Lots of positive dogsey (((vibes))) coming from me and Lily for dear Pereg. I am hoping its just a kidney infection that can be cleared up with antibiotics.
I will be watching this space for updates from you after your vet visit (although not sure what the time difference is).
Sending you lots of hugs to Malka as I know you will be very worried.

Thanks everyone. Now of course I am wondering if this current bout of seizures, plus the extra Pb, has caused problems with her kidneys - or maybe it was renal problems that started the seizures again.

Anything is possible. SIGH

Thinking of both of you this morning Malka. x

Oh Malka, I am so terribly sorry she has not improved and in fact is getting worse. I do hope Ram can get to the bottom of her trouble and get her on the road to recovery. Sending lots of love and prayers for you both and lots of healing vibes. God bless you both. Moyra xx

If you could know what started them Malka you would be able to prevent them. It seems it is totally unpredictable.

I've been reading that pb treatment can cause renal problems and dogs that are affected in that way by it don't necessarily have to have been on it for a long time, but I expect you already know that.

Wouldn't her regular checkups have shown up any sign of this sort of thing developing?

Obviously your vet is the best person to assess her but obviously also it's natural for you to wonder and worry in the meantime. No one can work the miracle of 'curing' the epilepsy but just fingers crossed that your vet might be able to suggest something to alleviate these recent horrible problems.

How long now before she sees your vet?

Where is the update? I think Malka must be typing it

Glad it's not just me that can't find it. I checked all posts but see nothing more recent. You must be right.

I am assuming it will be on this thread.

I think Malka said on the daily thread she will be updating this one.

Apologies in advance for the length of this but as so many people have sent vibes and good wishes, I thought it right to get everyone up to date.

Good news and not so good news. It is not her kidneys and she is not in renal failure, even though both her front legs and her belly are swollen with oedema. PHEW. Also she has not got an infection as her temperature was normal as were all the basic blood haematology levels - the white cell count would have been high had there been any infection.

Her liver function levels were high but Ram said that was probably from the seizure on Friday and they should level out over the next few days. Pb is known to cause liver damage in some dogs but even though she has a high dose for her weight her liver function levels are usually perfect, as they were two months ago. Kidney damage from Pb is known but fairly rare, and her BUN and creatine levels are absolutely perfect, and that was what was worrying me.

BUT - her pancreatic amylase level was waaaay off the scale, which would explain the non-stop thirst and peeing, and the oedema in her front legs and belly are because she has not yet pee'd out all the extra water. He said that had I waited any longer and she had gotten more ill, vomiting and diarrhoea all the time [she has only vomited once and her stools have been normal], it could have been very serious, but even so he would have liked to hospitalise her for a few days and keep her on an IV and not even water orally, which is a no-no as far as I am concerned. And he agreed.

The problem is that they do not have anyone there overnight, and what if she had a seizure? She is not used to being in a cage either as I have never crated her, not forgetting the fact that she has to have Pb at 11pm and 7am when there would not be anyone there. The nearest veterinary hospital which is staffed 24/7 is near Tel Aviv - nothing nearer, and Ram agreed that being in a cage in a strange place without me would probably raise her stress levels through the roof, resulting in more and more seizures.

So, it is a case of watching her. Giving her food when she asks for it [he is still very much against bones but accepts that I choose to give her chicken carcasses etc and agrees that she does very well on a raw diet] but said to switch at least one meal a day to [ugh] Hills Prescription diet for GI Health, mixed with her vitamins and supplements and vegetables as usual. I had said that she had not only stopped eating but also would not take her pills as she usually does, but as she looked a bit brighter he got out the little tin of dog food he usually uses when giving a dog a worm pill, and offered it to her.

Yum yum, yes please - quite happy to eat.

He gave her an anti-biotic shot, plus I have to give her a/b pills twice a day for another 6 days - just as a precaution. And unless she gets worse before, to take her back for another blood test next Sunday.

It was just about time for her 3pm Pb by the time we got home and she happily took it as usual, squidged in a bit of Dairylea type cheese triangle. Then asked for food! So I gave her 1/3rd of a tin of the Hills, mixed it with the "soup" of all her supplements and vitamins that are mixed in hot water, bulked it out as usual with her steamed vegetables, and she ate it all with a wagging tail!

I thought the Hills Prescription tins would cost a fortune but they are only a couple of shekels more than I pay for the top quality tinned food I give her occasionally - just as I occasionally give her a holistic kibble, in case she has to be kennel led in an emergency - I buy both the tinned and kibble from the Pension so at least I know that she will be fed something she knows.

So it is wait and see now, and hopefully I will not have to take her back again until next Sunday.

Sounds promising Malka


More Cuggles for Pereg & cyber{{{{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}} to you