Hill I/D Gastrointestinal Health - opinions?
 

Sophie is still having some issues and we were back at the vet tonight.
Background info first (unless you want to bypass the novel and scroll to the bottom!):

Last night she had another blood panel done as well as a test for her pancreas - all came back normal and was given a Cerenia injection and an acid reducer and we were sent home. She came home and ate and was fine but then this morning she wouldn't eat at all, so back to the vet we went. We had an abdominal x-ray done to check for anything major and the vet's statement was, "There is nothing that is causing us great concern, but a couple of things that we need to note" She pointed out that her small intestines are not where they typically should be, but that could just be her normal or the way she was laying and a section of her large intestine is a little thickened.

She has been throwing up bile and foam for just over a week now and was on an anti-biotic for an infected anal gland and we attempted to switch foods. So the vets in the office both think it is pointing toward irritation from vomiting and tummy upset. Worst case scenario is lymphoma, but they don't feel that is something to be worried about yet but if she doesn't improve we will likely be told to have an ultrasound done. I am terrified of that but I am trying to stay positive.

She had a rectal exam done and no masses or abnormalities were found. Temperature was normal - only time it was high was March 25th when she has pus in her anal gland. Has been to the vet 4 times since then and temp has been normal. We took a stool sample in tonight and they are running the tests on it and will let us know. She is 5 years old and weighs between 4.5lbs and 4.8lbs (depends on the scale/when she ate last) - hasn't lost any weight though.

I should mention that her annual bloodwork was done on the 25th and was normal. Most of her issues started the weekend of the 30th and we had started giving her a new food that night.

She was sent home with some medication for vomiting and another anti-biotic we can give her and was told we could start her on them in the morning if she ate when we got home, if not, to give it tonight so she doesn't vomit.

Now, to the point:

She was also sent home with two cans of Hills I/D - a stew formula and a pate. She has inhaled the stew formula and *crosses fingers, knocks on wood* has kept it down as well as a small piece of a Benny Bully and a single green bean. I know it is still early to get excited, but she has eaten and that seems like a good sign. However, the vet also suggested putting her on the matching kibble and after years of reading about ingredients and all the opinions with vet food and corn and by-products, I am nervous.

I am just looking for people who have used the food or any prescribed food and found that it actually helped. She will get the kibble if it is what works for her, but I am having a hard time getting my mind around going from grain free/natural to Science Diet. They do allow returns if it doesn't work out, so that is somewhat comforting.

She used to get itchy with corn and chicken made her gassy (we think it was chicken, never had any testing done). The stew she ate tonight was chicken based so hopefully it doesn't make her worse, but she was happy to eat it and would have eaten the whole can if I had let her!

Thanks in advance and keeps fingers crossed for Ms. Sophie please! I just want my little monkey to feel better..

Hi. I'm sorry your pup is having such a tough time. I haven't used the Hills, but had a dog on Royal Canin Gastro RX for a couple of years. When looking at the ingredient list of these foods, it sort of makes me cringe too because they don't really appear to be high quality foods. BUT, you have to keep in mind that these foods were specifically made to target a particular health issue, and they generally do a pretty good job. I had a yorkie with somewhat chronic pancreatitis that ate the RC food. I tried to transition him off the RX food a couple of times in the first year and his pancreas would flare up each time. So it was obviously what was needed and doing it's job. During the second year I was able to slowly transition him over to a home cooked diet.


Sending good thoughts for Miss Sophie!


Diana

Hills
 

Hello.
So sorry your baby has the GI issues and is not feeling well.
My boy had a bout of pancreatitis about a year ago and I was told by the vet that I should feed Hills ID Low Fat prescription food to keep him P free.
I agree, the ingredients aren't what I would wish to feed him, but I have to say that he has done really well on the Hills. I started with the canned when he was first diagnosed and slowly converted to the kibble. ( mixed the canned and kibble until it was all kibble). After a while I added a small amount of boiled lean chicken breast to give him at least a bit of 'real' food.:)
So all I can say is that the food does keep him well and I would try it. The kibble is pretty boring I imagine, so you may have to pep it up a bit with some canned or chicken to make it more palatable.
Hope she is feeling better soon. Good Luck!

Miss Tink recently changed from Royal Canin Gastro Food to Hills ID. For some reason, she started to refuse the Royal Canin Gastro canned food when she used to love it.
She is all about the Hills ID - and comparing the ingredients to Royal Canin, I'm much happier with Hills ID, and it's lower fat than RC. Tink has had pancreatitis in the past, so her vet switched her to prescription food to combat the issue. I hope Sophie starts feeling better!

