Joan and Lily...thank you. You have a 39 month ampuversary on Monday! Congrats!

Sally, we are feeding boneless and skinless chicken, poached or hard boiled eggs, low fat cottage cheese, pumpkin, green veggies, and berries . I will be adding barley and oatmeal to his diet. Not sure if i am going to try total cereal. I used total for my first greyhound when she was having issues with her kidneys. She ate satin balls most of the time because her sense of smell was going. What we didn't know was she had osteo too.

So, today's Nixon status. He is doing better. He has lost about 4 inches off his belly. He has had no big interest in water other than rinsing his mouth out for the past 3 days. I have been checking him for dehydration, his resting heart rate, and respiratory rate. All normal. Dr. Huff called me after work on his cell phone to check in. He said that Nixon probably is well hydrated as he is apparently absorbing the fluid. Nixon is urinating every two to three hours and it takes some time for him to finish. He has been more active today than he has been in a month! He has been off since he went on Previcox on 2/12. Granted, he could not walk when we put him on the Previcox so it did help.

He had real poop this morning! He has been feeling good enough to patrol the house today and every time the door bell rang, he was investigating. It has been a month since he did this. We only have two beds out right now (the formula for proper # of beds is n + 1 where n = the total number of dogs in the house) and he kept making Cookie move every time he came in from the backyard. Cookie is just happy and playing with toys again. Nixon refused to eat in bed today and wants to eat in the kitchen with Cookie.

The bruising on his neck has finally stopped. Dr. Huff is going to do the clotting test on Monday and probably run another panel. We debated doing it tomorrow but he said give him the weekend off.

I am going to do my best to not make this post contain TMI but it is a delicate subject.  First and foremost, Nix is doing better.

Nixon's last round of blood work on Monday came back with slight improvements.  TP is up.  Globulin is up a lot.  Albumin is up 0.1 BUT it is moving up.  Just to try to help him along, the vet prescribed him Metronidazole and Lactulose.  Dr. Williams, the physical therapist, says that Previcox is not known for causing liver issues BUT if you already have a compromised liver, any issues show up within 4 weeks of starting it, typically around week 2.  Nixon started it on 2/12 and he started showing visible fluid in his belly on 3/2.  Dr. Williams is hopeful since he responded so quickly after coming off the previcox that it did cause the current issue.  We still need a biopsy though to really know what is happening.

Now the gross part.  On Tuesday night, our neighbors came over to see if we were having any issues with our water or anything else.  They rent the property and have had a lot of problems with the rental company not being responsible and their septic tank is leaking raw sewage.  It runs into our backyard.  The week before, they had just spent at the emergency vet with their dogs, with one having seizures.  Diagnoses was a severe bacterial infection.

We weren't supposed to be home on Tuesday.  We had plans but do to GI symptoms in EVERY family member, we stayed home.  Even Cookie was under the weather.  I have been battling tummy trouble off and on since March 4th.  I thought I had e. coli but it wasn't quite violent enough.  My husband has been sick off and on since the 13th.  Nixon was already having belly swelling by the 4th but the assplosions started around March 5th.  There had also been a lot of rain and our entire property was a bog.  He got better once I was feeding him food with a very high moisture content and he had stopped drinking water during that time.  Diarrhea returned (with some vomiting) on Monday for Nixon after he started drinking water again.

The health department is involved.  A new septic is going in within the next 60 days.  My husband and I are off to the doctor this AM to see if they can figure out what protozoal infection we probably have.  Our water pipes are under where the septic is running off so there is a possibility that stuff is leaking into our water supply.  OR it is just running off into our backyard.  Things like Giardia like moist areas. 

I have sent word to our vet about what we've found out but have not actually talked with him.  We're using a lot of hand sanitizer and using bottled water for everything.  Nixon and Cookie are doing pretty good right now.  My husband and I are not getting any worse or any better.  We're looking forward to sleeping an entire night through.  My number one problem is mental.  I am so grossed out about the possibility of drinking raw sewage.  Its one thing for us to have walked through it and tracked it into the house but if we drank it, that just kind of pushes me over the edge.

bcullom said
Oh wow, I am glad you may have found a good reason for all the illness, Nixon and Cookie included, but I completely agree with you, this possible sewage problem would send me over the edge too.......and I agree, giardia is a strong possibility, but I am sure your Drs will know how to check for whatever the problems are and help you to feel better soon.

Glad Nixon is improving, and I will keep you, him, and the rest of your family in my thoughts and prayers.....
Let us know any updates and I do hope you all are feeling much better soon.

Bonnie & Angel Polly

Thanks Bonnie. 

Just got back from the Doctor.  The cultures won't be back till next Wednesday or Thursday but we asked to be put on Metronidazole as it treats most protozoal infections.  We can start it tonight.

I need to call the vet and see if they have access to IDEXX SNAP Giardia tests.  Nixon and Cookie don't have any tummy trouble right now.  Cookie is a very healthy dog but I'm wondering if we all should be on Metronidazole for a week.