Cowboy is back in the Emergency Room

[Moni]

YAY!  I was happy to read that this morning! 

We're still pulling for you Cowboy!


"You can do it!" 

[Baileyboy]

Mari,
So glad to hear the update.  I keep thinking about both of you and have to check in constantly to see if there is an update.  Was so happy to see that he's doing better this morning. 

Still sending my positive thoughts and prayers....
Susan

[Jessdryden]

Oh yay!  We're still sending good thoughts and prayers, but I'm so glad to hear this good news! 

[newflvr]

You make your family carry cards? Weird... Wink

Yeah, it's a huge family if you add all the four legged ones....feline and canine and human and semi human!!!  Gotta show your card at the door if you wanna come in!!! 

[BabsT]

You and your dog are in my thoughts....I am praying for a full recovery

[Scootergirl]

I'm so happy to hear Cowboy is doing better. I'm sure he'll perk up even more at the sight of you. I am anxious to hear what they can do to repair the damage and what may have caused it. Poor (not so) little guy! Sending big HUGS his way.

Jeanne

[GrumpyBunny]

Mari - So glad to hear that we have some good news this morning.  Still keeping those good thoughts coming your way, though!

[DixieSugarBear]

praying for a quick recovery for Cowboy.  This new has made my day much better,  give Cowboy a hug from us when you go see him. 

[princessnmi]

I am so sorry your family is going through this but was VERY glad to see that he is improving. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all through this hard time. All the symptoms (besides seizures) are the same symptoms as my Tonka (my great dane I just had to let go) had. I wonder if he had the same problem with his GI tract and they never thought to check that. I guess I will never know. But hope for the best for all of you. ***hugs*** and prayers for your family

[jabear]

Yeah for Cowboy! I'm so glad that he is doing better today. I'm sure some TLC from his momma will do him some good too.  We'll keep sending prayers your way.

And thanks for posting that pics of Bear with your boys. They all look so fabulous!

[Nicole]

Thanks for checking in with us so often, Mari. You know all Cowboy's Aunties are worried sick about the big guy! hehehhee! But, we're rootin' for him all the way and we KNOW he's going to recover just fine! And, when he does and he's home (and all better) we should all come to Cali and have a big fat party for him! hehehehhe! Or at least a virtual one...I'll bring the Gin and Tonic.... And for Mari, some of the best Russian vodka...and for Cowboy, a Bullystick Smoothie, all nice and blended up so as not to cause any GI problems....

[ZooCrew]

So glad to hear he is doing a bit better.

Here's to a fast recovery.

[NoDogNow]

I was so busy yesterday I completely missed this thread.  That's just terrifying, and you are doing SO well to even be able to update us.  I'd be jelly on the floor of the vet's office. 

Have they tested him for H pylori bacteria, or any of the other related ones?  That's the most common cause of GI erosion and ulcers in people, and IIRC I read somewhere that there are strains of similar bacterias that cause ulcers in cats; it's more rare in dogs, but it does happen.  Just like people, sometimes animals are asymptomatic for a long time until some little thing just kicks it off.

I remember how bad my ulcers used to hurt, and they weren't ever to the point of bleeding.  You're all in my prayers, especially Cowboy. 

[mastiffmommy]

I am so glad to hear about Cowboy, and I sm sure Chester did a happy dance when you told him too.

Every sign in the right direction is a great news, and I agree with a lot of people here, it sounds like you have wonderful vets and a real good hospital there.

When you visit him tell him all his aunties and uncles and cousins are all pulling for him and sending all the best thoughts.

Big slobbers to him when you visit

Marit

[newflvr]

Thanks for checking in with us so often, Mari. You know all Cowboy's Aunties are worried sick about the big guy! hehehhee! But, we're rootin' for him all the way and we KNOW he's going to recover just fine! And, when he does and he's home (and all better) we should all come to Cali and have a big fat party for him! hehehehhe! Or at least a virtual one...I'll bring the Gin and Tonic.... Wink And for Mari, some of the best Russian vodka...and for Cowboy, a Bullystick Smoothie, all nice and blended up so as not to cause any GI problems.... Wink



We're  in!!!   I just got home from loving on him and he is getting somewhat better.  He hasn't vomited and although he still has diarrhea, it's the right color now and not just pure blood.  The really yucky thing, though is while I was curled up on his bed with him, and his head was in my lap, diarrhea was flowing out his back end.  He had no clue!!!   This guys is fastidious and won't potty any place but home.  Poor guy!!!   His labs, so far, are negative on everything so, until something changes, he is assumed to have this new disease:  yet unnamed. 

Here's what they know about it so far:  there are three main clusters, one in Northern Cali and two in Southern Cali.  It started in the summer.  They have NO idea the mode of transmission.. .but, oddly enough, there has never been a case of a second dog in a family getting the disease which sort of rules out a virus.  Dogs who are raw fed have gotten it, cooked food, like Cowboy, and dogs who eat traditional dog food (kibble & canned) so food transmission has pretty much been ruled out.  The treatment seems to be to give them carafate, prilosec, antibiotics and keep them alive until they can heal enough to revive.  The secret is to get them to the vet fast enough to get treatment started before they bleed to death....and to an acute care facility who will moniter 24 hours a day.  That's why ER vets are pretty much the only ones reporting it so far.  It is very scary.  His internist and I took him out for a short walk around their little bit of a lawn, and as you all know with the giants, he drew a crowd.  A woman came up and wanted to pet him and Dr. Briggs stepped in front of him and said, 'no...he is very sick and must not be touched'.  The woman persisted and said, 'but he looks fine'.  Dr. Briggs handled it beautifully when she said to the woman,' if you love dogs, you don't want to pass this disease on.'  The woman backed away FAST!

All Cowboy's labs have been forwarded to UC Davis and they are frantically trying to sort the whole thing out so yet again, Cowboy is my own personal laboratory animal.  He's going to be monitored for quite a while!

Thanks for your love, hugs, crossed paws and all.  I think that all this positive good stuff is what's pulling him through!  He may get to come home on Thursday if he's a good boy and doesn't start vomiting again!!!   So get the vodka on ice and book your tickets!!!  Party in SO CAL on Friday!!!!!