Freckles the Beagle

[Freckles#3/Louise]

Hello from Freckles the beagle and her mom.

Freckles is 14.5 years old and a 17 month survivor of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. I was just starting to relax and believe that she might beat cancer when we were broadsided with Cushings. Unknown to me, the oncologist suspected Cushings because of the persistent UTI that was not responding to various antibiotics.

At her scheduled ultrasound to check for cancer, her oncologist had the Internal Medicine vet, who specializes in endocrinology, view the ultrasound. The oncologist told me that they saw no cancer but that they did see the changes in her organs and asked to do the ACTH stim test right then.
When I got home from the vet hospital that night, I researched Cushings and recognized many symptoms. We saw the IMS a few days later. She started Freckles on Vetoryl 10mg once a day, and she did very well. The panting stopped very quickly followed by other symptoms.
The follow up ACTH was done, which the vet said showed that the previous result of 18 had come down to 8.9 but she wanted it down to the 4-4.5 range. The numbers did not mean anything to me except to understand that she was please with the results so far. She increased the 10 mg Vetoryl to twice a day. (Freckles weighed 29 lbs at the time). I understand the need to find right the dosage, as I have hypothyroidism and have been through the same balancing act.
At the same time the Vetoryl was doubled, the urine sensitivity test show that the UTI was e. coli and resistant to all but 2 antibiotics. So, Freckles started on nitrofurantoin. She was also taking Piroxicam, which is the NSAID that works to keep the bladder cancer from returning. Then there is the Dasuquin to help with the torn ACL and the Crananidin to keep the e. coli from attaching to the urinary tract. There was Tramadol for the ACL pain and the Proin for incontinence.

So many medicines!
Freckles has not been herself since, and refuses to eat any kind of dog food. She threw up so is now eating chicken and rice, which she loves. She once took all her medicines in food but now refuses them no matter how I think I am hiding them. That beagle nose knows where the pills are hiding. I can get them down her by opening her mouth and putting them at the back of her throat but even that is getting difficult. She will not eat the 2 chewable pills.
After the vomiting incident, her regular vet told me to give her Pepsid, so I tried that this past weekend. What a mistake! The poor dog was constipated and even more miserable.

What am I doing to her? What quality of life is this? After more than 24 hours with no poop, I decided enough is enough. I stopped all medications and called the IMS for an appointment. It took almost 3 full days for her to poop. (Yes, I tried pumpkin but she would not eat it.)
I will discuss the various medicines with the vet to decide which ones are the most critical, taking into consideration that she will not take them easily anymore. Personally, I think the antibiotic is the problem, but an untreated e.col infection is also a problem.

I am sorry for this long post, but I would really appreciate your thoughts on what you would do in this situation.
Thanks so much.
Louise

[Harley PoMMom]

Hi Louise,

Welcome to you and Freckles! So glad you made your way here and we will help in any way we can.

I'm always a bit leery when Cushing's tests are performed when a dog has another issue going on, false positive results can occur when this happens.

Can you tell us what symptoms Freckles is displaying? Also could you get a copy of those ACTH stim test results (the diagnostic and monitoring) and post them here...thanks!

Stopping the Vetoryl was the correct thing to do, our motto is: never give Cushing medication to a dog that is feeling ill, so great job!

In our Resource Forum we have a wealth of information regarding Cushing's, including the medications and the proper protocols that need to be followed, here's a handy link: Helpful Resources for Owners of Cushing's Dogs (http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=10)

Some dogs just can't tolerate Pepcid AC, my boy, Harley, was like that. I switched to slippery elm bark and it did make a difference. You can find more info about SEB here: Slippery Elm (http://www.littlebigcat.com/health/slippery-elm/) One caution note, Slippery Elm may interfere with absorption of medications so it is recommended to be given 2 hours apart from any other meds.

If you have any questions please do ask them and know we are here for you and Freckles.

