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

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

My Cookie is on prednisone every other day and takes Famotidine (Pepcid) with it to prevent stomach upsets. You might want to speak with your vet about doing that. You might also want to try feeding him Hill's ID or Purina EN...but, of course, ask your vet about that. I have a pup who is now on Purina EN because he just kept having problems with digestion. He is fine now.

As for the elevated lipase...I have seen that quite a few times in my pups and it has never meant anything at all. All by itself like that, my vet does not put much into it. Any of them who have had that, have later had labs that were perfectly normal.

I asked about Hill's ID but the female vet gave me a prescription for that Royal Canin Gastrointestinal, which I didn't see until I got home. Do you like the Hill's better than the RC for tummy upsets/gas/roiling sounds? I've actually got a can of that right now from when he had pneumonia & they sent him home with that in case he got tummy upsets from the antibiotics or just the infection.

Oh, your statement about the elevated lipase makes me feel so much better. When the vet said it could mean nothing, I heard that but thought maybe he was just coddling me at first before saying, well, it could be......
And he also said a repeat lipase a bit down the road could very well be normal but I was so sure at that point Tibbe was very ill, I really didn't take it to heart or even really believe him. Like a nut, I was just panicked.

Little Tibbe has had several single tablespoons of kibble soup today now & thank the Lord, no gas, no watery sounds in his tummy, or ears out to the side. He even picked up the chew bone we play hide & seek with and carried it around a bit before I told him to come lie down, not wanting him to start a tummy upset as his next nausea pill not due til tomorrow a.m. He's had water on his on again a few times. I'm feeling so much better that some giant other shoe is not really about to fall that I'm almost giddy tonight. After PT today, a tough, tough session in which the therapist actually tortured me(kidding......mostly), I was so destroyed I didn't go get his Royal Canin Gastointestinal Kibble but after what you said, I think I will try the can of Hill's I/D first & maybe get a new script & go with that if he does okay on it.

Tibbe does act sometimes like he has just had some reflux - I hear a kind of belch & look & he is licking & swallowing - maybe like he had something in his mouth. I will ask the vet about Pepcid. I take Famotidine myself at times & it keeps me from getting nauseated from a lot of stomach acid.

You've given me hope that maybe Tib's future is not grim & I think I might sleep tonight. And, he's doing so much better, he likely will as he is napping in my lap now. His tummy is soft tonight!

You all are the best. I couldn't do without you all. All those ideas & sweet words & prayers. Thanks a zillion. This is how I look tonight:

[ladyjane]

RC Gastrointestinal is a good food. My guess is the steroid is causing this and maybe Pepcid will fix things right up!

[yorkietalkjilly]

We're getting some! Thanks again!!!!!!!!

[yorkieusa]

I'm glad Tibbe is better. Things are looking up!

[yorkietalkjilly]

Tibbe is very quiet this morning & acts like he is maybe having esophageal reflux. His body will kind of kink or jerk, his head goes low & then he is licking his lips & swallowing, kind of like when a person has that bile or whatever it is come up in your throat. I had it once & he's acting like that. He ate his kibble soup(fed it without remembering I was going to use the Hill's I/D I have) this morning but he's been very unhappy since, moping around, big eyes looking at me.

So, it is the vet again for us once surgery hours are over today. He's been like this before over the weekend & I gave him 1/2 cc of Maalox but yesterday, his regular vet said not to use Maalox on him now. It seemed to help him almost immediately when I did use it. I'm wondering if "heartburn" can make a dog act this unhappy. His belly is not especially hard or distended though it doesn't feel it's normal soft self. This boy has every other day problems, it seems. He has a good day and then the next is bad. I'm wondering what in the world is next.

[Micah my love]

So sorry Tibbe is not well hoping he is better soon

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

Tibbe is very quiet this morning & acts like he is maybe having esophageal reflux. His body will kind of kink or jerk, his head goes low & then he is licking his lips & swallowing, kind of like when a person has that bile or whatever it is come up in your throat. I had it once & he's acting like that. He ate his kibble soup(fed it without remembering I was going to use the Hill's I/D I have) this morning but he's been very unhappy since, moping around, big eyes looking at me.

