Jasper (12 yr old Mini Schnauzer) is now at peace

Hi Tina

I still have my fingers crossed that all went well for Jasper and you at his appointment today, and wanted you to have a message if you check in for your pitstop tonight :) Big hugs being sent to you guys xxxxxx

Hugs Tina, hope you and Jasper are okay.

Hi Tina,
Checking in to see how things went with Jasper.
hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

Thank you all so much for the support, suggestions and positive comments. I so meant to post sooner than this but have been so tired. I think the stress of the past week caught up with me, and I felt a headache coming on again. I think with meds and extra rest I have headed it off at the pass now, yay!

The vet visit went pretty well, although I don't think she is exactly sure why Jasper doesn't want to eat his food. I think she still feels it is related to the antibiotic. She said it was ok to feed him hamburger and rice for the rest of the weekend, she said eating that for a few days will not hurt his kidneys. She still feels that he was nauseated, and now he associates his kibble food with not feeling well so doesn't want to eat it. The hope is that once he feels completely better I can start to transition him back. I don't know, he has no interest in that food now, and before he ate it down like a champ, no problems.

We did get a sterile urine sample for a follow up culture to make sure the infection is gone, that was on the schedule as he finished the antibiotic on 8/27. They did a mini UA in the office and it looked good, no blood or WBC's seen, it was very dilute as usual. Since it has been 4 months since his last UPC, she recommended sending that off also since we had enough urine. I voiced my concern about the possibility of there still being an infection and the results being skewed. She said she felt comfortable since he had just finished 2 weeks of antibiotics and the UA in the office looked good. She said they could hold the urine until the culture came back to be sure, but said it is better to use a fresh sample, and I remember reading that also. So I opted to go ahead and run it. Hopefully the repeat culture will be negative so this will be ok.

I asked about the electrolytes being off and should we recheck them. She said she was not too concerned with that as they have been WNL on the last few checks, and the main symptom of something wrong there would be vomiting, which thankfully has not been happening. I asked about his cortisol being too low somehow since he has also had low energy, etc. She agreed with that possibility, said that maybe he has felt stressed with everything going on and has become depleted. She recommended that I give his Dex daily through Monday instead of every other day. So he is getting that boost.

As far as the poops, he did have a small to medium poo just before we went to the vet, yay! It was hard formed, so it seems he is not getting colitis at the moment. Double yay! Trish, great minds - I asked about giving pumpkin! She said she didn't feel he needed it at this time but that it is a good thing to use to add fiber. She said that it is not a big deal if he goes for a whole day or even 2 without pooping. :eek: She said we worry if no poop for 3 days. Well I guess!! So I was apparently over concerned there. Sorry, but I will still feel concerned a bit if he skips a whole day! :rolleyes:

She checked his tummy, said it felt soft, so all ok there. She rechecked the enlarged lymph noted and it is the same. I clarified that she is not recommending any type of treatment related to that. She said no, we will monitor to make sure it isn't getting larger.

Trish, she did not recommend any other lab work or seem concerned with any type of systemic infection, that is why I asked about the lymph node. He does not have a temp. But I do have a bit of worry there since we have discovered those fractured teeth and the node. I would have felt better if we got a CBC, but she didn't think it was needed, or the electrolytes. She is always very tolerant of my questions and suggestions and lots of times will agree with what I ask. I usually ask/suggest something twice and if she doesn't seem like she is going to change her mind, I let it go. I guess I would push more if I felt a bigger concern, but I also try to be respectful. I know we all walk that line at some point.

He seems a little more perky today, but still a bit subdued and low energy. He ate his hamburger/rice this morning and had his meds. Now it is almost time for his dinner, hopefully he will eat then.

Yes, the little bugger can be such a worry. I know you all TOTALLY UNDERSTAND. Yes Sharlene, we have one ER vet in town, and I do have a copy of all his labs. So I know that is available, and I did clarify with my vet when it would be necessary to take him there. She looked at me kind of funny when I asked about that. I had my list of questions written out as usual, and that was the last on the list. She told me "now don't panic, I don't think anything that bad is going to happen". I reminded her that it was last Labor Day weekend when he had the Addison's crisis and was hospitalized, so with his latest set of issues, I couldn't help but have a little bit of panic. And besides, I was trying to have all the bases covered.

Thank you again my friends for your support, it means so much. And thanks for checking in on us again today. So glad to have an extra day off tomorrow, I am so tired. I have been reading along with all of you and will be posting on your threads a bit later.

Love and big hugs to all from me and Jasper xo

Hi Tina,
So glad to hear that Jasper is holding his own. Now if he would just get interested in food again. Perhaps the Dex giving him a bit of pep will help with that.
I agree, it's always better to have all the basis covered Prior to these long weekends. Things just seem to wait to happen till the vets are away.
We're having a rather lovely storm here, thunder, lightening, rain, molly isn't impressed at all. :) I hope that you are having a good weekend now and no nasty headaches!

hugs,
sharlene and molly muffin

HI Tina

It will be interesting to see the result of his UPC as I now think if the dog is off for any reason it could potentially affect the result. So don't be too alarmed if it is high. I hope the results come back good though and he is getting his appetite back. Is he pooping better? Of course constipation could put him off his food too! I have Flynn on a little Metamucil each day to give him some extra fibre and it has been working well until our latest little IBD episode.

Hopefully you are feeling better too, good time to have an extra day off! Talk soon xxxxx

Hi Tina,

Sometimes when a dog has an electrolyte imbalance they may crave salt. A dog with this sort of electrolyte imbalance may actually lick it off your hand if you offer it whereas a dog with normal electrolytes will look at you like you are crazy suggesting that they might find salt even remotely interesting. You could try offering him some table salt on your hand - he will probably go for it if he needs it and turn his nose up at it if he doesn't...just thinking.

Love and hugs, Lori

Hi Tina, sorry to hear that Jasper's been having some trouble again. Rosie had some surgery and now won't eat her kibble either, so I know how frustrating that is! Yes they are worrisome little buggers! :eek: You hit that comment right on the nail!

You're such a great mom Tina, Jasper is blessed to have you as his personal advocate. I get the migraine thing. I get them too. Real killers. Take care of you too! Xxxxx

Well, Jasper seems to be feeling a bit better today. Yay! A little more perky and better appetite. I snuck 1/4 cup of his kibble in with the hamburger and rice at dinner and he ate it with no problem. I will try the same for breakfast. Fingers crossed.

The heat wave finally broke today and I took him for a walk around the neighborhood early this morning while it was cool. Not too far, only about a mile or so, didn't want to overdo it since he hasn't been feeling well. This usually works like a charm to get things moving, I was surprised that he didn't go while we were out. But he did poo after we got home, finally. I anticipate this will improve after I get him back on his kibble. Sheesh, it seems like it is always one extreme or the other, and neither are good.

Lori, I tried offering him some salt, just a few grains. He took a tentative lick, I think out of habit, and then acted surprised and didn't lick anymore. So I am hoping this means his electrolytes are ok. Thanks for that suggestion.

Now it will be waiting for the results of the repeat urine culture and the UPC. Keeping fingers and paws crossed there. ;)

Hugs,
Tina and Jasper

That's a good tip about the salt test from Lori. Glad he wasn't too interested in that!

Sounds like a better day Tina with both the eating and pooping, hopefully you are having a good nights sleep!

Our vet has sent the formal results for Flynn and his urine did have some sediment in it as I posted on his thread, hopefully that is also the cause of the raise???? I hope so!!

Will be checking in tomorrow and hopefully see some results xx