Canine HGE

Who knew?


Symptoms are depression, lack of appetite, vomiting and fresh bloody bowel output.


One would think this is a possible diagnosis for the old dog. Right? Wrong, its Leyla--again! She managed to come up with canine HGE. Its an unexplained, sudden onset of digestive distress coupled with bloody output.


Monday was a late morning given my late arrival from St. Paul. My morning routine is to drag Shawna out of bed and to the stairs leading to the dog run. She stands there trying to wake up while I release Wiggles from her crate. Wiggles shot by the stationary Shawna as is normal. However, Wiggles back area was all soaked and not pretty as she hopped down the stairs. I carried Shawna down the stairs (something I do if she doesn't follow Wiggles) and then followed both of them into the dog run.


Wiggles then assumed the doggie position and proceded to produce puddles of blood. OMG, Wiggles, what is going on with you?


Shawna, no longer being the focus of my attention, followed me into the dog run and then returned to the dining room to do her morning business...this is getting to be NOT FUN!


Rush to the vet with Wiggles. Initial assessment is canine HGE. Battery of tests, IVs needed, xrays in case of a foreign body in her abdomen, special blood test to confirm (or not) packed red blood cells a typical problem with HGE, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. Oh, and a small deposit based on the estimate of the needed medical procedures. Hole in my pocket dawg strikes again!


End of the day call from the Vet, 


"Leyla (aka Wiggles) is showing good signs. You have a choice of taking her home and nursing her or transferring her into the 24-hour doggie hospital."
"Is she likely to produce blood?"
"Probably once or twice more."
"I faint at the sight of blood."
"OK, I'll arranged the transfer."


By happenstance, one of the Farmers, Tom OC, was visiting with his daughter from Minnesota and they were going to borrow my Humette. They were drafted into doggie transfer duty before we had a lovely dinner together and then they took off for the evening.


At 6AM today the doggie hospital called and said that Wiggles could go home. I have since brought her home, fed her her special doggie digestive food and watched her normal looking output (no fresh blood). It seems she is on the way to good health, again. There is a special food routine for the next few days but overall, Wiggles appears to be on to solid ground.


 Ciao,


p