Health | City Living Puppy

HGE : Disease of Dogs

May 2nd, 2010

I just found out that my friend Anna Nicole is in the hospital with HGE (Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis)

I had never heard of this before but luckily Ana’s mom had and got her to the hospital quickly. In case you, like myself, have been kept in the dark about HGE I researched it and posted it here. Now we all know the signs and treatment for HGE.

“We love you Ana. Feel better!”

xoxo

City Living Puppy and my Mom

Anna Nicole - Her Bridesmaid Dress

What does HGE stand for?
HGE (at least in terms of veterinary medicine) stands for Hemorrhagic GastroEnteritis, and it is a disease of dogs.

What are the signs seen with HGE in dogs?
The most notable sign seen with HGE is a very sudden onset of bloody diarrhea in a previously healthy dog. Vomiting, not eating (anorexia), and listlessness are also seen. Dehydration is not usually clinically seen on initial presentation, but shock can develop quickly without treatment.

What causes HGE?
At this time, the exact cause of this disease is unknown. There are many theories – diet, a bacterial infection or bacterial toxin, virus, reaction to an intestinal parasite, etc. – but nothing has been proven. Stress may play a role in the development of HGE. Dogs that have an episode of HGE may be prone to another occurrence. Many dogs never experience HGE.

What breeds/ages/gender of dog are more susceptible?
Toy and miniature breeds of dogs, ages 2 to 4, are the types of dogs most commonly seen, but HGE can affect any breed, gender, and age. There is no gender predilection (HGE occurs equally in males and females).

How is HGE diagnosed?
HGE is diagnosed primarily by ruling out other causes of bloody diarrhea. The sudden appearance of bloody diarrhea and a high packed cell volume (PCV) in a previously healthy dog rule in favor of the HGE diagnosis.

This sounds serious – is it a fatal disease?
Left untreated, this can be a deadly disease. However, with prompt veterinary care, most dogs respond to treatment and recover.

How is HGE treated?
The mainstay of treatment is aggressive supportive care — no food or water by mouth for 1-4 days, and intravenous (IV) fluid therapy with Potassium added to the fluids. Antibiotics are also recommended (IV, subcutaneous). Food should be reintroduced slowly and, in the event that the HGE is food related, a new (novel) protein should be given that the dog doesn’t usually eat, i.e. chicken, lamb or cottage cheese.

What is the success rate? Do dogs recover from this?
With aggressive supportive care, most dogs recover within a few days. Some dogs can have repeated episodes of HGE.

What should I do if I see vomiting or diarrhea in my pet? Is it an emergency?
This is a hard question to answer, because there are so many causes for vomiting and / or diarrhea. As for any situation that is “not normal” for your pet, it is always recommended that you call your veterinarian and discuss what is going on. Your veterinarian will be able to advise you if it is a situation that can wait or if it sounds like an emergency.

Categories: Health, Journal | 2 Comments

Struggling

February 22nd, 2010

Hi Everyone…

Sorry for not writing recently … all I have been able to do is get the daily newsletter out since my injury. I went to the vet and basically if my knee hasn’t healed itself in two weeks then I have to have surgery! I am crossing my fingers that I don’t have to have surgery.. But for the next two weeks I am basically on bed rest.. so frustrating and boring. I also have to take some horrible medicine that my mom and roommate squirt into my mouth… ugh! Sorry if I am being a downer today.. just miss my active self!!

xoxo

City Living Puppy

PS- Make sure to sign up for the daily e-newsletter so you are still in the loop about all the best doggie stuff

Categories: Health, Journal | Tags: injury, newsletter | 5 Comments

Started 2010 off on the wrong paw!

January 8th, 2010

Well first off I apologize for not writing in awhile but once I explain I am sure you will understand.

The holidays were extremely busy and I went to a million different places. I went to Cape Cod, Weston and a big party where I was the only puppy! I got presents and had a blast until New Years Eve came. That was when it all happened.

I had been fine all day! My roommate made me an egg for breakfast (my favorite) and my mom had taken me outside to play, etc. So far it was a great day. Now this is where it gets confusing because I am still unsure how or what happened to me.

I was laying on my mom’s lap and kept falling asleep. My roommate and my mom were about to go to Trader Joe’s because we were having people over that night. My mom was concerned by how tired and out of it I seemed. My roommate (a.k.a – dog whisperer) put me on the floor and as soon as I took my first step the three of us knew something was wrong.

I was really dizzy and couldn’t walk straight. I couldn’t even hold myself up for more than a few seconds. My paws would begin slipping and I would just fall asleep.

We went to the vet who sent us to Angel Hospital where I was taken away into some area. They gave me a million tests, fluid and who knows what else! Once they had poked and prodded me all they could I felt better. It was so weird!

They brought me back to my mom and roommate. I was so excited but I felt bad because I could tell my mom had been crying. She was really scared. We ended up not getting up until almost midnight so we never had people over. Thank god my roommate had a car (she usually doesn’t) otherwise the whole fiasco would have been much worse.

We got the test results back the next day and everything was great! So they believe I had a mini seizure …. who knows… all I know is that I am better and my roommate and mom are happy!!

This week my mom has been very cautious about where we go and not leaving me home alone BUT next week I can resume my job as the pet friendly investigator!!

Did you enjoy the holidays?

xoxo

City Living Puppy

Categories: Health | 17 Comments

Pet Insurance

October 14th, 2009

Do you have insurance? My mom got it for me when I was a baby because my other aunt Monica recommended she did.

Here is a great article my mom found on New York Times about pet health insurance. Check it out!

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/03/garden/05puppy.html

Categories: Health | Tags: Health, insurance | 2 Comments

Look Guys…No Cone!

October 6th, 2009

I'm Back!!!

Categories: Health | Tags: healthy | No Comments

Surgery Today

September 22nd, 2009

Hi Everyone

This is Tanner’s mom Amanda writing to you. I just dropped Tanner off at the vet for his “male” surgery. Tanner made me promise to write and tell you guys where he is today! He wanted to write last night but I was being a mean parent and wouldn’t let him. Our roommate gave him a little pep talk while I got ready for bed, which I think made him less worried. I am sure he will tell you all about it once he can type again. Once again I am sorry for not letting him write last night but he needed his rest for today.

We left the house this morning at 8am and Tanner got to play in the park a little before we walked to the vet. In case he forgot to tell you he goes to Back Bay Vet. They are extremely nice there, I highly recommend them. He was kind of scared when we got there … oops I wasn’t supposed to tell you that… scratch that … what I meant to say was he wasn’t scared at all when we got there. He did say I am allowed to share with you guys that when he saw me signing all the forms at the vet it did make him begin to get a little fearful of what his day would be like.

He will be under until about noon and then hopefully ready to come home around 4pm. I will keep you posted on his status and I know he will be eager to write about his experience once he gets home!!

Talk to you later…

Amanda

(City Living Puppy’s Mom)