OK, 5 completely rules out the Juvenile Renal Disease that for some reason came into my head.

So I guess what I would do is check on the phone that the kidneys were indeed palpated, and then I would just start logging water intake and numbers of time a day to pee. I would just do that for a couple of days since now you have only weird experiences where the dog was being very hydrated, etc.

And yes, I agree: I'd ask about having a cultre done too.

i have to call tomorrow, when the vet that examined her at the VEC should be back in. they did give me her xrays though.

i don't think she's drank today, actually. it'd probably be easier to tell if i hadn't thrown her kong into her water bowl by accident.

well, she had weird peeing before (IMO) but complete opposite - only going every 12 hours, every 19 hours - really LONG periods. great idea to track it though, i always try to remember everything in my head, which never works as well.

okay - the visit:

we had the same vet as last time, who acted so scared of teagan (small gasp step back) and she was fine this time - great actually - perhaps she was having a bad day before.

the vet at the VEC (emerg) didn't really have any thoughts to why teagan was holding her pee for so long before this weekend. our vet did. YAY!!!! (she doesn't think urethral tone)

they faxed over the visit record but not the results of the urinanalysis - i thought they'd sent both - so she's going to obtain that.

her thought is that they were probably looking for big obvious infections at the VEC - she wants to see it to see if there's more subtle signs (i.e. white blood cells w/in normal, but without accompanying red blood cells, to her will indicate something is going on). since teagan's symptoms are so strongly bladder infection, she really thinks that's what's going on.

we did another urinanalysis (and will do a culture if she feels it is warranted based on the results) and pulled blood - checking the kidneys etc....in part, not only b/c of the dilute urine, but b/c....

when she looked at the xrays - teagan had a slightly enlarged spleen, nothing to worry about, but FYI.

she also - and this is the biggy - saw signs of dysplasia. they weren't hip xrays, but she saw several things she showed me that were indicative, she also saw a possible chip on her left hip but couldn't tell for certain.



her thought is teagan was going so infrequently before (which could cause a bladder infection b/c of holding it too long) b/c she may find squatting painful. it's true she's not as good of a pooper as luc is either. but that her hips would hurt to squat.

here i thought teagan didn't like running b/c she's overweight....i assumed she was more likely to try to sit down than luc b/c of that - i guess that's a bad bias on my part. perhaps it's because she's uncomfortable.

our vet said 'i don't treat xrays' (she treats symptoms) but advised to start on glucosamine supplements (they already get fish oil for omegas). she said if teagan enjoys it, to keep running w/her. i know strong muscles will be good for the joints, but i think i'll just do long walks w/her. i haven't run her for a week actually (i haven't been feeling well). walks and hiking i think will be good.

she's also lost 4lbs in the 6 weeks i've had her - but i may try to up her weight loss to 1lb/week since i think it's that much more important to get the extra weight off if she's dysplasic.

and i'm going to have to do a whole lot of research! i know very little about hip dysplasia (heck, i'm not even sure if i know how to spell it )

edit: geez, i meant to write this - so part of why we're checking the kidneys is we may try teagan on metacam to see if that helps w/the possible pain associated w/going to the washroom.

Did she say dysplasia or did she say dysplasia with arthritic changes?

The spleen can be enlarged a little because of bladder (or any) infection, she might have mentioned.

If you do have to start NSAIDs, you will want baseline liver values as well as the kidney test..... and all the info about how to watch for GI problems.

I'm glad you're getting some info. I think you're on the right track when you mention weight control and glucosamine. JMO.

she said dysplasia - said there was no evidence of arthritis yet. which i think is good, i would imagine things will be a lot worse when arthritis enters the mix. i don't really know how the two combine, i think i have what she said right, but i'm going to do a lot of reading tonight and get together some more intelligent questions to ask her when we talk tomorrow.

yup, she said that was why she thought the spleen was enlarged, and wasn't worried about it as a result.

we're actually doing the 'geriatric' blood test, so we'll have baselines on all the major organ function.

