Dog Community

The Adventurin English cocker spanYELL update

Posted : 8/21/2006 10:17:58 PM

Another Billy update -- yep we've had a bit of rough water again, but once again, he's doing better!!

Friday night he really had another BAD urinary tract infection (he got off antibiotics for the other one Thursday and suddenly by Friday evening he was peeing BLOOD!!!). Thank heavens he had an accident in the house or I wouldn't have known it!! When I saw this little stream my first thot was "Oh no, WHO has a uti now ... and please Heaven, let it not be Billy!"

So I put down a paper towel (I didn't just wipe it up -- past experience has shown you want to see color!!) and my heart sank -- it wasn't even particularly stinky -- but up the center of the stream was a streak of blood. There's apparently something about all the steroids that make the kidneys bleed REALLY easy. I'm trying to find that out as well.

Who knew!! I was freaking again because the blood in the urine was clotted. FREAK me!! But I heard from Dr. G today and actually that was a GOOD thing. If the urine had simply been 'pink' the chances could have been good that it could have been the IMHA again -- if the IMHA kills the blood in the veins, then the urine simply carries away the 'waste' and it's pink!! So she was actually GLAD to hear it was blood 'in' the urine (as in you could see a streak of blood in the urine that wasn't mixed in -- it looked like the blood had been dropped on top of the urine if you can imagine that). I was upset because I knew he was in pain (anyone ever have a UTI so bad that you bruise your kidneys trying to go and it causes bloody urine?? HURTS). But it honestly never occured to me that he could be in danger from the IMHA with it.

So he was hurting Friday nite, but thank heavens I had bigger Clavamox tabs here that I hadn't used (one of my vets gave them to me knowing they were too 'big' but it was all she had on hand and she'd told me how to break them up for him til I could get to the other vet the next day). I had cranberry (he'd been ON cranberry but I gave him extra). But I'm also going to get a Chinese herb from Dr. D to have on hand since this is so easy to occur.

But they've been re-adjusting his meds and his cyclosporin levels had fallen really low (it went from really high to really low really fast), so I've been a bit concerned that when the body had to deal with the antibiotic again in higher doses that it would take that excuse to have the IMHA flare up. Sunday morning his gums looked a bit pale, but because it's gone up and down and because it didn't seem to get more pale during the day I just decided to watch and see (and I know the 'shades of pink' well enough to know it wasn't in any kind of danger zone).

It looks better again today. Still bears watching (shoot, I've checked his gums every day since May) but it seems like we've crossed another hurdle again.

Lena thank you again for the candle and the SOS email answer, and everyone THANK you so much again. Your continued support helps SO much.

sandra_slayton

Posted : 8/21/2006 10:30:54 PM

I am happy you caught it and the news wasn't as bad as you feared. Hunter's urine was the color of rusty water the day he was diagnosed. If he had not peed on top of where kayCee had peed just off the patio I would not have known as he always went to the back fence to pee on it.

Every day is a blessing they are with us. Right now on one of my golden boards a mom golden and her puppies are fighting for their lives. She had c-section 2 weeks ago, 8 boys, 1 girl. All was fine til a few days ago. Got sick, was diagnosed with mastitis. Despite everything, she got worse, he rushed her back to vet, has gangreen in at least one breast. had to be taken to another hospital about 1 1/2 hours away for surgery. Owner (a minster) and his wife have been bottle feeding the pups, but their worse nightmare came to life--the pups got sick, apparently most if not all drank that contaminated mother's milk. Were rushed to vet late yesterday, given antibitoics, one little boy died this morning, were taken back this morning, the lone little girl was kept and she died later on. The othes are very sick.

The mom was to have surgery this afternoon, but there has been no up date on that. She is a show dog and I don't know if she has her championship yet or not, but I do think this will put an end to her being shown. This was her first litter and the poor minister is blaming himself saying he should never have breed her, etc. of course that is worry and grief talking. She was healthy as could be and this is just one of those things that can happen to any dog under any circumstance.

