Dax update, etc.
20 April 2021 08:03![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
m_d_hDax is doing better than he was on Sunday. But he's displaying symptoms of the UTI, and the UTI is probably the main issue right now -- it could have been the reason for his shivering and nausea and loss of appetite.
He's very thirsty, peeing a lot of clear pee, and eating -- but eating less than normal. Hasn't vomited since Sunday.
I read some reputable sources about dog UTIs and they're difficult for owners to diagnose because the dogs can't explain what's going on. You have to do a urine test, which is what the vet did yesterday. In retrospect, I had no idea that could've been the/a problem.
So, hopefully the antibiotic knocks out the UTI, and that solves the appetite issue, and then we can return to WTF is wrong with his liver. T thinks the liver problem is caused by Cushing's Disease but the vet is holding off on running that test, following some First Things First reasoning.
I know as humans or animals get older, there can be multiple interacting problems that mask each other and make diagnosis tricky. In my own case, for example, my asthma symptoms were masking my GERD symptoms and delayed my reporting of my GERD symptoms to my doctor for at least a couple years. So Dax could have several problems that are tricky to pull apart and diagnose correctly. We'll see.
Yesterday T was significantly more worried than I was, today we seem to have flipped. It's not that my own feelings have changed -- I'm concerned about Dax and will remain so until his appetite returns to normal. But T was worried Dax wouldn't be coming back home, and now Dax is back home. Whatever is wrong with our pup, we have to figure out how to fix his appetite, our last two pets didn't live long after their appetites failed, though for very different underlying reasons (cancer for Edwina, kidney failure for Lucy). I wouldn't expect Dax to make it to his next birthday if we can't fix his appetite, regardless of the underlying reason. But that's based on my own very limited experience with pets, I'm not a vet.
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Update to the Update: While I was out running before my work day began, Dax both vomited and pooped inside the house (somehow T didn't notice, he was probably leading a virtual meeting in his office). I'd let Dax out immediately before I left. He's moping around now. Definitely a sick pup. But we're following the instructions and will let the vet know if there's been no improvement after three days.
He's very thirsty, peeing a lot of clear pee, and eating -- but eating less than normal. Hasn't vomited since Sunday.
I read some reputable sources about dog UTIs and they're difficult for owners to diagnose because the dogs can't explain what's going on. You have to do a urine test, which is what the vet did yesterday. In retrospect, I had no idea that could've been the/a problem.
So, hopefully the antibiotic knocks out the UTI, and that solves the appetite issue, and then we can return to WTF is wrong with his liver. T thinks the liver problem is caused by Cushing's Disease but the vet is holding off on running that test, following some First Things First reasoning.
I know as humans or animals get older, there can be multiple interacting problems that mask each other and make diagnosis tricky. In my own case, for example, my asthma symptoms were masking my GERD symptoms and delayed my reporting of my GERD symptoms to my doctor for at least a couple years. So Dax could have several problems that are tricky to pull apart and diagnose correctly. We'll see.
Yesterday T was significantly more worried than I was, today we seem to have flipped. It's not that my own feelings have changed -- I'm concerned about Dax and will remain so until his appetite returns to normal. But T was worried Dax wouldn't be coming back home, and now Dax is back home. Whatever is wrong with our pup, we have to figure out how to fix his appetite, our last two pets didn't live long after their appetites failed, though for very different underlying reasons (cancer for Edwina, kidney failure for Lucy). I wouldn't expect Dax to make it to his next birthday if we can't fix his appetite, regardless of the underlying reason. But that's based on my own very limited experience with pets, I'm not a vet.
-----
Update to the Update: While I was out running before my work day began, Dax both vomited and pooped inside the house (somehow T didn't notice, he was probably leading a virtual meeting in his office). I'd let Dax out immediately before I left. He's moping around now. Definitely a sick pup. But we're following the instructions and will let the vet know if there's been no improvement after three days.