** I need Help/Advice.. Fast **

[EAO76]

don't be upset with your vet for offering to have the dog surrendered. All of us in rescue are extremely thankful for vets like this. They are being responsible. Clearly they see that this dog has a very good chance of surving and being cured. If they feel this way why would they be willing to discuss putting the dog down? If surrendered they would cure the dog on their dime & then find a suitable home. This is a typical scenario for a dog who has the potential to get well but the owners are unwilling to continue expensive treatment. Obviously this is a better deal for the dog rather than being put to sleep.

If you are willing to continue fighting for the dog then start researching HUC (sometimes called Boxer Colitis) there is an extremely good chance that this is what she has. Not all vets are familiar because it mostly only occurs in Boxers. If you vet doesn't see a lot of boxers he may be uninformed about this disease. The boxer rescue I volunteer for has seen HUC a lot. The Baytril is affective most of the time. Many vets want to do a biopsy and further diagnoses before starting the Baytril. These tests are very expensive. I can understand why they would want these additional tests but I know of dogs that skipped the extra tests & they were just treated as if they had been diagnosed with HUC (without the official tests to confirm). The dogs that I know of responded to the treatment & were cured. So this is something you can start right now without further testing. Obviously I am not a vet & you would need to discuss if there is any potential risks with starting the HUC treatment but so far this has been effective for the dogs I have seen with similar symptoms.

PS may I ask where you got this dog? Was she from a puppy mill?

 

[hstarr]

Vet has no clue...

This girl came from a friend of mine that show's boxers... She bought her our of Oklahoma to show, however she ended up having a defect in her nose... and they couldnt show her... and refused to breed her... So we took her in, as a pet only....

I have never let my vet know that I wasnt willing or couldnt afford treatment.... I definately wouldnt have put over $1500 and still counting into Lilly if I wasnt really wanting to find out what's going on.

What aggrevates me more than anything is after everything we have spent and all the test they have run.... After this last test all they could do was tell me to treat her for Hookworms ..... I mean come on... they never once offered to test further... just to take her home and gave me some panacur.... I tried argueing to them that she was clean of all parasites 3 months ago... and has had these symptoms for around 6 months so there was NO WAY that the hook worms were the main issue. I dont argue the fact that the hookworms could be making the underlying problem worse... But the are definately NOT the problem....

We called the vet's office today and offered up the idea of Infamitory Bowel Disease and HUC.... They agreed to call in some Prednisone and Metronidazole in small doses ( said they could make her not want to eat even more if they prescribed a normal dose), as well as something for the vomiting for what they are now assuming is the IBD...

This is the first time they have wanted to acctually treat her for an illness and even consider the idea that this is some underlying condition... And I am thankful for atleast some treatement... However I'm not sure why I have to play vet here and do all my research for a Doctor that is supposed to know these things... If they would have treated her for her illness 3 months ago... Maybe, Lilly wouldnt be near death as we speak...

Not once have they offered to have her put on IV support... which is what I beleive she needs.... I would be at another vet's office right now if it wasn't for the fact that I would have to start at square one because they will not use previous lab results and want to run there own...

I know I sound really angry... but I would do everything in my power to make sure this baby gets better, including spend money.... however with the vet I'm dealing with I feel like I have spent so much and they have gave so little... I feel like after everything they should be doing everything they can... and they send me home with panacur... It just really erks me because I'm the one watching my Girl shrivel up to nothing...

 

[darwinsmom]

From your account of things, I think you are justified in being frustrated with your current vet. They seem to be pushing the same treatments that have failed in the past. You need another vet now. I do not understand why a new vet would have to start from scratch. And if the claim they do, find another one. Request copies of the Lilly's records and all test results and take her somewhere else. Certainly another vet should be willing to provide IV-fluids is she is dehydrated. I would also be hesitant to start Prednisone unless it was necessary, it has some nasty side effects, and you cannot stop it cold turkey. I hope you are able to figure this out and get Lilly feeling better soon.

