley (and Luna) on January 20, 2013 at 3:10pm

Looks like Luna's paw is improving and I also checked and she has some "raw" spots on both her back paws.  They're not really red anymore but I'm going to keep her off the streets and away from the road salt for a few days.  She's not licking anymore, thankfully - I think it was just a mild irritation.

Comment by Christine & Camus on January 19, 2013 at 10:29am

When Camus' nail fell out, in addition to an antibiotic ointment (RX) the vet recommended Epsom salt soaks, 2x daily.  Then let air dry and wrap with gauze.  Did the same when he got an infection between between the toes.  I think the epsom salt soaks really helped, but you have to make sure the paw is dry before wrapping.

 

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