Hugs, Lori

[frijole]

Wow you have a whole lot going on. Go with what your vet says but given the fact you had recently increased the vetoryl dosage I suspect the acth test will show the cortisol might be low.

Was there just an acth test done to diagnose the cushings? I think you said it was 18 and then it went down after dosing at 10 mgs. 18 is really borderline and I'm not sure why they wanted to get it down to 4 as some dogs on vetoryl are fine with higher numbers... anyway I would get an acth test done to check out the cortisol and am also glad you stopped the vetoryl. Vomiting and not eating is a sign it has gone too low. So good job. Kim

[Squirt's Mom]

I put my Squirt on Proin and believe it nearly killed her. From almost the start of taking it she starting having issues that she hadn't in the past but I didn't attribute them to the Proin and kept her on it until she had a seizure. :( So I wanted to share the info on this drug that was shared with me so you are more knowledgeable than I was about it. Some pups take this drug and do just fine but my Sweet Bebe did NOT do fine.

http://www.fda.gov/downloads/AnimalV.../UCM296349.pdf



Table 6: Adverse reactions in the 28-day placebo-controlled clinical study
Adverse Reactions
PROIN
-
treated (N=123) (first number)
Placebo (N=61) (second number)

Emesis 20.3% 8.2%
Hypertension (≥ 160 mm Hg) 19.5% 14.7%
Anorexia 16.3% 3.3%
Body weight loss (≥5%) 16.1% 6.8%
Proteinuria 13.0% 8.2%
Anxiety/aggression/behavior change 9.7% 3.2%
Diarrhea 7.3% 9.8%
Polydipsia 6.5% 9.8%
Lethargy 5.7% 1.6%
Musculoskeletal disorder .2% 1.6%
Insomnia/sleep disorder 2.5% 0.0%

http://www.livestrong.com/article/25...ects-of-proin/



Allergic Reaction

Dogs that are allergic to phenylpropanolamine or any of the components of Prion should not be treated with this medication. Improper use of Proin by hypersensitive dogs may induce a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. Symptoms of a hypersensitive reaction in dogs include weakness, seizures, pale gums, facial swelling and difficulty breathing. Dogs who exhibit any of these side effects after taking a dose of Prion should be transported to an emergency veterinarian clinic immediately.

100's of pet owners believe Proin either directly or indirectly lead to their dog's host of health issues including death.... and I am one of those who believes this drug was the cause of the changes I saw in her up to an including the seizure. So I wanted to share with you.

I am glad you found us and look forward to learning more as time passes.
Hugs,
Leslie and the gang

[goldengirl88]

Louise:
Just wanted to check in and see how Freckles was doing today. You did the right thing not giving any trilo when the dog is sick I am curious what does the dog weigh and what is the mg of trilo being given? Hope all is well with you both. Blessings
Patti

[Freckles#3/Louise]

Hi everyone and thanks for all your support.

Freckles and I just returned from the endocrinologist where I got copies of the 2 ACTH results in addition to the ultrasound report and UTI results. I will post the information after I have time to read it all. I even have the ultrasound photos.

I asked the Dr what bad organs were seen on the ultrasound and she said: big liver, 2 big adrenals, inflamed gall bladder with "sludge". She said the inflamed gall bladder can cause the liver to enlarge.
I did the right thing to stop all the meds and bring Freckles to her. I was worried about dehydration but Freckles is just fine.

First medicine priority is the Piroxcam to keep the cancer at bay, as TCC is expected to return. It will also help her torn ACL. Second Priority is cranberry extract as that keeps e. coli from adhering to the bladder walls. Since UTI tests for Freckles can only be free catch, there is always room for false results. She has no UTI symptoms at this time.

Vetoryl can cause stomach upset, so it is on the back burner and we will wait a month for it to "wash out" before starting back with just the one 10 mg pill. Freckles weighs 26.4 pounds and did very good on the one pill.
It stopped the panting immediately, which was the most obvious symptom.

