Kidney failure

[lj0821]

Right after I posted last night I was looking around the forums and found that swelling and bloating can be a sign of heart and/or liver failure! I panicked and called our vet. They said to bring her in right away, so off to the emergency vet we went.
Three hours and lots of worrying later we found out that she was pumped with too much fluids and her little body couldn't expel of them fast enough causing the bloat. She is expected to be okay and it should go down once her body is able to absorb all the fluids.
She seems to be doing a little bit better today which is in no small part, I'm sure, to your thoughts and prayers.

How is Julz doing?

[143julz]

When you say "too much fluid", how much are you giving Lyla? we have strarted TODAY with every day at 50ml...We'll run with that for a week and go see where her BUN and Creatinine values are....fingers crossed.
how often are you getting her numbers checked, am i going to much, i go about every 10 days, but again, this is ALL NEW to us since Sept. I don't have any kids so I wonder if i shouldn't be running down there that often? Sure the vet like it, it's padding his pocket but now how much improvement is there really at this point should we just watch her for physical changes? Like i posted in another thread she seems "normal", eating, sleeping and what not....
I think I'm going to order the Azdoyl and try it with her, my vet didn't recommend it but sometimes i feel strongly (oposite) and end up doing it my way and so far in life i haven't hurt anythign by doing so....So I'm on my own on this call.
Keep us updated and hang in there, you're not alone, i find that comforting in some way

[lj0821]

I'm not sure how much fluid was 'too much' for her because she was getting it at the vet. But they have told us to give her 150ml of fluids at home TWICE a day!
Since she has been in and out of the hospital so much she has been getting her kidney levels checked about every three days. You are right though, they don't change much in that time frame. I wouldn't say you're going too much though. Better safe then sorry!
It is good that she still has an appetite. My vet cautioned us to make sure she is urinating regularly. If not, then it becomes much much more serious
One good thing is that her blood pressure came down when she had it checked last night!
My Azdoyl is on the way. I ordered it last night from entirelypets.com as another member suggested (thank you!). I have read such glowing reviews about it that I couldn't not try it. I will let you know how she does!

[143julz]

Is this your first at giving SQ yourself? I can't bring myself to do it my husband has to do it, i can hold her I would do it if i HAD to and he wasn't home to do, don't get me wrong.
Hum, 150ml x 2, maybe Julz needs to increase, but here again, we'll go back to the vet in 10 days and see where we are number wise.
Yeah, she eats i do give her meals WARM, she like it better (i think, she's never said)
I just ordered my bottle on line too so we'll see what that does for her. I'll try most things that seem natural but soem off ingredients,i do ask the vet about.
Good luck w/ the SQ....I'll let you know how things work out

[lj0821]

We have been giving her the SQ fluids for about two weeks now (minus the time she was hospitalized of course) I do administer them to her. I thought I wouldn't be able to but it's really not all that bad. It makes me feel better to know that it doesn't hurt them at all.
I got my Azodyl in the mail this afternoon and am going to start her on it tomorrow!

[143julz]

She's been on SQ for almost two weeks, I am waiting on my bottle to arrive. The miracle drug, right? I'm hoping!
Last night was night a good night she woke up vomiting about 2:30 a.m. infact we had increased her fluid amount to 100ml today and will give her another 100ml tonight, she managed to finally eat this morning after her SQ dose.
I have posted updates on a thread i started Pain and suffering-
I hope our babies show much improvments on Azdoly.
Keep me updated on your furbaby.

[143julz]

GUESS WHAT I GOT WAITING FOR ME AT HOME TODAY???? AZDOYL (SP)
I just hope we'll see improvements and we're not behind the eight ball!

[lj0821]

I'm so sad to report that we had to let Lyla go on Thursday morning. She had ( I think at least, the vet was not sure) a little seizure on Thursday morning when I woke up for work. It was the scariest and most upsetting thing I have ever experienced, she just fell over and her little legs were all stiff. Needless to say we rushed her to our ER vet and they told us her kidney's were shutting down and it was time. Her kidney levels as well as potassium levels were through the roof. It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do I was so attached to my little one.
As much as it hurts, I know we did the right thing. I feel so empty without her. Everyone keeps telling me it will get easier but right now I can't see how that's possible. I keep expecting to see her little face or hear her little feet on the hardwood

[Yorkieluv]

I'm so sorry about your loss... I'm sure this is a difficult time for you and your family...prayers...

[lj0821]

Thanks for all your messages and support. I know she is in a better place now even though I miss her terribly.

Is anyone using Azodyl for their dog? I had ordered a bottle for Lyla but unfortunatly never got to start giving it to her. The bottle is brand new although I did open the seal. I would be more then happy to give it to anyone in need.

[Babies8]

I am new to the thread and I was wondering if others had heard about kidney failure being somewhat common to this breed. I lost 3 to kidney failure but I must say it was to advanced age as well. 16, 13, and 11 years of age.

I try to research the best I can and I'd do anything to ensure that the quality of my dogs' life could keep improving by anything I could do.

Any tips for counteracting and stunting possible kidney failure? Diets, things to avoid, etc?

Thankfully, my breeder is wonderful and I've been lucky with vets, but it would be great to hear from people who take a special interest in this particular breed.

[pebstheyorkie]

I'm not sure if kidney failure is only common in Yorkies. I read somewhere recently that kidney failure is the #1 killer of dogs. I also heard Yorkshire Terriers were the 3rd most popular dog to have. Put those two things together and maybe that's why so many Yorkies seem to get this condition. I do not have a new Yorkie yet, but am also curious if there is something preventative we could do as owners to fend off our pets from getting this horrible disease. I am planning to get another dog at some point (mine passed away just 2 months ago) and have wondered... what if we put the pup on KD food from the beginning?? I'm sure the vet would think that crazy, but just a thought for prevention.

Kristen

[143julz]

Yes, i would like to know the answer if there is one. I'll keep checking this for suggestions. I will get another Yorkie and this would be helpful.

[IlovePepper]

Kristen & Julz's mom:

I am with you on this, there must be something that can be done. Is it the food, the medications or the vaccinations that eventually lead down this road? I wish we had some answers, I know we all did the best we could for our little girls, and were grasping at straws at the end trying anything to keep them with us. Pepper was only 7 and from other posts I know there are even younger ones effected, so I don't think age is necessarily an issue.

I just wish after all we have been through we had more answers.

Wendy

[143julz]

Wendy your right, it seems like there has to be something.
I was talking to a breeder that said she feeds her dogs k/d from the age of 10 yrs on regardless. In her opinoin, most dogs seem to go from heart or kidney disease at old age.
She actually knew another show dog breeder that lost a Yorkie that was about 12-14 mon from kidney disease, yes, MONTHS. She mentioned that "a" vacines could have been the cause of the downward spiral.... Interesting tidbit as I'm searching and talking to others, makes one wonder for sure.
How can k/d really be "bad" for your dog anyways at that age, it's like feeding them low cal diet or senior diet, right? Just something to make you think about...
Thanks again!