I understand your time constraints w/ Fed Gov. position. I hope Bella can thrive on added supplements which has helped Darbie over her journey to good, balanced health.
I am not familiar with the "lupus" as discussed, but I will share, if helpful, Darbie's remedies as she had horrible blisters and swelling of belly and vulva. The "high road" was first pushed which involved: steroids, antibiotics ( a very "exotic" RX @ $ 70 /mo ) and change of diet ( Hill's ZD ). I would beg anyone to please NOT GO down this road until you venture " less is more". I feel Darbie may have been spared much misery if we were advised truthfully.
My Darbie suffered chronic UTI's ( The ZD diet, was no help and the excess meds were brutal ). I switched vets. Dr. Vet advised baby wipes her after her #s ( Darbie now get Malaseb baths which are great ) and add cranberry supplement( & Fish Oil ) to her diet. Shortly after this time, Darbie was diagnosed with CKD, so her diet went full circle...That said, extra fluids are a bonus....
I feel this is transparent to what is ailing beautiful Bella, but please know I wish you well:)
Lynne & Darbie
Hello Lynne,
Thank you for dropping such a sweet note and taking the time to read Bella's story. It's a long and complicated one and has vets scratching their heads.
Your words are pure wisdom and some of which I really needed today. I have become so crazy researching what may be going on and in turn trying to help her, that I know I am missing out on just enjoying her. I am so grateful she is still with me after almost loosing her and I need to reflect on that more.
I work in a high pressure job with the Federal Government and need to adjust myself when I get home and just love on her like all is ok because until I know different, it is OK.
Thank you again. You have made a big difference.
I will catch up on some of your posts about Darbie soon. One thing is already evident though and that is that Darbie is lucky to have you :)
Cynthia
I read thru Bella's story. What a beautiful girl!
Her issue is complicated, but I believe, whenever possible "less is more". I say this as finding answers to my Darbie's woes spun into chaos. I had to step back and allow Darbie to tell me. Leap of Faith, Oh Yes...
I wish you great hope in finding your answer. As I have said to friends on these forums, it is trial by fire. I'm sure Bella will respond with your TLC and careful diet.
Fondly,
Lynne and Darbie
Hi ... and I too hope you won't need to be back, but you are very welcome to join in discussions, because the experience and knowledge gained during this period may just be helpful to someone else. We are really just one huge self-help group here.
Anyway, just wanted to add that the earliest sign of kidney disease or kidney failure is actually seen through changes in the urine, and that can appear sometimes many months and even a year or two before other symptoms begin to become more obvious. This is an extract from my article on diet and kidney failure ...
"High levels of urea, protein products, and amino acids in the blood are the primary symptoms of uremia. Consequently, the outflow of urine becomes obstructed and fluid regulation becomes imbalanced, causing an increase in body toxins. Interestingly, it is possible to detect some of these changes during the early development of chronic kidney failure by undertaking a simple urine test. Conscientious owners can routinely test their dog's urine for protein and other relevant changes using widely available test strips."
The rest of the article can be found here:
http://www.infobarrel.com/How_Diet_Affects_Dogs_with_Chronic_Kidney_Disease
Hope that helps and good luck with your next vet appointment.
Tony
Hello Tony,
Thank you again for your reply. I will be bringing all this information forward at her next visit when hopefully we can re-structure her diet, hopefully following good blood work once again.
I will be monitoring her closely and keeping an eye on the urine gravity results as well as the blood values that relate to the kidneys. If there is anything I want to catch it as soon as possible, possibly even before other symptoms arise so I can try and support her best I can.
As wonderful as this interaction with you has been, I hope not to need to be back too soon.
All the best to you and all of the fur babes you are helping.
Cynthia
Hi. Thanks for replying in detail again. That makes much more sense now. I'm not entirely convinced that diet creates a 25% fat source though - maybe your person at Balance IT has given more details about it. Also, although there is some truth in dogs needing a good balance of omega 3 and omega 6 acids (the first is provided by canola oil and the omega 6 by corn oil), omega-6 is something to be very wary of - it has been linked to some bad effects in dogs, so I would limit this, unless the mix of omega 3 and omega 6 is done very carefully . It is worth noting the same process happens with eggs, which contain both omega 3 and omega 6 - but the natural mix in commercially produced eggs is a bad one, making it unbalanced. If you can, buy organic eggs or so-called omega-3 eggs, which are much more like eggs used to be many years ago - more natural and more fatty acid balanced. Although omega-6 is meant to help manage Discoid Lupus dogs, there is no point solving one ailment and (in doing so) starting another in its place.
