Well Jenna is home. But I am not happy about her current condition.
When I took her in Friday, she had some reddened ears and trunk. Today she is red from head to foot and looks like she's received a bad sunburn.
Her fur is falling out everywhere and she is not a big shedder!
They gave her one dose of the pentoxifylline this morning. Attending vet told me not to give tonight's dose, but to begin again tomorrow and then carry a twelve hour dosing schedule for the next four days, we'll see how she tolerates it. So far no vomiting or (apparent) stomach upset, but in my opinion I have a very uncomfortable little dog here.
She is still having the heavier breathing. It's not what I'd call labored, it is just the kind of breathing I see in her when she is distressed. You know how a dog makes that kind of nose whistle while exhaling? Well she's doing that almost constantly, which was about where she was the night before I hospitalized her, but then she was dehydrated. She's been on IV fluids for four days.
Speaking of that, she apparently has some edema in her abdomen. This is worrisome. Is this indicative of the vasculitis or are we possibly looking at lymphangiectasia? (They claim to have drawn her bloods and found nothing there to worry about, but in researching it, it looks to me like they have to take a sample of her bowel to be sure?)
Plus she has had a constant high temp of 102.5. Now while I know that's high end normal, she feels hot to the touch, which she normally does not...she usually runs cool. And her skin...it seems to cause her pain to touch her, but she doesn't want to be left alone either. She is
just not herself. When I picked her up I hoped to see a little dog frantic to see her mum and all over the tech or doc who brought her out. What met me was a depressed looking dog who almost didn't seem to recognize me! Talk about a knife through the heart!
She has little to no energy, was very wobbly walking at first, and is rubbing her head and ears on anything she comes in contact with. Obviously itchy as heck but she's been given benadryl today so I can't give her anymore.
I basically got a 'polite' push off not just when collecting her, but now when I call to ask further questions. I am NOT a happy Yorkie mom at present.
We've been napping, both of us, this evening...I am exhausted and the stress is only making it worse. She has been a bit restless and has to go back to her bowl to drink and drink and drink. Not sure if she's hungry, will offer some of the hypoallergenic food in about an hour or so. But right now she's trying to sleep again.
Is any of this typical when it comes to treatment with pentoxifylline? She was definitely dizzy when we came home, she almost fell off the bed and staggered while walking. I'd hate to think she's in pain and they didn't give me anything to relieve that.
I don't feel we've successfully reached the cause of her illness and may only be treating symptomatically and not correctly either. Can anyone help me to determine if there may be somewhere else we need to look as far as what it is she really has? I realize that one dose of medicine is not a cure in most cases...but really, she WAS NOT THIS BAD when I left her! What would you think if she were your dog?
The big test will be when we have to get her to potty, or to eat. Right now I just know she is feeling pretty bad and that just hacks me off. Almost $1000 worth of treatment and separation for four days...this is not a preferred result!
I simply cannot afford to keep hauling her back and forth between vets if we are just throwing darts at a board. There are no specialists that I know of here (perhaps if alaskayorkie reads this he may have a suggestion?) and I feel like we are running out of time. She's been sick since the 11th. I don't know how much more either of us can take of this.
I will continue the medication for the trial period. She is supposed to be on this for a month. But do we have a month to wait?
Thanking everyone for reading and any and all replies.