Sally, no real diet was suggested at all except "a liver diet."  What did you feed?  I'm doing research and it just seems that he needs easy to digest proteins that produce the least amount of ammonia and don't contain copper.  Some say they need salt, some say they don't.  I have a hard time trusting prescription diets from the vet because my dogs have never had good luck on them and always did horrible. 

Right now he's enjoying canned pumpkin, Daisy Cottage Cheese, some chicken breast, and green beans.  A lot.  I am wearing it.  He's wearing it.  Not only does he want his food in bed, it has to be on a plate or mommy has to feed him by hand.  Cookie is sulking.  I tried to feed her but she wanted none of it.  I hope she just has hurt feelings (and thinks canned pumpkin with cottage cheese and green beans is just gross) and isn't experiencing anything else.  Her bloodwork should be in today too.

My husband and I were a little put off by the emotions of the specialist this AM.  Then when he couldn't find anything, just started looking everywhere including Nixon's heart and lungs.  That I don't mind.  BUT, he was either perplexed or disappointed when there were no mets. 

We actually never consented to the ultrasound and he did it anyway.  We don't consent to "do everything and anything" unless they have the dog open on a table and its life or death.  Otherwise, you come get us or have us WITH our dog and we'll sign consent for that procedure and only that procedure. I know I grew up in the country but vets never took the pet out of the room.  They had no vet techs so YOU got to restrain them.  This nonsense of taking the dogs to another room to do anything is BS.  I'm going with my dog.  

On Monday, there was "no way possible this was caused by 3 weeks of previcox" but was a long term liver disease.  I brought in his blood work from the past two years that showed the ALT increasing and he said, "That's just a beer on a Friday night."  I think my husband was ready to lay hands on him and have a come to Jesus moment right then and there. My hubby will never admit to thinking of violence but I know the look.

So we're waiting on the report to be faxed over tomorrow or maybe Friday.  Then we'll share it with Dr. Huff and Dr. Williams and get their input.  Dr. Williams is more than just a physical therapist, she does Chinese medicine too. 

The risks of surgery are always high for greyhounds.  They suffer from a  very strange reaction when under, and if it happens, is always fatal.  The heart just seizes and nothing you do can make it beat again.  Happens mostly in younger, healthy dogs and often the first time they have anaesthesia but we've known dogs who were older and had it happen during a dental.  Second, greyhound blood is different than other dog breeds and doesn't clot well.  They need to be on Amicar to stop bleeding when they have surgery.  I carry a sharpie so when the dogs bruise, we draw around the bruise and mark the time to monitor how much it is bleeding.  Nixon is bleeding quite a bit right now just from a blood draw on monday so that makes me less inclined to let them open him up. Even after 2 Vitamin K shots.  After Nixon's amputation, he had a lot of ink on him from me.  ER vets LOVE me for doing this.

lainamaina said
Is there a reason they are not able to do ultrasound guided aspirates or a biopsy? This is a minimally invasive procedure which only requires a light sedative(for the biopsy) or even none at all for the aspirates. 

Yes, his liver is smaller than it should be and every time he breaths in, his lungs cover it.  Plus with all the fluid in his abdomen, even after they drain it first, there is a fear that he will bleed from an aspirate because the fluid will prevent the cells that are supposed to seal the injury from working.  I can't remember what their called.  I was told he'd need to be sedated for 4 hours to try to prevent a bleed.  With the actual surgery, they can suture it.  Still a risk for bleeding but there is less risk than the aspirate.