The Dr agreed with me that the antibiotic was the straw that broke the camel's back (Freckles poor tummy), so that is off the table. ($127 down the drain :rolleyes:)

More later after dinner...
A very relieved Louise

[goldengirl88]

Louise:
I am so glad to hear you are relieved about Freckles. This is so hard on Cush moms, all the worry and anxiety. This disease sure stinks. I am hoping you get Freckles straightened out and feeling better. Blessings
Patti

[molly muffin]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

You did everything right, with stopping the medicine and going in to the IMS.

Certainly every dog is different and I would certainly thing that with all going on with Freckles that a tad bit higher cortisol might be a good thing. You don't want it too high, as obviously there has been an effect on the liver and adrenals, but high enough that Freckles doesn't feel cruddy. It is a fine balancing act.

So glad you found us.
Welcome again,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[Freckles#3/Louise]

I am back with the ACTH results:
10/2/13:
Cortisol Serial 2 (ACTH)
Time 1 0
Time 2 1
Cortisol sample 1: 2.6 ref 1.0-5.0 ug/dL
Cortisol sample 2: 19.3(HIGH) ref 8-17 ug/dL

11/11/13
Time 1 Pre ATCH 10:07AM
Time 2 Post ATCH 11:07 AM
Cortisol sample 1: 1.5 ref 1.0-5.0 ug/dL
Cortisol sample 2: 8.6 ref 8-17 ug/dL

During the abdominal ultrasound the thickness of the adrenals was measured:
Left thickness: 9.0 mm
Right thickness: 8.2 mm (looks like upper limit is 7.5 mm for dogs)
The first ACTH test was started immediately after the ultrasound was completed.
Looks like the one 10 mg pill of Vetoryl was more than enough, so I am really glad I stopped the 2 of them!
Very happy to see that the kidneys are fine, so the infections have not moved to them.

I can see why the Dr considers the Piroxicam for the bladder cancer the top priority as the ultrasound report shows an irregular surface on the bladder where the surgery was done. There are no tumors so hope the irregularity is just scar tissue.

10/2/13
Superchem:
ALT(SGPT): 157 (12-118)
Alk phosphatase: 525 (5-131)
BUN/Creatinine ratio: 36 (4-27)
Calcium: 11.9 (8.9-11.4)
Cholesterol: 428 (92-324)

Freckles Cushing symptoms were:
excessive panting
drinking lots of water
peeing all over the house
incontinence
hind legs shaking
pot belly
constant UTIs
always hungry (but then she is a beagle so not unusual)
lethargic

Thanks to Lori for the Slippery Elm information as I believe Freckles does not handle pepsid well. My husband warned me as it was a problem for him too.

Thanks to Leslie for the warning about Proin. Freckles seemed OK, but when I stopped it because of all the stomach problems, I found she does not need it now.

Freckles is sleeping peacefully on her mat in front of the couch. :)
I really appreciate the caring and concern on this board.

Louise

[molly muffin]

Sometimes you will get incontinence and then once you start the vetroyl that will go away. It also might have had something to do with the bladder and the cancer, so now that is gone, put together, it all equals Freckles not needing the Proin, which is good. We have had some dogs do okay on proin, Kim didn't have any problems, but then others like Leslie, it definitely seems to have been the cause of many problems and she almost lost Squirt, so glad that is no longer needed.

Seeing that pre number of 1.5, I'm guessing that Freckles went too low on 10mg twice a day too.

Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[goldengirl88]

My Tipper cannot take the Pepcid either and I did use the Slippery Elm , did anyone tell you not to give it too close to meds as it can interfere with their absorption? Just wanted too give you a heads up on that one as I made that mistake in the beginning, and I also just sprinkled it on her food and you are supposed to make a tea out of it by steeping some in water. Blessings
Patti

[addy]

My Zoe had a bit of a problem with Pepcid too, she started spitting up in the middle of the night and she never vomits or spits up anything.

