Weak! No food/water...Help!

[divazoe]

Please give me some advice. My baby may die soon if I don't find some answers (according to the vet).
I have a 10.5 year old boxer who is not eating or drinking on her own and hasn't done so for almost two weeks. She started out at 67lbs. and now weighs only 52! It's just a vicious cycle. She gets electrolyte water from a sports bottle, then vomits it up within a few minutes/hours. The vet said that her white blood count is low. Initially, she had very loose diarrhea that shot out like a faucet (but never mucousy or bloody as with colitis), but since she hasn't been eating anything over the last week, she hasn't even had that. She was taken to the vet two days ago and re-hydrated, and basically the doctors are stumped. They thought it might be cancer of the GI tract (although her bloodwork seems fine and her lymph nodes are not swollen), but she's too weak to have a biopsy performed. Then they said that it might just be a bad GI infection and they ended up prescribing Prednisone in a high dosage (50 mg. once a day) in the hopes that it would kill two birds with one stone (slow the cancer if it is present and stimulate appetite). So far, she's not even interested in water, let alone food. How long does it take for Pred to work? She even got a shot of it at the vet before we left.
Personally, I don't want to think it's cancer and I indicated this to the doctors. She has a history of loose stools and stomach problems (e.g., if she doesn't eat on time, she gets horrible stomach pains and then won't eat until she's feeling better---somehow) and she has a mild form of cardiomyopathy which is managed very well with the heart meds Mexilitine and Sota. This scenario is another Catch-22 because she's supposed to take the Mex with food, but since she's not eating now, I'm sure it's irritating her stomach (although I wrap her pill in bread and place it at the back of her throat so she's sure to swallow & have a little bit of coating). The same goes for the Pred. I know it irritated her stomach, and she's so smart, I think that lately she just associates eating and drinking with being sick, so why bother? I got desperate and used a turkey baster to give her a little baby food. She keeps that down sometimes. I also give her a little B vitamins in liquid form.
The vet says that if the Pred doesn't help within the next 3-4 days, that we should think about putting her down because otherwise she will just wither away, but I can't think of doing this. There must be some alternative. She seems very weak, but I think this can be helped. The doctors have been wrong before in diagnosing her with cancer. I just think that they don't know what else to say in this case. She's had a barium series, ultrasound, x-rays, blood tests....over the past two weeks, I've been set back over $1500.
How can I get her to eat or drink on her own? This is all I want to do right now so that I can have something to work with later on and find other solutions when she has more strength. Anyone know of any good holistic vets in the NY/NJ area?
Thanks for your advice.
Tsnya

 

[Krikkit]

I'm so very sorry - what an ordeal you and your baby are going through :( Have they checked for pancreatitis.. Giardia check may also be worthwhile... It does sound as if these may have already been done??

One of my Boxers, Tess, had pancreatitis - it came on suddenly when she was 14 and she refused to eat.. We were able to get her to lick nutrical, but to start with I had to put it in a syringe (without the needle) and push it into the back of her mouth - nutrical is a very high calorie paste in a tube.

Am sending all good thoughts and positive vibes your way and I know my Boxers are sending the power of Boxer love and healing to your girl. I really, really wish I could help :(

The The American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association has a practitioner search on the website (scroll down the main frame):
http://ahvma.org/referral/index.html

Sharon

 

[buddy'smom]

I am so sorry that you are going through this right now. Krikkit has given you some wonderful tips to follow up on.

If she is able to keep down what you give her with the turkey baster, have you thought of trying something like Ensure or Boost? (The meal substitute drinks for humans) I wouldn't give her a lot at one time, but periodic trials of it may help. Or, try some very thinned, almost liquid like pablum (baby cereals) At least with either of these she would be getting some substance. I used the rice pablum (baby cereal) when my male wouldn't eat, and he tolerated it very well in small quantities at each feeding, mixed very thin with water. If the turkey baster is too large, then try one of those syringe type liquid med dispensers you can purchase at the drug stores (they don't have a needle on them ). They are used mainly for very young children to administer liquid meds, and if you are able to get it far enough into the mouth the thined pablum or the meal substitue drink would basically slip down the throat. Don't give too much at once though, as you wouldn't want him to aspirate. In other words, don't fill up your baster or whatever and give one huge amount per mouthful. I know all about the desparate measure of getting ones furbaby to get nourishment, and this worked for us very effectivly.
Good luck and keep us posted.

