Excessive panting (Update on Lucky)

 Sending healing prayers for Lucky.  Let us know re the urine sample results.

Seems Lacey's apparent back issue was part of the UTI, so as with humans, the seniors have varied symptoms for a UTI. In senior dogs perhaps panting can be one of the indicators.   In senior humans, sweating can be a sign of that.

 

 

 (((( hugs ))))  Panting can be a symptom of pain. Hopefully, it's a UTI and the antibiotic will make her feel much better. You said she has been panting a lot for years. Jessie has had laryngeal paralysis for four years and she pants a lot, especially in the warm weather. Dogs with LP can't cool off as well as normal dogs. We keep the house cooler in summer than we would just for us, and walk her early in the day, at sunrise, and carry water for her to drink. We never let her lay out in the sun if it's very warm; dogs with LP can easily overheat. She's almost 15 and does pretty well, but if the LP progresses much more, she will need surgery. LP is fairly common in large dogs, especially labs and Lucky looks like a Lab or Lab mix. It's something you may want to discuss with your vet. I will keep you in my prayers; hope the blood work is good.

daisyprincess

Lucky has been panting alot lately she normally does for years now but it's got so bad it's almost none stop until she's fully relaxed.  I took her to the vet yesterday because while she was panting she was also crying but not the whole time. My sister said that the night before she was doing the samething.  Vet had me reruin her Senior wellness blood work. 

He had given me some antibiotics incase she has a bladder infection which I don't understand because they couldn't catch her urine, I did mention she drinks alot but I didn't say she urinates more then normally. I just found it odd he would give me antibiotics for a bladder infection without having a urine sample.  He did give me a tray and cup for me to catch it if I could at home but after I paid I went outside and caught it.

Lucky's 13 so I know she's getting at that age I don't want her to :( . Was wondering if there is something we should be looking for?

Did the vet specifically say "bladder infection" rather than "urinary tract infection"?? I would think he was pretty sure just by the clinical signs he noted (and he may have felt inflammation or some swelling of the bladder) -- most vets don't just hand out antibiotics like candy. But I would surely call and find out tomorrow what the results of the urinalysis were. A UTI is NOT the same as a bladder infection.

In both senior humans and senior dogs such infections can create trauma to the whole body -- they can be VERY hard to detect because it's not the typical "he's drinking a lot" - it can just plain make pain in the entire body.

Thanks for years she has been panting I took her in for it before but they said everything is normal but it's gotten really bad all of a sudden. Yep he said bladder infection, as he checked her out he said he didn't feel anything abnormal and didn't hear anything either. I'm gonna call Monday and see if any results are back. I know Lucky is part chow her other part no idea black lab maybe. I don't let her stay outside in the heat for long to hot in Fl.

I missed the call but he spoke to someone else and told them that Lucky has crystals in her urine and that something is wrong with her liver.  Also forgot at the visit he did mention cushions disease, so he wants me to bring her in for some more test

Crystals are fixable -- but ask specifically if it is struvite or oxalate crystals (print this out if you need to -- they are "opposites" in how you treat them in a way.)

Liver -- if he did bloodwork ASK for a copy of the bloodwork -- if it is a PDF file you can email it to me and I'll help you 'read' it. But it will give you a better idea for later if you know what the numbers are now vs. after you treat.

Cushings -- That is also treatable -- but ALSO it is really easy for a dog with high liver values to look like they might have Cushings. so they have to do something like a "Bile Acids Test" to tell -- you will have to fast her (not feed her after like 11:00 p.m.) and take her in to the vets -- they do timed bloodtests during the day at various intervals and some are after they are fed a little bit ... but it usually takes most of the day.

don't get yourself all worked up -- ALL of these can be treated, depending on how severe they are. Since the liver is wonky and you **know** it -- get her started on some milk thistle now. You can get it in capsules, but it's WAY WAY cheaper to buy it in bulk online -- http://www.mountainroseherbs.com is the cheapest place I know of to get it. It's about $14.00 a pound plus shipping. But that equates to about 12-13 bottles of milk thistle capsules you buy in Publix or a health store (and each of those bottles are about $18 a bottle -- so see what I mean by cheaper??)

Depending on how high the liver values are you may need to add SAM-e or something.

The liver regenerates -- so getting the liver numbers down is important.

Are they going to put her on an antibiotic? or ??? You may need to change her food -- food can be a big contributor ... sometimes just helping the urine be more "acid" or more "alkaline" can help rectify crystals.

I took Lucky in for her xray he didn't see nothing on it, he wants to do the 8 hour blood test to see if it's cushings. I got a print out of her blood work but can barely see it worst copy I've ever seen.  At the visit he did say liver isn't so bad not where he wants to have an ultrasound done and other things, I wish the copy was readable so I could send it to you. I'll see if I can darken it myself but it's very doubtful.

 

  Maybe you could ask them for another copy of her blood work? I really hope she doesn't have Cushings. Jessie was tested for Cushings because she has high blood pressure and is hypercoagulable; both can be caused by Cushings. My vet did a simple urine test. You catch the urine at home because it's important that the dog isn't stressed. If I remember correctly, it needs to be the first urine passed in the morning. It's called a urine cortisol test and if it's negative, the dog definitely does not have Cushings. If it's positive, the dog may have Cushings and further testing will need to be done. Jessie tested negative. Other symptoms of Cushings are; drinking lots of water, ravenous appetite, a pot bellied appearance, thinning haircoat and thin skin.

daisyprincess

I got a print out of her blood work but can barely see it worst copy I've ever seen. 

Ask them to email it to you -- that could be why it's a bad 'copy' -- someone had trouble printing out the PDF to paper. Most bloodwork for dogs now comes TO the vet as a file via email.

calliecritturs

] Ask them to email it to you

 

 Great idea; my vet e-mails Jessie's bloodwork to me.

Thanks, I'm still waiting for the email... 

 How is Lucky doing?

Lots of vibes for Lucky!!!