Tootsy is very ill

[Franceen]

Oh, thank you to all of you for your prayers and kindness. I am so grateful.

Tootsy had another blood test and there was a significant improvement. She still not eating much at all and has lost a lot of weight in a very short time! The vet said that if we can get her eating she will start to feel better. They give her regular injections for the nausea and have given her an antibiotic as well as a vitamin injection. She slept all day today and was more settled. I think it was because we bought some of our clothing for her to lie on. She love to lie on a T-shirt or something that we have worn, when we are out. It seems to comfort her so that vet said to bring some in. Tomorrow they will do another blood test and the vet said that, if there is another big improvement, then they will let her come home. I am terrified that this is too early!!? I will discuss it with the vet again and tell her of my fears. I will keep you all updated on her situation.

Thank you ladyjane for the encouraging reply. It is so good to know that it is possible for her to survive. Did he have any side effects from the Mertazapine and how quickly did it work?

I have been in tears a lot today - it seems to have all happened so quickly!

[ladyjane]

Oh, I am SO happy to see Tootsy's update! Very encouraging.

No, I have never seen side effects with the Mirtazapine. I have used it before with other pups. Sometimes it does not work....but, usually it does and the turn around can be dramatic. The first time I used it was with a renal failure pup who wouldn't eat a thing...within a day he was eating like a little piggy! I was shocked! Ask your vet about it....I am quite sure he will prescribe it. It usually works the same day...or at least after a couple of days.

Thank you for updating...please continue to keep us posted on your baby!

[matese]

Prayers going out to Tootsy.

[Franceen]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

Oh, I am SO happy to see Tootsy's update! Very encouraging.

No, I have never seen side effects with the Mirtazapine. I have used it before with other pups. Sometimes it does not work....but, usually it does and the turn around can be dramatic. The first time I used it was with a renal failure pup who wouldn't eat a thing...within a day he was eating like a little piggy! I was shocked! Ask your vet about it....I am quite sure he will prescribe it. It usually works the same day...or at least after a couple of days.

Thank you for updating...please continue to keep us posted on your baby!

Hi ladyjane, thank you for this encouraging reply. It helps me so much to hear of good results.

The vet phoned this morning and told us that her Bun was down to 35 from 46 the previous day. The good thing is that she ate a little bit of the prescription diet for kidney disease. I hate all manufactured dog food, but, as she is eating this, I will leave her on it until she puts on some weight. Her diarrhea has stopped and she is not vomiting. The vet felt that, as she was very restless, she thought it would be a good idea for her to come home for a couple of days. The vet wants to let her veins rest, anyway, as Toots is finding the IV a little uncomfortable now. When we saw her she was shaking badly and panting constantly. We took her home with the food and medications. She is on Ranitidine syrup - .5ml three times a day starting this evening. She is also on Metronidazole - half a tablet twice daily.

We got her home and she was still shaking badly and panting furiously. It was so upsetting to see. She did stop after a while and so I decided to try some more food. She ate a whole meal of the prescription diet!! The vet said to divide it up into 3 portions. She ate one portion and would have eaten more, but I thought it better to wait and see how she reacts to her first full meal. I cannot help but feel encouraged. The vet said that this is terminal and I must not get my hopes up. They will keep her as well as they can for as long as they can, but will not allow her to suffer. The best prognosis is a couple of months and the worst is days. This is such bad news. All her other blood results are normal.
We are keeping her very quiet and she is sleeping now. We will just surround her with love and prayers. I pray that the vet is wrong and she can survive for longer without suffering.
Hugs.

[ladyjane]

I agree with your vet in that you cannot get your hopes up too much....but, you should not give up either. There is a commercial on tv for cancer treatment centers that says we are not born with an expiration date stamped on our foot....our pups are not born with one on their paws!!

I am copying Rookie's recent blood work below. I was told last year that his time was limited..probably weeks to a couple of months. Then, as I said, I thought I would lose him recently. He is happy right now, eating and doing well. His blood work is much worse than Tootsy's . Of course, that is not a guarantee that she will out live him or vice versa. One of the specialists who saw Rookie and my Olivia (who passed this year from renal issues after 5 years of treatment) said that he treats the dog, not the labs!

