Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
side note, another poetnaitl issue that could cause ALL her symptoms is a blockage either in the stomach or intestines, it may be a small partial blockage thats allowing some movment, but it could effect live, spleen apitite, energy, potty habits, and can lead to infection...
There's been lots of great advice here, Nutrical is definitely a great idea, as is home-cooked food instead of the commercial stuff. Does she like oatmeal? Mine prefer oatmeal to rice, and every other day for breakfast they get oatmeal cooked with chicken, (I shred the chicken first and cook it with the oats) it's easy on the stomach and they really love it.
I would also supplement with echinacea to boost her immune system and in case there is some kind of infection going on.
Milk thistle and dandelion root are both excellent for the liver, so I was happy to read you incorporated some milk thistle into the routine !
(BTW yes, my little dogs have frito-feet smell even though there's no corn whatsoever in their diet, LOL!)
Sending healing intent and positive vibes your way...!
I don't remember anything out of the ordinary around the time this all started. I left for about 8 weeks...seems like it happened right around that time. My husband said she waited for me in the evenings.
No, haven't been to dog parks, or any new locations for walks or play dates.
I've been racking my brain trying to figure out how or why. Other than the organic dry dog food she ate during the day - she was never fed from the table, we cooked her wet dog food, went for a walk every evening (99% of the time...unless it's raining of course). You think you're doing everything right.
The (2nd opinion) vet today said surgery is the next step. If it's a shunt, it can be fixed surgically. Other benefits of surgery, to see what's going on inside and do treatment based on the findings. Right now he said we're doing everything possible. He never heard of a coffee enema for humans or dogs, so he couldn't help me further.
We worry about the anesthesia because she nearly died when she was spayed at 8 months old. Another vet said that due to the liver values, there is a possibility her blood won't clott, so she could potentially bleed to death on the operating table.
I wish it was an easier decision, surgery or alternative medicine...?
PS: In humans, caffeine enemas stimulate the liver to release toxins. It causes dilation of the bile ducts - which no other type of enema can do. This way flushing the bile out of the body. If Lucy's liver is full of toxins, maybe a mild coffee enema would work? We haven't done it yet - still researching it. ...no worries, Lucy is our everything - I can barely remember a time without her and I don't want to lose her at such a young age. Wouldn't do anything to hurt her
Have the vets actually told you she has liver failure?
I would hesitate treating her for liver failure if I was not sure if that was what she had.
My heart aches for you and I do not know what to tell you to do.
Can they do an MRI? I have had an MRI done on one of my dogs, I had to go to a specialist in a big city. I would ask the vets if they could diagnose with an MRI instead of the surgery. If they can't, I might go for the surgery, but that is only a decision you can make.
I was in a very similar situation with one of my cats long ago. Two of my vets, in the same clinic, gave me two different opinions on what to do....and I had to choose, in a matter of minutes, all by myself. My cat was in liver failure, he was as limp as a rag. It happened fast. One night he was OK, the next morning he was sick. They said it is either cancer or an infection. One vet wanted to do a biopsy, the other one didn't. I made the decision to not have a biopsy and to just assume it was an infection and to treat it as such. My thinking was that if it was cancer, he was going to die anyway, so why bother with the bioplsy? His only chance of survival was intravenious antibiotcs and fluids if it was an infection, so let's treat it as that. It was the right decision, he lived for many more years.
Now, one thing the vet had me do, was to feed him egg whites, he said they would help heal his liver....and they did.........he eventually had perfect liver levels again. I used to make hard boiled eggs, and chop up the egg white real fine and mix it with his food. {I ate the yolks.} I think it was the albumen in the egg whites that the vet wanted my cat to get.
There are a lot of different fixes for liver failure touted on the internet. Which one is right? I don't know. Maybe someone else here will have some first hand advice to give. I hope so.
I would call the vet right now and ask him about an MRI. Maybe he didn't suggest it because he does not have access to one and because it is very expensive. My vet sent me to a clinic in another city that had access to an MRI. That was for one of my dogs. They found a brain tumor that was inoperable and she did not survive, but at least I knew what she was up against and it helped me to make the decision I needed to make.
I would call the vet right now and ask him about an MRI. Maybe he didn't suggest it because he does not have access to one and because it is very expensive. My vet sent me to a clinic in another city that had access to an MRI. That was for one of my dogs. They found a brain tumor that was inoperable and she did not survive, but at least I knew what she was up against and it helped me to make the decision I needed to make.
I agree that if the OP's finances allow for it, given that the dog almost died once during surgery, I would opt for an MRI. There may be no option but surgery but I would try everything else first.
Just wondering how this all turned out, as my dog has exactly the same thing i.e. enlarged spleen and small liver with high count on one of the liver parameters. Had ultrasound and blood test for clotting. Next is surgery for a liver biopsy. He is only 2 years and 3 months. A Jack Russell
hi greengarden, have you thought about supplements? I receive a newsletter from this lady who runs "ask ariel" she has a webite completely devoted to holistic pet care. She believes in making the pet better from the inside out. She works WITH a vet so everything she sells or promotes is legit and approved by the vet. But i know that she will also do a consult with you and create a specific diet for your pet and maybe suggest some supplements.. i dont think you should jsut do the rice and chicken thing bc it sounds like she is lacking some nutrients! check out [URL="http://www.askariel.com"]www.askariel.com[/URL] keep us updated!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
!