Thanks guys! She is loving the wet food, so we are going to pick up a bag of the kibble this week. She didn't throw up last night or this morning - fingers crossed it stays that way.

I made the mistake of looking up lymphoma symptoms and have been crying all day and feeling sick with worry. I am truly hoping this is just an irritation and not cancer...the vet didn't seem to find it too concerning, but did say if she didn't improve that testing should be done.

She has a bowel movement today - small and softer than usual but all she has eaten is wet food since Sunday night but it was not diarrhea. She is also drinking water on her own terms and I mix a little extra with her canned food so make sure she is getting water throughout the day.

I am so nervous, but trying to take comfort in the fact that without meds she kept everything down and is still hungry today. She usually throws up at night, so I will be watching her like a hawk tonight and hoping she does not throw up.

I pray that this issue is just tummy issues (and that the new food helps) - wishes and prayers for little Sophie

All I can say about Hills is that my son's dog has been on it for over 5 years, and after a year of trying other prescription foods and losing so much weight we thought he would die, it's been a godsend. I recommended it to someone based upon my son's luck with it and people here blasted it for different reasons, but my grand dog has gained all his weight back and his pancreatitis is under control.

Hills
 

Thanks for the good news that Sophie likes the wet food and keeps it down. Cerenia is a wonderful drug and really works I found. The antacid will also help am sure. Whenever my dog gets a tummy upset, the Hills canned always eases it. Don't worry about the softish stool as she is getting a lot of liquid in the food and water. Hope the transition to the Hills kibble goes well. But I am certain that if you at first mix in some canned she will lap it up.
PLEASE do not get stressed about cancer. There is no evidence in the exams and tests so far and she probably just has a tummy upset. Not a good idea to start nasty disease searches yet!!!
If she had some serious obstruction etc she would not be holding down food and pooping normally. So far she is doing well and hopefully will be better in a day or so.
Whatever is in the Hills, it usually is well accepted by dogs and keeps them GI symptom free.
So try and be positive, and we pray that she will be feeling her old self again soon.
:)

No vomiting since Sunday night, but not eating again today. I don't know if we can afford the ultrasound but I can't lose her and I am so scared she has cancer ... :(

I am so sorry that your baby girl is not eating today. I would take her back to the vet and get the US test if that is what the vet needs for a better diagnosis.
Hope there is nothing serious and that it is just a tummy upset.
Prayers for her to get well soon.

Feel so bad for you as I know you're really scared. I want to say an ultrasound is around $150-200 or so...? Are there other symptoms that are making you think cancer?

I have used Hill's ID many times with great success. I also use Purina EN instead of the ID at times. They are pretty much the same food.

My Rookie recently was hospitalized for tests due to GI issues. His xrays were quite scary .. super enlarged liver and so they did an ultrasound which suggested that he could have a number of things (including cancer which scared the heck out of me). We ended up doing an endoscopy on him and he has lymphangectasia ... for now he is on Purina EN and doing well. He is not yet losing protein so they didn't want him on a super low fat diet.

Anyway......my point to all of this is that Hills ID and Purina EN are great RX foods!
I had a pup many years ago who was on the EN for the last 4 years of his life and he lived to be around 16. :)

Also, the vets must warn you about cancer because it is always a possibility, but yorkies are SO prone to gastro intestinal issues that I would try hard to think that it is probably one of them. Believe me, there is a greater chance of some gastro issue than cancer in a yorkie! Often we spend so much time worrying about things that don't come to pass.

Good luck and please keep us posted!

Ultrasounds here are $367 :eek: That is with a radiologist reading it.

The office quoted us at $460 for the ultrasound because they have to bring in a specialist to do it.

Other than the thickened instestines and her not eating, nothing else would worry me. She hasn't taken any meds since Sunday and she was loving the wet food all day yesterday. It just seems she eats for one day and then refuses food the next day with a gurgling bum. She was fine all ay yesterday and was running around and even played with her toys (she rarely does that normally!). She ate a lick of food at 6am this morning and now she wants nothing to do with us or the food.

She has gotten me through so much these last few years and I am in no way ready to say goodbye to her at 5 years old.

You might want to call around to see if you could get the ultrasound for less. That is a lot of money but it could just be the rate there.

