Pneumonia and Possible Liver Disease

[cocoboxers]

Hi Everyone,

We're so sad to find out that our new little pup has developed pneumonia. He had been coughing for a few days, so we decided to bring him to the vet. After about a week, the coughing got worse and he seemed very lethargic, no appetite, and had some trouble breathing. So, back to the vet we went and the vet decided to keep him and administer some fluids and do some x-rays and bloodwork. Well, when they called me back that afternoon, they told me that he had pneumonia. Now he's on some special vet I/D diet (which I mix in with his Canidae) and two separate antibiotics.

But, the kicker is that the bloodwork revealed a low blood urea level (BUN), which the vet said could indicate a problem with his liver. She wants to check it again when we take him for his follow-up visit just to be sure. Could his levels be low because of the pneumonia? It there any cure/treatment for liver disease? I'm really hoping that this is not the case and that he tests normal on our next visit. We have been practically "living" at the vet since we got him 3 weeks ago, and I really hate seeing him sick like this.

Thanks for any advice that you can provide.

Peace~

 

[auntthelm]

Just wanted you to know how sorry I am that your beautiful pup is not feeling well. I hope you have a really good vet that you are comfortable with. I will keep you and that baby in my prayers.

 

[angleheart]

Oh my, I'm so sorry to hear about your baby. I don't know if the pneumonia could be related as I have no experience with this, but the first thing that comes to mind with low BUN levels and possible liver problems is possibly a liver shunt of some kind. Portosystemic shunt is one kind. It's an extra blood vessel that allows blood to bypass the liver and therefore the blood does not get "cleaned", so to speak, and all the waste products in the blood build up in your puppy's system. Please, don't let me scare you, it's just that I know you are despartely trying to figure this thing out and I think this is a possiblity...i'm probably so WAY off here...and i'm not a vet. The good news about this would be that at least this type of shunt might be manageable with diet and such from what i've read, and if not, there is a possible surgical option to close off that extra vessel.

I'll be praying for you and your baby. Try not to scare yourself too much and think possitive. Please keep us posted.

 

[cocoboxers]

Thanks everyone! I am so relieved... We got Apollo's bloodwork results back today and his white blood cell count and BUN levels are normal! The vet did say that he is anemic and hasn't been gaining adequate weight. So, even though we have done a couple of stool tests, she thinks that he may have whipworms. So, back to the vet again for more medication. Hopefully, he'll get through all of this soon.

 

[angleheart]

Yaaaaaaaay! I'm so happy for you Now that they've figured something out, maybe he can finally be on the road to recovery....woohoo!

 

[hanley]

Thats good news, it sounds like your baby is on the mend!

 

[cocoboxers]

Thanks everyone! Apollo had a follow-up visit at the vet yesterday and his pneumonia is about 90% gone. I still have to keep him on the antibiotics for another 2 weeks, but at least he is feeling a lot better. I'm disappointed because I wanted to put him in puppy kindergarten with a trainer in my area, but the vet won't release him until he's completely healed. And, the cut-off for puppy kindergarten is 15 weeks old. :( So, it looks like I may have to find somewhere else to take him.

Thanks again for all of your well wishes and, hopefully, Apollo will be back to his old self soon!

Peace

 

[auntthelm]

Glad to hear Apollo is on the mend. I'm sure he will do fine in whatever class he attends.

 

[elindave]

It's wonderful news that Apollo is doing much better. Lots of slobbery licks and wiggles coming from Nikita lovicon

Eli
Nikita (Aug 28 07) fawn, floppy, docked