Heart problems in seniors, any help is appreciated.

No -- I'd sooner suspect the test was less than accurate.  If it found 1 or 2 items I would think "maybe" but for TWO THIRDS to be?? No -- that just doesn't ring true, particularly not with both dogs. 

calliecritturs

No -- I'd sooner suspect the test was less than accurate.  If it found 1 or 2 items I would think "maybe" but for TWO THIRDS to be?? No -- that just doesn't ring true, particularly not with both dogs. 

 

  I agree. I was curious about bioresonance imaging so I did some searching and there doesn't seem to be a scientific basis for it.

That sort of response?  It just doesn't make any real sense.

I told the vet I could try and alter the food, but supplements... Not really... But at this point i don't want to risk it by switching her diet back so quickly. She's finally got good stools, firm and normal looking. I'm so relieved... She's lost quite abit of weight and I'm also a little skeptical since her fur is great, skin isn't itchy, no ear infection at all; so it's all narrowed into her gut, which I believe could be just something she isn't right with. I'll try lamb and eggs and pumpkin for a month or so to see if her poop remains.

Oh dear, someone has been wetting the bed (almost) perpetually. Can't pin point who, but likely to be Alphie, she has a wet bottom. Took a urine sample and taking her in. This is sudden and not even dribbles, seems like the full waterworks and I have absolutely no experience in incontinence. I'm getting so lost in this whole allergy- diarrhea -incontinence episode(S)

Luna takes an herb blend (TCVM) for incontinence -- her's began after a bad UTI.  don't just let them do a strip test -- have a urinalysis done.  doesn't have to be a sterile draw, just actually have it analyzed.  Is she drinking more --

I'm completely anal about keeping track of who is drinking what and how much ... my water dish for the dogs is a big 1/2 gallon graded clear glass bowl.  With 3 dogs it is the ONLY way to know who is drinking "lots" (the bowl is in the center of the house so when we hear slurping we both try to remember who was drinking in case someone is drinking TONS LOL)

calliecritturs

Luna takes an herb blend (TCVM) for incontinence -- her's began after a bad UTI.  don't just let them do a strip test -- have a urinalysis done.  doesn't have to be a sterile draw, just actually have it analyzed.  Is she drinking more --

I'm completely anal about keeping track of who is drinking what and how much ... my water dish for the dogs is a big 1/2 gallon graded clear glass bowl.  With 3 dogs it is the ONLY way to know who is drinking "lots" (the bowl is in the center of the house so when we hear slurping we both try to remember who was drinking in case someone is drinking TONS LOL)

 

I've read your previous posts and taken the advice to ask for more than the strip. Vet did urinalysis done for both as well as prep profile. We're still not able to know who's the culprit... Both do not have UTI, no diabetes, no blood in urine, but both have diluted pee (they are not concentrating their pee well) from the specific gravity test. Luckily she budged after I asked for more details, otherwise it would have just been the strip test.

Both also have a low BUN level and what is a tiny alarming is Ashton's ALT level being on the high end of the normal scale. I asked her about the TCVM medicine, she suggested Rihemenna (sp?) 6 for Alphie and something else I can't pronounce nor recall for Ashton, only if I know for sure who is the one wetting the bed. We've been given a kidney activator western herb for the time being to prevent further kidney failure.

The poop issue is resolved for both of them, just gotta slowly add in the meats and vege in their diets to get their tummies used to the full diet. 

The vet says Ashton's spine is getting very sensitive and should do better with rest and some moxa and perhaps warm compress..

It IS tough to determine how much they drink or pee though since they have free access to all areas and the water bowl changed at least 3 times daily. 

It started to pour while we were at the vet and Ashton became very agitated and frightened with the thunder and sudden blackout at the vet (not a good day really), we're finally home after getting all drenched (Ashton and Alphie decided to stop for pee at different times under the rain) and now I'm pretty concerned about the low BUN and high ALT levels...

 

Lee debbie

I've read your previous posts and taken the advice to ask for more than the strip. Vet did urinalysis done for both as well as prep profile. We're still not able to know who's the culprit... Both do not have UTI, no diabetes, no blood in urine, but both have diluted pee (they are not concentrating their pee well) from the specific gravity test. Luckily she budged after I asked for more details, otherwise it would have just been the strip test.

See they could both be running a UTI (one sniffs the other?  It's easy for both of them to run an infection at the same time).  If they are drinking a lot then the urine will be dilute -- but that does NOT mean they aren't concentrating well -- what's the specific gravity? 

What's the ph of the urine?  That can be part of it -- mine tend to run a high PH -- so I add ascorbic acid to their food along with more meat than normal.  (I think it's mostly my water here that isn't as "neutral" as it should be). 

Get the actual bloodwork and post it -- it's not typical for 1 or 2 levels to be out of whack and be a big deal.  Just having a low BUN -- it's all about ratios Debbie.  a low BUN alone isn't worrisome.  The ALT alone is high?  The only liver level that IS high?  Again that wouldn't be a big deal unless it's astronomical. 

Don't look for things to worry about Debbie -- truly -- that will make you nuts. (been there, done that, had to learn better!!)

