Hi everyone :) I am new to this group and I would like to share some recent experiences that I had (and still have) with you and ask for some opinions and some doubts. First of all I want to say that I am from Belgrade (Serbia) and had till two months ago four dogs – two mixed breed and two Dogo Argentino. Unfortunately one of my dogs, Mala, passed away recently in a sleep (she was 15 years old). Another mixed breed dog has at least 16 years – Skočko (meaning Yumpy on eng.), one dogo, the mother has 14 years – Aya, and the ’youngest’ one - Dogo the son has 11,5 years – Lunja (meaning wondering guy on eng). I had all kind of animals for my whole life, starting from my birth, and had experienced all kind of illness – at least I thought that till now :( with my pets, but Lunja was diagnosed with mega E on July :( Since we live in Belgrade, Serbia (Europe) and I’m sure that we are not developed as some other countries, we had been to FOUR wets to try to find out what is going on.. Firstly it stared with vomiting, maybe one time per month several months ago, undigested food... So our first thought that it was a simple gastric problem because of his age and that he probably ate snails?! in the garden.. We gave him some gastric pills and it was OK for some time. But on July, one night he was vomiting and regurgitating so in the morning I took him immediately to another vet (it was the vet that was till recently the best one in Belgrade and also care for Lunja from birth and treated all my pets for 20 years). They X-ray him and saw that he has ME and for few days they were trying to find if there is some „visible“ cause for mega. We lost that time because that did only ultra sound – didn’t saw anything interested, aspiration of lymph node and blood analysis – everything was OK. They prescribed metoclopramide, ranitidine and Gelusil-Lac, but metoclopramide has side effects on Lunja and we stopped the therapy and replace it with Famotidine. Non of this gave some good results – because he was vomiting after two or three days I think all the food that he ate in that two or three days still on medications. The content after vomiting is white, thick slime – a lot, and with some admixture of food.. Also they mentioned that the probable cause can be myastenia, addison but it is very hard to determine what is the exact cause?! They prescribed cisapride, but in Serbia it’s no longer available. For that time, we had some quiet nights, throwing was on 3-4 days, but if he drinks just a little water, the regurgitating was immediate along with food. After that we visited another vet who did X rays with barium and saw that after 24 hours only 30% of barium gone to stomach and that the muscles in stomach are also very ’slow’ even if there is a food so it should be digestion movement. He also did gastric probe but he couldn’t enter the stomach with probe because it was a esophagus constriction on the entrance in stomach and not opening at all. For each visit of vet I asked for IV solution (Ringer and Glycose) and they said it is not necessary.. but for a dog who is vomiting and regurgitating per my opinion – sure it is... This vet gave an opinion that we install him a gastric tube because as far as they can determine it is the only solution for him. Since they also didn’t determine anything else and I was afraid that something else is causing this (not myastenia or addison, but maybe some tumorous formation) I took Lunja to the State Veterinary ambulance of Belgrade and reached for profesior who is a specialist for Endoscopic diagnostics of esophagus diseases. He interested in this case because it is unusual with specific symptoms, because they also didn’t have such specific case.. Immediately do endoscopic examination, took samples for biopsy of stomac and esophagus stenosis, took another blood samples for biochemical and hormonal analysis. We are still waiting for biopsy, but results from blood and hormonal were perfect, no parameters to indicate that something tumorous is going on. Endoscopic examination didn’t show any visible results why he has such vomiting and regurgitating attacks, also the ultra sound didn’t show anything unusual. Just some inflammation caused by longer staying food in esophagus. The diagnosis for sure is ME and esophagus stenosis without contractions – practically only small amount of food passes to stomach and also after that the throws that food next day. After that examine we had a hell of a day.. he was regurgitating all day without possibility to control it – like waterfall immediately after few drops of water or even one spoon of liquid food. I was very concerned for aspiration pneumonia because I saw that it is a side effect for this constant vomiting and regurgitating, so I called a vet immediately to put him on IV. So this week we are each day or on two days on IV with just snail qty of food – and I disscused with a vet to do the surgery and to install the gastric tube, even if the results of biopsy are not done yet. We scheduled it for Monday probably... He lost at least 5-6 kg for this short time (now weight only 40 kg) and in a best days he had even 55 kg – but without gram of fat – a huge and well developed Dogo Argentino. Ok, he is older dog now and we had to put him on diet because since he was three years and he was diagnosed with spinal ossification and had surgery with diagnosis – cutaneous lymphoma removed immediately. We learned to live with that spinal ossification and he also learned not to make any wrong step to avoid clamping and nerve pressure between spines. Starting from the first visit to the vet we feed him on spoon, with blended veterinary diet gastro dry food (Royal and Hills I/D) mixed with lots of water – on stairs, 5-6 times per day in a small quantities. The poo is ok, of course in much smaller quantities but without any signs of illness, no blood admixtures, the coloration and consistency is perfect.. The vomiting now is sometimes just food half digested in small quantities because he practically don’t eat (each day), sometimes water with food and with slime. The worst is in the evening because then he makes some noise as cough (probably trying to eliminate that slime). I saw that there is a Neck Huge for this, but not in Serbia :( The Bailey Chair will not give results also as well as no pills... Even with this illness and torture, he is still in a good mood, wants to play, has appetite :), makes a mess in the house as usual.. so his spirit is not lost... Just has hungry eyes :( The Dogo Argentino is a sensitive breed because of fur color, I have this breed for 20 years – Aya was born here, Aya’s mother too and grandmother.. but all of them problematic skin and Aya’s mother and grandmother both suffered from uterus disease and diet in a deep age.. Aya was neutered first time she gave birth because I wanted to eliminate the probable uterus genetic disease.. But, non of them had ME... so this illness is quite new to me and I am desperate :( They live in a house, on pillows and beds, little spoiled :) but have yard also along with their cats.. and they are free as birds :) I am sorry for this huge and detailed explanation but please help if someone had the same situation and have some ideas? Thank you very much in advance and all my family sends to all members a lots of paws and purrs :)
Posted on: Sat, 04 Oct 2014 09:14:41 +0000
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