Vomiting for 2 days...

[Baxter Tiberius]

Baxter suddenly began vomiting up huge (and i mean huge) amounts of bile and mucous and foam yesterday morning.

In between, his mouth was dripping water like crazy on the floor.

I also noticed his back end had mucous oozing out of it.

We went to the vet (again) ... she tested him for Heartworm (neg), tried to get a fecal sample (would be the 10th one ive had done since I got him - all normal) but was unable to as there was no poop, and at my request she gave him an anti-nausea medication.

This seemed to calm him down most of the day but i woke up this morning to this:

After I took the above picture he just stood there for like 15 minutes. In that exact position. Even after I cleaned everything up.
He's super lethargic, weak, and is just unwilling to move around much.

He had nothing to eat 12 hours prior to the above picture,
only one meal last night (i needed to get water in him)
And the below pics are this morning ... so he has basically only eaten once in the last 36 hours. Still he's vomiting..

Any suggestions? Possible diagnosis?

 

[ddnene]

Dear Lord, you have been thru the ringer w/Baxter…
We went thru something similar w/Winston as a young pup… he was tested for Parvo & Giardia. It ended up being Giardia, and after a shot & a round of meds he was fine…
I'm going to tag some people for help [MENTION=2]desertskybulldogs[/MENTION], [MENTION=2894]2BullyMama[/MENTION]
I'm so very sorry for poor Baxter, please keep us posted!!!

 

[JennieS]

OH poor Baxter. I have no advice, but I hope you get the answers and he gets better soon. Sending lots of prayers!

 

[Texas Carol]

My thoughts are this...your Vet is missing something! Also, my opinion only,
I'd find a holistic Vet to dx/treat him. Poor Baxter, he looks miserable
Will pray for your baby (and you), so very sorry this mystery continues.

 

[bullmama]

Oh no I am so sad for Baxter, you can tell he feels like....

Possible diagnosis would be Giardia or Obstruction, there was another test my vet did when Yuna had the obstruction I cannot remember what it was.

I would get him back to the vet asap....

 

[Manydogs]

I definitely agree with Lisa. The first thing I would think of is an obstruction. I would not fool with this. Maybe you need another vet's opinion. He has pain, as you can see-he is "tucked up" in the belly. And her not being able to find poop. You may need another vet opinion. Prayers for baxter and you, I know you have had many hard times with this poor boy.

 

[2BullyMama]

yep -- i am also thinking obstuction... [MENTION=2]desertskybulldogs[/MENTION] Lisa is it the barium test you are thinking of?

 

[brutus77]

I am so sorry you and Baxter are going through this. I agree with lisa, get him back to the vet asap.

 

[Bizzymammabee]

Sorry your baby is hurting. Sending prayers and hoping the vet figures it out ASAP.

 

[mer55]

I'm with the obstruction. I would insist on ultrasound or get another opinion. Please keep us posted. You've been through so much with him! Good luck!

 

[Baxter Tiberius]

UPDATE: @desertskybulldogs @2BullyMama @Manydogs

1) Gave him fluids bc he could barely walk, so weak. Hasn't drank or eaten in 2 days.
2) Gave him an X ray. Showed me normal lungs, stomach, and commented on gas in his intestines. Still need ultrasound?
3) Gave him a fecal. Negative on all parasites.
4) He tries to poop but all that comes out is mucous.
5) Gave him blood work: Elevated ALT levels (range up to 100. His was 220).

* Vomiting
* Lethargy
* Pale gums
* Wont eat now
* Elevated Liver Enzymes (just ALT)

Doctors comments:

1) Could be hepatitis.
2) Could be worms, here's some Panacur just in case. Cant give it to him. He wont eat.
3) Another shot of nausea medication.

Walked out with no answers.

Question: Is ultrasound still necessary if X ray looked clear?
Question: Would an obstruction cause elevated ALT Liver Enzymes?
Question: Would giardia cause elevated liver enzymes?

Thanks.

-Bax

 

[ddnene]

UPDATE: @desertskybulldogs @2BullyMama @Manydogs
Just a heads up: going back to the vet doesn't necessarily mean anything ... lol ... ive walked out of there so many friggen times with zero answers its ridiculous. I've seen at least 10 vets with baxter. None have ever had an accurate diagnosis of anything. Doctors are lucky the body tends to heal itself, or they'd be out of a job.

In any case:

1) They gave him fluids because he could barely walk after eating and drinking nothing for 2 days

2) She did X Rays of his abdomen and showed me his windpipe, and lungs, and shows me his stomach, and intestines. She commented nothing remarkable about any of them. She said he seemed to have gas in his intestines.

3) He tries to poop but all that comes out is mucous.

4) She did full stool sample (finally got some diarrhea out of him) and he was negative for all parasites and worms.

5) Bloodwork normal except his liver ALT was elevated double what it should be.

That was the only abnormality.

* Vomiting
* Lethargy
* Pale gums
* Wont eat now
* Elevated Liver Enzymes (just ALT)

Diagnosis anyone?

Doctors comments:

1) Could be hepatitis
2) Could be worms, here's some Panacur just in case
3) Another shot of nausea medication

Walked out with no answers.

Question: If she did an X ray down about to the lower belly, should she have seen any obstruction? Or is ultrasound required?
Question: Would liver enzymes be high with obstruction, or Giardia? or does that almost prove hepatitis?

I can drive right back there but going back to the vet doesn't do much. At this point they'd just look at me.

I'm pretty sure that they have to do a barium x-ray to check for an obstruction?!! Am I right guys [MENTION=2894]2BullyMama[/MENTION] [MENTION=2]desertskybulldogs[/MENTION] ?!!

 

[bullmama]

I'm pretty sure that they have to do a barium x-ray to check for an obstruction?!! Am I right guys [MENTION=2894]2BullyMama[/MENTION] [MENTION=2]desertskybulldogs[/MENTION] ?!!

If he swallowed anything not dense it would not show up in X-ray which with bullies is more often than not. Barium is the only way or exploratory surgery.

When they did the fecal, did they test for giardia specifically?

For the liver levels, I have no idea. [MENTION=4225]Twice[/MENTION] may be able to help there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Sarah Elizabeth]

I know for humans an obstruction won't show on X-rat and a CT or ultrasound is needed. I'm assuming it's the same for dogs. If he were human my guess would also be obstruction so I'm with everyone else. Not having any stool (only mucous) and vomiting are signs of an obstruction. I would get him back to the vet and have that checked. You don't want to let an obstruction go for long. Best of luck and I hope Baxter feels better!

 

[2BullyMama]

With the parasite testing, unless you specifically ask for a Giardia test they do not do it as it is not standard.... I would ask for the Giardia test and get the ultrasound. I am leaning toward obstruction, but the g-test is not expensive to rule out