Is There Any Hope?

[ZorosMom]

Went on our honeymoon and came back to our two year old AB not eating and lethargic. He was acting strange, like not wanting to be around us and sleeping in odd spots around the house. He's used to sleeping on the bed. Then he went #2 and it was horrible and mostly black w/ blood. Spoke to the individual who watch our two dogs and she told me that he ate the back of her cell phone and chewed on a pillow. I found the pillow. Doesn't seem to be anything missing. Zipper is still intact. Found pieces of what looked like the motherboard of a cell phone on the floor and on my nightstand. She told me that he hadn't eaten breakfast since we left and didn't eat dinner the night before we got back. So at the time I called it meant he hadn't eaten for two in a half days and he is used to eating twice daily. He is very food driven. I took him to the vet on June 23 and they did x-rays. He had lost 20lbs.  Found that his intestines was kinked in one spot and that he had a lot of buildup of stool. She put him on Carafate and Flagyl and gave him fluids there. Got him home and he immediately starting using the bathroom and a huge solid and rock hard piece came out and inside was a very long piece of a blanket. He seemed ok after that, almost relieved, but still was not eating. He wouldn't walk on the grass, which is odd. So we watched him closely and gave him his meds as instructed but he wouldn't go #2 and he would only go #1 maybe once or twice a day. He was still acting lethargic and strange, still wouldn't eat. And we tried chicken, rice, etc. So we took him back to the vet on Monday, June 30. They did more xrays and found that the kink was gone but that he was full of gas and no sign of stool at all. They put him back on Carafate and sent him home. We gave him a couple Gas X pills to help relieve the gas and it did. He start letting them out, but still Tuesday same thing as before. Today same thing as before. So now he hasn't eaten since Sunday. Took him back to the vet this morning and they are doing barium testing on him. I asked them to do blood work a week ago but they said it wasn't needed.   The barium test showed no blockages but that his disgestive tract was moving extremely slow.  We took him back Friday.  Same thing, not eating, can't use the bathroom (#2), urine is orangish in color, legs were starting to show signs of yellowing, and a huge strange bruise under his arm.  They gave him fluids and sent him home with more carafate.  Took him back Saturday morning for more fluids and more carafate and baytril.  Took him back on Monday and our vet rushed him to the emergency hospital to see the IM specialist.  Our primary vet said that his liver enzymes had doubled over the weekend, causing jaundice to start.  His white blood cell count was elevated.  His red blood cell count was normal and looked as if they were regenerating themselves.  His blood platelet count was extremely low.  In the 10,000 ranges, when it should be 200,000-400,000.They now have Zoro with them.  I went to see him last night and it didn't look good.  He was excited to see us but after a while kept wanting to be away from us.  They won't get any of the test results back until this afternoon.  I called late last night to check on him and they said he was happy and wagging his tail.  I went this morning to visit and he looked the same.  Jaundice and he had more bruiseing occuring.  They said they would call or I could call back around 3pm this afternoon and hopefully they would have some answers for me.  He's still not eating.  They have him on IV fluids and two different antibiotics, docycline and penicillin.  Also have him on an antiobiotic medicine.

I am so sick to my stomach and not sure I can take any bad news.

[Jaybay]

Just checking to see how our patient is doing.  Hope he's doing better now.  :-)

[lonewolf07]

I was interested in your response because I was getting the opposite "vibration" - which is no biggie but I would probably follow your advice.  If the dog has hung in this long hopefully he'll survive.

Dogs eat the most bizarre things.  Our Siberian husky ate a "mouse" from the computer over a year ago and had no problems with it (she might have chewed it and spit it out).  A dog came into the animal hospital and he had eaten a towel and a sock.  He didn't make it.  A small dog came in who also ate a towel and he did make it.

Hope this dog makes it.  He sounds like he is loved and cared for.

[Jaybay]

I'd bet money you're dealing with a section of dead bowel.  Since the x-ray confirmed a "twist", that means blood circulation was cut off for God-only-knows how long.  I'm sorry, but at that point your dog should have had surgery, and it sounds like he certainly needs that section of bowel resected sooner rather than later.  Your vet is taking a conservative approach that gives me a major bad vibe.  If you don't get some kind of reasonable answer in the morning or see major improvement, you need a different vet.

[lonewolf07]

Your boy is having a rather rough time of it isn't he.  IMHO the blanket and phone he appeared to eat has effected his digestive system, which you already know.  At least he eliminated it.  However, something must have been absorbed into his system and that is what is causing the liver problems (assuming he hasn't had liver problems before).  All this can happen so quickly in dogs.

If he is on antibiotics do deal with any infection and have him on an IV, the vets are doing pretty much all they can.

When you said he was glad to see you and then wanted to be "alone", I took that as a good thing because most cats and dogs want their people to be with them if they know they are dying.  But I'm far from being an expert.

I hope things work out.  I know how I'd feel - how I've felt - in situations like this.  We can't always blame the vet.  Blame accomplishes nothing.  Good thoughts to you and your boy ....

wolf

[chihuahuagrandma]

Another example of vets not listening to pet owners,,,man, if they only took the blood tests in the first place....
Man oh Man,,,you are in some kind of trouble....I am so worried for you...I just hope on your information later and visit w/your pet, the jaundice is healing and your pet will make it after all the trouble this pet has been through,,,,my goodness, more thing has went thru so much...and you too....
I am so sorry for you....I will pray for you....ask lots of questions,,,don't let the Hospital leave you hanging w/not understanding or answering ANY questions, make sure you answers, you understand completely...your not a vet...sometimes they have to tell 2 or 3 different ways to explain to our understanding...
Please keep us posted...sure worried for you, I don't want you to have bad news...

[ZorosMom]

I'm not going to give up.  I just have this really really horrible feeling in my heart and in my gut.  I hate it.  I just want him to be ok and for them to give me some answers so that I can prepare myself.