I hope the 10mgs once a day is the ticket. You are doing a good job.

[Freckles#3/Louise]

Thanks for everyone's support for my decision to stop all medicines which is what my gut instinct was telling me. It's scary when they can't tell you where and how they hurt.

Freckles is doing so much better today. She had her Piroxicam last night and even took the cranberry extract pill with some peanut butter! She got into the cat chow for a minute until I pulled her away, and this morning even ate a couple pieces of her own chow. Her breakfast was chicken and sweet potatoes and skinless sweet red peppers. Last night I had the first good night's sleep in 2 weeks. It is so nice to see her beagle appetite returning.

There are a few comments from the endocrinologist visit yesterday that I would like to run by you for your experience.
1. Pepsid is benign, beneficial, with no drawbacks. (I already know that is not true for Freckles and her dad and also a couple pets on this board)
2. Feeding Freckles only chicken, turkey, some rice and more veggies is OK for the rest of her life, as the unbalanced nutrition issue of missing minerals that are always mentioned when only feeding people food, would take years to harm her, years which she does not have.
3. Freckles needs 500 kcal a day minimum of food. She weighs 26.4 pounds.(After some research online, it turns out the all the calories we see on our food labels are actually kcals. 6 oz of chicken breast = 250 calories)

Even though Freckles ate some of her chow(Blue Buffalo Limited Ingredient), I am not sure I want her back on the chow. It is convenient but I want what is best for her for however long she is with us.
All suggestions most appreciate. :)

Louise

PS You may have noticed the #3 after Freckles's name. There was Freckles the beagle #1 (1970 - 1986 died at age 16.5 yrs from breast cancer) and Freckles the beagle #2 (1986 - 1999 died at age 12 yrs from leiomyosarcoma of the intestines). Cancer sucks!

[goldengirl88]

I myself would not be happy if I was feeding a diet that did not have the proper vitamins and minerals as I feel that is defeating the purpose. Adding these would be so beneficial to a dog that is not well. Just my thought. Blessings
patti

[Renee]

I myself would not be happy if I was feeding a diet that did not have the proper vitamins and minerals as I feel that is defeating the purpose. Adding these would be so beneficial to a dog that is not well. Just my thought. Blessings
patti

I must agree here - at the very, very minimum - your dog needs a calcium supplement. You must always supplement calcium if you are feeding a raw or home cooked diet that does not contain bone. Not giving her the proper ratio of calcium to phosphorus can cause a host of problems.

I home cook for my pug. I suggest reading Lew Olsen's book Raw and Natural Nutrition for Dogs. There is a really good section on homecooked diets, rather than a raw diet. Note that Lew does recommend her B-Naturals supplements quite a bit. They are very good quality and I have used them quite a bit in the past.

A really good supplement for a boneless meat based diet is Wysong Call of the Wild Canine supplement. This contains the proper supplements, minerals, and calcium your pup would need. You can get it on Amazon. Also, I always think probiotics is a good choice. The reason I recommend the Wysong is because it is complete including calcium, unlike most other supplements.

[Squirt's Mom]

2. Feeding Freckles only chicken, turkey, some rice and more veggies is OK for the rest of her life, as the unbalanced nutrition issue of missing minerals that are always mentioned when only feeding people food, would take years to harm her, years which she does not have.

This is so wrong it's not funny. Feeding my dog the wrong diet from UC Davis WITH vitamin and mineral supplements caused her to develop temporary hypothyroidism. If you are not going to feed commercial feed, please work with a canine nutritionist - tho it was a veterinary nutritionist who made Squirt so sick. Just as in any field, they are not all equal. ;) Unless, like some of the babies that come here who only have weeks or months of life left at best, this is very bad advice. But don't blame your vet - they get little to no training in nutrition and count on the sales reps of commercial feeds who want to be sold in their clinics to tell them what they need to know about how to feed our dogs.

