ClantyreSheltie
Forums Sage
Probably not, chicken feet are mostly bone.
Bacca's test results....Calling vets!!!! And Food recommendations
- Thread starter BarbV
- Start date
Probably not, chicken feet are mostly bone.
OntarioSheltie
Forums Celebrity
I saw really positive results when I put Sadie on a vet food after I resisted for months. My only regret is not doing it sooner. It completely cleared up whatever problem she was having and I was eventually able to put her on regular, good quality food again.
I know Bacca doesn't have the same problem that Sadie did, but it can't hurt to try him on it and see how he does, especially since it was recommended by your vet.
Sadie also though the vet food was wonderful.
I know Bacca doesn't have the same problem that Sadie did, but it can't hurt to try him on it and see how he does, especially since it was recommended by your vet.
Sadie also though the vet food was wonderful.
HI Barb: Phoebe, our westie, is going through serious liver problems. For example her ALT was unmeasureable even when they did a 10:1 dilution and again after 36 hours on fluid therapy. Her ALKP was 689. The SBA was really bad both pre and post eating. When the final bloodwork came in the vet suggested what to look for to know when to bring her in for euthanasia and he figured it would be within the week as her test results show total liver failure. I thought, what the heck. I'm going to give her Liver Tone by Omega Alpha, after all what can it hurt? Fingers crossed she seems to be much better. Her appetite is back to normal, her stools are too. Her energy is back to where it was and she is no longer smelling like death. Friday we will repeat the liver tests to see if there has been some appreciable change. I'll be sure to post the results. If there is then I'm sure that the liver tone will have made the difference.
As for food, I think I would give my girl the veterinary diet to see if it does make a difference. Again, my thought is what can it hurt and maybe it will help. Just make sure that it isn't an old bag. Vet staff are notorious for not rotating the food. It would be the pits for you if the vet diet is the answer to Bacca since you have a store and access to all kinds of food. That's something that would happen to me- I'm lucky?? that way.
Joanne
As for food, I think I would give my girl the veterinary diet to see if it does make a difference. Again, my thought is what can it hurt and maybe it will help. Just make sure that it isn't an old bag. Vet staff are notorious for not rotating the food. It would be the pits for you if the vet diet is the answer to Bacca since you have a store and access to all kinds of food. That's something that would happen to me- I'm lucky?? that way.
Joanne
OntarioSheltie
Forums Celebrity
Good luck with Pheobe! That Omega Alpha sure has some good products!
I came across a week or so ago..or atleast I think it was that long ago something from a breeder/rescue that they are noticing that shelties are testing higher in liver levels than other breeds, and its just with shelties and after spending oodles of cash with no answer they are beginning to think that some shelties tend to have a higher "normal" level causing a red flag to vets when in fact its a normal....Now I have to see if I can find this info again!!!
Justicemom
Forums Celebrity
Interesting. I have never noticed that and I have run tons of blood panels on shelties.
SheltieChe
Forums Sage
I do not know about shelties being so special for liver problems but lets remember that many people give heartworm meds and flea meds which are essentially poison that has to be processed by liver and kidneys. Add to it yearly vaccinations for "everything"- it is surprising that dogs do as well as they do.
Not trying to start a riot but there is always that dark side of moon to shiny one
Not trying to start a riot but there is always that dark side of moon to shiny one
BarbV
Forums Celebrity
Vaccines and over medicating on flea-tick is not my situation at all. Bacca has not had either for over 2.5 years. The vet and I at least, agree on that.
Bacca is due to go onto a product called Zentiol. I've not researched it yet, but this is the next stage of his liver treatment. Up to now we were monitoring diet and had him on milk-thistle (Hepato-Support)
She was supposed to follow up with a more detailed plan by email which apparently she sent yesterday but never arrived, so I'm still waiting for her resend.
@Tagg....not sure if the Liver Tone is the same as the Hepato Support I've been giving Bacca i.e. milk thistle. I expect so.
Frankly I'm still on the fence as to the seriousness of his blood counts. The vet put me on serious alert, but looking back at his previous counts, they aren't a whole lot worse.
I plan to to a spreadsheet so I can map his ups and downs. Maybe we I get this done, it will help others as well.
Bacca is due to go onto a product called Zentiol. I've not researched it yet, but this is the next stage of his liver treatment. Up to now we were monitoring diet and had him on milk-thistle (Hepato-Support)
She was supposed to follow up with a more detailed plan by email which apparently she sent yesterday but never arrived, so I'm still waiting for her resend.
@Tagg....not sure if the Liver Tone is the same as the Hepato Support I've been giving Bacca i.e. milk thistle. I expect so.
Frankly I'm still on the fence as to the seriousness of his blood counts. The vet put me on serious alert, but looking back at his previous counts, they aren't a whole lot worse.
I plan to to a spreadsheet so I can map his ups and downs. Maybe we I get this done, it will help others as well.
