Kidney Disease
- Thread starter Shaquille
- Start date
- Status
No she is the lady who breeds boxers for the puppy store that we got him at. I think she is from that area, just thought I would ask.
Shaq is home. He is a bit timid around our 3mo old. Quite mean, he has never been like this before. He did eat an entire can of wet food tonight. That is the most he has eaten all week. He goes back tomorrow morning for another fluid treatment. Poor thing...
Shaq is home. He is a bit timid around our 3mo old. Quite mean, he has never been like this before. He did eat an entire can of wet food tonight. That is the most he has eaten all week. He goes back tomorrow morning for another fluid treatment. Poor thing...
Aimee
Boxer Insane
Not to get totally off subject here but seeing as how your pup came from a pet store, seeing what your dealing with now is of no surprise. Pet stores get their puppies from puppy mills. You can do a search on this site and the web and find more information that you would want on this subject. Once you've done your research, I would go the pet store that you bought him from and insist on the breeders information. I would let them know that you know what types of environments their dogs come from and make sure you let everyone there know the condition that your dog is in today. This is the reason that health testing breeding stock is so important. Does your boy have papers? If so, I would also see what you could find out against this breeder and report it to the AKC.
JulieM
Boxer Insane
Here are a couple of sites about Juvenile Renal Disease and Renal Dysplasia. It is not encouraging :( but they also state that the kidneys may be normal or smaller than normal, so this may not be what you're dealing with.
http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/Opera/2167/
http://vetprof.com/clientinfo/juvenilerenal.html
The only cases of juvenile kidney problems in Boxers that I know of were in pups who had coccidia two separate times, and so were treated with Albon twice. (Coccidia is very common around here and everyone treats with Albon with no apparent problems - it was the second treatment in these few litters that did the damage. Albon is a sulfa drug, and one of the side effects of sulfas is kidney failure.) It's not out of the question that the "breeder" treated the pups, and then when the pet store got him they treated him, too.....
http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/Opera/2167/
http://vetprof.com/clientinfo/juvenilerenal.html
The only cases of juvenile kidney problems in Boxers that I know of were in pups who had coccidia two separate times, and so were treated with Albon twice. (Coccidia is very common around here and everyone treats with Albon with no apparent problems - it was the second treatment in these few litters that did the damage. Albon is a sulfa drug, and one of the side effects of sulfas is kidney failure.) It's not out of the question that the "breeder" treated the pups, and then when the pet store got him they treated him, too.....
Blood levels update
Dan you asked about his levels...this is what I have to report:
BUN was 63 now 24 and Creatinine was 1.9 now 1.8 First test done on the 19th 2nd was done this afternoon.
Well I took your advice Aimee and went to the pet store. First off I must say that we were told by this man who owns the puppy store that he buys from a breeder in CA. He told us all about the parents and all kinds of other things. So we thought that we were buying from a reputable guy. Even the place where we took him for his exam said that was one of the best places to buy if you are going to buy from a store. The reason that we did not buy from a breeder in the area is because of the ones that we found they have a bad rap. They are dirty and the dogs are not of good genes. We thought we were doing the right thing. The rest of his litter mates are fine, at least the 3 out of 5 that we have found. No Problems. Shaq is one of three that go to the same hospital the other two we don't know about. Any way I went to the pet store and come to find out he is being investigated for buying dogs out of the paper and selling them as well as selling sick dogs. I have placed my own complaint with the animal control and there may be a way that we will be componsated for the problems....it is just a matter of time. So we learned the hard way!!
Anyway, shaq is home tonight. He has more energy and is eating like a pig.
Dan you asked about his levels...this is what I have to report:
BUN was 63 now 24 and Creatinine was 1.9 now 1.8 First test done on the 19th 2nd was done this afternoon.
Well I took your advice Aimee and went to the pet store. First off I must say that we were told by this man who owns the puppy store that he buys from a breeder in CA. He told us all about the parents and all kinds of other things. So we thought that we were buying from a reputable guy. Even the place where we took him for his exam said that was one of the best places to buy if you are going to buy from a store. The reason that we did not buy from a breeder in the area is because of the ones that we found they have a bad rap. They are dirty and the dogs are not of good genes. We thought we were doing the right thing. The rest of his litter mates are fine, at least the 3 out of 5 that we have found. No Problems. Shaq is one of three that go to the same hospital the other two we don't know about. Any way I went to the pet store and come to find out he is being investigated for buying dogs out of the paper and selling them as well as selling sick dogs. I have placed my own complaint with the animal control and there may be a way that we will be componsated for the problems....it is just a matter of time. So we learned the hard way!!
Anyway, shaq is home tonight. He has more energy and is eating like a pig.
Aimee
Boxer Insane
Congratulations to you for doing your research and following through on this! Don't let them continue to get away with this.