[Freckles#3/Louise]

Thanks for everyone's comments about the balanced diet if feeding only people food. I thought it was odd for the Dr to think it would not matter for the rest of Freckles's life. I appreciate your comments, suggestions, and the supplement information.

Yesterday a deer tick fell off of Freckles, so now I am waiting for the test results to see if the tick has Lyme disease. I have never seen one before but we now have so many deer in our "suburban" town that it was only a matter of time. The Cornell lab does the test, but if it is positive, it still does not mean she was infected. I will have to research the symptoms and be on the lookout. I am praying that my baby does not get another disease.

Thankfully the 4 cats in the house (2 are ours and 2 are fosters from my rescue organization) are all healthy. (Knock on wood)

I am new to message boards but am so thankful I found this one while researching Cushings. You are all wonderful!

Louise

[addy]

My Koko had two ticks this year, first time ever. When I went to ER with him (long story - we are regulars so they did me a favor) the tech said I should wait to test him for tick borne illnessess as they sometimes take six months to show up and it would be too soon , so I am curious now that perhaps they gave me the wrong advice.:confused:

[Freckles#3/Louise]

Hi Addy,
Sorry for the confusion. I checked online to identify the bug and saw that there was a test that could be done on the deer tick to see if it was carrying Lyme. I took just the tick to my animal hospital and had them send it to Cornell lab to be tested.

If the tick tests positive for Lyme, then I will have to watch Freckles for symptoms. However, she may never get Lyme as there is no way to know if it was actually transmitted. I will be waiting just like you have to do. :(

Hopefully we never had to deal with Lyme in addition to our babies other illnesses.

Louise

[goldengirl88]

Wow you just don't need this right now! Hope Freckles is doing well and that you both stay warm and safe in this weather. Blessings
Patti

[beaglemom3]

My thoughts and prayers that the tests come back negative for Lyme. Hugs to sweet Freckles.

[Freckles#3/Louise]

Since Freckles has been doing so well on her chicken and rice diet, I got brave and gave her a couple pieces of her regular chow. It has been 4 hours and no tummy upset, so I am very hopeful that she will transition back to her chow.

I am taking this very slowly. She ate just her chow through her surgery and chemo without tummy upset, so I hope the same will happen when Vetoryl is re-started in January.

In my northern part of NJ, it is icy and cold. Thankfully I had a supply of Safe Paws on hand to give Freckles and I traction outside. She scratched the back door to go out, so I could not refuse. It is supposed to get warmer, so hope the ice is gone this afternoon.

Hope the weather is getting better for everyone.
Winter :eek:

Louise

[goldengirl88]

Louise:
Hope Freckles is doing well this morning. Stay safe the ice is really dangerous, especially the black ice you can't see to well. Blessings
Patti

[molly muffin]

Oh good. I hope the tummy held out and you can get back to some kibbles. Baby steps. :)

Yucky ice. :(

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly muffin

[Freckles#3/Louise]

Sharlene
Freckles is doing very well with her chow added back to her diet. I am still giving her rice and chicken for breakfast and dinner but she gets chow and chicken for her 2 snacks a day. So far her appetite is back to normal and her GI tract is getting there too.

Patti
Ice was not bad this morning early but we got snow starting around 7:15 am. By the time I got home from work, there was enough snow for Freckles the Snow Puppy to play. She was trotting and almost running in the snow. It is so wonderful to see her happy again. I am hoping the Cushings stays calm for the month. Also no problems so far with her 1 capsule and her cranberry extract. I put them on a piece of plain rice cake with peanut butter on top, and she munches them so fast she does not know there is a pill.

