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My 2yo Mix Breed Rescue is experiencing kidney failure and I need help, please?
First of all I want to say I have found this group to be a wonderful place of love, support, and information for anyone going through this situation! Thank you all so much for that!! Ok so here's my baby Bella's situation. On Wednesday, March 15, 2017, I carried her to the vet bc she was throwing up and not feeling well. Her breath had been smelling like poop for awhile and after researching online I had checked her teeth and they were fine so I assumed she must be eating it. So I relayed all this to my vet. He checked her mouth and found a stick lodged in the roof of her mouth between her teeth that had became infected and smelt horrible! So he drew so blood and came back with the horrific news that she was in kidney failure from what we believed to be the infection in her mouth. Her creatinine was 5 and her BUN was over 180 bc 180 was as high as his machine would read. I was in tears and I asked him to try and save my baby! So he kept her and started her on fluids and antibiotics. He rechecked her numbers on Friday and we were pleased to see that her creatinine was down to 3.3 and her BUN was down to 66. We decided to continue treatment throughout the weekend and recheck on Monday the 20th. On Monday he called and said all Bella's blood work was completely normal and I could come and pick her up and no additional treatment or changes would be necessary other than he wanted her to take Keflex for 7 more days. I brought her home and everything was fine other than she was a pickier eater than usual. She wouldn't touch her usual dog food so I made her some chicken and rice with vegetables. Towards the end of the week she became even pickier. On Saturday the 25th she was acting kinda funny, she began throwing up and having diarrhea. By Sunday morning she was so weak she unable to even stand on her own. I got in touch with my vet and they told me to bring her there at 4. I didn't think she was going to live that long so I started putting Powerade in a syringe and forcing it in her every 15 minutes. Once we got to the vet her creatinine was 9.2 and her BUN was 124. The vet called on Monday and he suggested that maybe euthanasia was our only option. We discussed that there may have been a small chance that she could have gotten into some antifreeze but that was a month before she got sick she got sick so we felt that we could rule that out. We also felt that we could rule out the infection in her mouth bc that too had been handled. So that lead us to leptospirosis. We both felt this fit bc I live in a rural area, there's a cow pasture across the street from me, and a small pond behind me that Bella loves to wade in and drink from!! We have plenty of creatures who come up and share the outside food and water bowls. Not mention the dead rats, bunnies and other things she brings up from the woods. So we agreed to at least treat her with a penicillin antibiotic and doxycycline for 2 days and see what happens. Well yesterday they called me with her labs and what an amazing God Sent it was her creatinine was down to 2.8 and her BUN is down to 35!! So this brings me to my questions. Do y'all think we've found the true cause of her kidney failure this time? How do I keep her from relapsing when she gets back home? I have read through all the posts here and especially the info posted by member Tony and his 10 step guide. I am open to any and all advice and suggestions! Thank you so much in advance for all of your help!
I don't understand what your vets are telling you? How can they say putting on fluids would prolong the inevitable, when their diagnosis is very far from confirmed (in fact, they haven't a clue what the diagnosis actually is). My opinion only ... go and get to see another vet for a 2nd opinion. Look for a kidney specialist (any local veterinary universities or animal study centers will either have a specialist you can see or will be able to suggest one).
Before making any decisions, I would want to know precisely what the diagnosis is - and then what treatment options are available. The very first priority is the Lepto test AFTER the antibiotics have finished. Fluids and IV nourishment can be given in the meantime, to help make her feel more comfortable.
Tony
Before making any decisions, I would want to know precisely what the diagnosis is - and then what treatment options are available. The very first priority is the Lepto test AFTER the antibiotics have finished. Fluids and IV nourishment can be given in the meantime, to help make her feel more comfortable.
Tony
Tony,
Thank you so much for taking your time to help me! I do know they use the Idexx lab and I believe that's the one that offers that test. What I can't understand is how is her creatinine and BUN returning to normal each time they put her on fluids? From everything I'm reading from others their babies numbers only improved to a certain point and they continued Sub Q at home. Our vet was amazed the 1st it happened and his partner was equally as amazed yesterday. They also don't have an explanation for why her phosphorus and other values are remaining normal. And now even though her numbers are normal she's not eating, and that worries me!! Thank you again for all of your help!
