Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis
Baxter weighs roughly 21# and ate a sliver of onion Saturday afternoon. His stool became soft Saturday night and early Sunday, so I decided to give him some pumpkin and rice mixed with his kibble. He was pooping frequently, and I noticed an orange coloration when he went potty. Come 11 o'clock at night he was going every hour and at times even half hour. There was blood every single time. >_/p>
Took him to the vet early this morning and was informed that they did not see any signs of onion toxicity. However, he was diagnosed with mild to moderate Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis (Hge) and dehydration. His hematocrit was somewhat elevated but lab works revealed normal protein levels and clotting time. His stool samples came out negative as well. He's on some antibiotics, probiotics, and prescription food (I/D). They administered fluid under his skin before we left the clinic today to replenish the fluids he had lost. He's not listless, lethargic, and only had one episode of dry heaving this morning.
I've read up on how quickly Hge can progress and horror stories about pet fatalities. Baxter continues to have soft stool with drops of blood, although greatly reduced compared to last night. He has an appetite for food and does not appear to be depressed. Has anyone had experience with Hge, especially mild to moderate cases as the vet had diagnosed Baxter width? Any recommendations or tips on what to expect?
Baxter was never really fond of water, so I'm concerned about his hydration. He didn't like the gatorade/water mixture that was recommended by the vet. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Much thanks!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Baxter on
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I got the very same idea from one of the posts here! I'm glad he took to it since his urine was pretty concentrated before.
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I sent you a request.
How much blood was there in Charlie's stool? I'm concerned about the level of blood loss; some dogs with HGE have needed blood transfusions to replace what they've lost. Recently, Baxter would go #2 (loose stool with reddish-brown fluids) and then immediately attempt to go again, with a little larger than a dime sized amount of blood coming out.
Everyone has given great suggestions for his fluid intake. He hasn't had much of an appetite as of late but I was just curious if you had any recommendations for feeding? I had to manually open his mouth twice to give him his food mixed with his medications; I'd rather not stress him out even more and go another route if possible. Thank you for sharing your experience. MyCorgi is such a great community with an amazing group of corgi lovers!
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Baxter was doing the same thing as Charlie, with the whole straining and not really having anything come out the last couple of days. He would request to go out and did this 2-3 times within a minutes span. He kept licking his tush because he was in pain. I took him to the vet again, and he lost about a pound from one day to the next due to not eating, drinking, and the vomiting and diarrhea.
It freaked me out when Baxter wasn't eating because he is so food motivated. I have him on a rotation of Taste of the Wild Sierra Mountain and Pacific Stream. I picked it because it's grain free. The vet told me he wasn't eating because of nausea. They gave him a shot, and I was so relieved that he began eating later that night.
Thank you so much for all your input. It has truly helped! Baxter is doing much better now after his second subcutaneous IV fluids and anti-nausea medication. His bowel movements are getting close to prior to him getting sick, and he has his appetite back! I'll look into OptiGest and see how he takes to it. Thank you once again!
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Permalink Reply by Caryl on
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My Pippin has shown these symptoms before. He does get into poop outside (particularly kitty crunchies). But it's not always something he ate. We've been up one side and down the other with him - no clear diagnosis. In December he was in ICU because the dehydration got so bad so fast due to a high fever, Three courses of antibiotics and several months later he seems to be okay.
We did end up putting him on Omeprazole (Prilosec) and I haven't had an incident since. He's been on it about a month now. Not sure why it's working - some thought that it was ulcers since he's a worrier.
I add yogurt to his food to help his tummy (organic and not flavored). He loves it. He's a good drinker, but I still watch him like a hawk now. The antibiotics should help. If he gets better and then relapses have them do anoth
er course. It took three of them with Pip. Good luck - sending Corgi prayers and strength.
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Thank you for the Corgi prayers and strength; Baxter is doing much better now! I still don't know what triggered the hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, but the vet said the foreign onion might have upset his digestive system. It took two rounds of IV fluids for Baxter to get up to his normal hydration levels. The vet didn't pick up on a fever when we went, but I worried nonetheless because he was unusually warmer on and off during the day. Good to hear that Pippin is dong okay!
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Permalink Reply by Snickmom on
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Did the vet think the onion was the problem because Baxter wasn't used to it, or that it is dangerous for all dogs???
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The vet thought that the onion could have facilitated the upset stomach. However, I was freaking out because onions are toxic to all dogs. I believe their toxicity levels depend on the dog's weight; they're toxic at very low doses though! Basically, dogs lack the enzyme to properly digest one of the substances found in onions. A chain reactions results, which causes red blood cells to burst and eventually anemia to follow. That's what I thought was originally causing his bloody stools.
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Sending corgi prayers your way, and a helpful hint. Make your own chicken broth by boiling some chicken. Guaranteed no salt or additives. It'll keep in the fridge for 4-5 days.
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Thank you for the suggestion; I'll have to try that! Baxter is doing much better and is about 80% of his usual, bossy self. We appreciate the corgi prayers very much!
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Permalink Reply by Chris, Kadi & Brodie on
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Sometimes dogs like ice cubes to chomp on too, so you might be able to get him to take more water that way.
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When I picked up on his lack of desire to drink water, I put some frozen ice cubes in his bowl. It did the trick! Thanks for the suggestion.
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Permalink Reply by Monica, Orion, and Laika on
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How's Baxter doing? Main thing is to keep him hydrated. Like others said, low-sodium chicken broth diluted down usually does the trick if they're not drinking much. Check his skin turgor and make sure his gums are staying real pink. We see cases like these at my clinic all the time and typically send them home with metronidazole (antibiotic), Proviable (probiotic paste and capsules), and a couple cans of Royal Canin's Gastrointestinal food which pretty much sounds like what you've got for Baxter. Just keep up with it and he'll be better within a few days. If it's the canned I/D try mixing a little hot water in it or warming it up in the microwave, it seems like that entices them to eat it more sometimes (and adding water will help replenish fluids). Hope he's doing well
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