westiemum Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 (edited) Hope people don't mind me putting this here but I'm looking for a wider audience. And a warning - some graphic pooy details here... Andy, my littlest westie developed some pretty severe diarrhoea on Sunday morning while we were down the south coast visiting friends on the weekend - there was also some blood in it and he was dribbling a little blood from his rectum. So I packed us up and headed home. His diarrhoea was better later that afternoon with little blood and the bleeding had stopped and he was bright and happy and didn't appear to be in any pain. But he was a bit flat after dinner so I took him to the vet - sent home with ABs and pain relief. We all thought he would be fine and recover. He was OK overnight on Sunday/Monday but still flat so his Grandma came to look after him during the day Monday while I went back to work. I had to go out on Monday night and by the time I got home Mum said his tummy was very distended and he needed to go back to the emergency vet. I was wondering if he'd eaten something like a foam cushion while we were away? (There was a little foam on the floor where I stayed but I didn't think anything of it at the time). Rectal exam and X-rays suggested a foreign body and his tummy was very distended and drum tight. He stayed overnight and did two poos overnight. But his tummy was still really full of something this morning so they sent him back to his regular vet at lunchtime today for surgery this afternoon 'to empty it'. In the meantime he did another poo at his regular vet so clearly stuff was getting through. His regular vet did a very thorough laparoscopy this afternoon - essentially oesophagus to rectum - and nothing there except some rubbery chicken in his tummy that hadn't passed through from dinner on Monday - very odd. And of course a couple of smelly farts. Now the suggestion is that maybe its microbial rather than an obstruction? But everyone is pretty puzzled. The stomach contracted the way it should and his intestine is a good colour. Anyway he's still very flat after his surgery and so he's having another night at the emergency vets for overnight monitoring. I'll see how he is in the morning and go from there. But in the meantime, anyone have any ideas? I hate to see him so flat and unhappy - felt terribly guilty leaving him at the vets again tonight looking very sad. Anyway I'm off to bed now as I didn't get to bed until 2.30 this morning (it was chaos at the emergency vet last night and we had to wait hours). Thanks everyone. Edited November 10, 2015 by westiemum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 Sorry can't help with ideas - but give Andy a gentle cuddle from me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westiemum Posted November 10, 2015 Author Share Posted November 10, 2015 Thanks Ness - will do - hoping something will become obvious overnight - gut motility? microbial? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottsmum Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 Oh lordie! No suggestions. Just thoughts for you. Dealing with one dog is enough for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loving my Oldies Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 No ideas either, WM . Just sending hugs to you all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakway Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 The vets appear have done everything and he is in the best place for now. After all that, I can't see any of us second guessing would be of much help. But you never know somebody may have the answer. Just hope the little fella gets better and saves you and himself all this stress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 The first time Amber got ascites I thought she had bloat. So could the distended stomach be that? It seems quite hard and drum like. If I roll her on back her tummy doesn't stay round the fluid sort of bulges out to the sides and looks more fluid like. If it looks like that I would be checking his liver for hepatitis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 no ideas, just a BIG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 Blood test? Hugs to you WM... and soft cuddles for the wee man... T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boronia Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 How is Andy this morning WM? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loving my Oldies Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 How is Andy this morning WM? Yes - have been thinking about you and your little troup. :flower: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airedaler Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 If there seems to be no discernable reason for the issue maybe giving him some slippery elm would help to settle his tummy. Hope there is nothing serious wrong and he is back to his usual self soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 WM did the vet check his blood PCV? The real risk with things like gastro is dehydration. When they get that flat, they may need fluids via drip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gillybob Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 This sounds a bit like my Anna, she was flat with terrible poos they thought she had a mass in her stomach but when they operated there was nothing. She is back to herself now after huge doses of ANTIBs. I recon it was the water, I saw her drink out of her clam a few times and vet said something similar about a bacterial build up in her stomach. She had the beginning of an ulcer. So that could be another idea, the differences in water in different towns can be big. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bundyburger Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Bundy had similar symptoms, he had a bacterial stomach bug. He smelt really bad and was having accidents in the house prior to getting sicker. A few weeks on antibiotics and he improved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westiemum Posted November 13, 2015 Author Share Posted November 13, 2015 1447366409[/url]' post='6762750']This sounds a bit like my Anna, she was flat with terrible poos they thought she had a mass in her stomach but when they operated there was nothing. She is back to herself now after huge doses of ANTIBs. I recon it was the water, I saw her drink out of her clam a few times and vet said something similar about a bacterial build up in her stomach. She had the beginning of an ulcer. So that could be another idea, the differences in water in different towns can be big. Thanks gilly - I didn't think of that - and yes given the caravan park cabins we were staying in its a distinct possibility. And thanks everyone - he's getting better very slowly - but he gets 'flat' again just before his next dose of ABs and pain relief is due. I think as some have said this is going to ge a long haul. But at least he ate a bit of his normal breakfast this morning (after refusing the special low fat gastro canned stuff) and perked up a bit after his pills. Will see how he is when I get home tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coogie Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Glad he is a bit better :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 ask them to test for giardia. You'll need a poo sample. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westiemum Posted November 14, 2015 Author Share Posted November 14, 2015 (edited) Well some good news. My old retired nurse mother said 'give him a loading dose' when I said 'he's only marginally better' on Thursday night. So yesterday morning I doubled his AB dose in the morning and again in the evening and the difference its made is phenomenal. He's pretty much back to his old self. So he's having one more day today on the double dose then I'll drop it by 25% tomorrow and back to the prescribed dose on Monday until finished. Suggests that he had a bacterial tummy bug of some sort. I know any vets reading this will be unimpressed. But given this has all been guess work the whole way along the line it seemed a reasonable thing to try and its worked. And I haven't given him anymore ABs than prescribed - I've just given them to him a day or two faster! And its sooo good to see him pretty much back to his old self! Thanks everyone for your kind support and suggestions - as usual I think DOL was spot on the money! Edited November 14, 2015 by westiemum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animal House Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 Well some good news. My old retired nurse mother said 'give him a loading dose' when I said 'he's only marginally better' on Thursday night. So yesterday morning I doubled his AB dose in the morning and again in the evening and the difference its made is phenomenal. He's pretty much back to his old self. So he's having one more day today on the double dose then I'll drop it by 25% tomorrow and back to the prescribed dose on Monday until finished. Suggests that he had a bacterial tummy bug of some sort. I know any vets reading this will be unimpressed. But given this has all been guess work the whole way along the line it seemed a reasonable thing to try and its worked. And I haven't given him anymore ABs than prescribed - I've just given them to him a day or two faster! And its sooo good to see him pretty much back to his old self! Thanks everyone for your kind support and suggestions - as usual I think DOL was spot on the money! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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