Hi,
Lots of good advice here already. For the time being: I found in the Animal Desk Reference Manual (Essential Oils for Animals) by Melissa Shelton under Giardia on page 417 a list of possible remedies. One that you may have access to is Clove oil - you can put a drop or two in her water daily or in her food. Essential oils are very effective against parasites.
At the emergency vet
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Update:
The dr called around 11 am and told me Oakley had a rough day. His levels were off quite a bit due to the extreme level of the toxin he ingested ( a miracle he's alive, four pieces of gum with xylitol can kill a 65lb dog; oakley had between 20-30 pieces and is 23 lbs). They are keeping him again overnight to keep him on the IV fluids and dextrose while monitoring his blood glucose and liver functions. Unfortunately his glucose levels are still on the low normal end and his liver fictions are off te charts, some as high as 5x normal. Luckily, they found the right combination of sedative to keep him calm and its given with his fluids so as tO ease stress. Dr reminded me Oakley will come home with enzymes to help his liver heal and is hopeful that as long as we can continue the protocol that his liver damage will be reversible… Fingers crossed that tomorrows liver bloodwork comes back on better shape and his glucose levels can stay stabilized... If so I will get to pick him up around 9pm..
Update this evening was much better; his levels stabilized enough to take him off the dextrose and although his earlier regression leading to his glucose levels being tested every two hours instead of four, he seems to be holding his own without the dextrose. While he has been calmer with sedation she did tell me he managed to chew his 6th IV while wearing an Elizabethan collar and having the IV bungi corded for protection; apparently he manages to get the IV between his toes and chews it within a second... She did say it has less to do with him just being naughty and more to do with the fact she believes he is bored out of his mind! I had to remind her that he is an 11 month old basenji who has been crates for almost three days!!
Thanks to everyone who has wished us well, according to the vet toxicologist, 24 more hours and we should be out of the woods for worrying about complete liver failure... I am hopeful and can't wait to see him! This is the longest he has been away from me and I have had enough of it, not to mention the hospital bill for a three night stay ( the least of my worries of course) -
So very glad he is improving. He is young and strong and hopefully his liver is as tough as he is.
My Nicky was at the vets for 48 hours and the bill was a lot, but she survived and so worth every penny.Hugs!
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Poor you! Zest spent the night at the ER once. It was awful! I can only imagine what you're going through. The liver does have amazing regenerative properties, so keep that in mind. I'm glad he's keeping the nurses on their toes.
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awwww… sending get well vibes~
now i'm going to have to research this stuff... is it something any of us should be chewing?? who knew?
ETA - safe for us, just not dogs! i would never even have thought to worry if suki had gotten in to gum. this is good info to know - sorry oakley had to inform us in this way!
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Thank you- I consider myself informed and to not have known about xylitol was so heartbreaking for me but my gut just didn't feel right when I thought about a dog eating gum. From what I have learned: xylitol is a sugar substitue brought into the US around 2002, it is used in many sugarless gums to drastically cut calories and is used in almost all sugar free candy for diabetics and is being more and more commonly used in baking goods as well. In humans it is considered safe; although some studies say they think it is linked to cancer and at most it can cause a laxative effect. Since it's implementation more and more cases of dog and animal deaths are being reported and many groups including poison control are pushing for products containing this ingredient to have warnings on the labels. Dogs however digest xylitol differently, as it is a sugar substitute when a dog eats it the body produces insulin to help cope with what it believes is sugar. Due to the immediate and overwhelming increase in insulin dogs can show signs of hypoglycemia within minutes and cause seizures. Recently and even more dangerous is that a dog showing no obvious signs of distress can have internal bleeding and complete liver failure up to 48 hours after ingestion. It is one of only a few toxins to dogs that cannot be treated with charcoal which makes it so much harder to treAt. Some gum companies have even gone so far as to pay out on some medical bills for pets. Unlucky for me, the 40pc container of icebreakers lemon gum contains the most xylitol of all gums and as I previously mentioned, 4 pieces is enough to kill a 65lb dog.
I learned that when it comes to xylitol it is not "if" your dog gets I'll, it is " when" -
PS- Oakley is a purse invader and all guests will have to put their pocket books up high so I can keep him safe.. just a thought for everyone tO think about… How many of you carry mints and gum in your pocket books? ... I bet a lot
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Update:
Vet called, Oakley chewed through another line, she said she's never met a more resourceful dog, what a nice way to say pain in the ass! She said he jumps in the air to catch it… He's doing really well today and is stable of the dextrose, keeping him on fluids and he'll get the liver retest at the 72 hour mark which is 6pm and if it's not worse he will come home at 8...
He will be on a liver enzyme and 10mg of prilosec a day along with following up with a liver panel in a week to check liver values and another in two weeks. Can anyone tell me what the prilosecs for? I'll ask when I pick him up but I was just curious? -
Can anyone tell me what the prilosecs for? I'll ask when I pick him up but I was just curious?
I use it for my foundered mare because she is on Bute. It helps prevent ulcers.
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It reduces stomach acid.
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Very good news about Oakley. I'm so pleased he's well enough to come home.
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Prilosec is sold over the counter-also sold as a generic and it reduces stomach acid. My boy Bowie is on this and he gets 1/4 tablet once a day. He takes it for his esophagus and spitting up problem.
Jennifer
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I hope to hear Oakley got to come home tonight and that he is doing better.
And I second what Agile said about the relaxation protocol. It sounds somewhat clinical but really it is a nice way to teach your dog a default "relax" and that he doesn't need to worry about all the stuff going on around him.
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Oakley is home! His liver values have improved enough and he is doing well. He is still under the weather and not quite himself. He was quite anxious while in the hospital and he hasn't loosened up yet, he is being very "stiff" with touch, which isn't like him. He came home to a new, smaller crate and toys since we will be going back to basics with crate training. It's great to have him home as he has been labeled " naughty" at the vet hospitals… I don't think they found his basenji antics as funny as I do at home.
Thanks everyone for the suggestions, I bought a DAP an am looking into the thundershirt as well as doing some crate games and reading up on behavior modifications -
Glad to hear he is home! I would go easy on the changes, as he has been stressed enough without having to adjust to a lot of difference at home as well…...
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Glad to hear he is home….. I have used pepcid for years on all my elder basenjis.... especially the ones with any kidney issues. Our Tego was just diagnosed with ulcers (he will be 15 in December) and is on pepcid. A little cheaper then Prilosec. And as noted it is sold over the counter, so depending on what your Vet is charging, you can get it most likely cheaper.
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There is also a generic version of Prilosec.
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There is also a generic version of Prilosec.
Omeprazole. It has other brand names as well. e.g. GastroGuard paste for horses.
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Sorry to hear that Oakley went though this, but I have to say thanks for posting about this. I use Xylitol for my own baking/sweetening while I'm dieting… looks like I'll only keep the Stevia in the house... in the highest cupboad!