One very worthwhile form of treatment is to try coconut oil. A worsd of caution, the coconut oil needs to be PURE 100% COCONUT OIL with nothing added to it. Half a teaspoon a day added to food is advantageous (any more and you risk causing diarrhoea) - it can also safely be applied externally as well as a form of topical cream (just melt the coconut oil in some warm water and rub it on).
Grains are said to be one real problem with Discoid Lupus, so make sure all foods are grain free - including any treats you might feed. Most dogs are allergic to corn, to a greater or lesser degree, so corn in dog foods or treats is a definite no-no.
Wild game meats are said to be very healthy for Diuscoid Lupus, but getting it might be a problem. You might look around the internet and see what you might find or check locally. Alternatively, I would suggest any all natural meats for ongoing control (once things have settled down under your current regime). I favour blocks of all-natural meats (including chicken, rabbit, lamb, white fish and green tripe), which you may be able to find in a good pet store. These need cooking and then mixing with a grain free mixer of your choice.
Hope this helps.
Tony
Thank you greatly for the reply. I appreaciate the details.
Thank you for the concerns on her diet. Despite my detailed post I missed that element and for that I do apologize. I will confirm those additional details here.
This is a diet that was supplied by the DMV as (hopefully) a temporary measure. Once the Baytril regime has ceased and we can confirm that blood work remains consistent, she will be switched back to a much more protein enriched and canine nutritionally balanced diet. Right now she is on a diet that was created by the specialist using Balance IT (https://secure.balanceit.com/), taking into consideration a possible Hepatic disease. It was produced on a daily calorie requirement of approximately 1100 calories 22% of which come from protein, 25% fat calories, 53% carbohydrates. Another item I failed to mention is that dependednt on which of the two recipies I was given, either canola oil or corn oil is added.
This is to be reavaluated as soon as possible.
That being said, I will ask for some more of your expertise/experience. Is there a specific direction of a diet you would suggest? She is approx 26kg and the only confirmed conditions we do know of is the small liver as well as the highly suspected autoimmune disease of Discoid Lupus. Commercially prepared food can be so "iffy". Is there a brand or company you would trust more than others? I am also willing to cook for her myself.
My intention is to not keep her on her current diet long term unless the end result is that it is what is best to support her liver.
Thank you for hosting this forum and being so kind to share what you know with myself an others.
Hi. Well, we can't say you skimped on detail - which is great, because all too often people don't give that level of detail when asking about things. Firstly, I am a little concerned about the volume of vegetables being given. While all the veg you have listed are fine for dogs, they should only be given in relatively small amounts. Dogs really don't need vegetables, other than for some of the vitamins they provide. A dog needs meat - and other than the ground turkey (not really meat but poultry) - there may be a lacking of essential fats, which are so important to dogs. I also think you are probably giving too many eggs - as this seems to be a part of the daily mainly vegetable diet, which is not particularly good for a canine digestive system.
But on to your main question ... the low gravity urine result. The normal result should be between 1.015 and 1.060. This puts your dog within acceptable normal values. A dog with liver and kidney issues may struggle to maintain this kind of reading, so providing it remains within the level above, you have nothing to get concerned about. The specific gravity of urine also goes up and down depending on very many ailments and daily routines, such going up due to dehydration but then falling again once a dog drinks water to combat the dehydration. The reason vets tend to ask for an early morning urine sample is because this is the time when the highest specific gravity result is likely to be disclosed.
If the low-end of normal result continues over let's say the next two monthly reading, then there may be a liver or kidney concern, and more so if the level falls further below the normal end. In addition to the infection you have already mentioned (which will almost certainly have caused a low urine sp gravity readiong), there is also the possibility of excessively high calcium readings, which can also send the urine sp gravity low. However, as your vet has performed a blood sample, and as that sample came back with normal values, I am assuming they checked the calcium levels within that test. It is extremely unlikely the urine sp gravity would be abnormally low (suggesting liver and/or kidney issues) while the remaining blood levels (albumin, bile acids,cholesterol and liver enzyme tests, ALT, AST, AP, bilirubin), remain normal. Overactive Adrenal glands (Cushing’s disease, hyperadrenocorticism) or corticosteroid medications often cause low specific gravity urine in dogs, but I realise your vet has already probably checked for this and has discounted it. Diabetes insipidus, a rare form of diabetes, will also cause pets to produce a urine with low specific gravity. This disease is usually due to a failure of your pet’s pituitary gland to produce the hormone ADH. I suspect you would already have seen other suspicious symptoms before now though, so I doubt this is a cause of the lower-end sp gravity.
In short, other than a diet that is largely inappropriate (unless there are associated allergies you haven't mentioned), I can't imagine you have a serious problem - yet. It is certainly worth continuing with the monthly urine tests to see if the specific gravity level works its way upwards or further downwards. If the results continue downwards, then there would be reasons for concern.
Tony