good point about metacam (NSAIDs) potentially causing GI problems - my now deceased disabled rabbit was on metacam for long-term, and was okay, but he had a very low maintenance dose (and i think it had other side effects). i actually took george (the rabbit) for chiropractic and acupuncture (eventually did energy work, which i was dubious of and shocked to see help him - sort of reiki/t touch thing - with that and then some physio me and the energy lady devised he started to be able to stand again, and with help, could do a hop). i'm wondering if any of those are good for dysplasia - i'll research that. the vet office has an acupuncturist on staff.

part of me is relieved - a logical reason for all this urinary weirdness - and the other part of me is sad, i don't want her to have dysplasia, but i'm also not clear how much it will limit her, if at all for the present (though like i said - think will stop the running - i guess i could do trail runs w/her but she won't be conditioned if she's not running regularly in the city, so sticking to walks and hikes on trail is probably best. i wonder if she can carry a backpack or if the weight will be bad).

she has lost weight - but yeah, this makes it all the more imperative she lose the rest she needs to. i can pick up some joint supplement/glucosamine on the way home tomorrow.

edit: i was planning on moving in the next year anyways, while i love it here my landlady will eventually be selling the house and i don't want to rush look for a new apartment w/4 cats, 2 rabbits, 2 guinea pigs, and 2 GSDs. yikes! we're on the second floor here, with stairs, so it'll probably be a good idea to go to a place where we don't have stairs to climb - she's fine now, but looking to the long term.

oh, and on my run w/luc tonight - i was remembering that i'd been thinking of taking him to a dog pool this winter to try to get him comfortable around water.

i think taking teagan would be perfect, and good exercise for her.

the vet said i shouldn't worry about luc if he's physically fine - heck, he's usually better than me at the end of a run (i generally don't feel like jumping in circles, but mind you the urge to do that rarely strikes me).

so - they got the results of the test back - no infection - zero signs - nothing.

....which is confusing. teagan's bloodwork was fine, kidney w/in normal range.

the head of the practice at the vet clinic looked at teagan's xrays as well, agreed there seems to be issues w/the hips but also that the xrays aren't perfect for this.

so - we're trying to eliminate the easy stuff first, wondering if all of this isn't to do w/her hips and discomfort.

the vet suggested i stop feeding teagan bones, just in case the bits are making her uncomfortable. so i bought some bone meal last night to supplement her with. i also bought some joint supplement.

i am going to try teagan on one regular-strength aspirin for 3 days and see if i notice any change.

in addition, teagan and i are going to fit dogs tomorrow evening, it is a pool for dogs. so she'll get in some good low-impact exercise.

basically, just trying to manage her now and like i said, eliminate the more simple causes.

 Quote: Jennifer Mullen

the vet suggested i stop feeding teagan bones, just in case the bits are making her uncomfortable. so i bought some bone meal last night to supplement her with.

No-bone can trigger diarrhea; I guess I'm not sure on this rationale. Did the vet mean that pieces of bone hurt coming out? Because by now, I would SO doubt that her bone intake isn't being fully digested.....

What form/company of bone meal?

Did the vet say to use aspirin (an NSAID to which dogs react with far more side effects than humans do)? Do you have coated?

Yes, she could see bits of bones on the xray, so her thought is that they might be uncomfortable on exit/making their way on down. I sort of doubt it, but am OK not giving her any for a little bit and supplementing instead.

to be honest, i don't remember the form/company of the bone meal. i'll post it when i get home.

she said to use aspirin, but to be careful b/c of the side effects, only use it for a few days. ....that was probably a dumb i didn't ask her why use it all then. i think her thought is that we can tell if pain management is an issue without me stocking up on something i may not use if that's not the issue, like metacam, instead using something that i (theoretically, i don't take pain meds) could use if it doesn't help her.

i don't have aspirin, i'm going to pick up some tonight - i guess i'll get coated!

and she didn't pee last night or this morning. gaaah. so now i'm all worried about that. i'm supposed to go to an executive meeting of the outdoor club but i'd kinda rather stay home and watch her.

As an FYI, I have a 14 year old Lab who was unable to put weight on one of his back legs a year ago due to Arthritis in his back. He was prescribed Metacam which I am afraid of (the side effects). I started him at that time on "Dog Gone Pain" and "Synflex". Around the same time I started him on a raw diet. He now acts like a puppy.