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Help! sick greyhound! mystery to my vet
Ria is a 10 yr old greyhound. About two months ago, she started crying out when she would stand up. The vet took several xrays and said there was nothing they could find, other than she was constipated ( she pooed regulary) and that her abdomen was tender which they attributed to her "being constipated". A month later she began having severe diarrhea (watery, no substance). At first I thought it might be just a stomach thing as my other grey and my beagle showed no symptoms. Then her weight started dropping rapidly. 5 pounds in two weeks. The vet took a stool sample and said she had hookworms. Treated the hookworms and provided an antibiotic and anti-inflamattory. At that time they also did complete bloodwork on her and found nothing. Everything came back normal. She had no fever, nothing, other than the weight loss and diarrhea. Now, one week later, yesterday, she wakes and I believe was in the throws of a stroke, I believe. Head dipping, unable to stand, wobbling, disoriented, listing to the right and right eye twitching. She wouldn't let either of us near here. Immediately took her to emergency vet. They stated that her gums were pink, but there was a red line they called a "toxic line", that she did have a fever of 103 and that her pupils were wide open and she was disoriented. After having her rest in a crate in the back, they took her outside for a urine sample, and at this time she appeared back to her normal self, and did bloodwork...again....all tests came back normal. They gave her a shot of b12, a shot of antibiotics and sent us home with a "good luck, hope she feels better"....We have been to two veterinarians now, both our regular vet and the emergency vet (both versed in greyhounds) and have no answers...Ria still continues to : have diarrhea; losing weight; weakness, occasional drooling, lack of appetite, abdominal tenderness. We have to carry her up and down the stairs so that she can be near us in the event something happens in the night. We are at wits end at this point. I don't know what to do if she has another episode...but I also don't know how to treat what is wrong with her and obviously neither does either of the vets she has seen. I'm not giving up on my sweet girl. Please help!
Please accept our deepest condolences. She was a good dog and was well loved.
Ria passed away two weekends ago. It has been rough on the whole family. Her beagle brother looks for her all the time and her Greyhound sister now sleeps in the bed next to me at night. They are, however, beginning to play again....toys are now everywhere throughout my house.....its been a long time since that has happened. I can now see how her illness affected the entire family....we mourned with her....we were sick with her....going forward though we will celebrate her life! All the goofy antics and quirks she had, all the wonderful, wonderful memories she gave to us, and all the love that was shared between hound and human. We miss her terribly, but she is in a better place and is no longer in pain. Run Free Siesta Ria!
People that always see us on our walks now approach and give their condolences...they felt our pain as well. They ask if I will save another and the answer is yes! I will save another when the time is right...It would be a disservice to Ria if I didn't.
Thank you all for being my support team....I appreciate it more than you know!
People that always see us on our walks now approach and give their condolences...they felt our pain as well. They ask if I will save another and the answer is yes! I will save another when the time is right...It would be a disservice to Ria if I didn't.
Thank you all for being my support team....I appreciate it more than you know!
COMMUNITY LEADER
My heart goes out to you. Although my dog wasn't a Greyhound, and didn't have this type of cancer, I do know what it is like caring for them towards the end.
Anything good she can or wants to eat, give it to her. Give her all your love and thanks, take some time off work if you can -just to spend with her, special cuddle times, lovely music...etc Just share the love, and hang in together.
I am so sorry about the diagnosis. Blessings to you both.
Anything good she can or wants to eat, give it to her. Give her all your love and thanks, take some time off work if you can -just to spend with her, special cuddle times, lovely music...etc Just share the love, and hang in together.
I am so sorry about the diagnosis. Blessings to you both.
Bless you both.
Sorry to read the diagnosis, was afraid that might be the case.
All we can do is try to make them as comfortable as we can and enjoy the time with them and I hope you have a good amount left.
Hugs
All we can do is try to make them as comfortable as we can and enjoy the time with them and I hope you have a good amount left.
Hugs
unfortunately the needle aspiration results came back and she has carcinoma. They have given her approximately one month to live and have put her on Immodium AD for the diarrhea and prednisone (which won't help this type of tumor). Because of its location higher up in the small intestine, and the fact that her lymph nodes are a little swollen and her pancreas is also affected, surgery is not an option. I am a blending fool when it comes to her food and I believe the prednisone has assisted in making her hungry....so she eats now...actually three times, sometimes four times a day. I know I can't kid myself into thinking she will get better...but while she is here and not in pain, she will eat like a queen and be treated like the awesome lady she has always been.
I am so sorry to read this. Seems like we lose many of the older ones to Cancer. Lost ours to Lymphoma.
You and/or your Vet may want to look up and contact Dr. Guillermo Couto at Ohio State, I believe he has a web site ( you can look that up). He has been studying cancer in Grey's for a long time. I have heard he is very helpful. Might be worth a try to see if there might be a suggested protocol.
I caught the Lymphoma on our Grey pretty early, noticed a swollen lymph node in his neck and was in to the next day to get an aspiration biopsy. He was just over 12. Talked to 2 other Vets I know regarding treatment and had an ultrasound done. Chance of remission was slim, chance of recurrence was high. Treatments would have been costly and had probable side effects.
He was in no pain and I opted to to paliative care only with diet and supplements. He lived for another 6 1/2 months.
I realize you are dealing with something different and know how hard this is to go through. I doubt, due to her age and physical condition, I would opt fir any major surgery, but that is certainly an individual decision.