So, it is the vet again for us once surgery hours are over today. He's been like this before over the weekend & I gave him 1/2 cc of Maalox but yesterday, his regular vet said not to use Maalox on him now. It seemed to help him almost immediately when I did use it. I'm wondering if "heartburn" can make a dog act this unhappy. His belly is not especially hard or distended though it doesn't feel it's normal soft self. This boy has every other day problems, it seems. He has a good day and then the next is bad. I'm wondering what in the world is next.

Heartburn is very annoying. Poor guy. Maybe the vet will suggest Pepcid...do hope that is all this is.

[Ellie May]

Is he actually spitting up or just acting like he needs to?

Pepcid or even reglan might be in his future. Ellie has regurg issues. They are totally controlled by avoiding lots of things.

[yorkietalkjilly]

He's only vomited once in his life after he ate grass but he has spit up foamy bile 4 - 5 times a year until this episode. I have seen him do that belching/licking/swallowing thing before & thought he looked like he was having reflux.

Also earlier this morning Tibbe was changing positions frequently, moving from one spot to another. He just seemed uncomfortable, his tummy was pretty firm & I could hear some loud sounds in there.

I took Tibbe outside, he was just standing around, but then Gracie & Rusty, the two Corgi's next door came out and after a while, he ran over to them - though at first he just stood there. He played up & down the fence with Rusty & when he came in the house, he took his "Good Potty outside" piece of Science Diet Sensitive Stomach kibble, which he'd turned down earlier this morning twice. After that, his ears are back up, and at 11:00 a.m., he picked up his chew bone & started playing with it, throwing & chasing it. His tummy is now soft again & his eyes aren't big. He's been napping in one spot now for about 10 minutes - just seems more comfortable.

I wonder if his combo Science Diet Sensitive/Iams Pro-Active Health Adult kibble soup was just too rich for his tummy and/or I gave him too much - about 3-5 tablespoonsful of the soup, causing acid, gas & that reflux. I wish I'd remembered to use the Hill's I/D - but have it sitting out so can't forget it for his next meal.

I agree with you two that he does need something to stop his acid for good & staying on that low fat diet for however long is necessary, or forever, if it won't cause long term problems. Since I'm hurting so badly from PT yesterday & my exercises this morning, now that he's better, I think I will observe him for one more day and see if he has another rocky episode after eating Hill's tonight & then again in the a.m. for breakfast & then take him back to the vet tomorrow, so I have a little more to go on for the vet. I'm just hurting so hard right now that if I can & he still acts like he's not unhappy or sick the rest of the day, I'll stay here on this couch using ice on/off for a while & not go vetting again until tomorrow. Course, if he gets ears down, mopey or I hear gas, spits up again, see/hear/feel a firm tummy, we're going then.

[ladyjane]

It may be that the steroid is causing this....once he is off of that, perhaps it will tame down. The specialist I took Cookie to prescribed Pepcid with the prednisone and she has not had any GI issues.
I would stick with one food for now....probably just the RC gastro ...

[AllDogBoots]

I hope Tibbe starts feeling better soon

[LILBIT1]

Sorry to hear Tibbe isnt feeling well. Prayers to both of you.

[Gatord]

Jack had the stomach issue after the OD (not by me) of the now recalled chicken jerky. To this day, you can sometimes hear his little tummy churning. The ER vet said to give him prilosec when needed. I only gave it to him a few times cause I felt this was still making him throw up.

I sure hope Tibbe gets better.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Does the vet dispense the H2-blocker meds themselves or do you get a prescription for the regular pharmacy?

[Yorkiemom1]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

It may be that the steroid is causing this....once he is off of that, perhaps it will tame down. The specialist I took Cookie to prescribed Pepcid with the prednisone and she has not had any GI issues.
I would stick with one food for now....probably just the RC gastro ...

I agree with all said here....