I am so glad he is continually getting better:) Hugs for you both.

I do have to share I look like a crazy person right along with you when it comes to table scraps. Because I take Taycie to work with me they think I am nuts because I keep her in her crate while the kids eat, or she has to be held. I make the kids keep all the food in the kitchen and I sweep the floor numerous times during the day..

I once caught their dad about to give Taycie a piece of a "Peep" those marshmallow candies.. I about died! I said NO WAY! They always give me a hard time and say, "Well at least our dog gets to experience what life REALLY is about.."

I reply.. Yes, I am sure he loves it, especially when it comes out in liquid form. Yes, he is DEFIANTLY Living the life:) hehehehe:)!

Glad that Jackson is on the mend. :) He is so lucky to have you!

They were DISGUSTING! Though Ringo always went into shivers of delight whenever he got one.

Ugh. They were greasy and just gross.

And . . if one gets left out in the yard .. . and gets wet . . . it starts to look actually like a real ear. GROSS! If we had a barfing emoticon - I'd use it!

Sorry.

Hope Jackson is having a good day - and you too, of course!

That is really good news. Have a great day!

Was the amylase up when the lipase was up?

Symptoms are exactly those of pancreatitis including the abdominal pain when palpated. I would be extremely shocked if it didn't start off as that. His intestines may be angry still.

Very happy to hear Jackson is doing so well. He remains in my thoughts and prayers.

To be honest, I'm not sure about the amylase. They never mentioned anything about it. All they ever told me was high was the lipase and his dehydration were always up by 1-2% (for example, these numbers are probably off, but let's say normal is 61%, he was at 62%). The last visit she wasn't as concerned about dehydration levels.

I am pretty sure it was definitely pancreatitis. I mean, it just makes sense. I don't see what else it could be. But I was kind of left with a bit of uncertainty. I almost felt like I spent over $1500 for them to tell me he has a sensitive stomach. :confused:

So here's my question... can something like pancreatitis 'create' or trigger something like IBS?

Does this sound like an acute case? So since he's had it once, he's more susceptible to having it again? Is it fair to say "he HAS pancreatitis" or "he HAD pancreatitis" or "he's prone to pancreatitis"... lol. I just don't know.

For the future, I think I am going to ask for a cPL test to be done straight away. I don't really understand why it wasn't in the first place but *shrugs* what do I know?

I'm just almost questioning if all of those sub-q fluids were even worth it? I mean, at $47 a pop (and I believe they inserted them 4-5x) it was an easy way for rack up my bill, and they never changed anything with the in-house bloodwork. And each time I went in there for bloodwork (which was 3x, I think), it cost me $140ish each time. I just wonder if the whole process was completely necessary at this point. But because I didn't know a whole lot about it, I didn't want to question anything, and I think they knew that. They would show me all the charges on the screen and I'd just say 'okay' and sign off on whatever and I really think I need to become more in control.

Brit, I don't have any first-hand experience with pancreatitis, but I don't think the doc would recommend fluids if Jackson didn't need them. I believe pumping fluid into a non-dehydrated dog would be risky and make them sick, so a doc wouldn't do it.

One could argue that the cPL should have been done right away, and now you know that for the future, or that there was a more efficient means of handling lab tests. However, I don't think the doctor wanted to rack up the bill.

I think and hope you are right. Sometimes medical professionals, both human and animals, just make me question is all. Especially after we spent some time in the ER with my dads dog Lilly and it made me start questioning their motives a little bit is all. I do know they were in it to make Jackson better, and thank God they were there for us, but at the end of the day, it's also a business. I do understand that.

But all in all, I am glad that I did all that I did to get Jackson better. Whether he needed anything they did to him or not, I think it made me feel a lot better knowing he had it and was under a doctor's care. I will definitely be extremely proactive to be sure this hopefully does not happen again!

Btw, I am planning on getting a few good shots of Jackson and picking a good one and making a nice card to send to the vet's office. :) The staff were all really nice and helpful and I did overall really like this office so I want to send them a thank you for helping me with Jackson! Plus, I practically lived at the place for, what, 10 days? ;)

Yup, they won't start giving subqs like that for no reason. I think you are very lucky that they offered that because if he was dehydrated, another night in the hospital would have been a good option.

