[Erin]

Ok, so we made another trip to the vet today to get some sinus x-rays. This is, for the most part, the only major thing we haven't done in our search for a solution to her issues.

Overall the Pecid and bland diet seem to be helping her, but she always sounds so stuffed up. Almost like she had an obstruction in her sinuses/nasal cavity. Anyway, we decided to go ahead and have x-rays done.

Her x-rays all came back looking great! He checked her lungs, throat, sinuses, just about everything! She's basically super healthy. So we've decided to continue her Pepcid/bland diet routine and add fish oil and start trying some various antihistamines for her itchiness.

Anyway, seems like we're really finally getting somewhere! Thanks for all of your prayers and thoughts

Daisy says thanks too

 

[Brisen]

Thanks for the update Erin. I'm glad Daisy is doing better and checks out healthy!

 

[jassy]

Its good to hear that Daisy is making some progress. Since she seems healthy overall you can just keep on making those little changes as you go and maybe you will hit on the right combination.

 

[Murphys Dad]

Great update -- so glad x-rays were clean! At the vet's office this morning, I overheard the head tech tell a client that this is starting out to be a very bad allergy season here in Florida. Client was picking up some omega-3 tablets (fish oil would serve this purpose). Tech asked her if she had tried Benedryl and client said that she had but, since no better after one dose, she didn't give her any more. Tech said that it (at correct dose for her dog) needs to be given 3x a day for at least a week to see any benefits.

 

[Zookeeper]

Glad to hear the Pepcid and diet are working. I have followed Daisy's issues closely since Violet has had a few of the same. She hadn't had one for months, then had one last night. Looks like we'll be asking her vet about Pepcid.

I'm curious, does Daisy's stuffed up sound happen all the time, or just when she is having an episode? Violet always makes grunty-snorty noises. The vet checked her out and couldn't find any problems and said she thought it was Vi's happy noise. I did notice during last night's episode that her grunting was much worse, something else to talk to the vet about.

Hope you can continue to keep this problem under control for Daisy. I am thankful to you and Deb for some information to help me work with Violet's vet to make sure her few incidents don't happen again.

 

[Erin]

Judy - That what our vet said, give the antihistamine at least a week to see any difference.

Zookeeper (I'm sorry I don't know your name!

)-

I'm sorry to hear Violet has similar issues, I know how stressful it is. Definitely ask about the Pepcid. We use the generic form and Daisy gets 1 pill per day, half in the morning, half in the evening. I know Deb just gives her pup a Pepcid when she has an episode, but Daisy's were so frequent that the vet wanted to put her on a preventative as well as the bland diet.

Daisy sounds snorty almost all the time, but it was always much worse during her episodes. I think it may have something to do with her tummy issues though. I know when I get sick to my stomach sometimes my nose and eyes will get watery/runny. So if Daisy is having some acid reflux problems she's already got mucus, etc. in her throat, then the runny nose and drainage just add to her problems. Our current vet said it's possible that her regular stuffiness could just be her or may be allergy related, although he said dogs usually manifest their allergy reactions in skin issues.

Deb really deserves the credit, I never would have thought about trying Pepcid if it wasn't for her, and none of the vets had suggested it to this point. The vet thought that if it was acid reflux there would have been some noticeable damage to her throat that they would have seen with the endoscopy. I hope the Pepcid will help Violet! Please keep me updated

 

[jassy]

Its good to read a positive update. I hope you continue making progress with Daisy.

 

[Zookeeper]

Thanks for the reply, Erin (I'm Tamie, btw). I think the Pepcid would be like with Deb, since Violet has only had a few incidents. My coworker's Pom just had the same type of thing the other night and she called our vet (we go to the same one) and they told her it was allergies. But I really think it is the acid reflux, it just fits better.

I have an appt. for her next week and plan to bring up the Pepcid and see what she says. Hopefully I can at least try it to see if it works. Though I have to say, I have been looking for the non-AC Pepcid to have on hand if the vet says ok and can't find any. It's all Pepcid AC, which I thought the AC part was bad for dogs. Though it is what I gave Duke back when the ER vet had me buy him some and never told me not to get AC.

 

[Sephly]

i'm glad all is well!

 

[debannib]

Hi everyone!! So great to hear that Daisy's suffering has stopped (with the amazing efforts of her mom who went to such lengths to find answers). I'm just sorry it took so much money and worry to help Daisy, but it's wonderful that the treatment has been so effective.

Yes, my Maggie only has to take her reflux medicine sporadically, but as I mentioned to Erin, there is a possibility her episode may increase in the future (the vet and I both agree she has many symptons of mild kidney damage; one of those symptoms is ulcers and reflux) She ate grapes as a 4 month old pup and nearly died from the complications, so we're fortunate that she's even alive.

As far as pepcid vs. pepcid AC, I believe Judy may have been the one to caution about the different meds. Just ask your vet to make sure; I also use the generic form of pepcid, but have also used other acid reducers when it was the only thing available in a pinch.

Maggie just had another episode this week, but I'm learning to see the early signs of stomach upset LONG before she goes into a full blown attack, so one pill is all it takes; sometimes when I leave town for the weekend, I have the dog-sitter give her one pill/day just as a preventive (she's more likely to have episodes when she is experiencing separation anxiety).

Zookeeper, I wish you well.....and Erin, thank you for the update!

 

[Zookeeper]

Thanks about the Pepcid-AC v. regular, Deb. We did talk to the vet who said that could be the issue and certainly to try the Pepcid if she has another incident because it can't hurt. She didn't seem concerned that it was AC or non-AC. So far, we haven't had an incident since that one, but hers have only happened a few times and months apart, so hopefully it stays that way.

Deb, I sincerely hope Maggie doesn't have kidney damage. It's so scary because they eat anything as a pup and it can do damage later in life. I know, we took Duke to the ER twice from eating mushrooms once and one time he got Cassie's aspirin when she dropped it, he was just so fast. Luckily, both times he was fine after some IVs and meds, but I still worry what long term damage may have been done.