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11-17-2008, 06:53 PM | #1 |
Luv my Angel, too! Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: USA
Posts: 9,333
| Please Educate Yourself on Yorkie Illnesses - Your Pup's Life May Depend Upon It!!!!! Just wanted to share our latest journey with you and let you know why forums like this are so important for education. Last fall, Sissy spent a Sunday afternoon vomiting for several hours. But, then she stopped. I was keeping her hydrated with Pedalyte and water since she had stopped vomiting and wasn't having diarrhea to see how she was during the night and in the morning. Although she didn't get sick any more, she looked at me with "those eyes" in the morning to let me know she didn't feel well. So, in the morning, I called my vet and we went in. She didn’t have a temperature and was only slight dehydrated with nothing else remarkable. As I knew she was sick, I asked for a full blood panel. A very elevated Lipase level was the result with a diagnosis of Pancreatitis. She was already on The Honest Kitchen freeze-dried raw, so we continued on that and almost completely eliminated treats and then only very low fat. She had been doing very well. A year later, during her check-up, I request the full blood panel be run again to check how her levels were since she had been doing so well. Major shocker that her Lipase levels was significantly higher than when she was diagnosed with Pancreatitis – with no symptoms!!!!!! So, knowing what I know about pancreatitis, I requested a cPL and TLI (pancreatic specific panel that also checks Cobalamine (B12) and Folate levels). And in the meantime, I consulted with pet nutritionist Susan Davis. Susan felt given Sissy’s history of Giardia along with just a really high Lipase with everything else fairly normal that it wasn’t pancreatitis, but an intestinal issue stemming from the Giardia. So, her diet was changed slightly and three supplements were added. When I finally got the results of the pancreatic specific panel, pancreatitis was ruled out and bacteria in the small intestine with a probability of developing severe intestinal disease if left untreated. She has started on weekly B12 injections and we will be visiting California next week to further consult with Susan Davis and holistic vet, Dr. Gordon. My vet told me that if I hadn’t been an educated pet owner and run this blood work just to see how she was doing, Sissy most likely would have died within the next year. Please, please, please trust your gut and be an advocate for your furbabies. Granted this diagnostic process has cost about $600 so far, it is a small price to pay for my baby’s health and well being!!!!!!!!
__________________ Sissy & Angel |
Welcome Guest! | |
11-17-2008, 07:00 PM | #2 |
Gizzy & Kandi spoil me Donating Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Waco, Texas
Posts: 8,477
| Oh wow! I'm so glad you knew to ask for those tests! Amazing. Way to go!! Give that little girl a hug from all of us. While not nearly as serious as your situation, we also recently had an experience where being a knowledgeable pet owner paid off. Gizmo had a few bumps after a grooming, but just didn't seem to be acting "right". We followed our instincts and it turned out to be a staph infection which could have been much more serious if we hadn't caught it so early.
__________________ The fullness of our heart is expressed in our eyes, in our touch, in what we write, in what we say, in the way we walk, the way we receive, the way we need. -Mother Teresa ( RIP Gizmo 3/9/07-8/18/12) |
11-17-2008, 07:23 PM | #3 |
Loved by Layla Donating Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Canada
Posts: 11,257
| Jodie good for you! I'm so jealous that you get to meet Susan! And good for you for sticking to your guts. Layla goes next Thursday to have her lipase checked again- I'm know that with Susan's help and supplements that her numbers will be down. I've found a holistic vet in the area (well 20 min away) and am considering changing based on how this next vet visit goes. Thanks for your post- I'm glad that you caught what was wrong with Sissy! |
11-17-2008, 07:33 PM | #4 |
BANNED! Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Ca
Posts: 1,318
| Wow, that is great that you asked for the panels, I am sure it was all done out of love for your baby and because of that love you have for her, she will be around for you two to share many more days together! I do agree, this board is full of very knowledgeable people, helpful threads and resources! I had a rough 1st week with my baby and wouldn't have gotten through it so calm without this place! I wish the best for your babygirl! give her hugs for Gucci and I .. |
11-17-2008, 07:39 PM | #5 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: ~*~YorkieWorld~*~
Posts: 8,428
| So sorry that you have to go through that, but so glad that she is fine now thanks for the info
__________________ |
11-17-2008, 07:49 PM | #6 |
Do you like Parti's?" Donating Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Michigan
Posts: 2,337
| Thank goodness you requested that followup blood test. It saved her life!! I hope and pray her treatments will take care of this, and there will be no complications. Thanks for sharing this with us.
__________________ Karen and the PartiTime Kids There's always a parti at my house! |
11-18-2008, 04:38 AM | #7 |
Donating YT 10K Club Member | Oh Jodie....thank goodness you knew all the "right" things to do. Sending good wishes for Sissy.
