***Tibbe Back To Vet Again Today - A Puzzle!!!***

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by yorkieusa

How is Mr. Tibbe doing today? I hope he has a great Saturday!

He's perkier but still sleeping mostly. He's taken to eating his breakfast & "rising" in general to later in the day, I think, so trying not to let his sleeping in worry me too much anymore. He had normal BM, etc. this morning - yes, I check every one during the daylight hours. And he doesn't look woeful today as he has most of this week in the morning portions of the day. And, this morning, he's rousing from sleep to bark at things that he hasn't responded to much before afternoon all week. He's such a male diva, maybe his anals were hurting & bothering him all week & until he started scooting yesterday, no one knew it & that was causing his unusual lethargy, woefulness. I keep waiting for the other shoe to fall when he's not himself. And he hasn't been himself for quite a while except at times, especially afternoons & early evening. So, we'll see. We have clearly worn a trail in the road to the vet clinic! I don't even have to give them my name on the phone - they just know my voice now. I don't want to be "one of those" dog owner women who calls at the time & lives at the vet clinic - really I don't. But I so hate to think of him suffering when he's been so very well & hardy & frisky all of his life, I take him right in if he even looks wrong. I'm stopping that - I really am. I have read Aasop's Fables.

[kjc]

Oh gosh! Mine will vomit, stop eating , and get very lethargic when their anals glands are full... it's also usually the very first thing I check when they start acting 'off'. I know it sounds OCDish, but it has saved me many trips to the vet!

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by kjc

Oh gosh! Mine will vomit, stop eating , and get very lethargic when their anals glands are full... it's also usually the very first thing I check when they start acting 'off'. I know it sounds OCDish, but it has saved me many trips to the vet!

Really? That is really good to know. He's certain had full anals before without acting the way he's been acting but he could just be reacting differently now to that problem, especially on the heels of his recent problems. You would think his vets would have checked that as every other single time I take him in, they always check his anals & express them about every 3rd visit or so. Well, I will start to check those form now on when he's funky in any way, even if he isn't scooting or biting at his rear at the time. That's good to know other dogs get hangdog when their anals are full.
He just ate & went back to sleep but roused right away to growl at something only he heard - that is more like it!

[Maximo]

Sending best wishes to Tibbe. I understand worrying when they are not 100%.

[yorkieusa]

I hope he has a good afternoon.

[Connie]

I am hoping and praying that tomorrow he will be back to normal. It is such a worry when they are under the weather. Best wishes to you and darling little Tibbe!

[yorkietalkjilly]

Tibbe is pretty frisky this morning. It is sunny & he loves sunny weather. But he just refused one of his old Iams ProActive pieces of kibble that he used to readily take as "teats" morning or night. Since he was ill, he just won't eat that any more in the mornings - or much of anything mornings. He seems to hate his Royal Canin G-I kibble and just won't eat it unless he is starving without my soaking it in water. He eats that more readily but he's not pouncing on it, like he used to do his old Iams kibble. He seems to eat the canned Hill's I/D, though he won't necessarily eat all of the 3 - 4 tablespoons I put down for him. I do leave his RC GI kibble out for him & after he eats around noon, he will sometimes have a couple of bites of that. Last night I don't even think he ate any of it. Was testing to see if he got hungry enough he would eat it without soaking it in water. I hope one day he's a good eater again without having to live on Hill's canned I/D. Before he got sick, he was such a happy eater of his Iams Proactive I hated to change him but when he got sick, we had to take him off it as it seemed to fill him with gas. I guess he's now become a picky eater or he's still not right in some way.
(sorry for the big font above, it happens sometimes when I use Spellcheck & can't get it go resize again to normal)

[yorkieusa]

His appetite may improve in time. I'm glad he's doing better.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Oh, gosh, poor guy. He was lying on the bathroom floor while I was doing my hair & he jumped like he was shot, ears back & he ran into the den, got in his enclosed carrier. When I got him out to give him his Pepcid AC, his little tummy was making such loud, loud sounds. It doesn't feel hard or distended as he hasn't any food in it as far as I can tell. I mushed up his kibble with a hammer a while ago to see if that would encourage him to eat. No. He refused his kibble treat again for taking his Pepcid. There is just something not right with him a good deal of the time. I don't know what else to do. He has good & bad parts of each day now. I say good - at least he is up & acting playful & then, a while later, he's down & mopey or getting in his carrier or going off into the bedroom.

[Ellie May]

I'm sorry this is dragging out.

I agree with you. Something is wrong. There are a couple other blood and fecal tests that can be considered. Ultrasound isn't always great for intestinal issues although it might be worth a look. If it keeps happening, maybe he should be scoped? My girl has pancreas and intestinal issues. But she is almost always perky and herself. The lethargy and extensive inappetance would concern me.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by Ellie May

I'm sorry this is dragging out.

I agree with you. Something is wrong. There are a couple other blood and fecal tests that can be considered. Ultrasound isn't always great for intestinal issues although it might be worth a look. If it keeps happening, maybe he should be scoped? My girl has pancreas and intestinal issues. But she is almost always perky and herself. The lethargy and extensive inappetance would concern me.

Crystal, thanks for the info. What are those other tests that might be next?

