Post by WillemsMom on Sept 18, 2004 13:21:51 GMT -8
Day before yesterday Willem was diagnosed with Hepatitis. Threw me for a loop. But I have learned alot in the last 36 hours and I thought I'd try to document the sequence of this so we can all learn.
History;
Willem is about a 1 1/2 plus years old male. He weighs 1.5 pounds. It seems he has developed sexually prematurely. He began ejaculating about a month ago. I could see his hemipenes when he did this iin his bath. No doubt in my mind about what was happening. He doesn't do that in his bath anymore, but I still find ejaculate every morning in his special place. (I think it's cute and I kid him about it.) It is the color of rawhide and I can still change it's shape with my fingers, because I find it fresh.
About the same time that I discovered his ejaculate he cut way back on his eating. Initially I attributed that to being in season. As he began to eat less and less, I thought I should have him checked for parasites.
He was loaded with cut worms. When he was given his first dose of de-worming meds..he passed A LOT of them. Like short blonde eyelashes. i took him back in 2 weeks. Another fecal check. No worms. A second dose of the meds in case there were worm eggs.
It was at this time that Will's eating went into a serious decline. And he was constipated. I consulted with Dom who guided me into giving Willie some yogurt to replace the flora killed by the meds and also some prune juice to loosen his feces. I also bought A Mega-Ray bulb from Bobmac and some Nutribac.
Initially it looked like Willie was healing. He had some very good days, eating well, pooping well and then another decline. I only posted about him on his good days. Some kind of denial, I guess. Then it got more serious. He didn't eat and he pooped, infrequently, the size of a raisin or a piece of a raisin. some days no poop at all. His urates were one day yellow and the next day orange. I became scared and decided I needed to act quickly. I took him to the doc who drew blood and expressed concern.
It took 48 hours to get the results.
Diagnosis: Hepatitis.
Treatment Plan: Baytril Antibiotic for 10 days and then new blood tests.
Discussion: Hepatitis is caused by continuous association with something toxic, a virus, a bacteria, and probably other things, but those are what I remember.
Hoped for Treatment Outcome is that Baytril will kill the bacteria and Will will be fine again. If he has hepatitis from a virus infection, there is no telling what will happen. Every individual responds differently.
New info: A tech veterinarian, in the same office, told me that the only thing hepatits means is an inflammation of the liver. Ohhhh...well that sounds better.
I'm beginning to realize that Willie's blood test results could almost all be due to dehydration, including the color of his urates. Relief is beginning to settle in.
Willie has been getting slurries of turnuip greens, endive, escarole, watercress and pedialyte. The little mini-chopper by Cuisinart ( less than $30.00 at Sam's) does a great job of pureeing everything. Ed and I have to give it to Will, because the syringe looks like something for a great dane or a horse. HUGE and stiff.
We are giving him his slurries in the Assisted feeding mode. he's not a happy camper while this is going on, but I hold him wrapped in a towel and Ed squirts a mouthfull a time into his mouth. Will swallows it and licks his lips. We wait a minute or so and then give him another mouthful.
Results. BIG poops, white urates and lots of urine.
Thank you, God!
We're going back in 9 days for another blood test after the anti-biotics.
Maybe Will's doc was wrong. Maybe it was all dehydration. Maybe he wanted to be rather safe than sorry. Sure threw a scare into me, but I'm glad if he's that careful. He's the typical doc, big ego, doesn't like to be questioned, but I think, bottom-line, I'm getting more repect (a wee bit more ) because I do question him.
I will post here different information as it comes to me.
Until then, my heartfelt thanks to Tesa, Dom, Prism_Wolf, Merlin, Igking, Nan-she, BobMac and all silent others who supported my Willie and me with your interest, information and prayers. How can Will do anything but succeed with all of you behind him.
History;
Willem is about a 1 1/2 plus years old male. He weighs 1.5 pounds. It seems he has developed sexually prematurely. He began ejaculating about a month ago. I could see his hemipenes when he did this iin his bath. No doubt in my mind about what was happening. He doesn't do that in his bath anymore, but I still find ejaculate every morning in his special place. (I think it's cute and I kid him about it.) It is the color of rawhide and I can still change it's shape with my fingers, because I find it fresh.
About the same time that I discovered his ejaculate he cut way back on his eating. Initially I attributed that to being in season. As he began to eat less and less, I thought I should have him checked for parasites.
He was loaded with cut worms. When he was given his first dose of de-worming meds..he passed A LOT of them. Like short blonde eyelashes. i took him back in 2 weeks. Another fecal check. No worms. A second dose of the meds in case there were worm eggs.
It was at this time that Will's eating went into a serious decline. And he was constipated. I consulted with Dom who guided me into giving Willie some yogurt to replace the flora killed by the meds and also some prune juice to loosen his feces. I also bought A Mega-Ray bulb from Bobmac and some Nutribac.
Initially it looked like Willie was healing. He had some very good days, eating well, pooping well and then another decline. I only posted about him on his good days. Some kind of denial, I guess. Then it got more serious. He didn't eat and he pooped, infrequently, the size of a raisin or a piece of a raisin. some days no poop at all. His urates were one day yellow and the next day orange. I became scared and decided I needed to act quickly. I took him to the doc who drew blood and expressed concern.
It took 48 hours to get the results.
Diagnosis: Hepatitis.
Treatment Plan: Baytril Antibiotic for 10 days and then new blood tests.
Discussion: Hepatitis is caused by continuous association with something toxic, a virus, a bacteria, and probably other things, but those are what I remember.
Hoped for Treatment Outcome is that Baytril will kill the bacteria and Will will be fine again. If he has hepatitis from a virus infection, there is no telling what will happen. Every individual responds differently.
New info: A tech veterinarian, in the same office, told me that the only thing hepatits means is an inflammation of the liver. Ohhhh...well that sounds better.
I'm beginning to realize that Willie's blood test results could almost all be due to dehydration, including the color of his urates. Relief is beginning to settle in.
Willie has been getting slurries of turnuip greens, endive, escarole, watercress and pedialyte. The little mini-chopper by Cuisinart ( less than $30.00 at Sam's) does a great job of pureeing everything. Ed and I have to give it to Will, because the syringe looks like something for a great dane or a horse. HUGE and stiff.
We are giving him his slurries in the Assisted feeding mode. he's not a happy camper while this is going on, but I hold him wrapped in a towel and Ed squirts a mouthfull a time into his mouth. Will swallows it and licks his lips. We wait a minute or so and then give him another mouthful.
Results. BIG poops, white urates and lots of urine.
Thank you, God!
We're going back in 9 days for another blood test after the anti-biotics.
Maybe Will's doc was wrong. Maybe it was all dehydration. Maybe he wanted to be rather safe than sorry. Sure threw a scare into me, but I'm glad if he's that careful. He's the typical doc, big ego, doesn't like to be questioned, but I think, bottom-line, I'm getting more repect (a wee bit more ) because I do question him.
I will post here different information as it comes to me.
Until then, my heartfelt thanks to Tesa, Dom, Prism_Wolf, Merlin, Igking, Nan-she, BobMac and all silent others who supported my Willie and me with your interest, information and prayers. How can Will do anything but succeed with all of you behind him.