Thickening of the intestines could be many things....actually lymphangectasia is one and, even more commonly IBD. The symptoms are the same...loss of appetite is what I picked up on with my Cookie when she was diagnosed. The difference in Cookie and Rookie is that she was losing protein and he has not yet. Ask them about the possibility of this because it is common in yorkies. Here is a link about it:
Intestinal Lymphangiectasia

It may not be that, but it is certainly worth asking about!

I will definitely ask them about that. We are just waiting to see when the doctor can come in to do the X-ray. She pooped this morning and was closer than it has been...but maybe from eating only wet food?

Started her back on her anti biotics and hopefully that can help her. Still no vomiting but still no food eaten.

I don't get this. She runs around when she sees us move her leash and she barks and follows me around but as soon as she is offered food or we are just sitting still she is cowering with her ears down and not giving kisses.

My husband and I aren't talked right now because he thinks she is fine and I am just wasting money. We don't have the money for this in anyway but I need to find out what is wrong with her...I don't worry and we live paycheque to paycheque but she is my baby and I can't imagine losing her right now. He is going to be even more annoyed if it just shows up as a belly problem. I will take him being mad at me over losing her but I'm so alone right now with all of this and I can't sleep, eat or keep anything down myself and I just keep being told that she is fine and if i worked I could spend all the money I want on her. I hate when things come down to money. I don't work because of depression and severe social anxiety. I am with my aunt right now but I feel so alone and don't know how I am going to pay for this without causing an uproar.

Sorry for the venting...I am just so scared for her..

Sick baby
 

I am so sorry your baby is sick and that it is stressing you out so much and making you sick. It is also sad that your husband is not on your side over vet treatments for your baby, that will also be more stress for you. Hope he will see how much you care for her and come around.
She does sound to be behaving normally except for the food issue, so it does seem she has an irritated tummy. There are many things it could be and Lady Jane suggests one that her dog had, for example.
If all the tests are good so far, please do not think the worst. You are not going to lose her as I am sure whatever she has can be treated successfully.
Please see the vet again and tell him of your cash situation. He may look over the test results again and perhaps have other suggestions for less expensive diagnostic tests. Perhaps he would take monthly payments or help you out somehow?
For your own peace of mind and health you have to get your girl well again for her sake and yours. You know, although things look bleak right now, there is a solution and you will find it:). So take heart, talk with the vet and I pray he can help you.
Good luck and please keep in touch.

Ultrasound is booked for tomorrow and I am so sick right now...

Bless you for doing this for Sophie and for the financial sacrifice you are making.
Praying that the US provides a diagnosis that is treatable and that she will be well again soon. You are doing the best that is possible for Sophie, so don't feel bad. It will be OK:-)
Thanks for letting us know.
Hugs for you and Sophie xxxx

I hope and pray that the ultrasound will only bring good news. You stated that most of the issues started around the 30th when new food was introduced? I hope that is the sole reason for her tummy issues - sometimes it takes awhile for the belly to get introduced to a new or different food.
Prayers for little Sophie!

Well she ate a couple of bite of plain chicken and maybe a teaspoon of her wet food and started refusing again.

I'm going to try and hold on to the fact that she seems interested in food and will eat chicken if I give it to her.

We drop her off at the vet and should get the results between 9am and 1pm. I am probably not going to sleep but my stress level is probably not along her feel any better because she gets very anxious if I cry and has been freaking out all day when I cry.

Well that is good news that Sophie is eating a bit of chicken now. If she has a GI infection or problem it is possible she is not that hungry. Also, sometimes antibiotics can make them not want food.
Don't get so upset, she is still eating and will be examined tomorrow and you will better know what is bothering Sophie. Most GI issues with dogs are not serious and can be treated once diagnosed. I know that our pets pick up on our emotions so try and be more cheerful for her:)
So breathe deeply and relax. Praying for good news tomorrow, at least the results will come fairly early tomorrow.
Best wishes and good luck.
Get well soon Sophie!!!

Prayers for Sophie and also for you. I hope the ultrasound goes well and you have a simple answer to help her.

Thank you.

I just got home from dropping her off and I am hyperventilating and can't stop crying. My husband is still at work and the apartment is so full of her stuff but she's not here and she is the only thing I have ever had that can calm me down. She has gotten me through my grandpa dying. my mom dying and my cat unexpectedly dying in February and now it's her.

The estimate for tomorrow was $560 and I don't know how it will ever be paid off and I can't stop thinking that my whole world is going to crumble tomorrow.