~Mandy
Thank you so much for taking your time to help me! I do know they use the Idexx lab and I believe that's the one that offers that test. What I can't understand is how is her creatinine and BUN returning to normal each time they put her on fluids? From everything I'm reading from others their babies numbers only improved to a certain point and they continued Sub Q at home. Our vet was amazed the 1st it happened and his partner was equally as amazed yesterday. They also don't have an explanation for why her phosphorus and other values are remaining normal. And now even though her numbers are normal she's not eating, and that worries me!! Thank you again for all of your help!
~Mandy
1 Comments
Tony,
Again I want to thank you for helping me! I called the vet to check on my Bella girl and they told me that after not being on the fluids for 10 short hours she began to vomit and began having diarrhea again. They told me she isn't fitting a classic textbook case of anything and they all are perplexed and don't have a clue as to ywhat is going on with her kidneys. They said they could put her back on fluids but it would be just prolonging the inevitable. So my husband and my sons have gone to the vet to help our baby girl go home! Thank you so much for everything! And thank you so much for all the awesome work you do to help people who are struggling to deal with this unfortunate situation!
~Mandy
Again I want to thank you for helping me! I called the vet to check on my Bella girl and they told me that after not being on the fluids for 10 short hours she began to vomit and began having diarrhea again. They told me she isn't fitting a classic textbook case of anything and they all are perplexed and don't have a clue as to ywhat is going on with her kidneys. They said they could put her back on fluids but it would be just prolonging the inevitable. So my husband and my sons have gone to the vet to help our baby girl go home! Thank you so much for everything! And thank you so much for all the awesome work you do to help people who are struggling to deal with this unfortunate situation!
~Mandy
Tony,
Thank you so much for your response! Bella was treated 1st for the infection in her mouth from the stick with antibiotics before the recurrence of the 2nd kidney failure event. So we didn't perform any Leptospirosis testing bc he felt confident enough to treat without it, since her numbers were double what they were the 1st time. I went by to see Bella at the vet today and she's not eating very much, she's lost about 10 lbs in less than a week but her creatinine and BUN are all back in normal range. They are keeping her on the doxycycline but taking her off of the fluids. They are going to monitor her through the weekend and I'm to meet with the vet on Monday morning after they see how her numbers look after being off the fluids for 2 days. I asked about all her other numbers on her blood work and they said that everything else is and has been normal. Nothing else has been abnormal but the creatinine and the BUN. I want to add that my neighbors 10 yo dog mysteriously died on February 15 which was exactly 1 month to the day that I carried Bella to the vet. He woke my neighbor up, went in the living room, laid down beside her chair and just died! I'm really sure what to make of what to make of what is going on with my Bella girl bc everything I'm reading is stating that her numbers should be messed up in other areas as well. And they shouldn't be going back to normal on the fluids. Do you think we're missing something? Thank you so much for all your help and advice I really appreciate it!! I want to save her if I can but I don't want her to suffer bc I'm being selfish!! I just love her and she's such a sweet loving girl!!
Thank you so much for your response! Bella was treated 1st for the infection in her mouth from the stick with antibiotics before the recurrence of the 2nd kidney failure event. So we didn't perform any Leptospirosis testing bc he felt confident enough to treat without it, since her numbers were double what they were the 1st time. I went by to see Bella at the vet today and she's not eating very much, she's lost about 10 lbs in less than a week but her creatinine and BUN are all back in normal range. They are keeping her on the doxycycline but taking her off of the fluids. They are going to monitor her through the weekend and I'm to meet with the vet on Monday morning after they see how her numbers look after being off the fluids for 2 days. I asked about all her other numbers on her blood work and they said that everything else is and has been normal. Nothing else has been abnormal but the creatinine and the BUN. I want to add that my neighbors 10 yo dog mysteriously died on February 15 which was exactly 1 month to the day that I carried Bella to the vet. He woke my neighbor up, went in the living room, laid down beside her chair and just died! I'm really sure what to make of what to make of what is going on with my Bella girl bc everything I'm reading is stating that her numbers should be messed up in other areas as well. And they shouldn't be going back to normal on the fluids. Do you think we're missing something? Thank you so much for all your help and advice I really appreciate it!! I want to save her if I can but I don't want her to suffer bc I'm being selfish!! I just love her and she's such a sweet loving girl!!
