Please send a few precautionary rays our way for Red- **HAPPIER UPDATE**

Spanish Teckels · April 22, 2009, 11:56:39 AM

he´s been losing weight gradually since last Summer and never carried any extra anyway. He´s going to the vet for an ultrasound scan on his liver and spleen at 10h00 our time tomorrow morning to take a peek since his GPT has been at 120-140 for 6 months, despite taking a liver protector during this period (Denosyl).

We initially though it was due to the 8 general anaesthetics he had last June-September for 8 major exploratory ops. on a fistule in his front right paw/leg, a horrifically traumatic time and enough to throw anybody´s stats out.

He is happy, fit, plays, runs, walks 10km a day with us, as usual, and eats normally, showing no signs of feeling "off" at all. He loves his kibble and his fish biscuits and pigs ear in the evening. He has always had an enviable figure (he was 6 in October) and is very, very strongly muscled from his long walks and runs. His muscle-tone is still great, but his ribs are really sticking out, his chest-bone now too and his hip bones are starting to appear. No matter how we increment his food, he keeps losing 100g a month......goes to say he´s up-to-date on de-worming, anti-parasites, Advantix, vaccinations and everything else protective as usual. All other stats are perfect and blood too.

Any ideas would be welcome, but rays for tomorrow morning would make us all feel a lot better, for sure. I´mpraying it´s just a temporary metab change after the ops. still.

**UPDATE**

Sorry to be MIA, it´s been a difficult patch with lots of vet visits, but after nearly two months on the gall bladder meds and 2 vets and both of us wrestling him to keep him still through three more ultrasound scans without anaesthesia, we have an almost clear gall bladder, lower GPT on the liver results, and best of all, 500g increased in weight! Boy are we celebrating.

We can still see his ribs and his shoulders look scrawny, but his hips are not sticking out any more and he´s slowly getting muscle tone back. Those of you who "know" Red, will know he´s not a guzzler, but has always had perfect weight and been very muscled from his long mountain walks. It´s great to see him coming back to form (now I have to start on me, so many months without our 10km a day and I´m up 10kgs - and Islay up 500g too).

We have another scan end of the month and hopefully we can lay off the meds, which would be great.

Thanks for all those rays and the moral support too, it´s wonderful to know you´re all out there and really does make a huge difference.
Love to all our big dachsie family from all of us over here on the hot, humid Mediterranean coast.

Islay & Red,
Miguel & Andrea

Kari · April 22, 2009, 12:42:48 PM

Rays headed his way from San Diego!! Please let us know how it goes with the vet!

Dee Dee and Hallie · April 22, 2009, 05:12:03 PM

I hate scary stuff like this...and the waiting to find out. It's good sign he's feeling good! We are sending rays too please let us know hugs to Red.

Delia and girls · April 22, 2009, 06:26:46 PM

Oh, no! Rays certainly coming for here to there. Let us know as soon as you get the chance. At least it's not an invasive procedure. Funny how he acts fine. Could he be diabetic? I know some people lose weight with that disease - not sure if dogs do. But you would have noticed him drinking a lot.

Barb · April 22, 2009, 06:47:18 PM

Oh no ! Very scary when you just don't know. Sending mega rays and good thoughts for all of you !!! We will be waiting to hear.

Madderoos Mom · April 22, 2009, 11:06:08 PM

A boatload of rays for our Red coming from CA. Please keep us updated on his prognosis.

Spanish Teckels · April 23, 2009, 12:52:50 AM

Thanks everybody for your support and rays, it´s amazing how they really do help. We´re off to the vets in 5 minutes and Red is in full panic mode since he hasn´t been able to have any breakfast (has to have an empty tummy for the sedation) and knows exactly what that means. Islay is pacing too since she smells change in the air and knows Red going out alone is a "vet" sign....

Will let you know the results as soon as we have them.

Love to you all,
Andrea

peterparker · April 23, 2009, 05:57:26 AM

Scarry business not knowing. Mega rays coming your way from Canada.

Clarese · April 23, 2009, 06:16:48 AM

I hope this is something with an easy remedy. Please let us know what the vet says.

cheryl186 · April 23, 2009, 07:13:23 AM

Many, many rays and prayers coming your way for Red and parents. It is very scarey when you don't know exactly what is going on!!

Anxiously waiting for results.

DeeanDave · April 23, 2009, 08:36:40 AM

Rays are heading to Spain for Red! Hugs to all!

doxielady5569128 · April 23, 2009, 09:40:49 AM

We're sending rays for Red too!! Hope its nothing serious and an "easy fix". Please let us know when you find out.

Dee Dee and Hallie · April 23, 2009, 09:21:18 PM

Really anxious to hear what the vet says be sure to check in when you get back we're thinking of you!

Spanish Teckels · April 24, 2009, 04:04:43 AM

Thanks so much to you all for thinking of us, it has helped a lot, I´m sure. The new is pretty good since we should be able to sort out his problem over a couple of months.

The ultrasound scan found Red has an over-production of bile in his gall bladder which is causing it to deposit in small clumps and also causing the overdrive on his liver, hence the raised GPT levels. In turn, this means his digestive system was on overdrive too, most probably why he´s been burning calories so quickly. I wish he could so the same for me!

He has been prescibed medicine to reduce the bile production and slowly dissolve the deposits which should show an improvement in a month when he will have his next scan. Nobody knows WHY his gall bladder makes too much bile, not a common problem for teckels (unlike some breeds). He can stop taking the liver protector he´s been on for 6 months.

BTW, he has been on antibiotic drops for an ear infection (first one in his life) for a month and they checked it out uner the anaesthetic too, washing everything well out, and the inflammation is still bad so he has new antibiotics for that and a check-up again in a week.

