From:
Sonya Grable
Date: 2001-04-17 15:06:00 UTC
Subject: Enlarged Abdomen - Re-post of Vets/others...
*Re-posted since there were no responses to the first one.*
**Contains revisions, including an update.**
I have a 1.5 y/o sprite who's had intermittent bloating for
several months.
Intermittent, meaning she may swell/bloat for three days or
two weeks and
then not again for several weeks or even a couple of months.
Actually, I
don't quite know how to classify it. It could be bloating,
swelling,
distention, or a combination thereof. I've had her since she
was 5-7 weeks.
Food allergy has been explored but there doesn't seem to be
any real or
long-lasting connection. However, she does seem to do better
w/ out corn or
wheat. She's not an overeater. Partial blockage has been
considered but her
vet doesn't believe there's strong enough evidence. Sometimes
her stools are
smaller in diameter but not often and not 'pencil lead'. When
I first
brought her home she passed quite a bit of hair but rarely
does now. I
believe most was due to the living conditions and stress she
was under at
the time. I give hairball remedy twice a week; more often if
needed, more
often during shedding season. A barium study in May 2000
revealed slow
emptying into the stomach but her vet wasn't concerned.
Several fecals,
stool cultures, USG tests, and urine cultures have all been
(-). X-rays
taken at different times*may* have indicated gas. She's never
had or
exhibited signs of ECE. A blood sample tested (-) for ADV.
CURRENT/ONGOING: Excessive sleeping. Sometimes her abdominal
skin is very
tight when she's swollen/bloated. Sometimes her body isn't
loose or 'slinky'
like it should be. She is fat in her lower abdomen/hind leg
area but hasn't
always been. Expansion of the chest/rib area. Area sometimes
sounds hollow.
Swelling on both sides of the neck (rarely the throat;
somewhat less
pronounced when is). Left underarm swells. An aspirate in
February 2001
yielded normal looking cells, fat, and fluid (was not sent to
a lab). Cold
feet at times. Stuffy/congested sounding nose while sleeping &
when first
wakes. Lethargic at times. Sometimes the nipples and skin
directly under &
around are red, sometimes enlarged and red. Stools are
currently olive to
dk. green, sometimes khaki tan, mostly formed. February labs
(globulin not
tested) were normal. A fecal and USG done in March were both
okay. Labs
repeated in March were all normal except those listed below:
Results based on small mammal profile: Phosphorus...3.8 (L)
RR: 4.2-8.5
Chloride...114 (H) RR: 90-110 Globulin...2.6 (L) RR: 2.9-4.9
CPK...80 RR:
none given Monocytes...6 (H) RR: 8-3 Absolutes...270
Eosinophils...4 (H)
RR: 0-1 Absolutes...180 PCV/HCT...60 RR: 43-55. Note:
Heterophils were
measured so I don't know how this may affect certain other
counts.
HISTORY (in addition to current/ongoing): She used to cough
and have violent
sneezes. Both are fewer and farther between now. Excessive
itching, litter
box confusion & biting human males. Tested (-) for adrenal in
Aug 2000 & Mar
2001. She's been treated for GI symptoms (none diagnosed via
biopsy) at
different times with Baytril, Chloramphenicol, pediatric
SulfaTrim, and
Prednisolone. She's never tested (+) for any parasites. Tested
(+) for yeast
via culture (not Giardia) and treated w/ Nystatin. Treated
twice in 2000 for
possible Helicobacter. First with Amoxi/Metro/Pepto, then a
couple or more
months later with Amoxi/Biaxin/Pepto. Carafate as needed, both
times.
"Slight" enlargement of the heart has been mentioned more than
once based on
x-rays. First ultrasound was May 2000 (after barium study). No
abnormalities
found in the pancreatic region. However, the comment portion
reads:
'slightly large, slightly saponified(?) fat'. ECG and printout
normal. Last
ultrasound was February 2001. Everything looked okay except
the right side
of the heart, which appeared to be enlarged. No measurement or
printout.
Described as "possible" enlargement. Areas of the spleen were
both hyper &
hypoechoic. Treated briefly in the past w/ Lasix while bloated
but no real
response. Treated with children's Benadryl for possible
environmental
allergy but no real response. Consistently elevated CREA but
normal BUN
("off" labs/dates shown below). Calcium low for a few months;
treated w/
NeoCalGlucon. Rough, dry, rear foot pads - mostly the inner
edges (not
litter related). In the past, stools have ranged from normal
to lt. gray,
lt. tan & pasty, plus the above mentioned olive tones. Rarely
yellow and/or
seedy. Occasional mucous. Sometimes loose. She sometimes
smells similar to
waffles and syrup.
