My friend's Shih Zu had HGE. - YorkieTalk.com Forums

michiko · 10-11-2005, 05:19 PM

I had a post "oh no" yesterday about a shih zu that I had to bring to Animal Hospital Emergency room. She was throwining up and pooping a lot of blood. Now she is admitted to the hospital and will be there for a couple more days. So HGE is what she has. I don't know what is really the rule for quotation, but this is the information I got from about.com. Source: The Merck Veterinary Manual 8th edition, pg 302 Text: Copyright © Janet Tobiassen Crosby. I didn't get permission from this lady but.. this is the information from.

Anyway... it seems like HGE is something any dog can get. So it is good to know about it just in case if it happens to your dog. But I do hope it doesn't happen to anyone's dog.. because it looks really painful and very sad.

Michiko

What does HGE stand for?
HGE (at least in terms of veterinary medicine) stands for Hemorrhagic GastroEnteritis, and it is a disease of dogs. In human medicine, HGE commonly stands for Human Granulocytic Ehrlichia (HGE). Click here to learn more about the human HGE disease. The remainder of this Q & A is in reference to the dog version of HGE.

What are the signs seen with HGE in dogs?
The most notable sign seen with HGE is a very sudden onset of bloody diarrhea in a previously healthy dog. Vomiting, not eating (anorexia), and listlessness are also seen. Dehydration is not usually clinically seen on initial presentation, but shock can develop quickly without treatment.

What causes HGE?
At this time, the exact cause of this disease is unknown. There are many theories - diet, a bacterial infection or bacterial toxin, virus, reaction to an intestinal parasite, etc. - but nothing has been proven. Stress may play a role in the development of HGE. Dogs that have an episode of HGE may be prone to another occurrence. Many dogs never experience HGE.

What breeds/ages/gender of dog are more susceptible?
Toy and miniature breeds of dogs, ages 2 to 4, are the types of dogs most commonly seen, but HGE can affect any breed, gender, and age. There is no gender predilection (HGE occurs equally in males and females).

How is HGE diagnosed?
HGE is diagnosed primarily by ruling out other causes of bloody diarrhea. The sudden appearance of bloody diarrhea and a high packed cell volume (PCV) in a previously healthy dog rule in favor of the HGE diagnosis. Other causes of gastrointestinal bleeding that must be considered as possibilities and subsequently ruled out include:

* Gastrointestinal ulcers
* Colitis
* Parvovirus
* Coronavirus
* Campylobacter sp (bacteria)
* Salmonella sp (bacteria)
* Clostridium sp (bacteria)
* Escherichia coli (bacteria)
* Leptospirosis
* Whipworms
* Hookworms
* Coccidiosis
* Giardiasis
* Warfarin (rat poison) toxicity
* Thromobocytopenia (low platelets)
* Gastrointestinal cancer
* Hypoadrenocorticism

This sounds serious - is it a fatal disease?
Left untreated, this can be a deadly disease. However, with prompt veterinary care, most dogs respond to treatment and recover.

How is HGE treated?
The mainstay of treatment is aggressive supportive care -- no food or water by mouth for 1-4 days, and intravenous (IV) fluid therapy with Potassium added to the fluids. Antibiotics are also recommended (IV, subcutaneous). Food should be reintroduced slowly and, in the event that the HGE is food related, a new (novel) protein should be given that the dog doesn't usually eat, i.e. chicken, lamb or cottage cheese.

What is the success rate? Do dogs recover from this?
With aggressive supportive care, most dogs recover within a few days. Some dogs can have repeated episodes of HGE.

What should I do if I see vomiting or diarrhea in my pet? Is it an emergency?
This is a hard question to answer, because there are so many causes for vomiting and / or diarrhea. As for any situation that is "not normal" for your pet, it is always recommended that you call your veterinarian and discuss what is going on. Your veterinarian will be able to advise you if it is a situation that can wait or if it sounds like an emergency.

Source: The Merck Veterinary Manual 8th edition, pg 302

Text: Copyright © Janet Tobiassen Crosby. All rights reserved.

chechinmipo · 10-11-2005, 05:29 PM

Poor baby! That sounds like bleeding in the instetines. I sure hope she feels better soon and that no long term damage is dine to her by this problem to her.

michiko · 10-11-2005, 05:33 PM

She was going to get discharged tomorrow but it seems she might have to stay a little longer. She stopped bleeding but still vomiting. Thanks for your support

SilverStarShado · 10-11-2005, 05:34 PM

Thanks for the update Michiko. I am glad that you reacted quickly and took your friends dog to the vet. I hope she recovers quickly

schatzie · 10-11-2005, 05:35 PM

I am so sorry your friends Shih Zu isn't feeling that great. I hope she makes a full recovery.

Thank you so much for giving us all such lengthy info on HGE, very much appreciated.

