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hello from oreo

11:59:46

Question
sassy and oreo
sassy and oreo  
QUESTION: thank you for giving me more information than i got from the vets. the first vet missed the liver failure completely. she said she was fine when i kept saying here are all these little signs...do they not fit a composite picture? and she did not once connect the dots!!

so are you volunteering to be her new vet [i can indulge in wishful thinking cant i?] how do i find a good vet? any ideas? because i cannot find one.

if i am not imposing too much, could you explain what ascitis is [i understand some sort of fluid is building up in her abdomen] are you saying the fluid buildup alone is not life threatening [i do understand that unfortunately, it is what is causing the ascitis that is] is it your rx to aspirate? and is it also your contention that she will continue to have the fluid buildup because of the liver failure. if this is not cancer, could all the meds i am giving her pull her out of liver failure? also, what will happen if this is not cancer. how will this progress?

someone told me to give her 3 small meals as to not tax the liver.

you know marie, oreo was literally born on my stomach as were her brother and sister. [long story]her brother currently has prostate cancer. oreo was perfectly healthy until last week. i did everything..i fed them raw organic chicken backs and necks, all sorts of raw veges i made myself, i bought a filtering system just for them, i take them to run free every evening. how did this happen...why did this happen???

i am so sad...she is sitting here looking at me with her big beautiful eyes and i feel like i am letting her down.

ANSWER: Oh, Nice photo of Sassy and Oreo!
Why do things happen to good dogs and good people?  It is part of life we live and we then die.  I know it sounds hard but that is just how it is.  Why did Oreo get liver troubles ? failure?
Could be genetic, environmental, or just the unknown.  Many times there are no answers to why people and pets get cancer or other diseases.

I don't know what to tell you.  Most times, dogs with poor blood values do not live very long.  How long does she have????  I have no idea.  With good care and good foods she may have a year or more.

The ascitis is an inflammation and fluid back up  - here is a good example of the problem:
" Middle of the article" has photos of Ascitis:
http://www.lbah.com/liver.htm#term


Memorial Page - Canine Liver Disease  ( this gal may be someone you would want to talk to... She had been through this)
This site is dedicated to some wonderful souls that have passed on.

http://www.angelfire.com/nh/fivehuskys/cah.html


I am so sorry, no answers here.  Just do your very best and keep your Oreo comfortable.  This problem has been brewing for a long time. Just did not show many signs until recently.

Thinking of you..


Marie Peppers LPN MA

http://www.apluspetcare.com/untitled4.html


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: not that it matters but oreo is the one on the left [when she was born on my tummy, she was pitch black on top and white on bottom...thus her name

i spoke to another western vet, and from what i told him he thinks it is cancer. [of course, he admits, the symptoms, the liver values for hepatitis are the same] so again he says give up!! you said she might live like this for a while in liver failure or with cancer. could you tell me how the disease progresses and what actually causes the end. i am asking so i know what to look for.

are there not some holistic, homeopathic remedies?

if she did not have the ascites and [of course the underlying problem] you would not even know she is sick, she just ate a nice meal and now she is taking a little siesta.

yes, marie, you are right. but it is easier said than actually lived thru. you live and then you die. i sure hate that part.

is there nothing else that can be done to heal her??? does eastern and western med end here? i guess there is always hope and prayer. thank you for thinking of us. oreo said to say thank you to you. [she really did, and yes, i am a little neurotic!!]

Pet Nurse Marie
Pet Nurse Marie  
ANSWER: If Oreo continues with liver failure she will eat less, start to vomit, poop loose or off-white stools 2-3 x per day.  All this can start now or 6 months from now.  It just depends on how the liver is filtering and the valves are functioning.  Again, there is not much you can do except good food, love and some supplements.  Seems like you already have some good supplements and feeding in place.

There are no homeopathic remedies to stop liver failure.

Please just give lots of love. Oreo may still have some good quality of life ahead of her.  YOU just don't know.  Keep her happy and comfortable.  You will know when it is time to put her to sleep.
Only you can determine her " Quality of Life".  Sounds good right now.
Keep up what your are doing....... Keep your fingers crossed and keep on praying , too.

Thinking of you !

Marie Peppers LPN MA
SEEK another Vet's opinion ASAP.... it can't hurt.... Just to make her comfortable-  there is no cure for this.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thanks for some tangible information. i did seek another western vets opinion, and based on what i told him, he is pretty sure it is cancer...

love is in no short order, and except for some panting and the ascites, she is doing very well. one thing, marie, she always had her raw food in water, and never drank much at other times. then when her liver began to falter, i noticed an increase in water consumption. now that i am hand feeding her the sweet potatoes and artichoke hearts and carrots and yogurt, she does not seem like she is drinking any water. does that indicate anything to you? also, the milk thistle...are there different strengths...i bought a supplement that has cellulose, magnesium stearate ans silicon dioxide it says it is milk thistle seed 30:1 and 80% flavonoids. does this mean anything to you? lso, i have been giving her 300 mg twice a day. is that the correct amount...can you give too much supplements???

i hope i am not bothering you. i just so desperately need some guidance, and all the western vets say she is going to die and i should put her down now, but i cannot get too much more information. the more information i have the less panicky i feel. so whatever you can do to educate more will help me from going totally bonkers. i do hope i am not imposing. thank you marie for caring.

Answer
If you can give me the brand, I will look it up for you.  I only refer to Nature's Sunshine or NuVET Plus because I know the quality and freshness.
As for the drinking. Sounds like she is getting fluids in the foods you are feeding.  Also, in the raw, she did get some fluids in the foods.

sorry, I am not very UP on Raw feeding.
I have many clients that do feed Raw, just not me.