problems before and after SRMA

[billytom140@hotmail.com]

Hi everyone...
Tess my whippet bitch will be 3 years at the end of September 2015. She started being ill in February 2014 diarrhea with a high temperature...she was admitted to hospital...blood and poo sent away for testing....result Campylobacter present...sent home with after the weekend with antibiotics...the vet stated in the discharge...that she was not 100% sure the bug had caused her high temp....she had numerous upset tums up to late June and was being treated by my local vet for the latest upset with a high temp...while waiting for poo culture results to come back...and at this time very poorly I noticed her head nearly touching the floor...and she could not get off the bed...when lifted her off she was pacing and could not keep all feet on the floor...got her in hospital that lunch time....she had joint and spinal taps done that afternoon...result the next day was SRMA...on steroids for 8 months and hoping it is the end of it.
Couple of months off the steroids and her tummy problems have started again ...always the same...really churning stomach noise during the night...refuses food in the morning...still tries to run with my other dogs in the garden...unable she has to sit down, looks fine and has a wet nose, by lunch time...she is looking for food and fed only chicken and rice... her poo (usually the next day is cowpat the first lot black blood followed by fresh blood) which goes back to normal the next day with no blood...the problem is, unable to feed her anything only chicken and rice and she is getting fed up with it....took her back to the hospital for a check...the vet thinks the steroids have been treating another condition...she has had blood tests poo tests and her stomach scanned...all normal except the last blood test to see if her bowel is absorbing the nutrients in the food...both tests have returned very low...upper and lower bowel. She is now being fed wainwrights duck and rice wet food (after other foods have failed) along with Metronidazole 250 mg twice a day and is now on day four...my vet at the hospital wants to take biopsy's from a gastroscopy and colonoscopy....I have held off for a couple of weeks as I do not want to stress her out....any advice would be welcome

[Jo CIMDA]

Hi

It sounds like Tess and you have been through a lot.  It is such a shame when you can breathe out only for something else to rear its head.

When Tess was on steroids was she also on a gastroprotectant?  If not then she may have developed a gastric ulcer (as a result of being on steroids) which is bleeding and causing black stools. There is also the possibility that she has some sort of inflammatory bowel disease which the steroids were controlling.  Have you had recent bloods taken and checked her platelet count?

The dilemma you face is, if a procedure such as a colonoscopy etc., could trigger her autoimmune problem (SRMA or an other AI disease).  Has your vet considered speculatively treating Tess for a gastric ulcer?  It might be worth trying before you agree to a procedure.

Penel is very knowledgeable about gastric matters.  I hope she will see your posting and comment.

Good luck.  I hope the metro' works well.

Jo

[Clover]

Your vet is probably thinking IBD then? Metronidazole is great short term, if you need long term meds for her though usually Tylosin or budesonide are prescribed. Probiotics daily can help immensely as well. 

[billytom140@hotmail.com]

Hi Jo
Thank you for your reply, Tess was prescribed omprazole 10mg and had them for the 8 months on steroids...she is back on the omprazole, along with the antibiotic...again this weekend Tess has woken with grumbling tummy again and obviously in pain...it has been six days from the last episode....produced two fine looking poos this morning....taken for a walk with my other dogs and eaten two spoonfuls of duck and rice on return...her guts are now quiet and she is sleeping peaceful...expect the blood in tomorrows poo. I will be in touch with the hospital vet tomorrow...and mention your comment ...as I think it might be a good idea to treat speculatively for a gastric ulcer....would an ulcer have shown on the scan she had last monday?? she said there was no thickening of the bowel walls.
Regards Elaine