1 Comments
Testing for Lepto with your other dogs is absolutely a must. It's crucial. If they have the infection, it may take time for any symptoms to become evident. Moreover, you should also be tested, as it can pass from dogs to humans. Better to be safe than sorry.
The neighbour's dog dying may just be a coincidence, given the dog's age. But equally, it could be connected if the dog had contracted Lepto.
My biggest concern would be that the vet failed to undertake the test when it was really needed, and consequently they are now working on symptoms rather than a confirmed diagnosis. Testing cannot now be undertaken until the antibiotics have finished - but at that point and before any other medications are given, the test should be performed, just in case. Do they have access to SNAP testing in house?
If this is kidney disease, then antibiotics will likely cause a slight deterioration in both BUN and creatinine. This is because antibiotics put the kidneys under stress, so if they are already partially damaged, they will strain to clear the medicine by-products and toxins. Little therefore will be known until after the antibiotics are finished. At that stage, a full review and assessment can be undertaken - and hopefully a better diagnosis of any ongoing health concerns.
Hope this helps.
Tony
The neighbour's dog dying may just be a coincidence, given the dog's age. But equally, it could be connected if the dog had contracted Lepto.
My biggest concern would be that the vet failed to undertake the test when it was really needed, and consequently they are now working on symptoms rather than a confirmed diagnosis. Testing cannot now be undertaken until the antibiotics have finished - but at that point and before any other medications are given, the test should be performed, just in case. Do they have access to SNAP testing in house?
If this is kidney disease, then antibiotics will likely cause a slight deterioration in both BUN and creatinine. This is because antibiotics put the kidneys under stress, so if they are already partially damaged, they will strain to clear the medicine by-products and toxins. Little therefore will be known until after the antibiotics are finished. At that stage, a full review and assessment can be undertaken - and hopefully a better diagnosis of any ongoing health concerns.
Hope this helps.
Tony
Hi Mandy. Although this group is primarily for chronic kidney failure, you are very welcome here. I think it is 80% likely you have found the cause. Lepto is virulent and invasive and a very common cause of kidney failure occurring in dogs.
The organisms most often enter a dog’s body through another dog’s contaminated urine. Infection is less often acquired through bite wounds, contaminated stagnant or slow-flowing water, by eating infected food sources or tainted bedding.
Although there are vaccinations for Leptospira Interrogans, they are only effective against a small number of the strains.
Blood testing might show high levels of bilirubin and other pertinent abnormal blood readings, which are early signs of a possible Leptospira infection – but this is not always the case, so chemical panel testing cannot be used as a diagnostic signal on its own.
The diagnosis of a leptospirosis infection is occasionally complicated and challenging because testing has proved expensive, prolonged and uncertain until recent times. The Canine Leptospira spp. Antibody by ELISA from IDEXX Reference Laboratories provides fast results at a lower cost to help veterinarians in diagnosing this potentially life-threatening infection. Called the SNAP test, results are available instantly, which means the right treatment can also usually begin straight away. Vets that do not have access to rapid SNAP testing are likely to rely on what some consider as superior MAT serological testing, and they may use this approach as a back-up to the SNAP test in any event. Others suggest both MAT and the DNA-PCR test in combination is far more conclusive. These rely on detecting antibodies against Leptospira in a dog's blood and the DNA of Leptospira in whole blood or urine. Neither is useful when a dog is already on a course of antibiotics, as false-negative results are likely to occur.
Leptospira is known as a zoonotic disease, which means that it can transfer from dogs to people. It is increasing in frequency in companion animals and is becoming more prevalent in the human population, so testing for it and vaccinating against it is a priority.
Did your vet undertake the Lepto test prior to starting antibiotics?
Tony
The organisms most often enter a dog’s body through another dog’s contaminated urine. Infection is less often acquired through bite wounds, contaminated stagnant or slow-flowing water, by eating infected food sources or tainted bedding.
Although there are vaccinations for Leptospira Interrogans, they are only effective against a small number of the strains.
