Going to Purdue; labs back

 I hope she does great, and they're able to fix her right up.

  Jessie won't need surgery. One side of her larynx moves normally and the other side has some movement, so they don't think it's enough to cause her cough. They did chest x-rays and there is a "mild abnormality" on her lungs. It could simply be natural changes with age (mineralization) or it could be a mild inflammation. They did a tracheal wash to see if she has any bacteria in her lungs and the results will be back in about ten days.

  Her pancreas was normal on ultrasound and her enzymes are lower that they were a few weeks ago; her SPEC cPL went from 483 to 407. Her cholesterol and ALP were much lower than they were when she was diagnosed with pancreatitis. Her T4, which was .5 when she was diagnosed, is back to normal at 2.83. They did a urinalysis and she has a mild amount of protein in her urine. My vet did one several weeks ago with the same results; he said it was because of the pancreatitis. They did another test today which will determine if the protein loss is because of the pancreatitis or because her kidneys aren't functioning properly. I think the results from that test will be back in a few days. She isn't showing any symptoms of kidney disease so if she does have it we've caught it early. Overall things have went very well; I'm thrilled that she won't need surgery.

  We had two very long days; she was there for ten hours yesterday and eleven today. Jessie was very good through it all, as usual. I really want to thank all of you for your prayers; they help so much.

 HOORAY for no surgery!!!! Jessie, I hope you got something special for behaving so well. I know it's rough, when you can't have most of the treats.

Hi Janice!  I'm just seeing all this now and reading everything!  I'm so glad that she doesn't need surgery!  THANK GOD.  It seems like she's holding her own pretty well with everything and she (and you) have my support and Willow's too!! 

That's great news!!  And I like how good vet schools really diagnose and rule things out.   

I'm so glad that she won't need surgery. 

Fingers crossed that all test results come back normal.

Terrific news!  Now we will keep those good vibes coming your way for excellant test results!

Glad she doesn't require surgery and I hope the lung issue proves to be normal aging.  Jesse, I'm sending you scritches.  Ask your Mom to deliver them please. :)

JackieG

Jesse, I'm sending you scritches.  Ask your Mom to deliver them please. :)

  Thanks Jackie; we've been spoiling her more since all this began and she asks for a lot more belly rubs now (and gets them).

calliecritturs

And I like how good vet schools really diagnose and rule things out.

  I was surprised at how many tests they did; remember the other thread where I said she wouldn't need anymore blood tests for awhile?(sigh)  Since my vet was referring her for the laryngeal paralysis he also included the pancreatitis because he knew they had better ultrasound equipment and trained technicians. The reason he thought her larynx didn't move at all was because of the amount of anesthesia he gave her. Purdue used the same type of anesthesia but administered it in a way where they could control it better so she was getting just enough to lightly sedate her but not enough to stop the larynx from moving if it was able to. My vet did tell me they would be able to diagnose it better than him.

 They said she won't need another SPEC cPL for three months. I can't thank you enough for all your support; I thought about your posts when she was going through the tests.  I will let you know what the results are from the urinalysis and the lung cultures when I hear about them.

jessies_mom

They said she won't need another SPEC cPL for three months. I can't thank you enough for all your support; I thought about your posts when she was going through the tests.  I will let you know what the results are from the urinalysis and the lung cultures when I hear about them.

Hoping the results give her the all clear

  The results from the tracheal wash came back last week and they found mycoplasma bacteria; Jessie is on doxycycline for a month.  This is good news because it should cure her cough. The internist said it takes awhile to clear up the mycoplasma so that's why she is taking the doxy that long. After she finishes the doxy, Jessie will be able to have her teeth cleaned.

  We will need to check her kidneys with blood work and a urinalysis in six months; she may have very early kidney disease. The specific gravity of her urine is a little low and her protein is .6; normal is .5. This could also be due to the pancreatitis. No treatment is recommended at this time but I want to be proactive and e-mailed Monica. She will probably decrease the phosphorus and sodium in Jessie's diet; she may also increase the fish oil. I'm glad that the internist wanted to check her kidneys; Jessie was referred for laryngeal paralysis and pancreatitis but Dr. Meller noticed the results from her urinalysis in May so she did a recheck and confirmed that those values are still slightly abnormal.

 Overall that is good news, right? I hope that the doxy clears the bacteria and cough.

And I hope that her kidneys are OK just getting a little tired!

please deliver the requisite belly rubs!

kpwlee

Overall that is good news, right?

  It is; it's a mild infection and the doxy should clear it up. I was worried that the cough may be related to heart disease; thank goodness that wasn't the case. Her CBC was pretty good; her liver values and pancreatic enzymes have improved a lot and her thyroid has returned to normal. She'll be eleven in a few months and she's a large breed mix so of course this is the time when things like kidney problems can start to develop. I think she'll do fine with a few diet changes.

kpwlee

please deliver the requisite belly rubs!

 Excellent!! She has done so very well especially for a dog with such severe allergies, a testament to the great care you provide for her

 That is great news! I hope her heart clears up fast, and the kidney values resolve, quickly. Have a pupsicle (made of some sort of broth that you  tolerate, of course), Jessie, and celebrate!