Pancreatitis
Anyone else have experience with this?
My dog Boomer was diagnosed on Sunday with pancreatitis after some truly epic vomiting. He's been back and forth from the vet for the last 5 days, on an IV drip for fluids, and he seems to be improving, it's just that being a first-time dog owner, I don't know what to expect in terms of recovery. Every time I think he's surely on the road to recovery, he'll throw up again or some other step back. Boomer's about 2.5 years old and has been healthy as an ox up to this point, so to have an extended illness like this is crazy frustrating as there isn't a whole lot you can do on your own to turn it around (give him meds, give sips of water, but food won't stay down). I'm not worried about him starving. He could stand to lose a few pounds. Dehydration isn't looming as he's been receiving subcutaneous and IV fluids this week.
Just needed to sound off, see if anyone else out there has experienced what I'm going through. It's been a helluva week.
My dog Boomer was diagnosed on Sunday with pancreatitis after some truly epic vomiting. He's been back and forth from the vet for the last 5 days, on an IV drip for fluids, and he seems to be improving, it's just that being a first-time dog owner, I don't know what to expect in terms of recovery. Every time I think he's surely on the road to recovery, he'll throw up again or some other step back. Boomer's about 2.5 years old and has been healthy as an ox up to this point, so to have an extended illness like this is crazy frustrating as there isn't a whole lot you can do on your own to turn it around (give him meds, give sips of water, but food won't stay down). I'm not worried about him starving. He could stand to lose a few pounds. Dehydration isn't looming as he's been receiving subcutaneous and IV fluids this week.
Just needed to sound off, see if anyone else out there has experienced what I'm going through. It's been a helluva week.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Craig H on
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Thanks for the reply, Christy.
They never even talked to me about admitting him. I've already spent some $700, so that's not the issue.
I just want Boomer to the point where I can take care of him at home.
His condition has improved. On Sunday, he was emptying the contents of his stomach every hour. I've never seen a dog vomit like that. By Tuesday, he was throwing up every 5-6 hours, so longer and longer gaps. Yesterday he didnt' throw up at all. Heck, he even pooped in the house and I was thrilled because it meant he was hydrated enough to actually do that. We went 36 hours without vomiting. And now the vet tech said that he threw up today twice. So it's two steps forward, one step back.
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Permalink Reply by christy fry on
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Shuffles was about 10yrs of age and in the process of a cushings diagnosis, So that's is a big differance in age and health. When shuffles started vomitting the first time it was bad like you describe and about 10pm at night I decided to watch him till morning but by 6am he wasn't even willing to stand anymore so we took him to the emer. vets. He lived to about 11.5 yrs of age. My vet stressed the food/fat connection to reaccurance returns, so that'll prob. be a preventative thing for your boy. Has your vet offered any long term advice to you?? It was very serious with Shuffle's as a matter of fact we had the possibility of not pulling through this conversation with the vet =(
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I'll be getting the long-term advice tonight when I pick him up.
I could hit Boomer with a fish right now. I talked to the vet earlier today and they said he had thrown up again. I didn't know all the details, but immediately thought the worst. So when I finally get to talk to the vet, he says, it was bile with green stuff. Well, Boomer had pooped in the house this morning, and it was green stuff. So Boomer now threw up because he cleaned some of the poo off himself, not because of the pancreatitis.
And while I'm glad it's not the pancreatitis, I still want to yell, "Boomer, WORK with me here!"
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Permalink Reply by Amanda on
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I'm curious if either of you (or anyone else) knows what causes this? Is it like a virus that a dog picks up from another infected dog? Or is it actually a direct result of what they're being fed (the fat content, etc.)? Just curious. Every time I hear a horror story like this I always want to know, that way I can do everything I can to keep from having Dax go through something terrible like this.
Good luck to you and Boomer. He's young and healthy otherwise like you said, I'm sure he'll pull through just fine, but he'll probably pull a hefty vet bill out with him in the end. I bring Dax to the vet at the drop of a hat. Some people think I'm crazy, but he's like my child...just furry, :) and to me he deserves every bit of care and attention when he's sick as a human child would get, because he's just as helpless on his own as they are.
Let us know how Boomer comes out of all this -- Dax and I wish both of you the best!
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www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1580&aid=335 - Cached - Similar
Canine Pancreatitis
This is a good link to general info. on this But basically middle age dogs, dogs with diets high in fat, dogs that are fed or steal greasy people food are at risk. some medications and other medical factors can also play in . this can be life threating.
Anyways it's a very scary thing to go through with a pet.
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Permalink Reply by Tina Farrell on
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I had a basset hound with this she was older and it took a good week or two for her to get back to her old self. I think she ate something she shouldn't have. Anyway, He should be fine in a week or so especially since he is young. It can be more serious in older dogs, but the young ones I think it is easy to recover from.
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Permalink Reply by Karen and Hardy on
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My little guy went in today to the doggie hospital and is connected to an IV. I'm waiting to hear the vet's analysis to exactly what is wrong. I'm afraid to hear what the problem is and afraid of the vet bill when all is said and done. I don't care what it costs at this point as long as I get my healthy little guy back.
