Bulldog will not eat

Question
QUESTION: my bulldog used 2 be a glutton but was never over weight recently he got sick he doesn't eat any food which was the biggest shock in the world 2 me he would never eat people food though besides sometimes i would cook him up sum lamb beef and rice mostly dry dog food and wet occasionally i recently had him in the hospital with a iv for fluids got him back the next morning he seemed pretty lively and normal brought him 2 the vet that morning his liver values were slightly elevated but he gave the benefit of the doubt that he would recover and perhaps it just was an infection so i got antibiotics clavamox i give him 2 times a day tommorow will be day 3 hes on them he still barley eats lastnight he actually ate a whole chicken breast which i had 2 hand feed him which was weird 2day he ate about a tablespoon of chicken breast a couple hours later i boiled up sum beef into meatballs and 2 hotdogs cut it all up he ate bout 1 hotdog and a good amount of the beef which i still hand fed him but i noticed he drinks aloootttt of water and pees alot at the hospital they checked for diabetes his bloodsugar was normal so that was ruled out i just am freaking out i had him for 6n half years i love him 2 death im prolly bringing him back 2 the vet on Thursday but i just thought i would ask you what are your thoughts on the situation? sorry for it being so long

ANSWER: If I had results of lab testing I could be more helpful. However, things that come to mind with the signs you describe are Addisons Disease, Infection or Cancer. Tests I would suggest be done are CBC, Chem panel including electrolytes, chest and abdominal xrays. Once these results are back I would also consider an ACTH stim test to check for Addisons Disease. This is a very treatable disease where the adrenal glands stop producing corticosteroids.Signs of Addisons disease include weight loss, decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy. Sometimes they drink and urinate more frequently. The treatment is oral or injectable supplementation of the steroids for life. This is a life threatening disease if it remains undiagnosed so the sooner you know the better off he will be.

Dr. G.


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QUESTION: ok im a nervous wreck now his liver is enlarged and pancreas they think there inflamed and i dunno what to do is it possible that he can make a recovery i dont want him to suffer i love him so much they have him on iv fluids electrolytes and antibiotics im going back in the morning i asked if he could recover they said were going to be hopefull and i took that as hes doomed i dont know what to do one of his liver enzymes went down but another went up there still pretty elevated i was thinking of giving him acouple days with there care and if he doesnt show improvement i think im going to have to put him down im only 23 yrs old so my finances arent to great but if i have to go in debt for my boy to be ok i will i just dont want to put the money there if hes not going to recover they still dont know what caused this.... any input i will appreciate very much please be honest thanks dr g

Answer
There are many possible causes of liver disease including toxins, bacterial infections(Leptospirosis being a major one), immune-mediated diseases, etc. His prognosis will depend on the underlying cause. A liver biopsy or aspirate would be immensely helpful in determining the cause of the elevated liver enzymes and ultimately his prognosis. I would not give up on your little guy yet. I don't think there is enough information to make that determination. You mentioned his pancreas. Were his pancreatic enzymes elevated? He may have severe Pancreatitis which is treatable but sometimes requires plasma transfusions, extended hospital stays and pain management. If they suspect Pancreatitis they are hopefully providing adequate pain medication as this is a painful disease. I wish I could help you more but it is impossible to manage a critical care case remotely without having lab work results and the patient in front of you for proper evaluation.
Dr. G.