I am glad to hear that Shaq is home and eating like a pig! I do hope he is feeling up to par soon. Wow - what a change in his BUN count. I am hoping that is a good sign. Garretts was always in the 50's, only going down into the 40's once. Hugs to your family and Shaq and please continue to update us on his progress. Garrett was always a new dog when he got subcutaneous fluids. Could you maybe start doing this at home for him instead of paying all the money to go in and have it done by the vet techs? Subcutaneous fluids are very simple to do and much cheaper when you do them at home
Sending healing vibes to Shaq and our best boxer vibes!!
I am glad to hear that Shaq is home and eating like a pig! I do hope he is feeling up to par soon. Wow - what a change in his BUN count. I am hoping that is a good sign. Garretts was always in the 50's, only going down into the 40's once. Hugs to your family and Shaq and please continue to update us on his progress. Garrett was always a new dog when he got subcutaneous fluids. Could you maybe start doing this at home for him instead of paying all the money to go in and have it done by the vet techs? Subcutaneous fluids are very simple to do and much cheaper when you do them at home
Sending healing vibes to Shaq and our best boxer vibes!!Depending on what the specialist says on Monday and what his levels are at, it looks like they may want us to subcutaneous fluids at home daily. The vet said they sell them at cost to those who are having to do it daily. I think she said it runs about $100 a month. If that is what it takes, I will do it. 
He has visitors today, two Rotties who are just darling. He does not seem to be resting as much so I think he has most of his energy back. I hope it stays that way.
I will keep you posted. Thanks for everything!!:D
He has visitors today, two Rotties who are just darling. He does not seem to be resting as much so I think he has most of his energy back. I hope it stays that way.
I will keep you posted. Thanks for everything!!:D
Adelle
Boxer Insane
Hi Shaquille
I am sorry to hear of your trouble - but don't give up, Kidney disease can be managed. My boxer 'Hooligan' who died just before Christmas had kidney disease(he died of cancer not the kideny disease) and I am currently fostering a younger boxer who also has kidney disease and is doing well.
Both ate the Hills K/D diet. We also gave Hooligan Sub Q fluids at home every other day for 6 months and it really helped. I can get you the name of a place where I used to buy the fuilds and they were very affordable. It takes getting used to but its very easy to administer the fluids.
When they are doing well its easy to manage, always make sure they have lots of water and stick to the KD diet very strictly. Hooligan did have to be hospitalised and kept on an IV twice for several days at a time and that can be very costly. But it works and gets them feeling good again.
When Hooligan was first diagnosed with Kidney Disease and Lymphoma I found an email group which I joined and found a lot of usefull information and support from a group of people who were all in the same boat, I would recommend joining and introducing yourself to the group you will get lots of good advise.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/K9Kidneys/
The foster that I have right now does not get fluids but is on the KD diet and takes Lotensin once a day and his levels are much more stable recently.
Good luck and let me know if there is anything else you need to know that I might have had to deal with already.
Adelle
I am sorry to hear of your trouble - but don't give up, Kidney disease can be managed. My boxer 'Hooligan' who died just before Christmas had kidney disease(he died of cancer not the kideny disease) and I am currently fostering a younger boxer who also has kidney disease and is doing well.
Both ate the Hills K/D diet. We also gave Hooligan Sub Q fluids at home every other day for 6 months and it really helped. I can get you the name of a place where I used to buy the fuilds and they were very affordable. It takes getting used to but its very easy to administer the fluids.
When they are doing well its easy to manage, always make sure they have lots of water and stick to the KD diet very strictly. Hooligan did have to be hospitalised and kept on an IV twice for several days at a time and that can be very costly. But it works and gets them feeling good again.
When Hooligan was first diagnosed with Kidney Disease and Lymphoma I found an email group which I joined and found a lot of usefull information and support from a group of people who were all in the same boat, I would recommend joining and introducing yourself to the group you will get lots of good advise.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/K9Kidneys/
The foster that I have right now does not get fluids but is on the KD diet and takes Lotensin once a day and his levels are much more stable recently.
Good luck and let me know if there is anything else you need to know that I might have had to deal with already.
Adelle
Thanks for all of your help. It looks as though that Shaq will be fine. I am not sure what the next step will be, I am supposed to find out this afternoon. His Kidney's are larger than normal but they seem to be functioning properly. They did not do the biopsy because it was too risky and there was not enough damage to the kidneys to risk such a procedure. He is on Modified food, He would not eat k/d so we switched to another type of renal disease food. He loves it. My only thing is that he can't have any treats, no rawhide, no pig ears, nothing. What did you give to your dog to keep his chewing under control? I was thinking of buying corn starch bones that are flavored with bacon...what do you think. Veggies are a bit boring for him. HAHA:p
Thanks again!!!
Thanks again!!!
- Status