"Off" LABS/DATES:
4-6-00 RBC...5.7 (L) RR: 6.5-11.0 HGB...10.2 (L) RR:
15.0-19.0 PCV...32
(L) RR: 43-55 ALKP...57 (H) RR: 15-45 TP...5.1 (L) RR:
5.5-7.6 CREA...1.7
(H) RR: 0.1-0.4 GLU...144 (H) RR: 80-120 Potassium...3.7 (L)
RR: 4.3-5.8
Chloride...111 (H) RR: 90-110 Glob...1.7 (L) RR: 2.9-4.9
CPK...140 no
reference range given.
8-14-00 AST...245 (H) RR: 46-118 TP...6.5 (H) RR: 4.3-6.0
CREA...1.0 (H)
RR: 0.4-0.9 GLU...70 RR: 120-144 Ca...7.5 (L) RR: 7.6-9.6
WBC...8.6 (H)
RR: 3.5-7.0 NEUTROPHIL SEG...65 (H) RR: 31-57
ABSOLUTE...5590
MONOCYTES...3 (H) RR: 0-1 ABSOLUTE... 258 EOSINOPHIL...6 (H)
RR: 0-1
ABSOLUTE...516. USG...1.022; slightly hazy. Stool sample (-).
No
Campylobacter.
9-18-00 Results based on small mammal profile: AST...69 (L)
RR: 189-388
GLU...39 (L) RR: 120-144 **later verified in-house as 139**
Ca...4.8 (L)
RR: 7.6-9.6 PHOSPHORUS...2.7 (L) RR: 3.2-9.5
LYMPHOCYTES...76 (H) RR:
22-48 ABSOLUTE...3800 EOSINOPHIL...3 (H) RR: 0-1
ABSOLUTE...150.
Heterophils were measured so I don't know how this may affect
other counts.
10-21-00 AST...174 (H) RR: 46-118 CREA...1.5 (H) RR: 0.4-0.9
results
verified by repeat analysis GLU...54 RR: 120-144 HGB...18.8
RR: 12-18
NEUTROPHIL SEG...90 (H) RR: 31-57 ABSOLUTE...6300
LYMPHOCYTES...6 (L) RR:
22-48 ABSOLUTE...420 MONOCYTES...4 (H) RR: 0-1
ABSOLUTE...280. I don't know
why, but for some reason Eosinophils were not tested/reported
this time.
11-9-00 ALKP...90 RR: 9-84 CREA...2.42 RR: 0.40-0.90
GLOB...3.50 RR:
1.80-3.10 Cl...126.8 RR: 106.0-125.0.
11-20-00 BUN / Ca / CREA within normal range. UA/UC (-). No
abnormal
sediment. USG...1.024 & 1.004 (more dilute sample). Heartworm
(-).
12-11-00 BUN & CREA tested. Same sample sent to two different
labs:
CREA...1.5 (H) RR: 0.4-0.9. Second result: CREA...0.5 (H) RR:
0.1-0.4.
2-13-01 TBIL...1.30 (H) RR: 0.10-1.00.
I'm worried because she's gotten quite large, is sleeping
longer & more
often, and seems more lethargic over the past two to three
days. Appetite's
about the same (maybe a slight decrease), stools are about the
same. One of
her vets just placed her on Amoxi/Metro. There is no
indication of ulcers at
this time.
UPDATE: She improved after the fourth day but is
swollen/bloated again.
The Amoxi/Metro seems to be having little effect. I put her on
Prozyme about
a week ago and her stools are more brown now. Saturday night
she had a BM that
was a yellow puddle (not exactly thick or thin). I'm pretty
sure there was
some mucous. Early this afternoon she regurgitated
approximately
five pieces of small-sized kibble that she'd eaten less than
thirty minutes
prior. An hour later I gave a small amount of baby food and so
far she's
kept it down. Sunday night she had another yellow puddle. Took
it yesterday to be
checked. Everything was okay. No parasites, no overgrowth of
Clostridium, etc.
ANY advice, ideas, suggestions, or information will be greatly
appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Sonya