I hope Boomer is ok. I can only imagine what you've been through!
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Thanks for the positive thoughts, everyone, it has been a brutal week for both he and I.
No vet for Boomer today. He is home. He pooped in the house again, which I'm fine with because it means the plumbing is functioning all the way through, but it's not out-of-control diarrhea. He's still dragging energywise, but this is his 6th day without solid food, so that's to be expected. I'm liquefying some bland chicken/rice prescription dog food and using a baby plastic syringe/thingee to put it into his mouth through the gap at the back of his jaw as he is very sensitive with his jaw right now (if he ain't yawning or drinking, it ain't open). Hopefully he will keep the food down and if he does, we'll move ahead that way, small doses, multiple times a day, in liquid/gooey form.
Karen and Hardy, I know the tally for Boomer with roughly 5 days of vet attention, we're just shy of $700. They can give the corgis fluids subcutaneous (injecting under the skin) or IV to keep them hydrated (and that's the big immediate fix - dehydration can lead to kidney failure). Subcute is typically cheaper, but they get less fluids in and the dog ends up with bulges of fluids on the shoulder that slowly decrease and those can cause some discomfort until they do so. IV is more expensive, but much more effective at hydrating. I did a combo of both (I would have reversed it now than how I did it - I did subcute first, IV second; IV should have been first).
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Update: what an eventful 96 hours it's been. The good news: it WASN'T pancreatitis. Not at all. Pancreas is healthy as can be.
The bad news: it was an intestine obstruction, which presented similar symptoms to pancreatitis (vomiting, etc.). Boomer started to crash on Saturday and Sunday. Couldn't stand up very well, still wasn't eating, still vomiting and this time it was containing blood, at least one small seizure that I witnessed. So Sunday night, I took him to a 24 hour emergency clinic in Kansas City (it's called VSEC and I have nothing but fantastic things to say about this staff; they are GREAT). Boomer's electrolytes were in the toilet, he was severely dehydrated even though he was still drinking and holding down water. They did x-rays, they did an ultrasound, they didn't like the fact that he hadn't pooped in a week. They found a "shadow" on his ultrasound of a foreign object lodged 1/3rd of the way down his small intestine, and yesterday Boomer went under anesthesia to operate.
The obstruction was a mass of hair, gook, and miscellaneous other stuff that was twice the size of his small intestine's diamete and had the consistency of a rubber ball. They did manage to remove it from him successfully and the vet says he is recovering beautifully and I should be able to take him on tomorrow. No trace of pancreatitis, don't have to put him on a special diet. Couple days of rest for the stitches and staples, and he should be back up to speed in 5-6 days.
So happy ending. Much more expensive than originally forecasted, but I did use Carecredit to finance Boomer's operation. Sure it's another monthly bill, but he's my family, he's my buddy, and he's worth inconveniencing myself if it's going to make him better. I recommend CareCredit to anyone else that depletes their budget for their dog's/cat's health care. It saved Boomer's life. Without it, I would be discussing euthanasia with the veterinarian.
I recommend anyone who has pancreatitis as a the diagnosis, get the x-rays, get the ultra-sound if they have it. It's worth it.
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thank goodness it's not pancreatitis!!!=)!!! but man a blockage?? Thats just weird, shuffles had x-rays done for his diagnosis they wanted to check his liver/pancreas and see how enlarged they were. I'm so happy your boy is going to get well =) they don't have carecredit here or at least didn't it's been a little bit since I've had a critically sick pup.
I had to get a rushed 410k loan to pay for shuffs. Happy thoughts for you and your pup =)
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Thanks, Christy!
Boomer is recovering nicely. He's had a lampshade on his head for a week (and he doesn't like it), but his sutures are healing, the bruising is going away visibly more each day, his energy level is back, he eats and poops with regularity...I honestly haven't seen him this well in months, so it's possible the blockage has been affecting Boomer negatively for months.
But we get the staples out on the 21st (I keep telling him chicks dig scars), and should be back to 100% by this time next week.
Thank you everyone for your kind thoughts, feedback, insight, and support. This has easily been the most difficult chapter in Life with Boomer, but he's going to make a full recovery and be back to his usual self in no time!
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Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on
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I just saw this post. I am glad to hear Boomer is recovering! Our doberman, Misty, has had three surgeries for obstructions. She was my son's dog and this past year has become ours. The eating of inappropriate materials can be a habit so please be really careful to watch Boomer and keep things he should not eat out of reach. Misty needs to be kenneled when she is not being watched and my son felt sorry for her and relented a few times and that was all it took for her to get something. String toys and stuffed ones are off limits. Now that she lives with me she gets more exercise, is not alone as often, and I am very strict about kenneling her. Each surgery is very expensive (as you know) and the chance of surviving becomes less. So I am happy Boomer is good but want to warn you to be really cautious from now on since you know he will eat stuff he should not.
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