Thanks for asking about my baby girl. Hope all your furbabies are doing better today.
Louise

[goldengirl88]

Louise:
I took Tipper for her blood pressure today and the roads were clear but the temperature is only 15 degrees and will be like that all week. Hope you do not have to go out and stay safe and warm with your Freckles. Blessings
Patti

[Freckles#3/Louise]

Hi Patti,
Hope Tipper's BP was OK.
I had to go to work today so was out in the cold. Brrrr The older I get, the more the cold bothers me. It never bothers Freckles tho. She is a Snow Puppy. :)
I am so glad I have my Freckles diary. I think the chow was not agreeing with her as much as I thought. More shaking and pacing. I have not given her any today. She has had rice and chicken for meals. She took her pill with her favorite peanut butter and rice cake. She also looked fatter, if that can be true in only a couple days. Maybe it was bloating/gas.
If only she could talk.
Stay warm!
Louise

[molly muffin]

I can certainly second that. The older I get the more I hate the cold. It's really cold here today. Luckily I worked from home today but tomorrow have to go in to the office. :( The only reason I Have to go out is to walk Molly, 3 times a day, rain, snow or sleet, she must go out. Rather like the postman. LOL (well, in her world she is the postman as she has to check tree mail all the way down the sidewalk). :)

Oh fiddle, you think it was the chow being added back in? How is Freckles now without having any? Molly was on chicken and rice for a month or more with her last stomach upset, bacterial as it took antibiotics to clear up the diarrhea. (TMI?) :)

I told my husband if he wants to keep me when we retire he is going to have to provide more warmth for the older joints. LOL Well, I figure we can always become canadian snowbirds and head south for the winters. (I'm thinking carribean south, not sure what he might be thinking :) ) heheh, ahh well, doesn't hurt to dream in the winter months. LOL

Hope Freckles is better today.

hugs,
Sharlene and molly muffin

[goldengirl88]

Hi Louise:
Tipper did have a good BP it was 130, but she did gain weight again. I have all the stuff for her diet now so when we come back from laser therapy I am going to start cooking it up. Sorry you had to go out in the freezing temperatures yesterday. We got about 6 inches of snow last nite and it is 12 this morning here. Sorry Freckles is having issues with the kibble. I am waiting to hear from my vet on Tipper's breath problem. If I know him he will wait until next week when he is in and I will have to call him as he won't call me! Blessings
Patti

[beaglemom3]

Louise How is Freckles doing? ( I love that name :) )I hope Freckles is feeling better, paws and fingers crossed.

[Renee]

So sorry to hear that Freckle's tummy is still upset!

Are you going to start cooking for her exclusively? Sometimes the kibble is just too hard to digest for sensitive dogs. My pugs haven't eaten kibble for years. Let me know if you need any homecooking tips!

[goldengirl88]

Louise:
Sorry freckles is having tummy issues, but Tipper had them last nite also. I am hoping you can get some type of diet that helps it settle down. I could hear Tipper's gastro symptoms all the way across the room last nite. I know that it hurts her. I guess she has to go slower on the new part of the diet combined with her old food. Blessings
patti

[Freckles#3/Louise]

I can't believe I am saying this, but we just got back from the emergency room with Freckles.

I thought she was having a stroke when suddenly she stood up and froze. Her head was shaking back and forth and her entire body was shaking. I picked her up to hold her and noticed her eyes moving rapidly moving back and forth. Her head was tilting to the left. Years ago I had to keep my grandmother in her chair while she was having a stoke and the ambulance was on the way, so I was really scared for Freckles. It looked the same.

She did not have a stroke but she was diagnosed with Vestibular Disease. It is a sudden, non-progressive disturbance of balance. It is more common in older dogs. The Dr feels it is centered in her inner ear due to the sudden onset. She has all the classic symptoms. She got a shot of anti-nausea medicine and more to take every day for a few days. The symptoms should resolve fairly soon although the head leading to the left may remain. She was already improving during the drive home.

She is laying on her mat by the couch and I am hoping she will get some sleep. The cats sense a problem and both of our 2 cats have come over to sniff and show their sister love.

I am hoping the rest of the day is peaceful as I calm down from this morning's scare.

