Nausea, licking, eating grass and now drinking and peeing much

[spook]

I've read a lot on the forum before i joined, and what Spook has sounds a lot like what Titan has from Haarhoff... but now we have an extra problem: he's drinking to much and peeing while he sleeps... its so sad because he knows its not right to pee inside the house...

It started two years ago... out of the blue he woke us up at night licking and walking nervously, wanted to go outdoors but not to pee... to eat grass (so we lett hem at first). But he just threw up the grass and he doesn't get better so from then on : no more grass.
The second night, a few months later, i went to the emergency-vet: a shot, some pills.

Its been like that the last 2 years, everey now and then he wakes us up and he is sick. Tryed different foods, home-cooked, non-cooked... very high vet-bills but still a sick dog now and again.

Last week i noticed he was drinken lots of water... and peeing more.
So: of to the vet again, the ran 11 test and this is the outcome:
no diabetes, its not his kidneys, its not ..
but what they did find was : his thyroid levels T4 are 9, the should be between 13 and 60 the vet says and he has an increased Calciumlevel, with could mean he has cancer.. but not in his blood (???).

The vet wants to put him on thyroidmets...but Spook doesn't have any symptoms of thyroidproblems : he's not lost weight, he's not extremely lazy/sleepy and he's not losing hair...

So... my question to you: do you have any idea's what it could be ?
May be 2 different problems : the tummytrouble and the drinking/peeing? Or not?

I'd really appreciated it if you have any ideas or suggestions!
Thanks for ready this any ways!

Greetings,
Stella en Spook

 

[FlynnsMum]

I can sympathise as our dog Flynn is a mystery to us - although he is losing wieght and not vomiting.

He did wake during the night a few times with lots of licking and horrible slerping noise so have had that before but not very often.

I hope you get some answers - we are off to the Vet next week to see what we can do next.

 

[Austin's Mom]

I'm sorry that your baby isn't feeling well. As far as the tummy issues, have you tried giving him a snack before bedtime? Some boxers don't do well on an empty stomach and they get sick. As far as the drinking and peeing, I don't have a clue but hope you get some answers soon.

 

[silly24boxer]

Start with the simple things first

I agree start trying the simple things first. Try dividing his food three times a day like 6am 2pm and 9or 10 pm or even a really good snack before bed. This may take care of the stomach issue. I went through this also you can read my pages on my boxer boy Gauge.

 

[hurleygirl]

I also have to give my boxer a good snack right before bedtime or she wakes us up to go outside to eat grass and/or vomit. The other problem I had with my male boxer who had lymphoma. Even before they put him on Prednisone he would drink huge amounts of water and we had to use a doggie diaper at night. I don't say this to alarm you, just keep a close eye on your dog and watch for any lymph swelling, loss of appetite and, of course, weight loss. So sad this wonderful, loving breed comes with so many health problems to be watching for. Hope everything goes well.

 

[spook]

Dear Boxerlovers,

First, many thanks for your best wishes... last sunday we had to go to the emergency vet again. His thirst was pure madness, he drank 3 liters in the morning and still wanted more, in the afternoon he was peeing like a bitch (sitting down I mean...), he always pees with one leg up.. he looked really unhappy, like it hurt. This vet convinced us to try the thyroidmeds (drops in his eye). The side-effect are few and the effect is almost instant. It cost 40 bucsk for 30 ml... but what the heck He also took some urine (straight from his belly with a needle !!! wtf??!!!! ) but today he called : no bacteria, its no UTI :-(

Today I talked to my own vet 3 times, she wanted me to come in again for some more calciumtest, to look at his analglands and maybe some more bloodwork. But i refused, where going straight to the special clinic in Utrecht on thursday. I don' t wanna waist time with test, the calciumlevel is a good indicator there is something really wrong.

In the mean: The thyroidmeds seem to have some effect, but again also this fits the symptoms of Lymphoma. His thirst is still strong, but it has decreased and he does'nt pee like grazy or wakes up peeing anymore.....

So thursday we'll see what the specialist says... i'll keep you posted.
...

 

[spook]

OH.. and sorry.. I forgot to say that Spook always gets a light snack before bed and we start the day of with his kibble with boiled water. That useally does the trick... but he still gets sick ...and the food comes out not digested :-(

But at the time.. that's the least of our worries.....

 

[lhsdavis]

My 11 year old boxer was recently diagnosed with cushings..it causes them to drink alot of water..they may feel sick, possibly vomit their food etc. She spent 3 days in the hospital with pancretis (not sure spelling) which they couldnt tell was causing her liver numbers to be off the charts or something else. Once we got the pancreitis taken care of is when they did the cushing test. And she was on the low threshold of being positive but decided thats what we were treating her for. After careful consideration of her age..I did not want any form of chemo, just wanted her her comfortable so put her on anapryl, which seem to have calmed down all the symtoms.

 

[spook]

alotta confusion

Hi Heather,

well, we've been to Utrecht ..where they have the special clinic for animals.. and i've been on a emotional rollercoaster.

the drops Spook gets in his eye are not thyroidmeds,.. i was mistaken.. they produce vasopressin(e) a hormone from his hypo-somethingsomething-gland. Some gland in his brain. Sorry... mij medical english is very bad.

Because the calcium is raised, but not very much ... they think its cancer... and that the cancer formed a tumor on the hypo-somethingsomething-gland and now the gland is not making the vasopressin(e) but is sending the wrong signal to the .. oh.. whats the word.. adrenal cortex (says Google) and so in a way its Cushing...they say.

His spleen looked weird, but as the doctor said.. nobody told the spleen how to look good.. they took cells from it and today they told us there is no cancer in the spleen. Sigh.

Now they've send some blood (on ice) to England for another hormone-test... that' ll show if its cancer.. if it is.. we'll do a CATscan/CTscan of the brain of the hypo-somethingsomething-gland.

The doc did'nt talk about chemo.. but did say brainsurgery could fix it... but he'll have to be on synthetic hormones his whole life.. after the surgery... Pffffff....

I've been crying my eyes out... I don't want any of this..
Spook feels good at the moment.. the drups are working .. so no more drinking a lot and peeing.. but I can't stop thinking of all that is to come.

My heart goes out to you and yours.

xxx
Stella

 

[Gatorblu]

Wow you two have been thru a lot! I think your are talking about the hypothalamus gland. I know that doctors give so much info and many times while we are trying to take it in and process it we don't quite get the whole picture. If the hypothalamus doesn't produce enough hormones it is Addison's Disease which is the opposite of Cushings. Whatever is happening I hope you get some answers soon, and they can treat you Spook. Prayers are coming your way!