Kathy, so sorry your baby is so sick, it's heart wrenching when something like this happens to our beloved pets. I've got my fingers crossed for you and BeBe. Sending healing thoughts your way.

(((Hugs))) Annette

You could also use a turkey baster, oiled up, with the soft food, to help BeBe get back some health. Do they think the loss of peristalsis(the ability to swallow) will be be permanent? I sure hope not. Hugs.

Nancy.

(((((Kathy)))) ~ I am so sorry to hear about BeBe. How old is he? Your poor baby and poor you worrying about him and wondering what to do to make his life easier.

You and he are in my thoughts and prayers. Do keep us posted here.

FlowerLady

Poor BeBe, I am so sorry he's sick. I'm sorry for your distress. I wish we could help. I hope you're comforted that we care.

Nell

Oh, Kathy .... I've been thinking about this thread all day. I so know how heartbreaking it is to have a cherished furkid with a hard problem. My heart goes out to you and BeBe and my beagle sends wet, sloppy puppy kisses to you both.

Keeping BeBe hydrated and fed is a challenge - the turkey baster mention is good, but taking it to a higher level, consider a large (like horse sized) syringe (no needle, just the syringe part). That would give you finer control of the output and the markings on the instrument will help you calibrate just how much BeBe is taking in. Just a thought.

Love and good thoughts to both of you!

I am so sorry to hear about what you and your baby are going through! I have heard of this, in greyhounds. I know that in that situation, they had a special 'eating chair' made so that the food would go down, without coming up and causing choking. The dog sits in it and eats and then sits in it for a while afterward until the food passes down properly.
Would something like this help?
gg

I am so sorry for poor little BeBe. I just got through treating my kitty for kidney failure(of which she died last month), so I know how hard it is to care for an ailing pet. Your heart goes out to them and it breaks ever moment that you want to help them but can't. I hope your baby makes a full and speedy recovery.

JJ

Oh Kathy, I'm so sorry to hear about BeBe! Has the doctor considered placing him on fluids to avoid dehidration? My Mom's cats have had to be put on fluids several times due to illnesses when they don't feed properly. Have the doctors reached a diagnosis yet? This is the most important, as far as I can see, to determine whether this condition is something that can be surgically corrected, or needs neurological medication, or whether is simply untreatable and he has to live with it for the rest of his life. Poor BeBe, and poor you, you must be devastated, I know how fond you are of your pets.

Please keep us posted on his development. I'm keeping BeBe on my thoughts and my fingers are tightly crossed hoping he makes a full recovery.

Eduarda

I'm very sorry to hear that BeBe is so ill, Kathy.
Sending you both hugs and best wishes for improvement.

Patti

Thank you all or you thoughts and prayers for my baby. He is almost 4 years old.
He is still drinking some water. He will not try food.
I do have a syringe that I used for his medicine.
If it is Myasthenia gravis, that is treatable with neurological medications.
The eating chair is called a bailey chair. But that won't help at this point. Only liquids can make it through the tiny thin passage. I wish I could show you the xrays.
They may put a feeding tube in if we can't get him to drink any of the "ensure".
We have decided if it is a live with it thing, we will have him put down. This is no life for this little bundle of energy. He forgets, and runs to the door when someone comes like any dog, then the reguritating starts again. Sometimes he can stay laying down for an hour or so. Then it starts all over again.
Sooooo pathetic.

I am so sorry to hear about BeBe. I do hope that he gets well soon.

I'm so sorry, Kathy. Poor baby, poor you. Whether he recovers or you have him put to sleep, I hope he doesn't suffer long.

Libby

I'm sorry to hear about your poor baby. Hope for the best, but don't let him suffer. I had to put mine down a couple of years ago. It was very hard on us but didn't want her to suffer.

Sue

I hate reading things like this. Sick pets are members of the family too. Let's hope that it's something they can treat and BeBe can return to a normal life. I've had to say goodbye to a couple members of the family over the past two years due to illness. You're in my thoughts.

Kathy, I'm thinking about you and BeBe too. I very much hope his condition turns out to be treatable and you can nurse him back to health.

Sending you and BeBe comforting thought waves.

ThinMan

Yeah! we finally got a teaspoon and 1/2 of canine ensure in him this morning. The vet said to wait 2 hours in between feedings to be sure it all trickles down.
He is till drinking water. The vet called last night to check on him. He said as long as he is drinking water, he will be ok until we can get him in tomorrow. He weighs about 8 lbs now.
And no, we will not let him suffer. My son and I have already discussed him taking BeBe and I if that has to be done.

{{gwi:599628}}

Oh Kathy! I'm so sad to hear this news about BeBe. I hope they find a treatment for his illness. What a sweet little face.