Total Protein 6.0 g/dL 5.0-7.4
Albumin 2.8 g/dL 2.7-4.4
Globulin 3.2 g/dL 1.6-3.6
A/G Ratio 0.9 0.8-2.0
BUN 83 mg/dL 6-31 HIGH
Creatinine 3.9 mg/dL 0.5-1.6 HIGH
BUN/Creatinine Ratio 21 4-27
Phosphorus 9.3 mg/dL 2.5-6.0 HIGH
Calcium 9.9 mg/dL 8.9-11.4
Corrected Calcium 10.6
Sodium 148 mEq/L 139-154
Potassium 7.1 mEq/L 3.6-5.5 HIGH
Result Verified
NA/K Ratio 21 27-38 LOW
Comment(s)
Hemolysis 1+ No significant interference.
Complete Blood Count
WBC 11.3 10^3/uL 4.0-15.5
RBC 4.3 10^6/uL 4.8-9.3 LOW
HGB 10.3 g/dL 12.1-20.3 LOW
HCT 32 % 36-60 LOW
MCV 75 fL 58-79
MCH 23.7 pg 19-28
MCHC 32 g/dL 30-38
Platelet Count 802 10^3/uL 170-400 HIGH
Platelet Estimate Increased
Differential Absolute %
Neutrophils 8,475 /uL 75 2060-10600
Bands % 0 0-3
Lymphocytes 1,808 /uL 16 690-4500
Monocytes 565 /uL 5 0-840
Eosinophils 452 /uL 4 0-1200
Basophils 0 /uL 0 0-150
11/2/2017 6:59:49

[ladyjane]

I am happy to hear she is eating. Did he not think Mirtazapine would help her if she does not eat? The Ranitidine is good for the stomach but does not stimulate appetite. She may not need it if she is eating, but I urge you to ask about it if she stops eating.

Also, no subcutaneous fluids ?

So happy she is home...I am sure she is much more comfortable with you. Continued prayers for her and for you. I know how hard it is.

[Franceen]

Thank you so much for your support, ladyjane. It is very encouraging.

Regarding the subQ fluids, I think that, as I was bringing her back the next afternoon, the vet thought that it would be fine to leave it. After reading various articles on the web this afternoon, I now think that she shouldn't go a day without them. She has not had much to drink today, which is a concern. She has eaten very well and had a normal stool. She is still unable to get to the door before she has an 'accident'. It is of little concern to me - all I care about is that her digestive system is working at the moment and that there is no diarrhoea. I have bought some puppy pads to put around the place. It is easy enough to clean up, though. She has slept most of the time, cuddled up to various members of the family. She is no longer shaking or panting. She is still looking unwell, but then she is unwell.

Thank you for mentioning the Mirtazapine - if she stops eating again, I will definitely ask my vet about it.

I am wondering if Tootsy should be treated by a specialist? Would this give her a better chance, is what I am asking myself.

When I take her back on Monday afternoon, I will ask the vet for a copy of her blood tests and I also want to know whether her blood pressure has been taken. I asked the vet to do a blood pressure check when I first took her to the hospital, and he said that she is so anxious that the result would be high anyway. I have read that it is most important to make sure she does not have high blood pressure. I am going to insist that we find a time to take
her blood pressure.

I am also wondering if she will do better at home with me administering the subq fluids. Maybe the fact that she would be less stressed would help her improve. There is so much to think about.

Thanks again for your support - it means a lot.
Hugs.

[ladyjane]

It is totally my pleasure. I know how stressful it is.

Sometimes they don't drink a lot...especially if they are on canned food. She may be getting enough in that...BUT the fluids are good because it acts sort of like dialysis.

I have done the fluids at home but I hate to stick them (and, I am a nurse..LOL) .. SO...I take Rookie in for his. The tech does it and we come right back home. It really is easy to do and yes, it is nicer for them to be at home. He doesn't mind...he goes there and wags his tail at everyone now that he is feeling better.

They take Rookie's B/P but he has PLN which often does raise the B/P. So far, his isn't bad..Olivia used to go up dramatically. It was pretty scary. It is true that the B/P can raise dramatically when they are stressed. Olivia has a lengthy thread here. I will find it for you in case you want to read it. She had multiple health issues but really did hang in for years in spite of it all...she was 14 when she passed this year.

I do like having a specialist, but the ones I have taken had really serious conditions. In Olivia and Rookie's cases, they both had protein losing nephropathy and needed hospitalization in ICU. I just feel like they see so many of the more serious cases and have more experience. I don't always go there...but my vet will call and discuss the case with them. I am not sure you need one, but it couldn't hurt ...you could just ask your vet. He shouldn't have a problem with referring you to one. I would ask him how he feels about it...would Tootsy maybe benefit from a referral.

