Ultrasound on Tuesday...

[Marty]

He said he is giving her fluids, antibiotics and vitamins, all intravenously. I'll have to ask him later about any other diagnostics. Thanks for all your help! It sure is nice to have back-up help!

[Traci]

I'm sure your vet is doing everything possible, I'm just concerned too.

[k9Karen]

With her history and inconclusive ultrasound results, the pancreatits may be a symptom of something else, like Traci has explained. However, there is that nasty virus that's been around for a few years now (don't know what it is, but 2 of my 3 got it in 2003, along with several dogs of co-workers) that has an inflamed pancreas as a symtom, and that could also be a possibility.

Icteric serum = yellow-colored. Jaundice is the medical term used when the skin and eyes appear yellow due to high bilirubin in the circulating blood. When that same bilirubin is seen in serum or plasma, the blood is termed 'icteric'. It's the same thing with different names and sites.

Sending good wishes for your dear Winnie. Hope she is better soon!

[Traci]

Marty, do you have an update?

[Marty]

Yes, her color looks a little better today, but she is still not ready to come home...probably Monday. He redid the bloodwork, and the RBC still remains the same, but because of all the fluids, in actuality, it is probably better.

Are you familiar with nitrofurantoin? He said it shouldn't cause pancreatitis, but I did see it listed as a possible culprit on a couple sites. And it could cause a drop in RBC. It's a catch-22 situation that I will discuss with him.

[Traci]

Were you comparing the nitrofurantoin with a human or veterinary resource?

To my knowledge, when prescribed at recommended doses, the most common side effects would be nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. It is rapidly excreted through the urine. It shouldn't be prescribed for pets with renal disease or a predisposition to renal disease though. In unusually high doses, the risk of adverse side effects increases of course. If your vet felt in the least that it was responsible in any form, he'd discontinue it immediately. He could do a urinalysis to check her pH but I'm not sure it would be helpful in the immediate sense (you would have at some point during the administration or end of the prescribed course).

[Marty]

I was trying to get veterinary resources, but may have gotten a mixture. I'm sure he knows best and has better resources...just trying to keep my brain occupied.

The next UA was supposed to be a week after the antibiotics were finished. We'll see what he comes up with on Monday.

[Traci]

Hope you can keep us updated. Is he allowing you to visit her often?

[Marty]

Oh, I'll keep you updated. I actually haven't seen her since I brought her in yesterday. They closed at 12 today, and of course are closed tomorrow. I did ask if someone would be checking on her, and he said he would be in and out all weekend to give her the treatments. Poor guy...I'm messing his Father's Day (I'm sure she is not the only one needing to be checked on). Well, better that this happened when it did, rather than go to an on-call clinic on an emergerncy basis.

We don't have an emergecy clinic, so the Vets in town take turns at being on-call. Had to do that when Biscotti's disc ruptured, but that turned out well for her.

[Marty]

Yay, Winnie came home this morning and is looking good! She pulled me outta there as if she were a sled dog! RBC had gone up to 38 from 32. We'll repeat the test in a week. Whew!