I, naughty Mummy, took the opportunity to pluck out the tricky little strip of wires he has at the end of his back/upper tail which he hates me hand-plucking when I do the rest of him a few each day as the growth comes in (with him awake and ready to growl). The vets know he´s in show mode and kindly DIDN´T shave his tum to do the scan, so he´s still as stunningly handsome as ever. A quick scale of two back molars and clip of 4 nails which grow curved and don´t file themselves on his walks and he was already coming round again.

Poor little mite had us laughing and running after him all afternoon and evening since he was conscious enough to try to stand and stagger, but not to know where he was going or why. He had a little bio-yogurt last night and full kibble this morning as is feeling great again.

Islay spent every second by his side and herded him back to his bed every time he got up for a drink and wasn´t sure how to go back...she´s an angel.

Love to you all from all of us, thanks for caring and listening, hopefully the treatment will go well and quickly and I´ll be able to report his weight has stabilized soon.

Red & Islay
Andrea & Miguel

Delia and girls · April 24, 2009, 07:09:13 AM

Glad to hear the good news. I bet he's running around today and doesn't even remember yesterday happened! Oh, to live like they do - moment to moment. What a good sister Islay is. Are they close in age?

cheryl186 · April 24, 2009, 07:50:34 AM

WONDERFUL NEWS!!!! Very happy things went so well and Red is feeling "good to go" :apls: :apls: :apls:

Spanish Teckels · April 24, 2009, 10:11:51 AM

Quote from: Delia and girls on April 24, 2009, 07:09:13 AM
Glad to hear the good news. I bet he's running around today and doesn't even remember yesterday happened! Oh, to live like they do - moment to moment. What a good sister Islay is. Are they close in age?

Hi Delia - he´s almost normal again today and would even have liked to do his 10km hike, we all decided to leave it our today. I´ve been re-potting patio plants instead with Red & Islay supervising. It´s amazing what 24 hrs in a dachsie life can do!

Red is just over 10 months older than Islay and has treated her like his little sister since she arrived, both are from the same breeder, Golage, in Chinchón (which I know you know outside Madrid), he´s the President of breeding ethics for the Teckel Club of Spain. We loved Red so much we immediately wanted to get him company and had to wait till Islay was born and available....well worth the wait.

love to you all.

Spanish Teckels · April 24, 2009, 10:16:07 AM

Quote from: cheryl186 on April 24, 2009, 07:50:34 AM
WONDERFUL NEWS!!!! Very happy things went so well and Red is feeling "good to go" :apls: :apls: :apls:

Thanks, Cheryl. He´s a different dawg today, for sure, still a little dulled around the edges from the anaesthetics, but raring to go. He acted "fine" before too, but the vet says he must have been feeling bad. We hope this is the end of anaesthetics and ops and investigatory procedures etc. for EVER!!!! Thanks for caring.
Andrea

Dee Dee and Hallie · April 24, 2009, 10:36:50 AM

Wow I've never heard of something like that, it's great when you worry about something awful and it turns out to be something fixable! SO happy to hear he's doing good! Was worried about you guys.

Spanish Teckels · April 24, 2009, 10:58:54 AM

Quote from: Dee Dee and Hallie on April 24, 2009, 10:36:50 AM
Wow I've never heard of something like that, it's great when you worry about something awful and it turns out to be something fixable! SO happy to hear he's doing good! Was worried about you guys.

Neither had I! They don´t know what´s caused it either. In over 40 years of dachsies I´ve never come across this one before...they do like to surprise us. Thanks for worrying about us, we´re happy with our vets and trust everything will be fine after his course of meds. or after a few months of them. The vets can´t say how long it´ll take, but I´d be happy with progressive improvement.

doxielady5569128 · April 24, 2009, 11:55:58 AM

I'm glad that he has something treatable! Hopefully he'll be gaining weight and feeling good really soon!!

Roberta · April 24, 2009, 06:34:27 PM

That is a very good outcome. As for the handstripping when he is out to it...............the way to go.
Hugs
roberta

PattyInAK · April 25, 2009, 08:07:03 AM

I'm happy to hear that Red is doing so much better.

Merion · April 25, 2009, 04:48:40 PM

Sending HHHH's & PPPPP's that Red will be better very soon!!!!
Glad it is something treatable.
Merion & the ZZ's

Brekkesmom · May 05, 2009, 05:46:42 PM

I am soooooo sorry I didn'r see this as it was happening! (Can I send retro rays?) Well, anyhow, I am glad also that it was fixable and how cute that Islay herds!

Go, Red, go!

Barb · May 09, 2009, 07:17:01 PM

Andrea - following up on Red....how is the infection? And since it has been a couple weeks, has he put on any weight? Sending rays still !!!

Spanish Teckels · June 18, 2009, 03:31:40 AM

We have improvement! Update posted at head of original posting. Thanks to everyone.

Barb · June 18, 2009, 10:09:07 AM

YAY for a great report !!!! Go Red !

cheryl186 · June 18, 2009, 10:43:42 AM

Wonderful report!!! We are soooo happy!!! Yippieeeee Red! Continued rays and prayers coming your way for continued progress

Spanish Teckels · June 18, 2009, 10:57:06 AM

Gracias Aunty Cheryl and Aunty Barb, dose rays work weally well, even all de way over here in SPain. Now I´m feeling better I´m practising the look and milking it a leeetle - don´t tell Mum, pleeese.

scootersmom · June 22, 2009, 11:19:00 AM

Oh, I am so happy to read this update with all its good news! Hurrah! The rays really do help, don't they?

Please send a few precautionary rays our way for Red- **HAPPIER UPDATE**

Madderoos Mom

Please send a few precautionary rays our way for Red- HAPPIER UPDATE