UPDATE: Katie does not have pancreatitis. The next step is far grosser than I even want to tackle here OR in real life. Since we have the vomiting under control with this new medicine ($6 a pill!!--daily!) we will just settle for that.
Yeah, another bodily functions discussion. *sigh* It happens when you have geriatric animals.
I will return to writing related blogs on Wednesday and Friday! stay tuned
I took Katie to the vet on Friday. She'd been throwing up with increasing regularity over the past month. Per her veterinarian:
--I've increased her feedings until they were less than six hours apart, culminating in leaving food in her bowl at all times. She wouldn't eat, but Kato Kitty would . . . and proceed to puke it up.
--I've medicated her with OTC acid reflux meds
--I've increased the OTC meds 2 different times
--gotten a prescription of Reglan
--increased that med 2 different times
But nothing helped. Oh, they would work for a few days and then the vomiting would start again. Both hubster and I are pretty gun shy, leaping up from a sound sleep when we hear 'noises'. And this doesn't count what our carpeting looks like. Luckily 95% of the time I got her to a tile or wood floor.
Finally fed up, I made an appointment to have Katie's bloodwork drawn and x-rayed. It costs $$$ and I didn't want to pay $$$ if I didn't have to!
Side note: When I went to pick her up--I got to pet a squirrel! It was so cute! Its fur was a little coarser than expected, but squirrels are cute rodents.
They had to tranq the poor thing to relax her enough to stretch her for the x-rays. Uh, they also gave her an enema to clean out her lower intestine for better pictures--not good.
Sheepdog + enema = a real mess = BATHTIME!
Today is Saturday and she's still stoned out her gourd, AND she hasn't eaten. This is cause for consternation--it's when she hasn't eaten that she throws up, but she hasn't thrown up yet. So I guess that's a good thing.
It's Monday morning now and still no adverse effects! Yay!
I have been able to get this new medicine (Cerena) down her, liberally wrapped in cheese. Only time will tell.
Oh, you probably wonder about her diagnosis: Inconclusive.
Her cecum (doggy version of an appendix) was enlarged, but it usually doesn't cause vomiting.
She had and elevated amylase, but not lipase. If both were seriously increase, we could call it acute pancreatitis, but they weren't.
We had to send off another pancreatic test for a definitive diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis. We'll find out next week.
If all of this is inconclusive, then its endoscopy and biopsy time.
I'll keep you updated.
Until then, Write On!
So sorry your Katie is sick. I hate it when pets or kids are sick. I feel so helpless. Here's to hoping they figure out the problem and fix it.
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you mean, Ash! So far, so good with this new medicine!
ReplyDeleteI hope Katie is okay soon. That's so scary when they're sick. Not fun celaning up after them either.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Edie! I'm just glad her appetite is back and we haven't had any 'problems'. Once I hear from the vet, I'll jot a short note.
ReplyDeleteGeezus, Margie. I gotta remember to NOT log on to your blog when I'm eating!
ReplyDeleteLOL! Sorry, my friend! I did post a disclaimer though. . .
ReplyDeleteThe next two blog posts will be writerly related--pinky promise!
Hope Katie's doing better. She's such a sweetie.
ReplyDeleteOf course the tests were $$$! I figure I could retire to Tahiti on what we've spent on vet bills for our pack over the last fifteen years.
Thanks, Marilyn!
ReplyDeleteWe're pricing meds for her--YEE-OUCH! If we can get it below $4/pill, I'll be happy.
Todd may hate the cat, but over 20 years he's cost us only about 1/8 of what the dog has cost! But she's a big fuzzy-wuzzy and we love her!
Did I mention the $10,000 surgery my horse had in 2003?
ReplyDeleteGAD! Jody! I don't remember that! Must have been when we lost track of each other. Okay, you got me beat. I knew horses were money pits, but I'm glad Murray is better for his operation!
ReplyDelete