Desperate for Help!

This forum is for dog lovers seeking everyday advice and suggestions on health-related issues. Remember, however, that advice on a public forum simply can't be a substitute for proper medical attention. Only your vet can say assuredly what is best for your dog.

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Sienna

1275192

Barked: Mon Nov 12, '12 12:58pm PST


	Hey all. We are really desperate here. Something is wrong with our dog and the veterinarians we have consulted are unable to find what the issue is. She has just undergone exploratory surgery today and they couldn't find anything wrong with her. Nothing shows up on her x-rays other than gas buildup. Ultrasounds were inconclusive. Her blood work is perfect and she is feeling no pain when given a physical examination. Yet she isn't eating or drinking, is constantly lethargic, has gas buildup within her GI tract for no explainable reason (and is releasing this gas in the form of rotten-smelling burps rather than flatulence), often whimpers as if she in is pain, and seems to be avoiding putting her weight on her paws. She is just shy of 10 months old, a shih-tzu/poodle cross and was a very healthy and happy puppy until about a month also when she had to undergo surgery to remove a foreign body from her stomach. She had swallowed a ketchup packet and surgical intervention was required. The packet was removed successfully and she healed up just fine, but has been displaying these symptoms ever since. Our vet is of the opinion that the ketchup packet was simply a red herring and that she may have had some sort of underlying disease that was triggered into motion by the strain on her body caused by the operation. He has tested her for both Addison's disease and Immune mediated polygenic arthritis, and she has turned up negative for both. He offered Lyme disease as a possibility but ruled it out due to our geographic location and it being highly unlikely. We are unsure of how to proceed at this point, because the vets we have consulted are stumped. Any possible theories or ideas are welcome.. we do not want to watch our pet deteriorate and waste away any longer! Edited by author Mon Nov 12, '12 1:03pm PST

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joey

I'm working on- three toys!

Barked: Mon Nov 12, '12 2:53pm PST


	I don't really know enough to help you, but I have been reading up on burping and the like, as Joey has started doing that more than just once in a while. Air intake can apparently cause that, so the fact that Joey licks his paws a lot(not sure why - allergies, stress, boredom, OCD?)may be causing him to take in air. There are also some foods that apparently cause more gas buildup than others, at least in people. (Rice is one of the least gas-producing foods, for example.) I believe acid reflux is something that bothers some dogs, and too much fat and protein can make it worse. I think citric acid can be bad for dogs with gas, and some kibbles contain it. Have you tried changing her food? What do you feed her? I don't know if this is helpful at all, but since I am in one of those frustrating cycles of knowing something is wrong but not getting a specific diagnosis from the vet, I thought I'd throw out the info on gas, just in case it gives you any ideas of what to explore. If it's obvious she has gas build up, does the vet say it's OK to give Gas-X (simethicone)? I know of one vet who recommended that for a german shepherd with gas problems. As to the lethargy and not wanting to put pressure on her paws, that is certainly curious - although if she has gas all the time, I would imagine she wouldn't feel like playing as much as she did before. Good luck, and please let us know if you and the vet figure this out. Edited by author Mon Nov 12, '12 3:00pm PST

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joey

I'm working on- three toys!

Barked: Mon Nov 12, '12 3:28pm PST


	As a follow up to my post, if you want to look at more information on gas, google "Puristat Digestive Wellness Center." There is a page on what foods are less likely to cause flatulence and gas, and a page for foods that are more likely to cause those things. Grains and carbs are common culprits.

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Kali

She's game for- anything that's- fun.

Barked: Mon Nov 12, '12 6:51pm PST


	Have you tried changing vets? Is she peeing and pooping normally? Is your vet sure she doesn't have a blockage? If she ate a ketchup packet, maybe she ate something else and your vet didn't find it. Kali gets gas build up, so I give her a Gas-X pill with every meal. Her mother died of Bloat. So you might want to ask your vet if you can try Gas-X for your dog. If she won't eat, then you can try giving her some baby food, so she gets something in her belly. Please keep us posted.

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Scooter,- PAWS

Power of the Paw- for those who- need it

Barked: Tue Nov 13, '12 5:08am PST


	If your vet is stumped, I would try and get another opinion. You may even ask for a referral to an internist. If that's possible in your area.

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Sienna

1275192

Barked: Tue Nov 13, '12 3:27pm PST


	Hey guys, thanks for your responses. We have consulted three vets in our area so far, and none of them seem to know what could be wrong with her. She had exploratory surgery yesterday and they did a full examination of her stomach and small intestine to make sure she didn't have anything else causing blockage, which she didn't. Her GI was clean, they couldn't find anything wrong. They biopsied several of her organs, but our vet expects we won't get any additional information from the results.. She hasn't been vomiting since the removal of the ketchup packet, and her stool has been completely normal, although her appetite has severely decreased. She hardly eats and we have to give her water with a syringe to keep her hydrated. But whenever we x-ray her, she always has gas buildup inside of her.. this was not normal prior to the ketchup packet incident, and none of that gas is escaping as flatulence.. I was reading up on bloat before I posted this, but it doesn't seem to fit.. her stomach/small intestines aren't being twisted at all to cause the gas buildup. So we really have no idea what's going on.. we've ruled out lead toxicity as well from the ketchup packet, because her blood work was clean. Sienna is still recovering at the clinic, but we're obviously having a rough time here at home.

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Kali

She's game for- anything that's- fun.

Barked: Tue Nov 13, '12 4:37pm PST


	I hope you find out what it is.

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Kali

She's game for- anything that's- fun.

Barked: Tue Nov 13, '12 4:53pm PST


	Does anyone know if Leah still frequents Dogster? Maybe she could help.

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Member Since
05/21/2010

Barked: Tue Nov 13, '12 5:04pm PST


	Hey, don't know all the symptoms, and certainly am not a vet...but I've been trying to find things that may help. Have they considered Gastroparesis? http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gastroparesis/DS0 0612/DSECTION=symptoms http://petdiabetes.wikia.com/wiki/Gastropa resis Hope the vets are able to figure this out soon! eta: you need to take out any spaces/underscores on the link, sorry. Edited by author Tue Nov 13, '12 5:10pm PST

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Fritz

Fritz, cats are- fun when they- run

Barked: Tue Nov 13, '12 5:47pm PST


	Can you get to a major university or at least a board certified specialist? Even if is a drive, it might be worth the trip if you can get your health problem resolved.

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