Not a Yorkie, but could use your help

[BuffaloMelissa]

Let's try this again.
Had issues with vomitting again today - alot of chicken coming up. Vet called back with results - Total Protein was 2.5, Albumin was .9. Vet said she was surprised no adema. Started Pred today. Got a new diet going too - we bought BLUE formula high protein Salmon & Potato - gonna soak it and puree it.
I will be emailing Dr Center & calling the SAIM specialist in my area.

If the post I wrote up eventually posts it will have more detail.
sorry - i'm a newbie

[TLC]

Cornell University is an EXCELLENT teaching Vet Hospital. Not sure how far away that is from you

[BuffaloMelissa]

Would I be able to email Dr. Center?
I have her email address ... debating whether to email her or not ...

Thanks

[jrsygal37]

Hi Melissa. Welcome to YT. We're a Yorkie site but we love all breeds so you are welcome to stay on with us. I'm not much help with your Boston's symptoms or issues, but did want to welcome you and also thank you for adopting a rescue, especially a mill dog. I have five rescues. It is so rewarding to see the change with good care and love. I also wanted to post some Boston sites I thought may also help you. I'll list them below. I do hope you hang around with us still as we'd love to know how you baby makes out. If I can find anymore info. I'll post it tonight when I come in from work. Also, you may want to contact a good Boston Terrier Rescue who may have seen this in one of their rescues. I really wish you luck with you baby. Elaine

http://www.thebostonsite.com/

Boston Terrier Links and Resources

The Boston Terrier Club Of America

[TLC]

Originally Posted by BuffaloMelissa

Would I be able to email Dr. Center?
I have her email address ... debating whether to email her or not ...

Thanks

I would....

[BuffaloMelissa]

Thank you Elaine - I appreciate it. I was glad that I got so much response from everyone even though I don't have a Yorkie.
She's been vomitting all day still (looks mostly like the Chicken we fed her approx 6 hours ago) so we did get new food it's a brand called BLUE Salmon & Potato - gonna see if she likes it later on.
Also started Pred today ...

[BuffaloMelissa]

Wanted to say thank you to everyone who has given me advice.
We started Maddie on Pred Sat and the new food-sensitivity food yesterday and this morning she had her 1st semi-solid formed BM in 3 weeks (and no vomit yesterday or today) .. Needless to say we were very happy to see it. She was also more playful today and just seemed to have a personality back again. I know it's only been 1 day but it's been the best day so far within the last 3 weeks.

[TLC]

Originally Posted by BuffaloMelissa

Wanted to say thank you to everyone who has given me advice.
We started Maddie on Pred Sat and the new food-sensitivity food yesterday and this morning she had her 1st semi-solid formed BM in 3 weeks (and no vomit yesterday or today) .. Needless to say we were very happy to see it. She was also more playful today and just seemed to have a personality back again. I know it's only been 1 day but it's been the best day so far within the last 3 weeks.

YAY Maddie

[dwerten]

Originally Posted by BuffaloMelissa

UPDATE

Maddie was in a bad way today, throwing up still with the meds. Her blood work from yesterday came back and Total Protein was at 2.5, Albumim was at .9 - the Vet said she was surprised Maddie didn't have adema (sp) she is sending the leftover blood to a diff lab to compare the readings and we'll have that info on Monday... we started her on Pred today - 10mg/day. Plus we went out and got some diff food - we bought BLUE brand Salmon & Potato and are going to wet it and puree it for her. We've decided to stay away from the chicken because when she does vomit there is always chicken in it.

I will be emailing Dr. Center(I found her email on the Cornell website) to ask for advice, the worst she can say is she can't help me.
Also, the internal medicine specialist in Amherst will be getting a call from me Monday. At this point I can't spend $90 on a phone consult with someone who is across the country. I just can't see how she can help without even seeing my dog. If I lived in California, she'd be the first person I'd call.

I'm hoping the Pred will work. We are holding off on food until tonight to let her stomach settle a bit then we will try the new food.

If her protein gets any lower and she needs to be hospitalized or have a plasma transfusion we've decided that we don't want to put her through that - just to have it happen again in 6 months. We want our dog to live a happy life, not one that involves Vet appointments 1/week. We are seeing what we can do and if this diet works - we will continue meds and have her monitored every 6 months. I can not think of anything else we could be doing.

We've call a few Vets in our area and all of them were not familiar with Lymphagiectasia so that's why we will be contacting Dr. Center and the internal medicine specialist in our area.

honestly i think the best money you will spend is with susan davis in california - I know it sounds wierd but she has saved alot of dogs lives that are living normal lives after being sick like yours with this disease as diet is key and honestly an ims is only going to put your dog on steroids. I knew the chicken was going to be a potential problem - My dog had a plasma transfusion for pancreatitis and it saved his life. He is now 4 years later doing great. This does not have to be a death sentence you can treat it on the proper diet and supplements. The ims will be $160 for a consult but maybe dr centers will talk for free over the phone with you since she is 3hrs away as i have heard that she does free phone consults on here - Please try susan Davis i really think it is your best bet at this point and it will be the best money you have spent - They do not always have to see your dog they can tell by the blood work what is going on and work with your vet -- I know you are nervous but i trust Jody completely she has been through ple and so has vicky and they have helped alot of dogs along with susan with this disease on my yorkie groups. This disease is very complex but steroids and diet are the key

