ChiChi'smom
07-03-2018, 10:38 PM
Hi, please, please advise me. I am Jenny, mom of 10.5 year old Chi Chi- 14.5 lb Chihuahua, recently diagnosed w Cushing's and suffering severe Pancreatitis after Vetryl. -but also before Vetryl
Chi Chi was always abnormally tall and long, but very lean with a barrel chest. A year and a half ago she began to gain weight. Now she is very plump- one of the things that worried me, but I thought she was being over fed. **Though she has specific dietary needs. She used to always get a little bit of wet food on top of the dry, but when she was 5, she started having seizures. We isolated it to food. As long as she doesn't have grain or wet dog food- no more seizures! (Until now, but I will return to that.) She gets Blue Buffalo w a little bit of ground turkey or chicken or lean ground beef on top.
The last few years, Chi Chi has been uninterested in cuddling as she used to and fixated on looking out the window to bark at anything that goes by. The hair on the back of her neck stands up like spikes when people walk by! In retrospect, I blame the Cushing's, knowing she has it now. (Doesn't drink excessively, though.)
Memorial Day weekend she was not herself. She and the other dog got into some cat treats. We don't know who ate what... She waddled and wouldn't jump up and was very pitiful. Her tummy was extra swollen. I Googled it and felt the need to get her to ER quick.
They did xrays and blood work and said her liver was 3x as large as it should be and her blood indicated some high enzymes and maybe she had a bit of pancreatitis. They said take her to her regular vet for diagnostics and to check for Cushing's. They said she was a bit dehydrated, gave her fluids, and wanted to give her something for inflammatory and pain. I told them she had food allergies and asked if the meds would be ok and they assured me it would be ok. They gave her a shot of Torb and she really tweaked out and would not sleep for 36 hours. It was awful.
Our vet was out of town and she was feeling better so we waiting a week and half before going in for the ultra sound, more blood work, and ultimately the test of the pituitary gland. Pituitary Cushings. Vet prescribed Vetryl. I asked if it could be a problem and told him about the reaction to the Torb. He said it would be ok.
She didn't want to take the pills. Had to mix them with melted cheese. 4th day of meds, my mom gave her a little bit of chicken that came out of a soup. That night she was miserable. Only would lay on me, was in pain, so sad. In morning we took her to vet. (Regular vet's partner- vet out of town again) IV fluids immediately; severe pancreatitis. This was a Friday so the substitute vet said she would have to stay the day on IV there and at close of business we would have to take her to the animal ER where she could spend the weekend on IV and monitored. Fluid had antibiotic in it- we think...
Late the next day the ER said she could go because she was eating, etc., though for the record she was never vomiting nor did she have diarrhea. They gave us antibiotic pills for her Metronidazol. Again, I asked if it was ok w her weirdness with meds and they said this would be ok-plus we thought it was in her IV but maybe not... She had a seizure at home after the Metro. However, that seemed to reset her and she has been ok since.
But we haven't given her more Vetryl bc we don't know if it was the chicken she had or the Vetryl that made her sick. Her vet now says maybe we should not treat the Cushing's due to her allergies to meds. ***Does anyone know if Vetryl can cause Pancreatitis and if there is something that won't? Should she be untreated for fear the reaction to meds is worse than the Cushing's? She is the love of my life. I need her to feel good and be well. PLEASE help me. Thank you in advance!! Jenny
Chi Chi was always abnormally tall and long, but very lean with a barrel chest. A year and a half ago she began to gain weight. Now she is very plump- one of the things that worried me, but I thought she was being over fed. **Though she has specific dietary needs. She used to always get a little bit of wet food on top of the dry, but when she was 5, she started having seizures. We isolated it to food. As long as she doesn't have grain or wet dog food- no more seizures! (Until now, but I will return to that.) She gets Blue Buffalo w a little bit of ground turkey or chicken or lean ground beef on top.
The last few years, Chi Chi has been uninterested in cuddling as she used to and fixated on looking out the window to bark at anything that goes by. The hair on the back of her neck stands up like spikes when people walk by! In retrospect, I blame the Cushing's, knowing she has it now. (Doesn't drink excessively, though.)
Memorial Day weekend she was not herself. She and the other dog got into some cat treats. We don't know who ate what... She waddled and wouldn't jump up and was very pitiful. Her tummy was extra swollen. I Googled it and felt the need to get her to ER quick.
They did xrays and blood work and said her liver was 3x as large as it should be and her blood indicated some high enzymes and maybe she had a bit of pancreatitis. They said take her to her regular vet for diagnostics and to check for Cushing's. They said she was a bit dehydrated, gave her fluids, and wanted to give her something for inflammatory and pain. I told them she had food allergies and asked if the meds would be ok and they assured me it would be ok. They gave her a shot of Torb and she really tweaked out and would not sleep for 36 hours. It was awful.
Our vet was out of town and she was feeling better so we waiting a week and half before going in for the ultra sound, more blood work, and ultimately the test of the pituitary gland. Pituitary Cushings. Vet prescribed Vetryl. I asked if it could be a problem and told him about the reaction to the Torb. He said it would be ok.
She didn't want to take the pills. Had to mix them with melted cheese. 4th day of meds, my mom gave her a little bit of chicken that came out of a soup. That night she was miserable. Only would lay on me, was in pain, so sad. In morning we took her to vet. (Regular vet's partner- vet out of town again) IV fluids immediately; severe pancreatitis. This was a Friday so the substitute vet said she would have to stay the day on IV there and at close of business we would have to take her to the animal ER where she could spend the weekend on IV and monitored. Fluid had antibiotic in it- we think...
Late the next day the ER said she could go because she was eating, etc., though for the record she was never vomiting nor did she have diarrhea. They gave us antibiotic pills for her Metronidazol. Again, I asked if it was ok w her weirdness with meds and they said this would be ok-plus we thought it was in her IV but maybe not... She had a seizure at home after the Metro. However, that seemed to reset her and she has been ok since.
But we haven't given her more Vetryl bc we don't know if it was the chicken she had or the Vetryl that made her sick. Her vet now says maybe we should not treat the Cushing's due to her allergies to meds. ***Does anyone know if Vetryl can cause Pancreatitis and if there is something that won't? Should she be untreated for fear the reaction to meds is worse than the Cushing's? She is the love of my life. I need her to feel good and be well. PLEASE help me. Thank you in advance!! Jenny