I will say a big prayer for you both.

((((((((((BIG HUG)))))))))) to you and BeBe.

It's just so hard. Many of us have been in the position of having to make this difficult decision. Afterwards, reflecting on the life of the beloved pet reminds us how precious he was.

They continue to try to keep up their duties (in Bebe's case, greeting visitors) long past the point you could believe they would rally. What a trooper.

Nell

Oh, BeBe looks just like Heidi, my grandmothers (and then my) poodle growing up. They can have some very difficult health problems. Heidi had terrible kidney stones - HUGE and they kept forming. After a few operations we found out a vast change of diet (home made) and the treatment (the cause was Colitis) and she had a wonderful life. It took awhile for us all to adjust and for her tummy to be free from pain.
I can only wish the same for BeBe - a life free of pain and as normal as possible so that she can enjoy her life, and so that you can enjoy her too.

GGG

Kathy,

Charm is wishing little BeBe all the best with this.

Charm, being a greyhound, occasionally gets food/water caught in her throat and it's pretty scary. I can't imagine poor little BeBe going through this for weeks.

Take care.
Hugs,
Cameron

Thanks to all of you.
Again, I knew I could count on y'all for support.
He has had a total of 10 teaspoonfuls of "ensure" today. Which is 10 more than he has had for days. We give him 2 or 3 and wait an hour or so and do it again.
He has been the greatest little guy. Never like people think of poodles. Normally he sits on the back of the sofa. That way he can guard the front door and the french doors, and growl if someone walks by. It is funny to hear such a little guy growl, like he was really a doberman.

Dear Kathy, I asked a young lady who's in her last year of Vet school about your BeBe's condition. Here's her reply:

The condition is called megaesophagus and it causes regurgitation and aspiration pneumonia, which can be fatal. I have a bulldog patient who has congenital megaesophagus- he has aspirated several times and each time it is a little worse. There is permanent damage to his lungs what with each incident of aspiration gets worse. Eventually it will kill him. This is the fate of any dog with megaesophagus unfortunately. If there is a cause that can be found, the megaesophagus can be controlled and not get worse, but there is no real treatment other than trying to prevent aspiration pneumonia.
Ways to prevent aspiration pneumonia vary depending on the severity of megaesophagus. Mild cases can be fed upright with gruel or liquid diet, which makes it easier for food to get past the esophageal sphincter. Once past the esophageal sphincter the animal cannot regurgitate, so they cannot aspirate. There is a regular at the veterinary school with severe megaesophagus who had a stomach feeding tube placed. The dog cannot eat or drink anything by mouth- he has to be fed and watered through the tube. However being a golden retriever he sometimes gets into things and aspirates, landing him in ICU if not on a ventilator for a while. This is very expensive but the dog is totally worth it and luckily the owners can afford several $2000 vet bills per year.

If the dog has MG that is the best case scenario. It can be treated, so the megaesophagus will not get worse. However the current degree of megaesophagus will not improve.

This is a disease which carries a poor prognosis, unfortunately. But some owners are able to provide their dogs with a relatively good, albeit shortened, life. Eventually aspiration pneumonia gets most of them. I wish your friends good luck.

Maybe it offers some good questions you can ask your Vet.

Love, hugs and kisses to BeBe

I just saw this thread...I am so sorry about BeBe. I know what a trying and stressful time this is for you all.

I will be thinking of you and hoping that things improve. I know whatever decision you make will be what is best for BeBe.

Blessings,

Glenda

It is not myasthenia gravis. They will draw blood for low thyroid tomorrow. The specialist has seen thyroid disease cause this. Dr. Madigan says there is hope and not to do anything "drastic" yet.

BeBe's doc has been talking to the "top dog".

Doctor Jonathan Fradkin is a Diplomate in the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine with subspecialty of Small Animal Internal Medicine and is the 2005 TVMA Board Certified Practitioner of the year. He is a graduate of the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (1991). From 1997 to 2000 he completed a Residency in Small Animal Internal Medicine at Texas A&M University, achieving a Masters in Veterinary Physiology (2000) and completing Board Certification in 2001. While at Texas A&M he served as Chief Resident of the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences. Dr. Fradkin served in the U. S. Army Veterinary Corps from 1991 to 2004. His assignments included small animal practice and public health responsibilities at Great Lakes Illinois and with American forces in Honduras, and marine mammal practice with the U.S. Navy in San Diego California. From 2000-2003, he served as Chief of Internal Medicine at the Department of Defense Military Working Dog Center at Lackland Air Force Base. He is an Adjunct Lecturer in the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Doctor Fradkin founded SAVRS in 2004.

Doctor FradkinÂs areas of special interest are Gastroenterology, Endoscopy and Bronchoscopy, Liver Disease, Endocrinology, and Clinical Nutrition.

