Fervent prayers needed for Apple

[_Chrissy_]

We will keep you and Apple in our prayers.

[dispatcher]

Bitsy and I will be praying for your little one!

[Lizzie07]

Adding my prayers that Apple has turned the corner and will feel better quickly.

[lynnelily]

Keeping sweet little Apple in my prayers. My pup Chloe is finally is back to her old self after having HGE a few weeks ago. It took 2 trips to the ER vet back to back. She is done with all her meds now and my vet has switched her over to Iams Low Residue with no treats. He did mentioned it could have been bacteria from her bully sticks.

[chandracz]

sending prayers!!! what's hge?

[Patti]

Originally Posted by Sweet Apple

Much as I hate to admit it, I'm wondering if this last batch of bully sticks has a problem?....I've taken them all up, and we're not doing bully sticks, anymore...Don't know what we're going to do to replace them (all three of mine are seriously addicted), but I'm not taking any chances w/any kind of possible bacteria...

I'm pretty convinced that Cali's HGE and numerous tummy issues were related to the hooves even though I replaced them frequently. I replaced them with nylabones. They really missed the hooves at first but they got use to it.

[LDandPasquale]

Sending prayers to Apple...i hope she feels better soon.

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by Lolasmom1211

I see a dermatologist at Gulf Coast that we like..it's very convenient, but so expensive! I took my little female to Dr Tobias at University of TN for her liver shunt and it was less espensive (hotel and air included) than going 5 minutes from my house to Gulf Coast!

They are certainly not inexpensive; but I can tell you that the only orthopedic surgeon I will use is there: Brian Beale .. He has done some amazing work on some of my fosters that had major problems. One had a fracture for six months and he saved his leg. I also had another with a major messed up knee...and he did something that I believe no other surgeon would have done. There was no ridge for the tibia to go into...the one side was missing. He took the bone on the other side, cut it in half and put half on the other side and put pins in...then made a groove. It was one of those, go in and see IF we can repair it. She has since been adopted and is doing fantastic! He is very creative and an excellent surgeon!

You probably see his ex wife at the Derm clinic. I have never gone there, but I heard she is very good.

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by Patti

I'm pretty convinced that Cali's HGE and numerous tummy issues were related to the hooves even though I replaced them frequently. I replaced them with nylabones. They really missed the hooves at first but they got use to it.

I only use Nylabones. I just make sure they are the very hard ones that they cannot ingest. If they need to chew, they don't need to have something they can ingest. They get food and treats at designated times. Just my thoughts. Not everyone would agree, but I have heard of incidents with all ingestible chews.....including choking and obstructions. It only takes one incident.

[Patti]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

I only use Nylabones. I just make sure they are the very hard ones that they cannot ingest. If they need to chew, they don't need to have something they can ingest. They get food and treats at designated times. Just my thoughts. Not everyone would agree, but I have heard of incidents with all ingestible chews.....including choking and obstructions. It only takes one incident.

My thoughts too. Cali can chew through most things so I only get the nylabones for heavy chewers.

[kjc]

I'm so glad Apple is improving.... and forgive me, but I am slightly confused....

As a vet tech, I have seen many cases of HGE come into the hospital, most were successfully treated, and there were a few that, sadly, could not be saved.

As a Yorkie owner, my own dog has had HGE on three separate occassions, and was successfully treated. The first episode cost his previous owners over $1000.00, and they took him to the Humane Society and left him there. His second and third episodes occurred in that year, but at the first sign of bloody diarrhea, I rushed him to the vet, where he was treated and released (under $200.00). He was 5 years old then, and has been HGE free since then, and he turned 14 years old in Dec 2010.

The points I would like to make are:

There is no known cause for HGE. Why are you going to stress your dog with further testing and waste your money trying to find answers that aren't there?

All of the cases of HGE that I was personally involved with, that relapsed within days of initial discharge from the hospital, the relapse was caused by stopping supportive treatment too soon. I'm seeing where meds are given to stop the diarrhea. In those cases, it is impossible to tell when the HGE has cleared the system, because the drugs are stopping the diarrhea, not the fact that the HGE has run it's course and exited the dog's system. Whatever it is in the intestinal tract has to come out, or it will stay there where it can again wreak havoc, and will recur.

The vets I worked with came up with a specific treatment plan for dogs with HGE, based on their experiences. The key factors in successfully treating HGE are:

1. The owner has to bring the dog in for treatment early in the beginning stages. This increases the dog's chance for survival, and lessens the time needed and amount of supportive care for HGE to run it's course. When caught very early, hospitalization may not be necessary.

2. The dog is put on IV fluids to offset fluid loss and to prevent shock, and is NPO (nothing given by mouth, no food, water, meds, nothing). Re introducing food and water too soon will cause a relapse.

3. The PCV is monitored daily. When the PVC returns to normal, and the diarrhea has stopped, the IV catheter is left in but fluids are stopped and the dog is fed small amounts of a bland diet and water and is monitored for diarrhea and vomiting for the first day. If all goes okay, the amounts of food and water are gradually increased until a normal ration can again be tolerated, and normal stools are produced.

4. If the dog is sent home early, odds are high HGE will return.

5. Once a dog has had HGE, it can be more at risk of having another episode at some point in it's life.

6. Suspected triggers of HGE are: stress, food, treats, bacteria, age, small breed, environment. Nothing has been proven. Most cases occur in dogs between the ages of 2 and 6 years.



An article I found on HGE (one of many):

Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE) usually causes a very sudden onset of vomiting, bloody diarrhea, dehydration and depression. Dogs affected by this condition get very sick, very fast.
To the best of my knowledge, the exact cause of this disease is unknown. It appears that Clostridium species bacteria may be part of the cause. The disease is more frequent in small breed dogs but can occur in any dog. I am not sure what the general impression is among veterinarians, but dogs that have this problem seem to have a high risk of getting it again in our practice.
Most dogs respond very well to treatment with fluids to restore hydration. In some cases it is necessary to give plasma to correct loss of protein and antibiotics to combat the suspected Clostridium infection. In a few dogs, it is necessary to give fast acting cortisones to counter shock, which is a problem due to the very rapid onset of dehydration in dogs with HGE.
It is generally necessary to totally restrict oral food and water for one or two days when treating this problem. This makes hospitalization necessary for several days for most dogs with HGE.
The odds are very good that your dog will be OK. Follow your vet's advice carefully after discharge from the hospital.
Mike Richards, DVM


Read more: Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis or HGE


Just saying, your money may be better spent on an additional day or two of treatment, or saved and just be ready for the next episode. JMHO.

[yorkieusa]

Hi Maggie, I'm sending prayers for Apple. I hope she will be much better very soon.

[ladyjane]

Apple has an excellent vet and I am quite sure she will find a solution for Apple. She also would not shortcut treatment and I know Maggie would not either. Just saying.
I would remove anything in my home that I suspected of causing the bleeding. I would not care if that was not the cause....no harm done by removing suspected items. JMHO

[kjc]

PCV = Packed Cell Volume Blood test that requires very little blood.
PVC = plastic pipe used in plumbing common typo for moi!

[ladyjane]

Anyway..........back to the original intent of this thread:

I will be keeping little Apple in my thoughts and prayers.