[ladyjane]

Here is one of Olivia's threads:

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sic...phropathy.html

[ladyjane]

Hope that Tootsy is having a good day. Been watching for an update.

[Franceen]

An Update on Tootsy

Tootsy had more blood tests taken on Monday and she had good results. She had come down from 35 to 25. It is amazing really as she started with 76. She is having normal bowel movements and it seems that the diarrhoea is over, hopefully. She does have a little nausea in the mornings, before her Ranitidine syrup. Today she would not eat at all and ended up bringing up bile. Still doesn't want any food. I am going to cook some chicken for her now and see if she will eat it. I will put some chicken in the KD Prescription diet and see if she will eat it then. I asked the vet to please try to take her BP again, as they had not been able to do so. Toots does not like her paw being touched. The vet tried again and got a high reading of 180. She wanted to wait another week before treating her, but I asked that she be treated straight away. The vet put her on an Ace Inhibitor 'Benazecare Flavour Tabs' and she takes 2.5 mg a day. Toots will be having a scan, blood tests, urine tests, and X-Rays if she does not have to have a sedative to have them done. I will update this thread as soon as I have the results.

Ladyjane has been such a help to me - sending me encouraging pms. for which I am so grateful. I am also grateful for all the prayers and supportive replies to my thread. It is such a comfort when you are frantically worried about your baby. Thank you so much.
Hugs

[ladyjane]

Two suggestions: Mirtazapine for her appetite
Purina NF instead of Hills KD .. I have never had a renal pup eat that food! They do much better on the NF.
I think you will see a world of difference if you get her on that appetite stimulant. I will say that occasionally it does not work...but most times the change is dramatic. I once had a pup who was put on it and the next day at the vet he went after a tray of hibiscus flowers that were on the counter .. a man had brought them in as samples of the colors he has as the employees bought plants from him. Everyone was cracking up...he snatched one up and started eating it! Someone else on here had a really sick pup years ago and her vet put her on Mirtazapine...she said she was eating dust balls. LOL

[anakarydas]

.. I need to know how is Tootsie......I cried (for real) when I read all the posts....Praying that she is okey......(((Hugs)))

[Franceen]

Originally Posted by anakarydas

.. I need to know how is Tootsie......I cried (for real) when I read all the posts....Praying that she is okey......(((Hugs)))

Aw, thank you for caring so much. I'm afraid the news is not good. She crashed again over this weekend and wouldn't eat. She hasn't eaten since. She will have to be euthanised tomorrow, if I can get my husband to agree. He adores this little baby and is so bonded with her. He is finding it hard to let go. I keep telling him that it is selfish and unkind and he must let her go. He has asked God to just stop her heart, so she won't have to be euthanised. She hates injections. I can't let it go on, though, so I will have to do something tomorrow morning if she is still with us. She sleeps most of the time and drinks water every now and then. My big fear is that dehydration will get so bad that they won't be able to put in the IV for the Pentobarbitone solution, and it is more uncomfortable for them if they cannot use an IV. I keep telling my husband this, but I cannot get him to be rational, as he is in so much pain. I pray that she will go tonight, peacefully in her sleep. My husband does not want her cremated, as he says nobody is going to burn Toots. I have to order a basket or pet casket to bury her in, but there won't be time. It's all so horrfic. I don't want the vet to put her in the freezer, while I wait for the basket or pet casket to arrive. I don't want to have to collect her frozen little body from the vet the next day. I have cried and sobbed the whole day, but do it in another room, as I try to be upbeat around Toots and just keep telling her what a treasure she is to us, how much we love her, what a good dog she has been, how much joy and love she brought into our lives. She really was the sunshine in our lives. It made us smile just to see her. How hard it is going to be to come home to an 'empty' home, for she won't be there. Will it even feel like a home without her. I don't know how one copes with this pain, I really don't, but I have to be strong, I know. I keep praying for strength. I dread the days ahead without my baby girl. My heart is completely broken.
Yvonne xxx

[ladyjane]

I feel sick reading this. I am so sorry. I am hoping that by tomorrow something will change...I have had pups so sick and was able to turn them around and get them to eat with the meds I suggested. I was a day away from letting Rookie go recently and he has once again rebounded. But, they don't all respond...I SO hate renal failure.
I SO hoped that Tootsy would turn around as well. Her numbers were looking really good..but it is true that you treat the patient not the labs.

Praying for her...and for you and your husband. I know how much you love her.