lymphangiectasia
 

Help! My 6 year old Yorkie Spencer has just been diagnosed with disease. It's a lymph based genetic disease which yorkies are prone to apparently. They can't absorb protein. He's had spells of vomiting and diarrhea last week and just when I though he was getting better, I noticed yesterday he had a huge belly full of fluid and weighed a full pound heavier because of it. The doctors finally diagnosed it after taking a second look at his bloodwork and noticing his albumin levels were low. He's been prescribed steroids and a special dog food which is essential to his being well. This is not a curable disease but a treatable one if the dog responds to treatment apparently. I'm worried he is not eating his food. He is very picky and used to having royal canin food for yorkies and some cesar food with it. I've tried boiling chicken and mixing it with this new food but to no success. Any experience anyone has with this would be so helpful. I'm devastated by the diagnosis and have been crying since yesterday. Thank you.

Here is a description of the condition, I hope no one else experiences this:

I am on a mailing list from Purina. I just recently was sent an update on Lymphangiectasia in Yorkshire Terriers. According to Purina, this is a genetic condition and a potentially fatal protein-losing enteropathy (PLE). In primary intestinal lymphangiectasia, the vessels containing lymph, "which is made up of rich proteins and long-chain fatty acids, become very distended." Because of the vessels distension, lymph leaks into the intestines instead of flowing normally into the dog's blood stream. "As a result, dogs lose proteins, lipids and fats throguh the stool rather than absorbing the nutrients as they normally would. The failure to absorb fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamins D and K, may cause low blood calcium and magnisum levels and bleeding tendencies."



The article points out that this condition is more common than believed. It is seen in Yorkshire Terriers and Norwegian Lundehunds. Other breeds that cab exhibit PLE's include the Basenji, Chinese Shar-Pei and the Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier. "Clinical signs are not usually present from birth and the mode of inheritance is not known." This is of significant concern to breeders. Of the two breeders highlighted in the article, both had already bred bitches with the condition before the condition had been diagnosed. "Neither Quinn nor Miller has experienced lymphangiectasia in a young dog, and both believe the condition is more common in Yorkies than most breeders and owners realize. ' Lymphangiectasa can be confusnig to diagnose because other diseases have similar signs' says Quinn. 'Dogs may go undiagnosed or the condition, and thus the treatment, may be confsued with other intestinal problems.

Really sorry to hear about Spencer. I hope he will decide that he likes the special food and that his illness can be brought under control. Thinking of you both and praying all will be well xx

Is the food he is on now dry kibble? Is it possible for you to mix some wet food in a little bit just to get him eating it? I have a picky eater also, I know how it feels. I sometimes wet the dry kibble and hand feed her. I am sorry about your pup, it must be very devastating. We are all here for you

I lost my Teddy to this disease last April. I had to hire a vet nutritionist per his specialist. He could not have any dog food whatsoever because the nutitionist said they all have too high fat content that will hurt him. He had rice and chicken with vitamin powder that I had to order and also if you have it a tiny bit of high quality fish oil. If you have any more questions please don't hesitate to ask. I am so, so sorry. I remember when I found out too.

I'm so sorry for you and your baby!!! Hopefully he'll respond well... This is a GREAT place to find answers.....and get support!!!

Your in our thoughts....please keep us posted on his health..and how he's doing!!

I'm so sorry to hear that... :( I hope he responds well to the medication.

How old was Teddy when you lost him? Was he in poor health when diagnosed? I am hoping against hope we can keep spencer healthy. You wouldn't know he was sick right now, he's still playing fetch, going for long walks, barking at the neighbor dogs...the only indication was his vomiting last week and now his swollen belly. I am so sorry to hear about Teddy. This is such a horrible disease and I've never even heard of it.

juliet1...I did get your PM but I hope you don't mind my answering here in your post.

Boog was diagnosed with Lymphangiectasia and like your Spencer he had bouts of fluid build up in his abdomen, low albumen levels and he threw up a lot. The vet would tap his belly and drain the fluid and we did several plasma transfusions to raise his albulem levels. I home cooked for Boog and tried to do all I could for him but eventually we had to use commercial food from the vet. Boog was on prednisone, lasix for the fluid retention, Pepcid, and metronizidol (sp?). He had good days and bad...sometimes he would go for a few months and be fine and then we would notice the fluid in his little belly again. The food I got from the vet also came in canned so I would slice it up, cut each slice into triangles and bake them for his treats since he couldn't have anything else. We fought this for 2 or 3 years but eventually Boog's other health issues took control and we had to put him to rest due to congestive heart failure and an adrenal gland tumor...he was just shy of being 13.

I don't know how long a dog can live with just Lymphangiectasia to deal with but I hope your Spencer will live for many more years to come. Has your vet mentioned a plasma transfusion or lasix?

I feel so bad for you that Spencer has this. I sincerely hope that treatment works well.

I just sent you a pm but my computer froze so I am not sure if it went through. Anyway Teddy was only 6. The only signs he had in the beginning was that his belly swelled up a little. For a year he had "flare ups" where he might vomit or have diahrrea but besides that he was fine. Look for signs of twitching or shaking, that means his calcium is too low and is dangerous. If there is anything I can answer for you please let me know.

thank you for your responses. my heart is just breaking and i think i'm in shock, spencer has always been so healthy and vibrant. i'm terrified this is going to be a slow painful process of watching him slowly starve to death. how does it happen in the end? i just am beside myself, i am so upset. I think I need to find a vet that knows more about this, mine seems to be learning along with me, he's great though. please send prayers for spence. I'm so scared for him.

About 3 months ago our two year old Yorkie, Bentley, started getting sick with the same symptoms...diarrhea and vomiting. We did test after test and finally it was narrowed down to either Lymphangiectasia or some type of food intolerance. In order to know for sure we would have to spend another $2,000 on a biopsy surgery. Our vet is not that familiar with Lymphangiectasia but talked with a specialist who thinks this is most likely the cause. So about a month and a half ago, we started treating him for Lymphangiectasia.

We have had him on special Royal Canin food, meds, and B12 shots. He is doing a lot better than 3 months ago but still is having recurrences for a day every week or two. I am hoping the vomiting will occur less frequently over time. Anyways, I wanted to let you know that we buy the dry and wet Royal Canin food. Twice a day, I give him a half a cup of the dry food and a couple spoon fulls of the wet food and hide his pills in the wet food...both him and my Maltese go crazy over the wet food (it is stinky). If that doesn't work...hang in there. When we first started treatment for Lymphangiectasia it took about a week before he started acting like himself again. I feel your pain, it breaks my heart to see my normally carefree energetic little guy not feeling well. My only hope is that they say the disease is not curable but definitely treatable.

Fluid in Rudy's belly
 

Well, after several months of an ill little 7 yr old Yorkie I finally know what's going on. It's a condition mentioned here lymphagietasia?(sp) a PLE condition common to yorkies. I have spent almost $4,000 trying to find out what's wrong. (He's always had tummy troubles so no vet insurance for this.) Blood work, stool samples, pee samples, biopsies, different vets, different foods, metronizanole/flagyl antibiotics etc. It worries me because there is lots of fluid in Rudy's belly but the vet is trying to determine whether prednizone is the way to go. I work and come home and am afraid to leave my little guy. This is no way to live and is heart-wrenching watching my dog waste away. I have never joined something like this but everyone seems to be going through the exact same thing. I just don't want my dog in pain.

I'm so sorry to hear the news, Trevor and I are praying for you and your baby:hearts6: