Low-grade IBD

[Ozzie]

I have an update on the Ozster:

His specCPL number has come way down to being in spec. for the pancreatitis; certainly good news there.

On the other hand, we had tried to wean him from thyroxine, and he had been a little slow the last couple of days, so we were not sure if that was related to the prednisone or the lack of the thyroid supplement. As it looks now, Ozzie is going to have to start some soloxine for his thyroid problem.

Still, he seems better; he's drinking more water and peeing more from the prednisone, but in general, I think he's feeling better. I started him on thyroxine again last night (only because I happened to have a few more pills left and the soloxine is in the mail) so hopefully, once the medicine gets back into his system, he'll be gaining back a little more energy.

I'm unclear as to exactly what this means for his long-term future; the holistic veterinarian will, I hope, help us get to the root of the problem soon, but for now, I'm gratified to know that, at least, the pancreatitis/IBD seems to have settled down a bit.

I apologize for not having posted these results sooner; thanks again to you folks for your suggestions/help/support as it has been a huge help to us!

Bob.

[Thira's Mom]

Bob,

Thanks for the update. Sounds like you are doing everything right. I think it is a great idea that you are seeing a holistic (homeopathic?) vet. Please continue to update us.

Joanne

[Ozzie]

Hey guys:

I've got another question for you:

Yesterday, we fed Ozzie dry food in the morning and raw for dinner. About two hours after feeding the raw food (it was Primal Pet Food's Beef mix) he had some diarrhea.

Could the raw food have caused diarrhea only two hours after feeding it, or could this have been from the dry food fed earlier in the day?

He's never, by the way, been bothered by raw food in the past; I was a very surprised this happened and am still wondering why....

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Bob.

[gmacleod]

Actually, I'd guess that it's more likely a reaction to the kibble. That stuff isn't exactly easy on the digestive system, especially if not "acclimatised" to it.

The way to figure it out for sure is to stop the dry food for a few days, and after everything settles down, try it again. If you get the same sort of reaction, you know for certain.

[Ozzie]

Thanks for that response. I was hoping that it may have been the kibble; I'm making a concerted effort to stick with the raw stuff, and it just seemed like two hours would not have been enough time to get that sort of reaction.....especially considering he's never had a problem with anything raw in the past.

We'll hold off on the kibble and sit back and wait. Overall, Ozzie is doing better, I think, although I'm still a little concerned that he's lost weight and doesn't seem to be gaining it back. He's still taking prednisone, and the holistic veterinarian added a different thyroid supplement and put him back on soloxine.

I need to get him stabilized; I need to get myself stablilized, too...

Thank you again for that prompt response!

Bob.

[Ozzie]

Hey guys:

More news on Ozzie, and more questions from the person he owns...

We had another visit w/the holistic veterinarian yesterday. Ozzie had a little diarrhea the other day, and still, in general, is just not acting like a 5-yr. old Boxer dog, which continues to eat away at my psyche, as well as my insides.

Blood test results from yesterday indicate an elevated speCPL test that tests for pancreatitis (the number was 389). The test also indicated some "steroid-induced" signs with Ozzie's liver; some numbers, evidently were not quite as would have been expected from steroid use. (He's been on 15 mg/2X per day for about 8 days now, with the only noticeable difference to me being that he can--seemingly--relax a little easier (in terms of being able to lie down on his side more) than before the prednisone. That is the only, and I mean the only, positive change I've noticed with the prednisone. So, on that note, we're going to wean him from the pred. (I'm quite glad for that).

I've still reservations about what we're doing with his thyroid problem. He had been on thyroxine for about a year (since 3/06) without any energy problems. It seems that since we've had him on the soloxine--at about .3 mg/day, which I understand to be "underdosing," in that we're trying to "jump-start" the thyroid instead of hitting it with "too much" thyroxine--he seems to be doing not as well as when he was on the thyroxine.

I understand the concept; I'm just not sure what's going on. Ozzie is losing weight; he's down to 57.5 lbs. as of yesterday and that is making me wonder whether this weightloss is related to a) the pancreas problem, b) the thyroid problem, c) both, d) something else, or e) any combination listed herein.