__________________ Deb, Reese, Reggie, Frazier, Libby, Sidney, & Bodie Trace & Ramsey who watch over us www.biewersbythebay.com |
11-18-2008, 04:52 AM | #8 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: TX
Posts: 3,358
| I'm so glad to hear everything is working out well for Sissy. Thanks for the reminder to listen to that little voice. My poor DH doesn't have one and is amazed when I can spot a problem before it becomes obvious. I'm just grateful that one of us does and listens to it.
__________________ If you think dogs can't count, put 3 biscuits in your pocket, then give him only 2. Gracie Ruth & Boo & Yogi & RIP Annie B. & Bonnie Lane |
11-18-2008, 04:57 AM | #9 |
2 Pups=Double Trouble! Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Iowa
Posts: 6,581
| Wow Jodie! I am so glad you are informed and you are giving little Sissy the best care!!! Enjoy your visit with Susan, I've heard only wonderful things!
__________________ Suzy Emma & Milli What's better than loving a yorkie? Loving two yorkies! Milli 's Remi! |
11-18-2008, 05:06 AM | #10 |
Donating YT 7000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Alabama, etc.
Posts: 9,031
| Good job, Mom!! Hope Sissy continues to improve. I can't understand why more people don't listen to that little "inner voice" that tells us something just isn't right! After I recently found out that I have been giving Toto treats from China for about two years, I made an appointment for her vet to test every organ in her little body. She will be spending the day with him tomorrow and hopefully we will have a ton of good results back by next week. We know when our baby is showing erratic behavior ... we should listen!! Give Sissy hugs & snuggles for Toto and me!
__________________ Toto's Mom - http://www.dogster.com/?206581 Yorkie Rescue Colorado - http://www.yorkierescuecolorado.com/ "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has limits." -- Albert Einstein |
11-18-2008, 05:47 AM | #11 |
Donating Senior Yorkie Talker | Jodi,good for you..everyone needs a health advocate,even within our skin family. Doctors are book smart,but you know your babies. I'm glad things are stable with Sissy. I keep telling my kids to stop sneaking my pups "our" food. I bought a couple books and I've learned SO much on YT,that I am a new type of dog owner,and I've had them..(all types) my whole life. Educating ourselves is the best thing. I don't want to learn after the fact, when it's too late. Keep up the good work. Sissy has a great caretaker and Mommy with her best interests at heart
__________________ N.Y. 'S FINESTPONGO,AIDEN,HARLEY, KI-KI ,GARFIELD ,MINI-ME |
11-18-2008, 06:16 AM | #12 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: TX
Posts: 2,799
| That's wonderful that you were able to figure that out! We recently had a scare with Tatum involving bloody diarrhea and I was beside myself trying to figure out why this was happening (3 bouts of diarrhea within 6 weeks - the last one being the worst with blood) and thanks to the knowledgeable folks here on YT, I was finally able to determine that it was her food, Innova, that had undergone a formula change and just didn't agree with her tummy. I started a new bag right before her first illness and this was the bag with the new formula. I never would have thought it was the food because she had been eating Innova for several years. I trust my vet completely but still, he can't possibly know all the details about her that I do and somehow I had missed the conversation about the formula change. Oh, and I did let him run a full blood panel the first time it happened although it was his suggestion first. I agree that we as responsible pet owners should make ourselves as knowledgeable as possible to give our babies every chance. So glad your Sissy is going to be okay.
__________________ ~ Angie |
11-18-2008, 06:29 AM | #13 |
Donating YT Addict Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: New Providence, PA USA
Posts: 302
| Wow, that's kind of scary to think that what doesn't on the surface seem like much could actually be quite serious. While growing up, none of my family's pets ever had any illnesses or problems until they became seniors. Then, it was the normal problems of age. So far, none of the pets I have owned have never had any problems other than 1 cat having a cold and another fleas. That's been it in almost 30 years of owning my own pets. So, I guess I've been lucky that my pets were healthy to begin with and also that I took good care of them. Thank goodness though, your little one is ok now. Carolyn |
11-18-2008, 08:47 AM | #14 |
YT Addict Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: California
Posts: 366
| I ALWAYS do my own research on my dogs health before I go to the vet. By elminating what it most likely isnt wrong and going to the vet with what I think it is, it has saved my dogs lots of suffering and lots of money on my end with needless tests. The longer my dog has to wait for results to find out whats wrong, the longer they go without treatment, therefore more suffering. note - i know i am no vet (although I would LOVE to be) but I know my dogs better than my vet so its easier for me to find out from the way my dog normally acts along with the symptoms they are showing. Last edited by DejaVu; 11-18-2008 at 08:48 AM. |
11-18-2008, 09:24 AM | #15 |
Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: USA
Posts: 7,178
| Thanks so much for posting all of this. I'm glad you went with your gut!
__________________ Miko 's his Mommy |
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