EDITED Heck, I know what you mean about checking gums. I think I almost drove my other 3 crazy checking their gums every day. I was even trying to compare all three to make sure they were all about the same shade of pink. I was down right paranoid about it. I still check several times a week, but not a couple of times every day.

cakana

Posted : 8/21/2006 10:45:34 PM

Yikes Callie, I can only imagine the dread you must've been feeling. Fortunately, like me, you have a pretty well-stocked supply of meds on hand. I hope the Clavamox gets the infection under control. I've had a couple UTIs I thought were pretty bad, but nothing with blood in the urine, so I know that's got to be miserable. Poor Billy. What a trooper he's been and continues to be.

I've wondered how I'd check Sassy's gums if I needed to. They're black (with tiny splotches of pink in places). How do you check a dog with blackish gums?

calliecritturs

Posted : 8/21/2006 11:07:55 PM

Luna's are black too -- but you check the parts that are pink AND the other tissues inside the mouth (and tongue too). Try on those pink spots to check the capillary refill time -- that's a BIG deal ... bigger than most of us give credit for. See if the pack cell volume is low, then there's not enough blood IN the blood to 'refill' -- so that will be slower too. So as long as the CR stays fast it's a big help in determining if it's ok or not.

Next time you're at the vet ASK your vet specifically how to tell -- what I said is just a guess!

JUST ONCE I had blood in my own urine. I can get a UTI from amoxycillin (and yep, that is one of the drugs they TREAT them with in humans) and have had them several times .... but one time I really wasn't even suspecting it -- just felt the 'pressure' a lot one afternoon. Suddenly I saw pink water and thot it was the wrong time of the month -- but saw nothing. In short I scared the bejeebers out of myself-- I thot I had cancer or worse. But I'd just been bearing down so hard I had bruised my own kidneys straining and that causes them to bleed.

Trying to get them TO drink is hard - when it hurts that much you don't WANT to go so you stop drinking. He'd been drinking the house down until it got painful ... in that they're generally smarter than we are.

dyan

Posted : 8/22/2006 7:36:06 AM

Oh Callie,,, I'm glad that this new situation seems to be okay. Just seems like one thing after another doesn't it? What a fighter that baby is!!!!

Sandra,,,,reading your post about the mama with Mastitis,,scares me. I got Bubblegum because she got Mastitis right after having her 18 puppies. Her breeder was up to her ears in black and whites (had a couple older pups from another set up parents) still left besides Bubbys brother and father that lived there) and had to pay to have someone come in to feed the pups also,,as they were taken away from Bubblegum. I don't think any of them got sick though,,,she caught it in time. But you can't breed the females anymore after mastitis (I understand) or they can get it back again easily. That is why I have Bubblegum. BUT its scary to see how easy things could have gotten worse. I JUST GAVE MY BUBBY A HUG!!!

jennie_c_d

Posted : 8/22/2006 4:14:16 PM

Callie, I was thinking about you and Billy, last night.... I should have emailed. Poor boy. I hope he's feeling ok, today.

calliecritturs

Posted : 8/22/2006 7:21:37 PM

HEY - it's ME!!! Billy. You guys know what the BESTEST part is??

ROCKIN' RAZBERRY agin!!

We like all that yoggert stuff ... yum. Mom says I can't have too much cos it "innerferes wif absorpshun" .... WHAT-EVER!!

An hey ... Dr D sez I gotta have more essercize so I gets ta play BALL in tha house!!

whooooooooooooooooooooo hooooooooooooooooooooooooo

I gotta figger out how ta get Tyler an Angel an Emma an Bubby all ta play cyber ball er sumthin. (if we kin ever get the humans off the 'puter that is!)

dyan

Posted : 8/22/2006 8:32:02 PM

Sounds like a GREAT idea Billy! Bubby would LOVE to play cyber ball with you.

Just love your picture too...your just the cutest!!!!

calliecritturs

Posted : 8/22/2006 10:28:09 PM

[&o] -- bam

dang -- Luna says those aren't balls -- they say stuff. *I* think they make GOOD BALLS!!!

fwap ..................[

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They don't bounce worf a dang tho.

loveukaykay

Posted : 8/24/2006 3:21:23 PM

Wow Callie... Im thinking how lucky a boy Billy is to have peepeed out a clot! wow. Glad to here though, that this isnt too too bad with everything esle going on.[

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