The intestinal inflammation (low-grade IBD indicating lymphocytic and plasmacytic infiltration) that was evidenced on his endoscopy of about 1 mo. ago, I'm being told, may take a while to go away. In the meantime, watching him lose weight is, obviously excruciatingly frustrating.

I have to wonder if changing him from thyroxine to soloxine is making this change of the decreased energy and/or weightloss, or if it is related to the "low-grade" IBD and/or borderline-pancreatitis. It's really getting somewhat complicated, even to the holistic vet. (She does not believe in the thyroxine, and only wants to do the "jump-start via the soloxine that I mentioned above). Earlier this week, while I was waiting for the soloxine to arrive in the mail, I had Ozzie on the thyroxine for a couple of days and he seemed to be doing better at the end of that second day, which was this past Wednesday.

Ozzie is eating raw. I'm feeding him venison, on the recommendation of the vet.; still using Nature's Variety and also Primal Pet Foods venison, which I personally think is a little higher-quality raw mix...I just wish Ozzie could tell me that...and I know I'm giving him plenty because of the lesson I learned (among many others) from gmacleod regarding the low feeding amount resident on the Nature's Variety packaging.

I also continue to wonder if raw is the "meal ticket;" I know it's the best way (or one of the best ways) to go but I've also read books (even holistic-oriented books) that say to restore intestinal health BEFORE feeding raw. Who knows....Ozzie has never had any sort of negative reaction to raw....still, I wonder when I read things like that...

So, once again, I seek support of any kind from you kind folks. Ozzie is just not right, and my struggles to make him right continue. The weightloss drives me nuts, as does his lack of energy.

Please let me know what you guys think. This had gotten, as I mentioned, very complicated, at least to me.

Thanks to all of you who have made suggestions; I very much look forward to hearing from you again.

A very, very, tired and frustrated Bob in Central Ca.

[Jan]

I am so sorry that Ozzie is still not well. Has his thyroid level been tested again? Is it possible that the dose is too high or too low? It is also strange that he is still losing weight. I wonder if something else is going on. Have you considered going to another vet. I realize that you are already going to two, but maybe a third vet might be able to figure out what is going on.

I am sending positve healing vibes to you both.

[Ozzie]

Thank you, Jan, for your response.

I don't believe we did test yesterday for the thyroid level...or, at least it wasn't mentioned to me in a voicemail this morning; I suppose--as I kick myself yet again--that it would have been a good idea. I can only wonder why the ones I'm paying the big bucks to didn't think of that(!)

Yes, it is strange that he's still losing weight. He has been just ravenous for food today; I know a portion of that is due to the prednisone. We did do a recent stool test and it, too, came back negative. Still, he's been hungrier today than I've ever seen him and I'm sure that by this point I've overfed him.

One thing I've been thinking about tonight is I do recall him drinking from the toilet about 1 1/2 months ago, and we have a fountain out in our backyard that he may have slurped some water from....I really have no idea...I am sure about the toilet "cocktail" but have never seen him drinking from the fountain....there has been some stagnant water there...I'm reaching....but I guess that will be my next BW search.

I should have insisted on checking the thyroid again yesterday. Something is really not right here...

Thanks very much for your thoughts and vibes!


Bob.

[Ozzie]

Hey folks:

Ozzie's struggles continue; we saw a specialist yesterday....he's now on a Eukanuba KO Response (kangaroo, I guess) dry food.

His weight has dropped from 65 to 56.5 lbs. I'm quite alarmed by that. He seems to have occasional clear nasal drip from predominantly his L nostril.

All sorts of things are going through my mind; he's also lethargic, but still has a ravenous appetite. Still, he's losing weight.

Here's something I wanted to throw out to you guys....we have a bird feeder in the yard; I'm wondering if Ozzie may have inhaled a fungal spore (like histioplasmosis) and if that may be causing his intestinal inflammation.

I'm really, really struggling with the weightloss. It just doesn't seem to matter whether I feed raw or not; whatever the diet, he's just not gaining weight.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Bob.

[Jan]

I am sorry to hear that Ozzie is still losing weight. What kind of things have they tested him for? What is the kangaroo food supposed to be for?