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I have a cockerspainel that has been on treatment for which ...


Sent to Pet Experts February 03, 2006 1:58 a.m.

I have a cockerspainel that has been on treatment for which is thought UTI.. but due to the xray, ultrasound and lab work, they think it could be three things.. Liver, Gullstones, or the bile duct... they now want to do exploratory surgery and a biopsy on the liver.. my question is.. im not sure or have doubts that the docs arent doing things fast enough or they are guessing.. my dog has been eating a little, and drinking lots of water.. and been on meds.. antibiotics.. im just worried that I am running out of time.. Im just wondering what I should do next... should I go and see another vet.. confused and worried dad..

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Age: 7; Breed: cockerspaniel

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Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Status: Closed   Value: $10   
Answer
February 03, 2006 2:08 a.m. (9 minutes and 58 seconds later)
REPLIED Check Mark

Without knowing the specifics of all the labs, x-ray and ultrasound results it would be hard to come up with a conclusion. However, so far I think your vet has done a pretty good work-up to come to such a possible diagnosis. The liver, gall bladder and bile ducts all work together and sometimes it can be difficult to determine which of them is causing problems without a direct visualization via an exploratory and liver biopsy. You can certainly see another vet for another opinion but that would just be eating up more time.

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PictureDr Andrea  -- Veterinarian -- 97% Positive Feedback on 380 Pet Accepts
18+yrs veterinary experience with cats, dogs, horses, livestock, owner of holistic wellness clinic
Reply to Dr Andrea
Sent February 03, 2006 2:17 a.m. (8 minutes and 36 seconds later)

Thank you.. they told me that the sugar level was high and the liver was enlarged as it was displayed on the Xray results.. the lab work said it had a high surgar level.... the ultrasound Doc.. said that all other parts of his stomach was ok, but that the gall bladder was enlarged and a concern that didnt seem normal.. could this cause the liver to swell up and cause the dog not to eat and loose weight quickly?
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Answer
February 03, 2006 2:45 a.m. (28 minutes and 13 seconds later)
ACCEPTED Check Mark

The high blood sugar may be one reason for the excessive water intake. If there is inflammation around the pancreas (pretty close to the liver and stomach), there may be a decrease in insulin production causing a rise in the blood sugar. If the gall bladder is enlarged, there could be a problem with emptying, which can cause the bile produced by the liver to have no where to go causing the liver to enlarge. Primary inflammation of the liver can also cause enlargement. This of course would cause your dog not to feel well, have a loss of appetite and lose weight. The liver is important in processing of food into energy so if it's function is disrupted that can also cause weight loss.
Here is some extensive info on liver disease:
http://www.canine-epilepsy.com/liverdisease.htm

__________________
Holistic Wellness Care
PictureDr Andrea  -- Veterinarian -- 97% Positive Feedback on 380 Pet Accepts
18+yrs veterinary experience with cats, dogs, horses, livestock, owner of holistic wellness clinic

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