A lot of vets diagnose it based on lipase, amylase and history. Some are less comfortable with that and want the more sensitive test. Yes, I recommend making sure they do it.

"If" he had pancreatitis (almost certainly did) and "if" it hasn't gone chronic (doubt it because the cPL is normal),then you would say he had an acute case or episode of pancreatitis and recurrence is very possible. In other words, his diagnosis would be acute pancreatitis. Since it was acute and not ongoing, he "had" it, not "has" it. If it was chronic, then he "has" it.

All vets are different with their blood testing protocols. The thing I'd be most irritated with is that they kept doing it in-house after the initial emergency. Some think that's fine. I don't waste $$$ on it.

It's good to be proactive and in control, but there is another side to that. You'll see some of us like that on YT. I can tell you the reason I can be like that is if things get messed up by me (or more likely if I'm about to make a bad decision), there is a safety net in my vet. She won't let me do anything that would hurt my dogs. And I know that she does NOT run unnecessary tests..ever. So if she says xyz in needed, her word is gold. You could definitely study up on what needs to be/is going to be done and then help that guide you in the convos with your vet.

-Could we send this out-house?
-How important is it to do this today?
-How much risk is there if we get the results today vs tomorrow?
-Could you explain why you think xyz?
-I read this online. Is it true? If not, why not?


They aren't going to sit and answer questions all day, but if you have some important things on your mind (including your financial state), then those things should absolutely be brought up. Not all owners can spend a fortune and that's okay as long as the animal isn't suffering.

I believe all that you did for Jackson was absolutely necessary to get him better and not just for peace of mind.

My first vet for Max, yes I do believe she pushed certain things (everything available, with no regard for individual lifestyles and circumstances) to maximize profits.

Can't answer many of your questions, but the sub-q fluids are worth it, so many times people/animals have died from just dehydration. Most modern medicine involves not so much miraculous drugs that cure us, but just a "safe haven" until our body mends itself.

I think you might be asking if Jackson has acute or chronic pancreatitis. Acute is when they are actively fighting it, and chronic means it's a lifelong condition. From my understanding, you have to be extremely careful at least a year after a case of acute, so I would just tend to think of it as "chronic". I mean to give you an official diagnosis Jackson might have to get sick multiple times, but it’s very possible you can prevent that. Each time he gets sick, more damage is being done to the pancreas, and some dogs never recover from a single attack. You could "experiment" on Jackson and learn more solid facts, but the facts wouldn't be worth the pain that Jackson would have to go through. Doctors can't always give a clear answer on what caused what or what the condition really is and this is even true with humans and we can verbalize the symptoms.

Bottom line is you have to have faith in your vet, I think so many people bash vets and say they recommend food, immunizations etc, because they are money grubbing do such a disservice to vets and pets! Are there some vets in it for the wrong reason, sure, but you are much more likely to find a money grubber in other professions. To be a Veterinarian takes years of study and the field generally attracts people truly dedicated to animals. Now, some of the suppliers to veterinarians may not have such altruistic motives, but I truly believe, in general, you can fairly easily find a vet that isn’t trying to rip you off.

Thanks! You just cleared up those little questions that I had in the back of my mind and it makes perfect sense to me. You basically just confirmed my thoughts but I wanted to make sure I was thinking along the right path.

And, I guess I am very thankful they offered the subq fluids then! Was certainly a much better option (emotionally and financially! ;)) then leaving him in the hospital again.

Those are pretty easy straightforward answers that I will keep in the back of my mind. Makes sense. I guess I now know that, in Jackson's case anyways, it may be better to just go straight for the cPL rather than wasting money on in-house bloodwork that could come back iffy. Do you know if bloodwork, when it comes to lipase anyways, can be elevated due to high stress levels? Jackson freaks at the vet... heart rate goes super fast, very nervous and stressed, etc.

Thanks for answering my questions so clearly!

Were you offered a chance to do home fluid drip? The bag cost me $20.00 and they gave me all the needles I needed and marked the bag showing the amount of fluid to give each time. I didn't think I could stick a needle in my cat's neck but each time it got easier for the both of us. Did they charge you for every visit for fluids?
With Gina, the pancreatitis developed into IBD which couldn't be cured.
Cherie