Split: Split: For Hope and Steve

[Brigitte]

Forgive me Hope, I can’t remember what you are feeding Steve. Maybe you need to make a change there? Are you feeding kibble or do you cook for him? You know what I would rather see:)? Also try digestive enzymes, yoghurt or kefir. Just to be on the safe side maybe do a fecal test for parasites? Just throwing in a few ideas that come to mind here.
Best wishes,
Brigitte

[Hope]

Hey Brigitte!

I am actually doing a little bit of both ..I’d love to totally do my own bc his prescription food is full of crappy filler but I’m getting there slowly. His prescription food is hills prescription diet u/d- I use both wet and dry. Generally I mix them together but sometimes I’ll just use one or the other. I’ve been giving him Greek yogurt a bit but I need to get that Kehfir — I heard it’s the best.
I don’t know actually if they did a fecal parasite test — I would think maybe when he was hospitalized but I’ll definitely ask.
Thanks so much!
Hope

[admin]

Only give antibiotics if required for an infection – so no, it’s not unusual not to have antibiotics, Don’t worry. If Steve has stopped vomiting, you can stop worrying & assume the drugs have upset him a bit. Sheena x

[admin]

In reply to the tick/flea prevention, we have discussed this a lot on here & I must agree with Patrice. My personal conclusion is also Frontline, plus permethrin clothing, for example a scarf or maybe a close fitting tight T shirt for best protection. As you know Worzel’s IMHA was almost certainly (99%) caused by a tick borne infection called Ehrlichia. Do not risk using “natural” unproven “treatments” that could put the dogs at risk.

Regarding diets, Brigitte is the bees knees on this subject & really knows her stuff. Her idea about the fecal parasite test is brilliant.

Have a lovely time – you deserve a break after all this stress, but get that Frontline on the two fellasvbefore you go!
Love Sheena xxxx

[Hope]

Thanks sheena and everyone!!
Thankfully, super Steve hasn’t vomited so yay for that!
I didn’t know IMHA pups could use frontline — good deal! I’ll get some of that before i go and I already ordered a bandana off of amazon. Along with a pop up tent, pop up bowl and umbrella lol! He’s not spoiled AT ALL! Do you think dog sunscreen is okay with the frontline? I ordered that also but it can just go in the drawer if it’s not safe.
Hugs!!!
Xoxo hope and the boys

[admin]

Thanks for the compliments Sheena:) I am not really that educated about dog nutrition. I know how I want to feed my healthy dogs and have some idea about the needs of AIHA dogs. Steve with his bladder stone issues is a different story. That said i do not like all those processed dog foods and Hope I am sure even with Steve’s needs you could do better than the Hills diet. But since I really don’t know what would be better I did not comment. A friend of mine has a beautiful Standard Poodle that developed a liver disease. Katie was put on a liver kibble from Hills (I think) combined with Chinese Traditional Medicine she is doing incredibly well, working as a therapy dog and puzzling the vets why she is still alive. Patrice let Katie’s owner know about a “liver forum” and with the help of these people Katie is doing well on crappy food. So even though I hate that stuff, I guess it has its place:)
Sorry Hope I am not a good one to ask abut frontline. No heartworm here and ticks are extremely rare. Joe and Nauset’s story really gave me an idea on how serious a disease heartworm is and that prevention is extremely important.
Best wishes,
Brigitte

[Hope]

Hey Brigitte!
I agree with you about the dog food 100%. The list of ingredients is so questionable and not nutritious!!! Tamara gave me a link to a board like that as well so I hope to get some good ideas from that and not have to depend on the hills food.

Thanks so much!
Hugs, hope

[Hope]

Afternoon all!
So I have a question that will ostensibly nominate me for mom of the year..

I was doing my usual obsessive/hourly research on IMHA and I thought about something that (terribly) I hadn’t considered:
Back on April 10th (I remember the date bc I was leaving in 3 hours to go out of town), and i brought Steve in because he was getting yet another ear infection. as we were leaving vets office, he was “jumped” by this giant pit bull outside the front door. Some guy was literally hanging out on the front lawn with his 2 pits, neither of whom were leashed.People from inside came running out and broke them up – the guy ran off like a bat out of hell and we found out he wasn’t even a patient at the hospital (no idea why he was hanging out on the lawn). The dog really hadn’t hurt Steve as he could have and aside from one small flesh wound, I wouldn’t even call it a puncture wound really, he was okay. The vet came running out and looked at him in the lobby. He said he thought he was fine bc it wasn’t really a bite mark, Steve was vaccinated and told us to just watch it. It scabbed over and that was it.
Again, I have no idea how I forgot about that .. When the vet and I were going over possible causes, we talked about ticks, medications, zinc poison, but never thought about that. do y’all think that could have had something to do with Steve’s getting sick? I started reading and saw that there’s a parasite called Babesia that can cause IMHA – and it can be passed by bite marks, particularly between pit bulls bc for some in fathomable reason people like to fight them. I’m concerned as apparently glucocorticoid therapy can exacerbate the paracitemia and we have to think about Jeffrey. They never seriously fight but they do rough house.
I guess it could be a long shot since he really didn’t have any visible wounds other than that one but I just thought I would ask. Already planning to call the vet Monday AM but I’m seriously so ashamed I didn’t think of this beforehand!

Thanks all — sorry for the novel!
Hope and the boys