[goldengirl88]

Louise:
I had never experienced this when Tipper had her first ACTH and we came home she started putting her head down and to the right and then went in circles and fell over. I was near hysterical, I thought the ACTH brought this on. She had a really bad episode of this yesterday and I held her and her body kept wanting to make her circle and it was awful. I know older dogs get this, but a lot of Cush dogs have this too and I am wondering if there is some connection to the Cushings bringing this on? I am so sorry this scared you so badly, and I hope Freckles is ok today. God Bless You Both.
Patti

[Freckles#3/Louise]

Hi Patti,
I asked the Dr if this was cushings connected but he said he did not think so. Cushings causes the degree of clotting to increase which is why they are prone to strokes. This was definitely not a stroke.

It is a common older dog occurrence that they see all the time. Apparently she was in much better shape than the other dogs that come into the hospital with this disease. When we got there, the called it in as code 1 stroke, so someone came immediately.

As soon as they saw her, they knew what it was. The Dr tested her all over for her reactions and found no problems with her reflexes. The symptoms should subside as time goes on, but if they do not, then we have to take her back as it could be in her brain as opposed to her inner ear. Dr did not think so, but just wanted us to be watchful. Freckles had eaten breakfast about a half hour before this happened and did not throw it up, which the Dr said was a very good sign.

After reading about your efforts to film Tipper, I got my cell phone and did record some of the shaking. I had the time while waiting for my husband to get dressed after I woke him from a sound sleep. He wanted to hold her on the ride. We always put her in a carrier, but this time he wanted to hold her. It turned out to be the right move, as the security of his hold helped her deal with her whole world gone crazy.

I did not ask if this could occur again, but I will do that and see if I should have some anti-nausea medicine in the house.

Stay warm
Louise

[Freckles#3/Louise]

I am not very familiar with how message boards work, but I did finally manage to post some photos of Freckles. :)


Update:
She has finally fallen into a deep sleep this afternoon, so hope that means the nausea is receding. She would startle easily after coming home from the hospital and turn to look for me.

Louise

[goldengirl88]

Louise:
The sludge in the gallbladder gets thick and can form a stone. It can cause backup of things that are supposed to flow thru the bile ducts. I know this as my cat has had this for 3 years. If you do not do something her gallbladder will get a stone or have problems. The Ursodiol thins the viscosity of the sludge allowing it to pass out of the gallbladder and getting rid of it. Freckles may get high ALT or ALK Phos numbers from it. Tipper's numbers went down considerably since being on it. Blessings
Patti

[Renee]

Poor Freckles! That must have been so scary. I would have rushed to the er too.

[Freckles#3/Louise]

Thanks Renee. I have been reading up on what happened to Freckles and just about everyone thought their dog had a stroke and that this might be the end.
Just an awful ride to the ER with that fear in our minds.

Thanks Patti for the gallbladder information. I checked the ultrasound report and it said that the gallbladder was severely enlarged with free-moving bile so guess that is why no meds were prescribed. Her ALT and ALK Phosphate were high that day but I have not had a CBC done after the 3 weeks of vetoryl. I may ask for it when I take Freckles to the IMS on Jan 9 so I have a base line for the restart of the vetoryl.

Louise

[goldengirl88]

Hi Louise:
I am just checking in on you and Freckles. I just love her name. Hope you are both safe and warm and have a good Sunday. Today is a good day to rest up and make a pot of soup or chili. Blessings
patti

[Freckles#3/Louise]