Jean

 

[boxers4life2001]

I am sorry your baby is so sick. When my dog Candy had cancer, she would refuse to eat so I ended up having to syringe feed (force fed) her so she could maintain some weight. I fed her A/D which you can get from your vet's office. It is high in calories (for sick animals) and it's consistancy allows it to be sucked up into a syringe so you syringe fed your baby that way. I also used the nutrical Sharon spoke of. It comes in a tube (I always put that in a syringe also) and your vet should also have that at there hospital. Have you considered seeing an internal specialist to see what they might think is going on? They maybe able to figure somthing out.

I hope your baby feels better soon. I will keep her in my thoughts and prayers!!!!

~Carrie~

 

[Elyse]

I wish I had some suggestions but I am pretty new at this.
Just want to let you know you are in our prayers.

Elyse & Nestle

 

[Jaelle]

I would really go with homeopathy. I wasn't sure if I believed in it before it save my sister's cat. He had probably an empoisonnement, and was vomiting everything, including pill, syrop or even a wet cloth on his jaws. The poor 6 months old baby was losing weight and energy so fast! We went to the emergency vet, but he gave us some pills that we were not able to give him...

Then, I called an homeopathic vet that I know, she told me what to give him, and an hour later, he was a lot better, because homeopathic just have to be in contact with the mucous membrane to be effective.

Good luck!

 

[Tricia77]

So sorry for you and your baby. Havent been through this with the dogs - but went through many many vets who wanted to give up on my horse - but we kept trying - dont worry about hard feelings! Found a lady (out of state - but still worth it) who saved my boy.
Cant offer too much advice - but get help holistic or standard medical before she becmes too weak to help herself.

Prayers to you both.
Tricia and crew

 

[Holden's Mom]

I've not had this problem with dogs, but sure have with cats. Like Carrie, I force fed Hills SD A/D with a feeding syringe I bought from the vet's clinic. I used this with poor Lewis on many occasions and found it to be quite successful. Once they get a bit of food, it sort of "primes the pump" and they become interested in eating. AD is for both dogs and cats and is a rich liver pate. Smells like liver and Holden would come begging for it when I gave it to Lewis.

Hope your baby is feeling better and someone can finds what is causing the problem.

Pam and Pete

 

[divazoe]

Thanks for the advice and prayers guys.
Sadly, Diva is rapidly declining. Last night she threw up everything put into her. We were up all night (I'm sure some of you can relate, at work, with bags under the eyes), because she obviously couldn't sleep herself. Her breathing was noisy because her nose is so dry (tried putting some Vaseline/vit. E on it to keep in what little moisture she has). Gave her a bit of electrolyte water whenever she'd take it.
Called the vet again to get some alternatives. He's shocked that 50mg. of Pred isn't making her want to eat, but it's obvious that her stomach is torn up. I'm tired (and afraid) of hearing about putting her out of her misery. I just DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT! I feel she can get better if we can isolate the stomach irritation and work from there. The doctor called in another prescription for something to coat her stomach, but we're also simultaneously trying to get ahold of another opinion. I've found a couple of holistic vets in my area and have some calls in (thanks krikkit for the links!), so we'll see what happens.
I just want to give her a fair chance, that's all. If she were human with the same problem, would everyone be so eager to just "put her down?" I doubt it.
Thanks again.
Tanya

 

[boxers4life2001]

The thing that concerns me is if she is vomiting everything up then chances are she is not even getting any of her medications. Maybe thats the reason why the pred does not seem to be working. Hopefully the medication to coat her tummy will stay down long enough to work. I would diffently try a holistic doctor esp since it seems like your vet is giving up on her. Diva still remains in my thoughts and prayers, also you and your family are too. ((HUGS))

~Carrie~