In the states we use Denosyl and Denamarin for some liver issues...don't know if you have that in Canada. I think a home cooked diet might not be as hard as you think. Eggs,low sodium cottage cheese and yogurt, some steamed veggies for fiber. I think turkey organ meats are ok and rice and potatoes. You could cook that in a crockpot...just sayin.
Sorry in my sleep deprived state I somewhat mis-read about the liver values although there was something else about elevated liver values I just cant seem to find it and my eyes are screaming, however it all links back even though she is talking about mucocele it has to do with throwing liver values off and cholesterol.....this is what was posted by a long time breeder and Bacca relates back to her stuff..I still go back to Bacca's issues being gallbladder related more than liver but thats just my gut feeling, so dont pay attention to it
"Unfortunately, I am somewhat of an expert on this. I lost a loving 10 year old to a ruptured gallbladder. Once it ruptures, it is nearly impossible to save them. After that happened, I began screening each of my dogs for the mucocele gallbladder by ultrasound. I found two more old ones that had developing mucocele gallbladder disease. One was too advanced to consider medication and the gallbladder was surgically removed. The surgery went well and she is now 12 1/2. I found at least in her case, that she did better eating a grain free diet after removal of the gallbladder. We tried medications for the other one which included denamarin, antibiotics, etc. It continued to develop so that girl had her gallbladder removed successfully as well. The others who were screened were OK but I will repeat the routine screening on the normal gallbladders every two years. It can occur in any pedigree and at any age but usually happens in middle age to older dogs. I have heard of dogs as young as 4 months having the condition and many 3-4 year olds as well. The ALT on a blood chemistry panel will only be elevated in about 50% of the dogs who have or are developing the mucocele gallbladder. The condition was either not heard of 15 years ago or grossly underdiagnosed. I am a show breeder and I notified all of the people who have purchased a pet from me in the past 15 years about the condition and suggested that they must have a screening gallbladder ultrasound even if the dog seems normal. Two pets lives were saved by this when the owners heeded my warning and a mucocele gallbladder was discovered on a routine screening ultrasound. Both dogs needed surgery and are fine now. There may be a correlation with high cholesterol and low thyroid but those are not reliable for diagnosing the condition. The ONLY way to know is to have an ultrasound done on the gallbladder. The surgery has a rather high mortality rate but I think that is because the surgery is usually performed on dogs who are clinically ill or whose gallbladders have already ruptured. The surgeries I know of that were performed on dogs who were diagnosed through a screening gallbladder ultrasound and not clinically ill were successful. The only way to save our shelties from a ruptured gallbladder and death is to monitor the gallbladder by routine ultrasounds. When the gallbladder ruptures, it is a horrible painful death which occurs quickly. My 10 year old missed one meal which was his only symptom and we acted immediately as that was so unlike him. We still lost him within 24 hours as the gall bladder had already ruptured and peritonitis had set in. We can save them only by doing routine gallbladder ultrasounds. Please do this for your shelties."
"Unfortunately, I am somewhat of an expert on this. I lost a loving 10 year old to a ruptured gallbladder. Once it ruptures, it is nearly impossible to save them. After that happened, I began screening each of my dogs for the mucocele gallbladder by ultrasound. I found two more old ones that had developing mucocele gallbladder disease. One was too advanced to consider medication and the gallbladder was surgically removed. The surgery went well and she is now 12 1/2. I found at least in her case, that she did better eating a grain free diet after removal of the gallbladder. We tried medications for the other one which included denamarin, antibiotics, etc. It continued to develop so that girl had her gallbladder removed successfully as well. The others who were screened were OK but I will repeat the routine screening on the normal gallbladders every two years. It can occur in any pedigree and at any age but usually happens in middle age to older dogs. I have heard of dogs as young as 4 months having the condition and many 3-4 year olds as well. The ALT on a blood chemistry panel will only be elevated in about 50% of the dogs who have or are developing the mucocele gallbladder. The condition was either not heard of 15 years ago or grossly underdiagnosed. I am a show breeder and I notified all of the people who have purchased a pet from me in the past 15 years about the condition and suggested that they must have a screening gallbladder ultrasound even if the dog seems normal. Two pets lives were saved by this when the owners heeded my warning and a mucocele gallbladder was discovered on a routine screening ultrasound. Both dogs needed surgery and are fine now. There may be a correlation with high cholesterol and low thyroid but those are not reliable for diagnosing the condition. The ONLY way to know is to have an ultrasound done on the gallbladder. The surgery has a rather high mortality rate but I think that is because the surgery is usually performed on dogs who are clinically ill or whose gallbladders have already ruptured. The surgeries I know of that were performed on dogs who were diagnosed through a screening gallbladder ultrasound and not clinically ill were successful. The only way to save our shelties from a ruptured gallbladder and death is to monitor the gallbladder by routine ultrasounds. When the gallbladder ruptures, it is a horrible painful death which occurs quickly. My 10 year old missed one meal which was his only symptom and we acted immediately as that was so unlike him. We still lost him within 24 hours as the gall bladder had already ruptured and peritonitis had set in. We can save them only by doing routine gallbladder ultrasounds. Please do this for your shelties."