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Bing could use some good thoughts...

2K views 23 replies 20 participants last post by  MikaTallulah 
#1 ·
Bing has been gathering a ton of fluid in his abdomen, we have been treating for IBD but that does not appear to be making a difference... we have known that we will need to drain the fluid again but have been waiting until he is uncomfortable to do so, we dont want to keep draining as at some point we won't be able to drain any longer and will have to make some decisions about his quality of life. Right now he is still acting like a happy guy despite the fluid...I have been continuing to do research as we have gone to two internists, a cardiologist and had three ultrasounds done and nobody could tell us what is wrong with him. The problem is that something is obviously wrong with him he is 39 inches around his waist on a dog that is barely 20 inches at the shoulder. We know that he has a repaired shunt, micro vascular dysplasia, a severely under developed liver as well as moderate to severe inflamatory bowel disease. So what is causing the problem... ascites is associated with an assortment of diseases but we have been treating for IBD as all of bings blood work and liver values were coming up normal... but all if the IBD bloodwork was also coming up as normal...

I was up all night two nights ago with my flat coat Cuinn having seizures and while I was up wiht him I did research on the ascites and decided that he could not have IBD to the extent that he would accumulate that kind of fluid without having symptoms and he had none. I decided to treat him for liver failure ... it just made more sense... I called the vet... we had his belly drained of some fluid so he was more comfortable and I opted to put him back on the Liver diet food, lactulose, spironolactone (for fluid) and metronidizol all the same medications that we had him on prior to his surgery.

If this doesn't work, the reality is that bings time is limited. He can't go on as he is now for very long...

Today I got the results of his blood work... his albumin is low as well as his protein... and this is the first indication that we are on the right track and this is a liver problem vs. a IBD problem... the reality is that the treatment for IBD was not successful and over the past year we have tried and assortment of treatments to no avail. I am hopeful considering the blood work that we could be on the right track so please keep your fingers and everything else crossed... Bing could certainly use some good vibes. the poor little guy just can't catch a break...

S
 
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#2 ·
Good vibes for Bing that being back on the liver diet and supplements help him not to accumulate so much fluid. I am sorry you are facing such a series of ailments with no clear cause for the fluid.

Good thoughts for Cuinn also for lots of seizureless days.
 
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#3 ·
I've been wondering how he was.. Poor guy! We've had some medical mysteries at work too. Even specialist can't figure them out.. I'm hoping he gets some relief soon but it sounds like you have done a lot for him and continue to fight along with him. I'm sure you won't let him suffer and I really hope you do understand that you have gone above and beyond what most people would have done.. So don't ever feel bad or guilty. I will say some prayers for you all and send some positive vibes that this will work!
 
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#4 ·
It is so frustrating when you know something is wrong with your fur baby and you don't know what it is. Sending positives thoughts your way...all fingers and paws crossed...for Bing and Cuinn.
 
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#6 ·
Positive thoughts for Bing. I'm so sorry you're going through this.

We gave Jake milk thistle. I don't know if you've tried this or if it's part of your current regiment, but I thought I'd through it out as a suggestion.

A couple of months before we sent Jake to the bridge (which was 2 years ago today) his abdomen started filling with fluid. All of his years of seizure meds (and I believe a dose recent of Frontline) had finally caught up with us. At the onset, DH research & decided to try the milk thistle. We had our boy for two more good months.
 
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#7 ·
Bing is on denamarin which is Sam E plus milk thistle... so he is on that he hates it... we are hoping that with the changes he might start feeling better.... thanks for the suggestion I appreciate it
 
#13 ·
So sorry to hear about Bing. You and he have been thru so much. Not to be the bearer of unsolicited news, but in end stage liver disease(like cirrhosis), liver values will often be normal... And clearly the ascites is worrisome...
 
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#14 ·
Sending Bing and Cuinn healing prayers from NY.

I know how very heartbreaking it is to see that extra fluid building up. Chance had it happen about 4 days after his open-heart surgery. He was sooo uncomfortable and it also needed to be drained.

The cardiologist believes that they may have slowed his heart down too much (and/or too long - I can't recall) and he developed right-sided cardiomiopathy (sp.) post-surgery. They got that straightened out but it was his heart not pumping optimally that caused the fluid build-up.

I pray that Bing improves and is more comfortable now.
 
#17 ·
I think that taking the fluid off makes the dog more comfortable. When my mom was dying from pancreatic cancer, the flluid was drained from her abdomen and she felt much better. Of course,, it is all palliative... You can determine whether or not the liver is functioning with a bile acid test, but I am sure that has already been done...
 
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#22 ·
unfortunately for Bing, a bile acid test no longer will tell us what we want it to according to Chick Weisse in NYC at the AMC that because of the MVD and the shunt repair the bile acids are always going to be off.... I understand the basics of how the bile acids work in shunt diagnosis but is this different for just understanding how the liver itself is working or whehter it is working??? we know it is not working properly but is there more to this???

Right now Bing is feeling fine... I think he is uncomfortable due to hte fluid but he is not depressed and in many ways he is still our happy silly puppy... I would think that if he were in end stage liver failure that he would be jaundiced and would be a sick dog?? am I correct in thinking this???

I really would appreciate your input... I need to have my theories and then have them corrected if they are wrong... so that I can come up with something else. The vets are at a loss here ... so I have taken it upon myself to try and figure out some treatment theories and disease process theories that I can bring to them to try and see if they hold water so to speak
 
#20 ·
his albumin is low as well as his protein
S
I do hope you can get to the bottom of Bing's medical mystery. Watch the albumin, I came close to losing my girl due to her albumin bottoming out after abdominal surgery. She had developed an abscess on her liver with tissue dieing at the site of her liver biopsy. The specialists were debating on whether to do the albumin transfusion which has heavy risks in its own right. Best of luck to Bing--he's a lucky boy to have you guys fighting for his health.
 
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