You might try blending some food with chicken, calf liver, some vegetables, add some chicken broth and vitamins and see if that will entice her to eat, maybe even just some canned dog food.
Please keep us posted.
Hugs
You and/or your Vet may want to look up and contact Dr. Guillermo Couto at Ohio State, I believe he has a web site ( you can look that up). He has been studying cancer in Grey's for a long time. I have heard he is very helpful. Might be worth a try to see if there might be a suggested protocol.
I caught the Lymphoma on our Grey pretty early, noticed a swollen lymph node in his neck and was in to the next day to get an aspiration biopsy. He was just over 12. Talked to 2 other Vets I know regarding treatment and had an ultrasound done. Chance of remission was slim, chance of recurrence was high. Treatments would have been costly and had probable side effects.
He was in no pain and I opted to to paliative care only with diet and supplements. He lived for another 6 1/2 months.
I realize you are dealing with something different and know how hard this is to go through. I doubt, due to her age and physical condition, I would opt fir any major surgery, but that is certainly an individual decision.
You might try blending some food with chicken, calf liver, some vegetables, add some chicken broth and vitamins and see if that will entice her to eat, maybe even just some canned dog food.
Please keep us posted.
Hugs
Sorry for that news. It's not what anyone was hoping for. I know you will take good care of her and make the best decisions.
So the ultrasound shows a very thick portion of her small intestine. ..probable diagnosis. . Cancerous. .. today she undergoes an aspiration of the tumor in hopes we can determine the kind. . And how to proceed. ... she is much too thin (I can count her vertebrae and ribs by sight).. and weak to undergo a biopsy or even a resectioning of the small intestine. ...pray for my baby and I will keep you all informed.
Thank you all for your support. .I will let you know one we do the ultrasound tomorrow where we are headed
Sorry to hear that but thanks fir updating.
Did you check the Greytalk web site? If not, you really should.
I assume she has had a thorough dental exam? These dogs can have bad dental and oral problems.
Good luck
Did you check the Greytalk web site? If not, you really should.
I assume she has had a thorough dental exam? These dogs can have bad dental and oral problems.
Good luck
If all she will eat is chicken, then feed her that. Feed her all of it she wants. If she won't eat much at a time, then offer small amounts frequently. You might be able to coax her to eat a little more by hand-feeding her. Let us know what he ultrasound shows. Will be thinking about her.
she was treated for hooks again... still losing weight. Ultrasound scheduled for Tuesday. Xrays and blood show mothing. She still refuses to eat except chichen only. I'm watching my bsby waste away. I judt don't know what to do.
Any updates???
Oh gosh! Sorry, was in a hurry and typing on this iPad. Please excuse the spelling errors! Suppose you understood, but that should be a temp of 103.
And that is growths or rumors!
:-(
And that is growths or rumors!
:-(
Sorry, meant to ask what you mean by a red toxic line? They mean infection or blood poisoning? Never heard that term
I agree with Margot's comments, and I would also consider food intolerances. Check out the things Margot mentioned, and if those tests are negative, I would have even more suspicion of a food allergy or intolerance. The symptoms sound like celiac disease in humans, and I have read that dogs can have that. But if she still has intestinal parasites or if she, God forbid, has cancer, then a food intolerance becomes much less likely. If an obvious cause for her symptoms emerges, then it would be reasonable to stop looking for the unlikely causes. Still, a bland home-cooked diet might help her to be more comfortable. I would probably put her on a home-cooked diet white rice and lean boiled chicken for a few days and see of that helps her, and go from there. If you end up pursuing the notion of food intolerances, Dogtorj.com has a lot of information about that. Good luck.
I am so sorry to read this. We had a Greyhound and helped with Rescue fir some years. Sounds like she may have had a stroke, hard to tell.
As fir the hookworms, the treatment only kills the adults. She should be getting regular stool checks and probably more treatments. That could be causing the stool problems and weight loss and these dogs cannot afford to loose much weight.
Have X-rays been done to look fir any possible growths or rumors? Hate to say it but, at that age, one has to consider Cancer. 193 temp "may" be indicative that something is going on but could just have been the weather, nerves, etc. I suggest you monitor with a rectal thermometer at home.
Humans can get some tyoes of hooks so I suggest you keep your hands washed. Her bowls should be washed (bleached) daily. If she will potty on a hard surface, like cement, clean up right away and disinfect with bleach. Or try to confine her potty area to one part if the yard.
I suggest you sign up for the Greytalk.com web site. Very good site, lots of experience there and very helpful.
Best of luck and please keep us posted
As fir the hookworms, the treatment only kills the adults. She should be getting regular stool checks and probably more treatments. That could be causing the stool problems and weight loss and these dogs cannot afford to loose much weight.
Have X-rays been done to look fir any possible growths or rumors? Hate to say it but, at that age, one has to consider Cancer. 193 temp "may" be indicative that something is going on but could just have been the weather, nerves, etc. I suggest you monitor with a rectal thermometer at home.
Humans can get some tyoes of hooks so I suggest you keep your hands washed. Her bowls should be washed (bleached) daily. If she will potty on a hard surface, like cement, clean up right away and disinfect with bleach. Or try to confine her potty area to one part if the yard.
I suggest you sign up for the Greytalk.com web site. Very good site, lots of experience there and very helpful.
Best of luck and please keep us posted
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