Another poorly puppy :(

Britestar

Britestar

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My nearly 11mth old border collie has been at the Vets today. He had been sick through the night. Nothing much, a bit biley, and a couple of bits of plastic bed he had chewed (bad boy). Ate his breakfast normally, and was tearing around outside whilst I mucked out.

All seemed fine. Chum was taking him to her house for the day for a play date, as I was working all day. She rang just after 10am to say she was taking him to Vets cos he'd been sick in her car twice and it looked and smelt like faeces. Despite this he was very full of beans.

Suspected a possible foreign body (this guys is a chewer, but I do try and make sure there's nothing left around). Anyway, on weighing him, it turns out he's lost 1.5kg in 2 weeks! I had noticed he was loosing a bit of weight, and was feeding him for a 30kg dog, despite him being just under 17kg.

They took some bloods, nothing over weird there, took a couple of xrays. Nothing obvious, gassy guts but no definate FB, farting like a trooper! Has now had more bloods taken for pancreatic insufficeincy. Will have to wait for results, and then maybe a scan. Want to avoid opening him up if poss.

Home this eve, still full of beans. Meant to try and get a poop sample, but farm dog so rarely see him poo, and absolutely will not do it on a lead. Is not allowed to eat tonight, very very sad about that.

Any experiences of this condition if thats what it turns out to be?

Cheers
 
No experience of this kind of problem but i do have one who refuses to poo on a lead. However if you tough it out and only let him out on a lead eventually he has no choice :D Fingers crossed he recovers without needing surgery or any other drastic treatment x
 
Oh dear. If the vet does have to resort to surgery try not to panic. (I know, easier said than done. I was a mess!!) My 16 month old delinquent teenager black lab was rushed in about a month ago becasue he couldn't hold anything down. The vet x-rayed him and found some non-descript blockages of mass and gas so opened him up. She removed sticks, twigs, other bits of wood, conkers and rubber from the sole of my husbands slippers etc etc from his gut. He has made a fully recovery and was out on the shooting field only on Sat. They are very tough at that age. It tends not to be the surgery that is the issue, rather the crucial 36 - 48 hours afterwards, until you know their intestinal tract is back working normally.

As for the suspected diagnosis of pancreatic insufficiency, I've never even heard of it! But if the diagnosis does go that way, don't be afraid to do your own investigation to ensure the vets treatment is not just to make them a bit of cash! It might be something you can treat with holistic remedies or diet?

Good luck, I'm sure he'll be fine!
 
Oof, sounds nasty.

I do have vague experience of EPI, it's not a nice condition :( but it can be managed, although hard work.
There's plenty of info out there but I wouldn't scare yourself just yet.
Does he eat himself stupid, be obsessed with food, but never put on any weight? Weird colour and consistency of poo?

If it does turn out to be EPI I would let his breeders know (if he came from a breeder) as it can be hereditary.

But I hope it is just a bug or a blockage.
 
Update: Back to Vets today, as although ate brekky, not right. Later on refused any food, and vommed a little foam.

No temp, still playing with his fav toy at every opportunity. Another xray which showed less gas than yesterday in his stomach, but still some in his guts. Examination they are able to feel poop, but felt he was a bit tacky, so stayed in to have some fluids.

No bloods back yet. Snow playing a part there.

Still reluctant to open him up, starting to wonder if the vomiting is a separate issue to the rapid weight loss, as he has not V before and had had normal poops.

Back again tomorrow for poss barium meal.

Not interested in eating tonight, although eat whole tin of ID at Vets.

Looks sad tonight, not himself :(
 
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