UPDATE - Worried mom - diarrhea, mucous, coughing

Oh Prancer, why do you worry your momma so much?!?!?
 
I really don't have any advice... the frist thing I noticed was that they give you different "normal" levels for lipase.... I wonder if it tested something else? Or just a small typo?
 
Anyway, the Metronidazole helped Sammy when he had tummy issues so maybe it will do Prancer some good. 
 
Best wishes to you guys, and hang in there!  It has to be tough worrying about the pup, but you're a good doggy mom and you do what you have to in order to help him out - that's all you can do. 

The ranges are different (I think) because two different labs did the tests - but it seems to be the same measure, so I'm utterly confused by it also.
My husband is really worried also - and he keeps telling me about every little thing she does that's "different" .... we're all feeding on each other's worry, which I'm sure isn't helping Prancer either.
This really makes me wish I hadn't decided to homecook .... I feel AWFUL ... I was trying to do what was right ... I guess I'm going back to commercial food

I dont have any advice...But I hope your baby returns to normal soon...why did the vet think it had to do with home cooking?

why did the vet think it had to do with home cooking?

He thinks the protein (50%) and Fat (30%) are too high.   He said she needs more carbs / fiber.   He actually took down a bag of SD Nature's Best to SHOW ME that 21% protein is "normal".   I was too upset to fight back and say "yeah, normal for COMMERCIAL food !   doesn't mean that's the BEST for them !"

My husband wants me to go back to commercial food even tho he's been so supportive of my homecooking and admitted that commercial food scares him now.

I know it's such a worry what with all the recalls...I just top kibble with home cooked and worry if  I am doing that right...I hope you find the answer soon

Have you considered talking to Monica Segal?  She could tell you how to adjust your recipe.
 
Canine Nutritionist:
[linkhttp://www.monicasegal.com[/link]>http://www.monicasegal.com]http://www.monicasegal.com[/link]
 
[color=#0000ff]Segal, Monica, booklets (partial list)
[size=1][link>http://www.monicasegal.com/catalog/productindex.php?cPath=25_26]http://www.monicasegal.com/catalog/productindex.php?cPath=25_26[/link][/size]
[/size]     Home Feeding Primer
     Raw Food Recipes 2[font=verdana]nd edition [/font]
[font=verdana]     Cooked Diet Recipes 2[font=verdana][size=1]nd edition 
     [/font][/size][/font][font=verdana]Enhancing Commercial Diets
     Balance Needs With Nutrition
     Nutrient Metabolism [/font][/color]

Hi Janet.  I've read both of Monica's books, 5 of her pamplets, and belong to her yahoo group     Her diets do tend to be a wee bit lower in protein (35 -  40% compared to my 40 - 50%) and a wee bit higher in carbs, so my vet may be on to "something".  I've asked in the yahoo group if my protein / fat / carb ratios are enough to make Prancer sick - I'll probably get an answer in the morning.
I love Monica's methods for developing a diet, so I do try to follow her advice - I just may have gone too far.
Its scared us enough that both hubby and I are about ready to go back to commercial.   BUT BUT BUT ..... her BUN/creatine ratio is BETTER than when we adopted her ... so I have to wonder if Prancer has some sort of issue that I need to manage long term, since BUN was a bit high and BUN/Creatine ratio was higher when she was adopted.
I really need to do alot more research on how to read bloodtests - Janet, I know you're the "link lady" so if you could PM me (or include in this thread) "all you wanted to know about blood test results but were afraid to ask" I'd appreciate it

JoAnnDe--
 
I sure hope this is nothing serious, and that Prancer is feeling well, soon.  Have you checked out the kidney section of dogaware.com?  Good info.
[linkhttp://www.dogaware.com/kidney.html]http://www.dogaware.com/kidney.html[/link]
 
 

JoAnn, my vet that is SOOO good with nutrition, likes the protein to be about 1/3.  I give Trudy that in lamb, steak, and salmon. I make a good cooked veggie mash with various veggies and sweet potato. I cook them and put them in the food processor. I give her fresh fruits, a bit of yogurt and some raw veggies also. I give a syrup b vit. and calcium.      

I hope Prancer gets well very soon!!![sm=floating.gif]   

Janet, I know you're the "link lady" so if you could PM me (or include in this thread) "all you wanted to know about blood test results but were afraid to ask" I'd appreciate it

This is the best I have:
[linkwww.dogaware.com/misc.html#bloodtest[/link]>http://www.dogaware.com/misc.html#bloodtest]www.dogaware.com/misc.html#bloodtest[/link]

   JoAnne, I don't have any advice but want to say I'm sorry Prancer's not feeling well and that her blood test showed there were problems. I sure hope the RX diet helps. Please don't feel bad about cooking for Prancer; I remember how hard you work to balance her diet, using a spreadsheet. I don't think anyone else could have done more research or been more careful. Prancer's such a sweet looking pup; I hope she gets better very soon.

I hope Prancer is feeling better.  Please let me know. 
Lori

Thanks guys.     We were all so wiped out from this that we fell asleep in front of the TV at 8pm !  She's doing ok - a little mucous on her stool this morning, but the stool itself was firm.  I'm sure she'll be pooping again soon since I fed her a little at a time throughout the day yesterday.
I honestly don't know if I'm going to use the 3 wks of food I made thats in the freezer.   If I do I'll make a mix of brown rice (which is already in all her foods) and some veggies and freeze them individually so I can augment the current recipes and get the protein and fat ratios down.      I have 4 more days of I/D ahead of me  so I'll use that time to do further research.
Prancer seems to be doing ok - she's playing (but not as much) and doesn't appear to be in any pain.  I tried to get a good feel of her gums to see how the dehydration is and it seemed better but I didn't get as good a feel as I wanted.

Thanks for the links Janet and tzu_mom.   I'm going the check them out asap.  I have to wonder if Prancer got into something that caused permenant damage when she was stray before I adopted her.  She's so young to have problems  
 
I've always said that God sends me the ones that need help - seems all my pets have one condition or another that I have to nurse.   Sometimes I feel its the "job" He has for me - to nurse the little ones back to health and give them a happy life they might not have had otherwise.

I've always said that God sends me the ones that need help - seems all my pets have one condition or another that I have to nurse. Sometimes I feel its the "job" He has for me - to nurse the little ones back to health and give them a happy life they might not have had otherwise.

 
   It does seem that there's a guardian angel looking out for some pets with special needs, connecting them with people who will take care of them. Besides you, I was thinking of Callie, Jennie, Kim, Cathy, and Lori; I'm sure there are some I've left out.
     We took in a homeless cat about seven years ago and about a year later he had to have a rear leg amputated because of cancer. Altogether for diagnosis,surgery, and follow up exams it cost around $2000. We're so glad we had it done and he's still doing great but it's hard to say what someone else would have decided to do. We put Jessie on hold at the shelter and when we came back for her the next day, she was isolated from the other dogs; they had discovered she had kennel cough and would have put her down if we hadn't adopted her. Then she developed serious environmental and food allergies; before immunotherapy, she was at the vet twice a month, sometimes more often.
    I think we grow in patience and the ability to love when we care for someone with special needs, whether they're human or animal, and I consider it a priviledge to have these special pets to love.