Also, what kind of scope? Of the esophagus & stomach?

[Ellie May]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

Crystal, thanks for the info. What are those other tests that might be next?

Also, what kind of scope? Of the esophagus & stomach?

There is an expanded fecal test that looks for more things. TLI to take another look at the pancreas and such. Vitamin B check to r/o small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. etc. I'm definitely not saying he needs all of this. Just that the vet does have options...

Yes, an esophageal scope... Not as diagnostic as opening a pup up, but not very invasive. They can take biopsies if needed. That doesn't mean it is time to do this. It just is needed (either this or surgery) at some point when intestinal issues don't respond to dietary changes and meds.

I'm not sure where you are at with the food thing. If he does okay on I/D canned, that is the only thing I would offer. No treats. No other kibbles. If the vet wanted him on RC kibble, that is the only thing he should get until he is better. Adding anything else or treating him with anything but the one food could throw him off. So I'd say pick one food and stick with it.

Although certainly not a miracle cure, I'd really consider reglan (if obstruction has been ruled out). This can help with esophageal irritation, nausea, and gastric motility issues. Maybe you could avoid the Pepcid this way.

BTW, my vet was saying a dog had recurrent GI issues. Nothing on xray. Then I forget what she did, but finally figured out there was a ring from a gallon of milk floating in its stomach. That wouldn't be the problem here, but not everyting is visible on xray. Have they talked about giving him some barium and looking again just to be sure?

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by Ellie May

There is an expanded fecal test that looks for more things. TLI to take another look at the pancreas and such. Vitamin B check to r/o small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. etc. I'm definitely not saying he needs all of this. Just that the vet does have options...

Yes, an esophageal scope... Not as diagnostic as opening a pup up, but not very invasive. They can take biopsies if needed. That doesn't mean it is time to do this. It just is needed (either this or surgery) at some point when intestinal issues don't respond to dietary changes and meds.

I'm not sure where you are at with the food thing. If he does okay on I/D canned, that is the only thing I would offer. No treats. No other kibbles. If the vet wanted him on RC kibble, that is the only thing he should get until he is better. Adding anything else or treating him with anything but the one food could throw him off. So I'd say pick one food and stick with it.

Although certainly not a miracle cure, I'd really consider reglan (if obstruction has been ruled out). This can help with esophageal irritation, nausea, and gastric motility issues. Maybe you could avoid the Pepcid this way.

BTW, my vet was saying a dog had recurrent GI issues. Nothing on xray. Then I forget what she did, but finally figured out there was a ring from a gallon of milk floating in its stomach. That wouldn't be the problem here, but not everyting is visible on xray. Have they talked about giving him some barium and looking again just to be sure?

They haven't mentioned anything else in the way of testing yet but his vets have all said they are pretty sure it is mostly diet related now. I had mentioned giving him the old Iams kibble for treats, when he will take them, and they didn't say to stop that but I am going to stop anything but his Hills I/D for a couple of weeks to see what happens. I offered him 3 tablespoons or so this morning & he ate it all and even played after breakfast! He's gone back to bed now on the couch(not in his enclosed carrier) & he seems himself again so far today. So I think we are just going to stay with 3 small meals of Hills ID with nothing else for 2 weeks and see if my happy little dog will return & stay.

It is good to get an idea of what they could be ordering in the way of future testing should we have to. Thank you for that info, Crystal.

[LunasMomma]

Keeping my fingers crossed that he does better with just the Hills food. I was hoping to read that he was back to his normal self today I can imagine that you are very worried and frustrated! Is there such a thing as an Internal Medicine Specialist for animals?

Reglan was mentioned and I thought that sounded like a good idea. I am on Reglan for my stomach (gastroparesis) and it literally saved my life. Before I was diagnosed as diabetic, I felt so sick for a long long time and couldn't eat but a bite or two at any time. I lost about 40 lbs in a few months, before I was diagnosed. I got my sugar under control and still couldn't eat so the doc gave me Reglan, it was a miracle! Too bad I gained back all 40 lbs though, I could have stood to leave off 20 of that

Praying for Tibbe and you

[yorkietalkjilly]

I am so relieved to post that I have had the "old Tibbe" today so far! Just when I think something totally dreadful is going on, he has a good day or part of one. And so far he's had a small breakfast & lunch of Hill's I/D & seems to be doing quite well. He's playful & frisky, growling & barking as any good "security guard" does & it's hard to believe he's the same dog. It's been such a rollercoaster but I am so glad it has stopped on the top for a while now & I sure hope for his - and my - sake it stays there. I love him so much, watching him feeling bad & acting so sad & uncomfortable has been terrible. One of his vets did mention Reglan as a possibility so we'll consider it.

What you described about the Reglan sounds like the experience I had last fall when good old Nexium finally fixed me up. I just couldn't eat - lost weight until the doctor really took me to the woodshed about getting so thin. But then they started me on the purple pill & everything changed in about a week, though I've never been a big eater. I can eat lots more now. Today I even had 1 1/2 beef tacos from a fast food place! That just wasn't possible before.

We'll see if Pepcid AC & Hill's won't work for a while & see what happens. I really like having the "old Tibbe" back & want to keep him!