She ended up eating about 1/8th of a cup of wet food and licked the can it came in before we left. She hasn't drank since yesterday though, but she never really drank a ton, so maybe mixing the water with the wet food was enough last night? She was interested in the kibble but every time she took a piece she spit it out, so maybe she didn't like it. I don't know...I just am trying to hold on to some hope that she will be okay.

She was still acting like herself, but there are always people that have had the experience that the dog was fine and then had was diagnosed.

Anyway, my anxiety is through the roof right now and I can barely stop shaking long enough to type out a word.

Thank you for all the prayers, they are really appreciated.

I am so sorry. I hate that you are having such a hard time with this. Wish I knew the magic words to make it better. Try real hard to be positive....it very well may be something like what my Cookie and Rookie have and it is VERY treatable with the right diet. It doesn't sound like she is terribly sick. I am going to choose to think it will be something treatable.

In Dec 2011 they hit me with Cookie's diagnosis of IBD and Lymphangectasia....I was horribly depressed and thought it would be my last Christmas with her. I think she was maybe 6 then? Anyway...she is alive and well and thriving!!

Of course it may not be that, and may be something even simpler. I really doubt it is cancer...I am going to continue to think that way for you!

Definitely praying. As for the money....I totally get it. I have been so slammed the past couple of years and just got hit two weeks ago with another $2400...I want to scream some days. I just keep plodding along believing things will be ok. You have to do that! Hang in there ...

Sending hugs and prayers for the all of you. I know it seems so quiet when they are not around. Some times it is hard for people to understand how precious these little dogs are to us and how they brighten our dark corners. I hope the tests show an easily treatable issue and that your husband comes to understand how precious Sophie is to you. I am not criticizing your husband I know it must be hard with all the financial worries for the both of you.

Sophie
 

How I feel for you missing your sweet baby tonight. I know how empty a home feels when they are not there. I feel so lost even when my boy is at the groomers!
It is good that she ate some food tonight. The canned food is 80% water so she will be ok for water. If she needs more the vet will hydrate her.
But she will be home with you tomorrow and hopefully feeling much better with none of the dire diseases you are imagining now. Why do we always think the worst?? Most times we are wrong and it is never as bad as we thought. Not knowing is what gets to us and that is why you needed to get her tested and diagnosed. As others here have said, it is more likely to be a GI issue that is easily treated.
I know you love your sweet baby and she has comforted you through many sad and difficult times. And she will be there by your side again tomorrow:)
You are anxious about her welfare as you care about her so much, but you are doing what a loving mom should do, and that is to get her to a vet and be made better.
Do you have any medications that you can take to ease your anxiety tonight so you can get some sleep? You want to be a rested and happy momma when you pick her up tomorrow.
Wishing you a peaceful night and a happier day tomorrow.
Praying for a positive result tomorrow. Take care of yourself.
Thoughts and prayers
Hugs. Oxoxoxo

Thank you all so much. I really don't know what I would do without this place sometimes. I am a little calmer now than I was, my husband is home and he seems to think she is okay as well. I am trying to stay positive but it is definitely hard. It is currently 4:45am and I am still awake. I want to sleep but am afraid we will miss the call as our reception isn't always the best here and while they have two contact numbers, we don't have a landline jut cell phones.

I am trying to be positive but I keep worrying that maybe we shouldn't have left her there alone tonight and should have kept her at home with us just in case. I just felt that maybe she would be too stressed around me tonight since she panics when I am upset. She was acting normal when we dropped her off, I mean she didn't want to stay there but she was acting like herself on the way there.

I am hoping and praying that everything turns out okay. I miss her so much tonight and just want her cuddles.

The ultrasound is sometime between 9am and 1pm. The specialist travels to clinics to do ultrasounds and gives an immediate verbal report. We did call around for pricing but it seemed either to be the same process our vet does or the ultrasound would be done right away but results could take close to a week. So we decided to stay with the vet we are comfortable with and knows us.

I hope my next update is good news and the call comes sooner than later and we can pick her up and I can get smothered in her little kisses again.

Still waiting. I called them at noon to see how things were and the doctor hadn't even got there to start the ultrasound yet. I haven't slept yet and can't even hold water down at this point. My husband leaves for work in 2 hours so I will be left to handle the call and everything alone, which is not going to be easy. She was supposed to be done by 1pm and picked up and it is 12:30 and hasn't even started yet.

I am sorry...so anxiety provoking. Take some deep breaths. Try to have some faith ... I know it's hard.