They forgot to clip alphie's result on the slip but Ashton's is glucose, urobilinogen, bilirubin, ketone, nitrite; all negative. Specific gravity 1.006, PH 7-8, leukocyte a 500 leuko/ml, ascorbic acid negative. I don't have alphie's exact figures but vet said they are similarly not concentrating urine. Alphie's prep profile was all within normal except BUN at 3 (normal is 7-25); Ashton's is at 7 and ALT at 116, not astronomically high, but bordering in the high normal. She says early renal failure. After a day of no pee on the bed, it happened within 15 mins of being in the room while separated for supper. It was alphie. I think the vet will either start her on a topical hormonal cream or rihemanna (sp?) 6, the tcvm herb. I'm worried because I'm gonna be away in less than a week and I hope nothing will take any sudden change when I'm away, already arranged for a pet sitter to come in daily to make sure the pups are being pups.

The two we used on Foxy were Plum Flower Tea Pills -- Left Side Replenishing (Zuo Gui, I think )--

Ingredients: Rehmannia glutinosa root-prep, Dioscorea opposita rhizome, Cornus officinalis fruit, Lycium barbarum fruit, Cuscuta chinensis seed, Achyranthes bidentata root. - Shu di huang, Shan yao, Shan zhu yu, Gou qi zi, Tu si zi, Huai niu xi.

and Right Side Replenishing (Yuo Gui)

Ingredients: Rehmannia glutinosa root-prep, Dioscorea opposita rhizome, Cornus officinalis fruit, Lycium barbarum fruit, Eucommia ulmoides bark, Cuscuta chinensis seed, Angelica sinensis root, Cinnamomum cassia bark. - Shu di huang, Shan yao, Shan zhu yu, Gou qi zi, Du zhong, Tu si zi, Dang gui, Rou gui.

He was on BOTH of those for almost 2 years -- and was in early renal failure when we started.  His kidney function decreased NOT AT ALL in that time.  His kidneys were both **FINE** even at 19 when I lost him (I'd just had urine tested a month or two before).  My "regular" vet was astonished that those herbs kept the kidneys so well.

"ascorbic acid negative"????? huh?  Ascorbic acid would be something you GIVE them -- that wouldn't be a kidney value.  I give all 3 of mine ascorbic acid (Vit C - but it's the chemical C, not a 'natural' C -- but it's the only kind of Vit C that will help keep the urine less alkaline so all 3 of mine take it twice a day)

Rehmannia is in both of those -- they are two different formulas and I know Dr. DiNatale has used both those Plum Flower Tea Pills a lot (I've had two different dogs on them).

I gave them ester-c daily but stopped since the diarrhea. Now that diarrhea is resolved, I'll add in their regular diet slow-owly We'll be going in for acupuncture on Wednesday before my trip and will ask for her to be started on something, a herb a hormone or something. I've already lauded underpads in their bed... She destroyed it twice.... Ohhh my pups

Lee debbie

I gave them ester-c daily but stopped since the diarrhea

Vit C can *cause* diarrhea for sure -- but what I was saying is IF you need to acidify the urine (urine that is too alkaline will create a UTI in a heartbeat) you have to use ascorbic acid NOT a "natural" C (like Ester-C).  Natural C doesn't stay acid in the body.  Ascorbic acid DOES.  So if you need to acidify the urine that's why you use Ascorbic Acid (C). 

I see, ok. His pee is neutral, hers, gotta check from vet's records. Ashton's started on the kidney activator herbal medicine. I'll get Alphie started on the tcm herb for incontinence. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the next week that I'm not around.

Lee debbie

I see, ok. His pee is neutral, hers, gotta check from vet's records. Ashton's started on the kidney activator herbal medicine. I'll get Alphie started on the tcm herb for incontinence. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the next week that I'm not around.

I know Dr. Xie has a blend of the incontinence her but I know it's pretty common stuff (and cheap) according to Dr. DiNatale.  I'm betting you should be able to get it cheaper than I can!

 I am back! And glad to say we had no problems while I was away. The sweet pet sitter came by daily to check on them (not necessarily walk them since it rained every day) and Alphie had 3 pee accidents. The herb Dr S gave Alphie is KB-C which is jian gu from Nature's Sunshine, and is a TCM concentrate. I'm looking up the Dr Xie's blend, but will see if KB-C works for Alphie. No diarrhea and they are slowly getting back on their original diet plan quite smoothly.

Dr S also told me about the incontinence herb that I could get from chinese medical halls here, the only worry being the quality of the herb though it is common stuff. She still suggested to try to stuff made in the US instead because we never know if the stuff here are genuine or from China. The KB-C has

- Eucommia ulmoides

-Cistanche salsa

-Achyranthes bidentata,

-Dipsacus asper

-Drynaria fortunel

-Poria cocos

-Morinda officinalis

-Rehmannia glutinosa

-Astragalus membranaceus

-Cornus officinalis

-Dioscorea batatas

-Epimedium macranthum

-Ligustrum incidum

-Tang kuei

(wow the words are sooo tiny lol)

So the 2 herbs u had, the Zuo gui and You gui, were both from Dr Xie's? Dr S did mention it was gonna be different for girls and boys, she mentioned a ton of Dr Xie's blend and it was really confusing. I'm gonna check out the names when I see her again in a week.