10-11-2005, 05:19 PM	#1
michiko The Yorkie Sitter Donating Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Boston Posts: 2,350	My friend's Shih Zu had HGE. I had a post "oh no" yesterday about a shih zu that I had to bring to Animal Hospital Emergency room. She was throwining up and pooping a lot of blood. Now she is admitted to the hospital and will be there for a couple more days. So HGE is what she has. I don't know what is really the rule for quotation, but this is the information I got from about.com. Source: The Merck Veterinary Manual 8th edition, pg 302 Text: Copyright © Janet Tobiassen Crosby. I didn't get permission from this lady but.. this is the information from. Anyway... it seems like HGE is something any dog can get. So it is good to know about it just in case if it happens to your dog. But I do hope it doesn't happen to anyone's dog.. because it looks really painful and very sad. Michiko What does HGE stand for? HGE (at least in terms of veterinary medicine) stands for Hemorrhagic GastroEnteritis, and it is a disease of dogs. In human medicine, HGE commonly stands for Human Granulocytic Ehrlichia (HGE). Click here to learn more about the human HGE disease. The remainder of this Q & A is in reference to the dog version of HGE. What are the signs seen with HGE in dogs? The most notable sign seen with HGE is a very sudden onset of bloody diarrhea in a previously healthy dog. Vomiting, not eating (anorexia), and listlessness are also seen. Dehydration is not usually clinically seen on initial presentation, but shock can develop quickly without treatment. What causes HGE? At this time, the exact cause of this disease is unknown. There are many theories - diet, a bacterial infection or bacterial toxin, virus, reaction to an intestinal parasite, etc. - but nothing has been proven. Stress may play a role in the development of HGE. Dogs that have an episode of HGE may be prone to another occurrence. Many dogs never experience HGE. What breeds/ages/gender of dog are more susceptible? Toy and miniature breeds of dogs, ages 2 to 4, are the types of dogs most commonly seen, but HGE can affect any breed, gender, and age. There is no gender predilection (HGE occurs equally in males and females). How is HGE diagnosed? HGE is diagnosed primarily by ruling out other causes of bloody diarrhea. The sudden appearance of bloody diarrhea and a high packed cell volume (PCV) in a previously healthy dog rule in favor of the HGE diagnosis. Other causes of gastrointestinal bleeding that must be considered as possibilities and subsequently ruled out include: * Gastrointestinal ulcers * Colitis * Parvovirus * Coronavirus * Campylobacter sp (bacteria) * Salmonella sp (bacteria) * Clostridium sp (bacteria) * Escherichia coli (bacteria) * Leptospirosis * Whipworms * Hookworms * Coccidiosis * Giardiasis * Warfarin (rat poison) toxicity * Thromobocytopenia (low platelets) * Gastrointestinal cancer * Hypoadrenocorticism This sounds serious - is it a fatal disease? Left untreated, this can be a deadly disease. However, with prompt veterinary care, most dogs respond to treatment and recover. How is HGE treated? The mainstay of treatment is aggressive supportive care -- no food or water by mouth for 1-4 days, and intravenous (IV) fluid therapy with Potassium added to the fluids. Antibiotics are also recommended (IV, subcutaneous). Food should be reintroduced slowly and, in the event that the HGE is food related, a new (novel) protein should be given that the dog doesn't usually eat, i.e. chicken, lamb or cottage cheese. What is the success rate? Do dogs recover from this? With aggressive supportive care, most dogs recover within a few days. Some dogs can have repeated episodes of HGE. What should I do if I see vomiting or diarrhea in my pet? Is it an emergency? This is a hard question to answer, because there are so many causes for vomiting and / or diarrhea. As for any situation that is "not normal" for your pet, it is always recommended that you call your veterinarian and discuss what is going on. Your veterinarian will be able to advise you if it is a situation that can wait or if it sounds like an emergency. Source: The Merck Veterinary Manual 8th edition, pg 302 Text: Copyright © Janet Tobiassen Crosby. All rights reserved.

10-11-2005, 05:34 PM	#4
SilverStarShado I Love My FurBaby! Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,195	Thanks for the update Michiko. I am glad that you reacted quickly and took your friends dog to the vet. I hope she recovers quickly __________________ Becky & Sir Yoda See ME & My PupPals HERE My YT Photo Gallery HERE *Live, Love, Be Happy*

10-11-2005, 05:35 PM	#5
schatzie *Moderator Emeritus* Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Tontitown Arkansas Posts: 4,909	I am so sorry your friends Shih Zu isn't feeling that great. I hope she makes a full recovery. Thank you so much for giving us all such lengthy info on HGE, very much appreciated. __________________ ~~~~ Schatzie and Ransom ~~~~

10-11-2005, 05:29 PM	#2
chechinmipo No Longer a Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: California Posts: 2,260	Poor baby! That sounds like bleeding in the instetines. I sure hope she feels better soon and that no long term damage is dine to her by this problem to her.

10-11-2005, 05:33 PM	#3
michiko The Yorkie Sitter Donating Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Boston Posts: 2,350	She was going to get discharged tomorrow but it seems she might have to stay a little longer. She stopped bleeding but still vomiting. Thanks for your support