[2hounds]

Yesterday morning around 10ish Gibbs puked, about the size of a Pringles can top. He hadn't ate but a little bit of his breakfast and drank barely any water. I decided I wouldn't panic yet. I went to work, and when I got home 5 hours later there were 3 more puke piles about the size of dinner plates. I then took him to the vet. They asked the usual questions, "Did he get into the trash, human food, new dog food, etc" The answers were all no. The sudden vomiting with the combination of the growths he has throughout his body (a quite large one on his leg) made the vet think something I certianly didn't want to hear..."I hate to say this, but he may have CANCER, we'll do a fecal and if his intestines are fine, we'll have to look into these growths." We did the fecal and it turned out that he had some parisite that begins with a C that she said was an "environmental condition" that couldn't exactly be avoided, I couldn't tell you what the exact name of the parisite was called I was too overwhelmed (emotionally and financially), and because of the parisite also had a bacterial growth in his instestines. They gave me medicie and requested that I buy the very bland prescription dog food while he's on his medicine. They did go back to test the growth on his leg and blood and "sterile puss" came out. So she said we would hold off on testing the growth for Cancer. He's acting fine now.

Two questions:

1. A friend of mine whose basset had a parisite used stage 3 chicken baby food instead of the prescription food and her dog did great (plus it's cheaper).
2. Should I get the growths tested, the vet told me it was $192 to test each growth. I can't afford that. And if it is Cancer there's nothing that can be done about it, right? As long as he's acting fine and not in pain, do I really want to know if he has Cancer or not?

Thanks a bunch.

~Heather

 

[jallen9696]

Heather, I am so sorry to hear about the problems. Is there sometype of payment plan they could put you on...I don't know anything about substituting the vet's diet plan with the baby's chicken...but I would call the vet and ask. Katie and Moosie send loves of lickie licks and the best to you both...and when they say their prayers tonight there will be an extra one for you both....

 

[2hounds]

Unforunately the vet I go to is linked to a very large pet store chain. Therefore they are in it for MONEY. There is absolutely no payment plans accepted. I would call the vet about the food thing, but I'm sure they'll tell me that I have to buy their food. They actually stood there and watched me yesterday until I grabbed some of the prescription food. Don't get me wrong, he hasn't thrown it up...yay, but it's $40 for a SMALL bag of it, and he has to be on it for 10 days...I'll figure it out..thanks for the input.

~Heather

edited to add: I called the vet about the food and I was told to use strictly the prescription food for 14 days and then ease him back onto regular food...and if he begins vomiting again he'll have to go back to prescription food...he's goes back in a month and we'll see how he does

 

[twobassets]

Sammy had coccidia about a year agao. Don't know if it's the same bug, however, the symtoms were similar. Our vet had us give her boiled or steamed chicken breast and plain white rice for about 10 days. Maybe that would work. There are a number of sites on the web you can research and some have a vet you can ask questions of. Good luck and I hope your pup is feeling better soon!

 

[jasperspet]

So sorry Gibbs and you are going through so much. Jasper has eaten white rice before when he didn't feel good. When he had surgery to repair a huge cyst on his neck last year, the only thing he would consume was milk. He wouldn't touch food or water. He lived on milk for several days until he went over to his food storage box and put his paws on it to let me know that he wanted some of it. Hope Gibbs doesn't have cancer and I know how you feel about huge vet bills. It's a toss up on getting them tested, I think I'd wait if he's eating and acting OK.

 

[Marcia]

Our rescue Rocky had coccidia along with several other nasty bugs when we adopted him. However, his symptom was diarrhea, not vomiting(along with enough toxic gas to fumigate our entire house). I have used chicken and boiled rice in the past for upset tummies, and it's worked very well. The term "sterile pus" sounds odd to me - I've never heard this one before. The description sounds like an epidermal inclusion cyst, which are relatively common in bassets. Do a search on the internet, there's lots of good info out there. Hope your baby feels better soon.

Edited to add that there is another nasty little bug called cryptosporidia. This is another ball of wax all together.

 

[2hounds]

We went ahead and bought the prescription food, I hate to cook. He's doing really well, hasn't thrown up since Friday night (before he began the medicine/prescription food regimine). That cryptosporidia sounds more like what the vet said. I know she didn't say coccidia because I've heard of that before and the word that she said was a longer word. As far as the cyst on his leg, it's looking a lot better also, I guess time will tell. Thanks everyone for the suggestions, support, etc.

~Heather