[dwerten]

Originally Posted by BuffaloMelissa

Wanted to say thank you to everyone who has given me advice.
We started Maddie on Pred Sat and the new food-sensitivity food yesterday and this morning she had her 1st semi-solid formed BM in 3 weeks (and no vomit yesterday or today) .. Needless to say we were very happy to see it. She was also more playful today and just seemed to have a personality back again. I know it's only been 1 day but it's been the best day so far within the last 3 weeks.

oh good i was so scared from that last post -- I still would consult susan - i think the pred is what helped alot and not eating the chicken as chicken is not good for most ibd dogs and this disease is from ibd many times

[BuffaloMelissa]

I am waiting on an email back from Dr. Centers - hopefully I can consult with her since she is closer too me.
And I agree, I think the Chicken was a problem and Maddie loves the new food. The Vet still isn't making a def. diagnosis between Lymphagiectasia and IBD and I don't think we'll ever get a diagnosis without surgery (which we can't afford and don't want to put her through that anyways) so we'll see what works. So far this seems to be working. Her blood will be tested again next Friday and she gets another B12 injection this Friday ... hopefully the B12 is helping.

[BuffaloMelissa]

oh and also I found out through our own Vet that she is actually an IMS which we were unaware of. We talked with her for an hour yesterday about her creditials and education. She's actually treated dogs like Maddie before and there is a dog that does come see her who has Lymphagiectasia (diagnosed thru a biopsy) - but Maddie is not having the same symptoms that this other dog was having so it may be severe IBD. It's so hard to tell without surgery ...
But I am still waiting on Dr. Centers since she comes recommended

[LuvMySissy]

So sorry to just now be posting - I've been traveling a lot and haven't been on.

My Sissy was diagnosed with very early stage PLE 18 months ago. She had no symptoms whatsoever and this was found through routine bloodwork (with additional testing as a result). We consulted with Susan Davis via phone and then had a follow-up visit a few weeks later when we happened to be in CA traveling with Sissy. Diet and supplements have been the treatment for her and she has done great.

Her diet is The Honest Kitchen Preference mixed with cooked white fish (Talapia) with 1/4 tsp of coconut oil mixed in one of her meals daily. She gets a daily probiotic, BioLiv, Lypozyme and Vitamineral Green (all of which come from Susan's website). She had weekly B12 injections for 4 months, and has had one a month since. Other than developing some calcification of the gallbladder (she is now on meds for this), she has been doing very well.

Please do not hesitate to consult by phone. She knows her stuff and many times mandates Dr. Gordon (the holistic vet in the Arroyo Clinic) consult with her. They have worked literal miracles on a few pups I know somply with diet and supplements based on bloodwork and phone consultation.

It definitely sounds like your Maddie has issues with chicken. It is very possible is isn't the chicken itself, but all the hormones chickens are injected with. Glad to hear she is doing a little better. This is very scary stuff and flare-ups are very common....

[dwerten]

Originally Posted by LuvMySissy

So sorry to just now be posting - I've been traveling a lot and haven't been on.

My Sissy was diagnosed with very early stage PLE 18 months ago. She had no symptoms whatsoever and this was found through routine bloodwork (with additional testing as a result). We consulted with Susan Davis via phone and then had a follow-up visit a few weeks later when we happened to be in CA traveling with Sissy. Diet and supplements have been the treatment for her and she has done great.

Her diet is The Honest Kitchen Preference mixed with cooked white fish (Talapia) with 1/4 tsp of coconut oil mixed in one of her meals daily. She gets a daily probiotic, BioLiv, Lypozyme and Vitamineral Green (all of which come from Susan's website). She had weekly B12 injections for 4 months, and has had one a month since. Other than developing some calcification of the gallbladder (she is now on meds for this), she has been doing very well.

Please do not hesitate to consult by phone. She knows her stuff and many times mandates Dr. Gordon (the holistic vet in the Arroyo Clinic) consult with her. They have worked literal miracles on a few pups I know somply with diet and supplements based on bloodwork and phone consultation.

It definitely sounds like your Maddie has issues with chicken. It is very possible is isn't the chicken itself, but all the hormones chickens are injected with. Glad to hear she is doing a little better. This is very scary stuff and flare-ups are very common....

thanks Jody I know you know more about this than i so hopefully you can help her more

[BuffaloMelissa]

Yes thanks Jody - much appreciated!
I guess we're trying to go slow in introducing new diets to her - we don't know exactly what will cause a flare-up so it's scary. She seems to be doing OK on this BLUE Salmon & Potato food. She had almost normal BM's Monday and yesterday but this morning it was semi-formed and soft. Not sure if that should be a concern. Also, since Fri she's lost 2 lbs!! Fri & Sat she was throwing up everything so Sun we barely fed her so I wonder if that's what it's from?
Also I have a Pred question - she's doing this thing where her teeth sound like they are chattering. I've never heard this before in her. She only does it for a few seconds at a time, I'm wondering if it could be a side effect from the Pred?

I am reconsidering a consult with Susan ... I haven't heard back from Dr. Centers (I emailed her on Sunday). Right now we are focusing on getting Maddie back to being semi-normal before we consult with anyone. Like I said in my first post we are struggling a bit with finances :-(