Hi Patti,
Today was a good day as Freckles continues to improve. Her eyes are back to normal and so is her appetite. Still on the chicken and rice but have added a piece of apple, a piece of carrot, a piece of broccoli, and some of the turkey we roasted today. Her head still tilts to the left which is the side with the inner ear problem. She is very unsteady on her feet but seems to be managing OK. She already had balance issues from her torn ACL last July in addition to general hind area muscle weakness. This episode just added to the balance problem. She does not let it stop her when food is around.
She got a shot of Cerenia at the ER and has 4 pills to take one a day. She had one in the morning and all seems OK. It looks like the nausea went away yesterday as I see no signs today.
We had about 5 inches of snow and then rain and then sun. All was melting so everyone was shoveling to makes sure walkways and steps were dry before it got cold at night.
Hope Tipper is getting better as time goes on. Sorry to hear he had an episode like Freckles. Was it his inner ear or you think something else?
Take care
Louise

[goldengirl88]

Louise:
That is fantastic news. I am always so glad to hear someones baby is improving. Tipper did have the worst vestibular episode to date a few days ago. I am sure it is her inner ears. There is a tiny flap on the inner ear and when it does not close right this can happen. It is so horrible to watch though. We are snowed in here with about a foot of snow. I am hoping Tipper is better today or to the vets tomorrow for sure. Blessings
Patti

[molly muffin]

Yay, glad to hear that Freckles is improving!!
hugs,
Sharlene and molly muffin

[goldengirl88]

Hi Louise:
Just checking Freckles to see how things are going today. Hope she is still on the improving list. Blessings
Patti

[beaglemom3]

SO happy to hear Freckles is improving! Prayers that it continues.

[Freckles#3/Louise]

Happy to report that Freckles is walking steadier and her head is not so tilted to the left. Her eyes are bright and her appetite good. I am once again slowly introducing her regular chow back into her meals and so far, so good.

I need to get her back on schedule before we start the vetoryl up again in January. She is happy to take her medicines on a piece of rice cake with peanut butter. I admit that I often end up making myself a peanut butter on rice cake too. :)

The snow has made going outside difficult for us, so I am looking forward to the warmer weather later this week.

Louise & Freckles

[beaglemom3]

Great to hear that Freckles is walking steadier and looking better! Snuggles says aroooooooooooooooo to Freckles :)

For those who never heard an arooooo it is a special sound beagles make that is sooo cute!

[molly muffin]

My first dog ever was a beagle, so I know the arooooooo sound. :) :) He was the best dog. I adored him.

So glad to hear that Freckles is doing better. That is great news. :)

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[goldengirl88]

Louise:
Glad to hear Freckles is on the mend. That is too cute about the rice cakes. I am so glad that her head is coming back around and not so tilted. We had a wonderful Beagle when I was a child his name was Brownie. He was so easy going and gentle, and he loved everyone that would pet him. Blessings
Patti

[Freckles#3/Louise]

Ah yes, that wonderful beagle sound of aroooooooo. :)

This morning at 6 am she stood in front of me in the living room arooooooing to go outside. :eek:
Very glad hubby sleeps through anything.
Outside pee pee! Yippee.
A half hour later she blessed me with a normal poops..indoors but I did not care. Looks like adding back some chow has worked. Hope it keeps up.
Her meals still have chicken, turkey,rice,veggies but now a few chow are added.

Freckles says aroooooooooo back at Snuggles. :D

[goldengirl88]

Yeah Freckles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Good Job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[molly muffin]

Omg, I can't believe I missed your thread and Wishing you a Merry Christmas. ack! Merry Late Christmas wishes to you and Freckles. :)

I hope things are going well with Freckles. How is the head tilt?

Hope you also had a good christmas! :)

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[goldengirl88]

Hi Louise:
Just checking in to see how things are going. Hope you and Freckles had a good holiday. Blessings
Patti

[beaglemom3]

Hi Louise,
I hope you and Freckles are doing well and had a great holiday.

[goldengirl88]

Hi Louise:
I just wanted to tell you and Freckles Happy New Year and see what you are up to. Blessings
Patti

[molly muffin]

Happy New Year Louise and Freckles

I hope this year brings you and freckles health and happiness

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[goldengirl88]

Happy New Year Freckles and Louise, I hope the new year brings Freckles good health. Blessings
Patti