Blood testing might show high levels of bilirubin and other pertinent abnormal blood readings, which are early signs of a possible Leptospira infection – but this is not always the case, so chemical panel testing cannot be used as a diagnostic signal on its own.
The diagnosis of a leptospirosis infection is occasionally complicated and challenging because testing has proved expensive, prolonged and uncertain until recent times. The Canine Leptospira spp. Antibody by ELISA from IDEXX Reference Laboratories provides fast results at a lower cost to help veterinarians in diagnosing this potentially life-threatening infection. Called the SNAP test, results are available instantly, which means the right treatment can also usually begin straight away. Vets that do not have access to rapid SNAP testing are likely to rely on what some consider as superior MAT serological testing, and they may use this approach as a back-up to the SNAP test in any event. Others suggest both MAT and the DNA-PCR test in combination is far more conclusive. These rely on detecting antibodies against Leptospira in a dog's blood and the DNA of Leptospira in whole blood or urine. Neither is useful when a dog is already on a course of antibiotics, as false-negative results are likely to occur.
Leptospira is known as a zoonotic disease, which means that it can transfer from dogs to people. It is increasing in frequency in companion animals and is becoming more prevalent in the human population, so testing for it and vaccinating against it is a priority.
Did your vet undertake the Lepto test prior to starting antibiotics?
Tony
2 Comments
Tony,
Thank you so much for your response! Bella was treated 1st for the infection in her mouth from the stick with antibiotics before the recurrence of the 2nd kidney failure event. So we didn't perform any Leptospirosis testing bc he felt confident enough to treat without it, since her numbers were double what they were the 1st time. I went by to see Bella at the vet today and she's not eating very much, she's lost about 10 lbs in less than a week but her creatinine and BUN are all back in normal range. They are keeping her on the doxycycline but taking her off of the fluids. They are going to monitor her through the weekend and I'm to meet with the vet on Monday morning after they see how her numbers look after being off the fluids for 2 days. I asked about all her other numbers on her blood work and they said that everything else is and has been normal. Nothing else has been abnormal but the creatinine and the BUN. I want to add that my neighbors 10 yo dog mysteriously died on February 15 which was exactly 1 month to the day that I carried Bella to the vet. He woke my neighbor up, went in the living room, laid down beside her chair and just died! I'm really sure what to make of what to make of what is going on with my Bella girl bc everything I'm reading is stating that her numbers should be messed up in other areas as well. And they shouldn't be going back to normal on the fluids. Do you think we're missing something? Thank you so much for all your help and advice I really appreciate it!! I want to save her if I can but I don't want her to suffer bc I'm being selfish!! I just love her and she's such a sweet loving girl!!
Thank you so much for your response! Bella was treated 1st for the infection in her mouth from the stick with antibiotics before the recurrence of the 2nd kidney failure event. So we didn't perform any Leptospirosis testing bc he felt confident enough to treat without it, since her numbers were double what they were the 1st time. I went by to see Bella at the vet today and she's not eating very much, she's lost about 10 lbs in less than a week but her creatinine and BUN are all back in normal range. They are keeping her on the doxycycline but taking her off of the fluids. They are going to monitor her through the weekend and I'm to meet with the vet on Monday morning after they see how her numbers look after being off the fluids for 2 days. I asked about all her other numbers on her blood work and they said that everything else is and has been normal. Nothing else has been abnormal but the creatinine and the BUN. I want to add that my neighbors 10 yo dog mysteriously died on February 15 which was exactly 1 month to the day that I carried Bella to the vet. He woke my neighbor up, went in the living room, laid down beside her chair and just died! I'm really sure what to make of what to make of what is going on with my Bella girl bc everything I'm reading is stating that her numbers should be messed up in other areas as well. And they shouldn't be going back to normal on the fluids. Do you think we're missing something? Thank you so much for all your help and advice I really appreciate it!! I want to save her if I can but I don't want her to suffer bc I'm being selfish!! I just love her and she's such a sweet loving girl!!
One other thing I forgot to mention is that I have 2 other dogs in our household. 1 yorkiepoo who ventures outside occasionally and 1 old English Bulldog who's outside quite a good bit with Bella. Both of them are in great health and don't seem to be suffering any type of health issues.
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