Skip to content

Fluid build-up in stomach- HELP

Basenji Health Issues & Questions
  • Thank you for the update and do hope you get some answers this evening. The wait is always so hard I just wish they could move faster. My heart goes to you both that there is good news on the way. Please take care and keep us up todate. Thank you.

    Rita Jean

  • Just picked her up from the vet- current diagnosis: abdominal effision- irregular spleen on ultrasound. Cytology (sample) of the spleen sent to lab, waiting on results.

    The fluid results were consistent with modified transudate (high protein fluid).

    Here are the blood results for anyone interest (I dont know what the letters mean, they explained it all to me but I just have the print out of the results- and these are only the ones that are high or low, didnt include the normal level results):

    ALB 2.3 g/dL mildly low
    ALKP 231 U/L High
    Na 138 mmol/L Low
    Cl 105 mmol/L Low
    LYM .4K/uL Low
    HCT 57.4% High
    MCV 77.3 fL High
    MCHC 28.7 g/dL Low
    PLT 56 K/uL very low (platelets)

  • What did they say about her BUN and Creatinine? Here is link on how to read blood tests.. Is that all that is on the results?

    http://home.gci.net/~divs/disease/lab_tests.html#cbc

    The ALKP has to do with the liver and high values indicated liver desease among other things. Same with ALB - low points to chronic liver or Kidney disease

  • Glad you have her with you again. I have no clue what it all means, but am sure the oldtimers will fill you in. Please keep us posted.

  • @tanza:

    What did they say about her BUN and Creatinine? Here is link on how to read blood tests.. Is that all that is on the results?

    http://home.gci.net/~divs/disease/lab_tests.html#cbc

    The ALKP has to do with the liver and high values indicated liver desease among other things. Same with ALB - low points to chronic liver or Kidney disease

    Can I just say that you are a fount of knowledge :D:D:D…I have loads of bookmarks from things you (and the other longtime b owners) have posted so that I can refer back if/when I need them. Thanks for this post!

  • @tanza:

    What did they say about her BUN and Creatinine? Here is link on how to read blood tests.. Is that all that is on the results?

    http://home.gci.net/~divs/disease/lab_tests.html#cbc

    The ALKP has to do with the liver and high values indicated liver desease among other things. Same with ALB - low points to chronic liver or Kidney disease

    that is just the high/low results.. i didnt include the ones that are in the normal range.

    BUN 14 mg/dL normal
    CREA .8 mg/dL normal

    and thanks for the link :)

  • @tanza:

    What did they say about her BUN and Creatinine? Here is link on how to read blood tests.. Is that all that is on the results?

    http://home.gci.net/~divs/disease/lab_tests.html#cbc

    The ALKP has to do with the liver and high values indicated liver desease among other things. Same with ALB - low points to chronic liver or Kidney disease

    The vets don't seem concerned with the liver or kidney, I'm not sure why since the ALKP was high and ALB low..

  • I am with Basenjimamma no clue but I am in hope that it is good and med's will take care.
    When you say liver or kidney Pat were does that lead you?

    Please take care.

    Rita Jean

  • @Rita:

    I am with Basenjimamma no clue but I am in hope that it is good and med's will take care.
    When you say liver or kidney Pat were does that lead you?

    Please take care.

    Rita Jean

    I would not even venture a guess, could be so many things…. But it is always good to make sure that the functions of the kidneys are within normal range...

  • @DiegosMom:

    The vets don't seem concerned with the liver or kidney, I'm not sure why since the ALKP was high and ALB low..

    Could be because the reason the Liver is off is due to whatever else is going on… and the liver is pretty remarkable... as it can and does regenerate itself... almost like self healing..... of course depending on what is going on....

  • Oh, do let us know how he is doing.

  • still waiting for the spleen results.. she is doing about the same..

  • I know there are no words but at least about the same. I do so hope all is well and great news comming your way.
    Special hug to your little girl.

    Rita Jean

  • Unfortunately I have no good news to share. I left the technical stuff at work, so I don’t know the medical terms for what’s going on. We got the results from the cytology of the spleen back. There are two possible diseases affecting the spleen, and they can’t determine which one it is unless we have surgery to remove the spleen. (the oncologist said he would not do a biopsy in her case). The oncologist’s recommendation regardless of which one she has is to remove the spleen. Because of different symptoms she has is also confident that of the two things that it could be, that she has cancer. After surgery she would need chemo.

    After talking to me regular vet I decided not to do the surgery/chemo. There are a number of reasons that decision was made. Life expectancy is 1 year or less with the surgery and chemo, I don’t want to put her through surgery and chemo, and my regular vet’s opinion was to not do the surgery. She said she has seen a lot of dogs go in for surgery/chemo and come out with a low quality of life, even though they stay alive longer than the other options. In addition, it’s very expensive and we don’t know how long it would actually give us.

