We have two dogs, an eight year old border collie/lab mutt, and a six year
old female dalmatian. Our dalmatian hasn't been eating for the last couple
of days, which is very unusual for her. My husband took her to the vet
today. Externally, she seemed fine, but they did some routine lab work
which showed that her kidney function is very poor. Aside from this, she
has been a pretty healthy dog. She was spayed when she was younger. She
has had some problems with incontinence in the last year or so, for which
she has been on phenylpropanolamine. Also, several months ago, we thought
she had blood in her urine - we would see blood on the fur. She was treated
for a kidney infection, but hasn't had any problems since.

The vet kept her to give her fluids all day today, and wants us to bring her
back for more fluids tomorrow.

Does anyone have any experience with this or any ideas about what might be
the cause? I am a person doctor, not a veterinarian, but it sounds to me
like she might have had a glomerulonephritis several months ago, which is
finally now becoming evident. I have a bad feeling that hydration is not
going to help much. We are devastated. We lost another dalmatian a few
years ago to heart failure, also at a relatively young age. I would really
appreciate any ideas.

I am including her labs below.

Thanks,
Sarah

These are her labs from today:
Abnormal:
BUN - 44 mg/dL (7-27)
Creatinine - 3.4 mg/dL (0.5-1.8)
Total protein - 4.5 g/dL (5.2-8.2)

Everything else was in the normal range:
Alkaline phosphatase - 51 U/L (normal 23-212)
ALT - 10 U/L (10-100)
Glucose - 103 mg/dL (70-143)
Hematocrit - 34.6% (33.1-35.7)
Hemoglobin - 10.4 g/dL (9.2-11.4)
MCHC - 30.1 g/dL (28.7-30.8)
WBC - 17.9 (15.6-19.5)
Granulocytes - 8.9 (8.3-10.1)
%grans - 50%
L/M - 9 (7.3-9.4)
%L/M - 50%
Platelets - 129 (116-162)

"medgirl" wrote in message
...
routine lab work
which showed that her kidney function is very poor. .

The vet kept her to give her fluids all day today, and wants us to bring
her
back for more fluids tomorrow.

Does anyone have any experience with this or any ideas about what might be
the cause? I am including her labs below.
These are her labs from today:
Abnormal:
BUN - 44 mg/dL (7-27)
Creatinine - 3.4 mg/dL (0.5-1.8)
Total protein - 4.5 g/dL (5.2-8.2)

..........no urinalysis? You really need to see if she's concentrating
urine. The only thing I know about dalmations is they tend to form purine
stones. Unfortunately with dogs they might not show abnormalities in kidney
function until the kidney is 75% gone. For future reference there's a test
called E.R.D. by Heska that might show damage much earlier than the standard
tests. I'd go to K9Kidney at Yahoo and talk to those with dogs with
similar problems.

.....hope your pup pulls through OK. They can get through these crises and
with subQs can still have a good life.

buglady
take out the dog before replying

"buglady" wrote in message
ink.net...

"medgirl" wrote in message
...
routine lab work
which showed that her kidney function is very poor. .

The vet kept her to give her fluids all day today, and wants us to bring
her
back for more fluids tomorrow.

Does anyone have any experience with this or any ideas about what might
be
the cause? I am including her labs below.
These are her labs from today:
Abnormal:
BUN - 44 mg/dL (7-27)
Creatinine - 3.4 mg/dL (0.5-1.8)
Total protein - 4.5 g/dL (5.2-8.2)

.........no urinalysis? You really need to see if she's concentrating
urine. The only thing I know about dalmations is they tend to form purine
stones. Unfortunately with dogs they might not show abnormalities in
kidney
function until the kidney is 75% gone. For future reference there's a
test
called E.R.D. by Heska that might show damage much earlier than the
standard
tests. I'd go to K9Kidney at Yahoo and talk to those with dogs with
similar problems.

....hope your pup pulls through OK. They can get through these crises and
with subQs can still have a good life.

Thanks for your reply. I am going to ask for a urinalysis when we go back
tomorrow. I will also check out the K9Kidney group.

What are subQs? I assume the subcutaneous administration of something, but
of what?

Sarah

"medgirl" wrote in message
...
What are subQs? I assume the subcutaneous administration of something,
but
of what?

.........same stuff they're giving IV.....assume it's a saline solution.

buglady
take out the dog before replying

"medgirl" wrote in message
...
We have two dogs, an eight year old border collie/lab mutt, and a six year
old female dalmatian. Our dalmatian hasn't been eating for the last
couple of days, which is very unusual for her. My husband took her to the
vet today. Externally, she seemed fine, but they did some routine lab
work which showed that her kidney function is very poor. Aside from this,
she has been a pretty healthy dog. She was spayed when she was younger.
She has had some problems with incontinence in the last year or so, for
which she has been on phenylpropanolamine. Also, several months ago, we
thought she had blood in her urine - we would see blood on the fur. She
was treated for a kidney infection, but hasn't had any problems since.

The vet kept her to give her fluids all day today, and wants us to bring
her back for more fluids tomorrow.

Does anyone have any experience with this or any ideas about what might be
the cause? I am a person doctor, not a veterinarian, but it sounds to me
like she might have had a glomerulonephritis several months ago, which is
finally now becoming evident. I have a bad feeling that hydration is not
going to help much. We are devastated. We lost another dalmatian a few
years ago to heart failure, also at a relatively young age. I would
really appreciate any ideas.

I am including her labs below.

Thanks,
Sarah

Change dog breeds: quit buying dalamations.



----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----

"otto298" wrote in message

Change dog breeds: quit buying dalamations.

That's not a particularly helpful suggestion, but thanks anyway.

Aside from that, the conditions in my dogs are not conditions known to be
problems in the Dalmatian breed in particular (although they are in other
breeds, particularly the cardiomyopathy).

I would not argue that purebred dogs do seem to have more health problems in
general than mixed breeds. Our mutt has always been healthy. Of course,
that's a sample size of 1, so take that for what it's worth.

"medgirl" wrote in message
...
"otto298" said nothing

............it's a troll, plonk it

buglady
take out the dog before replying

AnimalBehaviorForensicSciencesResearchLaboratory@ HushMail.Com
HOWEDY Doc,

CuriHOWES AIN'T IT, that you had NUTHIN TO SAY
to The Amazing Puppy Wizard's revealing post,
which in and of itself, is VERY REVEALING.

I didn't know what to say. The ultrasound today shows that it's probably a
tumor or an abscess. I don't think stress can explain that.

On Tue, 30 Aug 2005 20:35:02 -0400, "medgirl"
wrote:

AnimalBehaviorForensicSciencesResearchLaboratory @HushMail.Com
HOWEDY Doc,

CuriHOWES AIN'T IT, that you had NUTHIN TO SAY
to The Amazing Puppy Wizard's revealing post,
which in and of itself, is VERY REVEALING.

I didn't know what to say. The ultrasound today shows that it's probably a
tumor or an abscess. I don't think stress can explain that.

You are being trolled. Killfile Jerry Howe aka AnimalBehaviorForensic
aka The Puppy Wizard, the well known psychological liar.

Dear Medgirl:

where do I start. Your message put us right back to Nov 27/05.
That was the darkest day in my life. Our two (2) Airedale's, Bozley
& Sydney were diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Failure. Our grief
continues as the loss of our babes is too hard to overcome.

I spent hundreds of hours learning, studying and consulting with
many of the high profile Vetrinary Specialists in the USA.

Please feel free to contact me anytime. I understand the shock.
Relate to the anxiety of the uncertainty and empathise with the
feelings
of being powerless.

Our hearts are open.
Sincerely
jeff & leah