Unexplained Illness - please help
Posted: 09 Apr 2019, 08:59
This is my first post to this or any forum about our Miniature Schnauzer Dennis (named after the great Dennis Healey because of the similarities in crazy eye-brows).
Unfortunately Dennis, who is 2 ½ years old, is extremely unwell and I am desperately hoping that somebody here will have encountered something similar before.
Almost 3 weeks ago, Dennis began vomiting and refusing to eat, initially we though is was a virus but after 3 days, he was still declining food and when he did eat was sick. Our local vet gave him an anti-sickness injection and sent him home and indeed, he stopped vomiting. He still wasn't right and still wouldn't eat, after a couple of days the vomiting returned. And we returned to the vets.
At this point blood tests were taken, and found an elevated white blood cell count. He didn't have a temperature and so the results were thought to be a stress response. The decline continued, and so we went back for an X-Ray & Ultrasound scan of his stomach to determine if he had a blockage. The results seemed to suggest that there was something in his stomach, he was given medicine to try and increase mobility in his stomach and we were asked to return 24h later to see if anything had changed.
We returned 24h later, more sedation, X-rays & scans, to find that there had been a very slight change, however it was felt that it was insufficient and that emergency surgery was in order. Having opened him up, and traced his digestive system from stomach to bowel, no blockage was found, only a small amount of sludge that was encouraged to move through his intestine to bowel. Re-assembled he was given antibiotics and pain relief and sent home.
What followed was a dreadful night, poor Dennis was in a lot of pain, and a visit to the emergency vet for a methadone injection.
Back to our local vets, where we were referred to a specialist Vet unit.
Dennis was admitted to the new vets, immediately placed on a drip, and given various drugs to try and stabilise him.
Numerous blood tests, scans & x-rays have been carried out, Pancreatitis was ruled out, poison seems unlikely, no blockage in the stomach.
All the time he is still not eating, it had been several weeks since he ate normally, and had lost almost 1/5th of his body weight,
The vets were becoming increasing concerned, the leading theory being that he has IMS / a significant food intolerance event..
As there were signs of internal bleeding (black tar-like stools) a colonoscopy & endoscopy followed to look at the stomach and bowel to try and confirm the theory. Biopsies were taken... and we are still awaiting the results..
An oesophageal feeding tube was inserted in to stomach so that we could try and aid recovery, and he was sent home.
We now have a strict medicine & hypoallergenic feeding regime that we follow 5 times a day, the tube feeding is working, however he is still reluctant to eat. He has shown interest in a few treats and some ham, but nothing more. We are now seeing increased energy levels and his stomach is slowly starting to regulate itself.
Although things appear to be improving, we have now noticed a new and worrying development, whenever Dennis passes stools (poo) he then returns to the house and spends the next hour trembling/shaking and licking his lips like he is nauseous. Over the course of the hour it does subside, but he is clearly distressed.
I do apologise for the long and detailed post, but I just wanted to reach out to the Schnauzer community to see if anybody here has any idea what is going on with poor Dennis ? Any help or advise would be hugely appreciated.
Thanks
Jamieson
Unfortunately Dennis, who is 2 ½ years old, is extremely unwell and I am desperately hoping that somebody here will have encountered something similar before.
Almost 3 weeks ago, Dennis began vomiting and refusing to eat, initially we though is was a virus but after 3 days, he was still declining food and when he did eat was sick. Our local vet gave him an anti-sickness injection and sent him home and indeed, he stopped vomiting. He still wasn't right and still wouldn't eat, after a couple of days the vomiting returned. And we returned to the vets.
At this point blood tests were taken, and found an elevated white blood cell count. He didn't have a temperature and so the results were thought to be a stress response. The decline continued, and so we went back for an X-Ray & Ultrasound scan of his stomach to determine if he had a blockage. The results seemed to suggest that there was something in his stomach, he was given medicine to try and increase mobility in his stomach and we were asked to return 24h later to see if anything had changed.
We returned 24h later, more sedation, X-rays & scans, to find that there had been a very slight change, however it was felt that it was insufficient and that emergency surgery was in order. Having opened him up, and traced his digestive system from stomach to bowel, no blockage was found, only a small amount of sludge that was encouraged to move through his intestine to bowel. Re-assembled he was given antibiotics and pain relief and sent home.
What followed was a dreadful night, poor Dennis was in a lot of pain, and a visit to the emergency vet for a methadone injection.
Back to our local vets, where we were referred to a specialist Vet unit.
Dennis was admitted to the new vets, immediately placed on a drip, and given various drugs to try and stabilise him.
Numerous blood tests, scans & x-rays have been carried out, Pancreatitis was ruled out, poison seems unlikely, no blockage in the stomach.
All the time he is still not eating, it had been several weeks since he ate normally, and had lost almost 1/5th of his body weight,
The vets were becoming increasing concerned, the leading theory being that he has IMS / a significant food intolerance event..
As there were signs of internal bleeding (black tar-like stools) a colonoscopy & endoscopy followed to look at the stomach and bowel to try and confirm the theory. Biopsies were taken... and we are still awaiting the results..
An oesophageal feeding tube was inserted in to stomach so that we could try and aid recovery, and he was sent home.
We now have a strict medicine & hypoallergenic feeding regime that we follow 5 times a day, the tube feeding is working, however he is still reluctant to eat. He has shown interest in a few treats and some ham, but nothing more. We are now seeing increased energy levels and his stomach is slowly starting to regulate itself.
Although things appear to be improving, we have now noticed a new and worrying development, whenever Dennis passes stools (poo) he then returns to the house and spends the next hour trembling/shaking and licking his lips like he is nauseous. Over the course of the hour it does subside, but he is clearly distressed.
I do apologise for the long and detailed post, but I just wanted to reach out to the Schnauzer community to see if anybody here has any idea what is going on with poor Dennis ? Any help or advise would be hugely appreciated.
Thanks
Jamieson