-Karlyn

 

[sriley]

I agree with Karlyn. Request her records and take her somewhere else for assessment. If she's not interested in water and you fear she's dehydrated, try feeding her some watermelon. My Boxers absolutely love it and since it's nearly 95% water, it shouldn't aggravate her system.

I know what you're going through as I, too, remember feeling very frustrated with my former vet clinic when things started to go awry with my first Boxer's health. Nobody was able to give me any answers and it seemed as though I knew more than the vets did thanks to advice received from other BW members and from the research I had done on my own. You're obviously not happy with your current vet and your poor girl is getting sicker by the hour. Please, for her sake and for the sake of your sanity, take her somewhere else for another opinion. We'll be thinking about you. Chief and Sarge send Boxer wiggles and lots of (((healing vibes))). Keep us posted.

 

[EAO76]

If its HUC Prednisone and Metronidazole alone will not help. You will be wasting time & money. You have to use the baytril (Enrofloxacin). Prednisone is the old way of treating boxer colitis and its not effective. If you have no confidence in your vet then get an Rx for Baytril (& if possible get your hands on a bag of the Royal Canin HP 19) you will know almost immediately if this treatment will work. Withing 48hrs (and possibly w/in 24hrs) you will see a drastic improvement. I personally wouldn't give the steroids. HUC is related to Ecoli. Its a serious infection & serious stuff. If that is what she has you need to treat with the proper type of antibiotics.

There are Boxers that are just sensitive to kibble & certain diets. These dogs can be cured with Raw or a different food & a round of Flagyl. But true HUC is life & death.

MORE INFO:
This condition is also called "Boxer Colitis" because the Boxer breed seems predisposed. This form of colitis is particularly ulcerative and involves infiltration of the tender colon lining with cells called "histiocytes." These cells are the cells that are normally called into the scene of inflammation relatively late so that they can absorb the dead cells and debris that have been created by the inflammatory event.

Dogs with this condition typically show symptoms at an early age (less than 2 years) and become more debilitated by their symptoms than the usual colitis patients do. It is currently believed that this condition results from an inappropriate immune response against the common bacteria of the colon. Dogs with this form of colitis do not respond well to the usual remedies but instead seem to show an excellent response to the antibiotic enrofloxacin. This antibiotic is particularly effective against gram negative bacteria (so classified because their cell wall's staining properties when tested). It has thus been inferred that these bacteria are at the root of the problem.

Histiocytic ulcerative colitis can be confirmed by biopsy though signs of colitis in a young Boxer are highly suggestive of this condition.

Here is a good visual to help you understand whats happening inside her Capitaland Animal Hospital

 

[Gatorblu]

Is there a vetinary gastroenterologists where you are? I would try that if possible. I too understand your frustration with your vet, but I would say it is time to move on. He is definitely not doing your baby any good. I'll say a prayer for your girl!

 

[SherylM]

FWIW I agree, perhaps it is time to change vets. As for HUC diagnosis, yes some vets will want to do a biopsy before prescribing Baytril. My vet was willing to prescribe it without the expense of the biopsy. And honestly I don't think Lucy had time to wait for biopsy results. I hope you can find a vet to help and listen to you.

 

[kathysboxer]

No advice, really. Just wanted to send some healing vibes your way. I also would consider changing vets. I have had the same situation (different "illness") and found a wonderful clinic. It is almost an hour drive, but I go there for all my emergencies. My local vet only does their shots. My clinic has a copy of their shot records.
Don't give up on your baby! There has been a lot of great advice here, so as I said, just sending some healing prayers your way.

 

[kathysboxer]

Forgot to add this to the previous post. If you order the acidolphilis off Puritan's Pride, I just got their catalog in the mail. They are having a sale, buy 1 get 2 free. Awesome deal, and I have ordered many vitamins from them and they are good quality.