    The oncologists second recommendation if we elected not to do surgery is to put her on steroids. My vet agreed that this is the route she would take. So we started her on steroids tonight. Her condition seems to be deteriorating quickly over the past 24-36 hours, so I’m hoping we are just going through a bad day and she will start to improve.

    Its been difficult to make these decisions, and I know there are more to come. Please pray that God keeps Meeka comfortable and with us a little longer, I am not ready to say goodbye to my little princess.

  • I am so very sorry about your news and wish I could change this for you. Please know my heart goes to you both and prayers yes there will be lots of those.

    I only wish you would look at the website for cancer and three drug mix and talk to your vet please. It may not help but ask and find out our vet was not sure either until read.

    I do not want you to say goodbye to your little princess just look it over and talk to you vet give her that much please.

    Rita Jean

  • I'm so sorry. Of course Meeka (and you/your family) will be in my thoughts and prayers. You also may want to look for a holistic vet; I've had great luck with mine.

  • thank you both for the advice. I will print off the info and see what the vet says. And I will look for a holistic vet in the area and see what they think.

  • Sarah and Meeka, I wish I had words of wisdom or the perfect medicinal advice. I have neither. I can only say I'm keeping you in my thoughts and prayers and wishing you only the best.

    Dawn

  • I am so sorry to hear Meeka's prognosis and know how it feels to get that news. It is just so similar to what I went through with Spot. My thoughts and prayers are with you and Meeka.

  • Sarah, I'm so sorry for your news. And know it is a really tough decision to make.

    I have not experienced cancer in a pet myself but have had friends go thru it. The last one did have surgery and chemo and made it an additional year. They spent thousands but the dog had a really poor quality of life for the entire year and you would not have even thought it was the same dog almost from the get go as it lost all his zest. It was heartbreaking to see him like that and my friends (who have the resources to do anything needed, BTW) said they wouldn't do it again.

Suggested Topics

  • Need help!!

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    6
    0 Votes
    6 Posts
    2k Views
    D
    @nick4 Sounds like an allergy or something biting him. For sure the vets and see what they say. Benadryl for sure, as far as I know it does no harm if you dose correctly.
  • Help Needed

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    5
    0 Votes
    5 Posts
    2k Views
    sinbajeS
    I would not have posted if I beleived it to be a scam. For folks who do worry about such things - one can always let the person know they would be more than willing to donate directly to the vet clinic for care of their pet. M.C. I too beleive they either got what they needed to help their little girl or they realized they put too much info on craigslist. I am hoping for the former. As for Drew - yes - that is a picture of him. If you really want to know - email me privately and I can send you a copy of an article I was asked to write for an Aussie pubication re: him.
  • Sick pup, help stomach virus

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    27
    0 Votes
    27 Posts
    10k Views
    M
    I am so sorry to hear of your loss. We had to put our Suni down in April and understand what you go through right now. Marli
  • Fleas! Help!

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    20
    0 Votes
    20 Posts
    5k Views
    AJs HumanA
    @khanis: I have NEVER heard of these legendary fleas or mosquitos…. and I am a Portland native... and have NEVER had a flea issue with my basenjis [Whippet, IG, RR, Newfs, or cats]. Our home ranges from 3-6 basenjis on average and still no problem, even with dogs that come/go for showing or boarding. The only time I have treated them [my dogs] was prior to traveling to the midwest or east coasts. During the time I lived in Portland, which is at the very northern end of the Valley and has more wind than the lower Valley, I noticed a lot fewer fleas and 'skeeters. I can understand why you haven't experienced them. Try camping on the shores of Fern Ridge sometime. Make sure you take lots of DEET. I grew up there and, man, the 'skeeters are horrible!:eek: I can remember our dogs and cats had a rough time of it, too. We were always picking fleas off them. But that's the difference between living in the city and living in the back woods. The conditions in the lower Valley are perfect for the growth of fleas and mosquitos: standing water everywhere and very few hard freezes. (Gramma lives in the "sticks" too and has lots of both in her area outside Salem.) But, again, back to the subject, she used Brewer's Yeast and had pretty good results with it.
  • Help, Please!

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    17
    0 Votes
    17 Posts
    4k Views
    gbroxonG
    @tanza: Hmm…. I would "bet not".....gggg;) And you'd win! This morning, Magnum followed me down to the laundry room where I had put some painted-up towels I used last night to get off a lot of the paint when it first happened. Luckily, I was able to grab them up just as he got into position to throw himself down and roll on them. (I trashed them after getting them as clean as I could.) He just loves rolling in stuff that's smelly, whether it's a good smell or a bad smell! He may have learned a lesson, but it's obviously not one that's gonna stop him from rolling in smelly stuff! He seems to be okay even after getting several licks of paint in, no tummy problems, his usual laid-back self. Eating and drinking well.
  • Help!!!!

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    4
    0 Votes
    4 Posts
    1k Views
    tanzaT
    Yup, I would agree, UTI is possible…