(((Kathy))) fingers crossed, toes too.

Annette

I've been thinking of you both all day. Sounds like you have an awesome Vet. Fingers and toes crossed for you both.

That sounds very promising. Best wishes.

If he doesn't know - no one will!!! He certainly has the credentials!!! Fingers, toes and legs crossed!!!

Nancy.

Today they drew the blood for the thyroid test. That should take "2 or 3 days". Dr. Madigan said to give him the thyroid med as soon as I got home. Which I did.

What are the odds of two different breed dogs in the same house having low thyroid?

Also, today, he has had a total of 1/2 cup of the ensure. That is good.

I told BeBe y'all are all sending good vibes.

thanks!

k

Kathy, could it be the diet? I googled hypothyriodism, which is the technical term...
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1597&aid=449

It does look like it is auto-immune, or congenital, but I wonder about the diet connection - I would really query the vet on this, and/or read more that I did on "hypothyroidism in dogs".

Hope Bebe is happier!!

Nancy.

Here is a link that might be useful: A better link

I just came upon this post. I'm so sorry for Bebe. He has the cutest little face.

I hope the vet finds the underlying problem soon so the condition can be treated, and it doesn't get worse. You said Bebe weighs 8 lbs. How much weight has he lost?

Fortunately he was over weight. He has lost half his body weight.
It my be wishful hoping, but I think he is getting better. He now understands to hold his head and neck up to let Diane rub his throat as the liquid trickle down.
Before his breaths were very shallow and I can see he is taking a bit deeper breaths.
I am off to check that link.

Thanks!

My Cocker, Eirn, who passed away 7 months ago also had a hypothyriod. He had the classic case of weight loss, flaky skin and so forth. It was easily controlled with medicine, but he had no swallowing issues. He also had Cushings which mimics the same symptoms plus more.

Eduarda's dog also has been diagnosed with a hypothyriod. It's not that uncommon in older dogs.

I'm attaching a great link showing special chairs for dogs that have problems swallowing food.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bailey Chair

Just a thought, have they checked her for AddisonÂs disease?

Edna

aww.......hug...take it min by min, the big picture can be scarey..but the little picture is managable...good luck and keep us updated

No wisdom to add, just a bunch of empathy and good vibes.

Hugs, purrs and wagging tails from Ana, Iena and Molly

Kathy, any news on BeBe? I've been thinking about him since you last posted. I hope he's doing better.

Eduarda

Thanks for asking.
The vets and specialists had a conference call. After viewing all the x-rays and his history, they decided it is a rare autoimmune ? something that makes his body attack his thyroid.
Dr. Madigan said he had never heard of this, and the other doc said the odds of him ever seeing it again are 1 in a trillion.
They doubled his med.on Monday. So far we have yet to see any difference.
He is still on liquid diet and water by syringe. His eyes still sparkle most of the time. He barked for the first time and demanded to go in the car with Diane on Sunday.
Everyone keeps saying there is hope.

Glad to see your update. I have been thinking about him too.
gg

Hey Kathy - here is something that may take your ? away from autoimmune:
is the failure of an organism to recognize its own constituent parts as self, which results in an immune response against its own cells and tissues. Any disease that results from such an aberrant immune response is termed an autoimmune disease. Prominent examples include Coeliac disease, diabetes mellitus type 1 (IDDM), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Sjögren's syndrome, Churg-Strauss Syndrome, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Graves' disease, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). See List of autoimmune diseases.

I know that that's a lot multi-syllabic words, but basically, it is the body attacking itself, due to the inborn lack of ability to recognize it's own DNA. It is sorta like you kill your son when he comes in your home, cause you don't recognize him. Very sad, very scary. Hope you know I don't think you'd do that, but it is the best way I can explain how Be-Be's own body is attacking itself.

((((Hugs and purrs)))))) Nancy, Midnight, Nicademus, Sylvester and Ozzie!!!

"His eyes still sparkle most of the time. He barked for the first time and demanded to go in the car with Diane on Sunday. "

*LOL* What sweetheart. He's a real trooper.

Keeping you in my prayers.

I keep checking to see if there's been any change. Please keep posting updates and give BeBe a back rub for me.

Hi Kathy!
We've been emailing about this situation with Bebe, but I didn't know you had posted this or I would have added my love and ((hugs)), but YOU know that I care, and that is all that matters to me.

When I was a vet tech for the local Humane Society, I had to force-feed and water animals from time to time. I know how difficult it can be. It often seemed cruel, but there was nothing else that could be done. You and Diane have been troopers through the hardest part and now that everything looks brighter, you can give yourselves big heart hugs that you have made the difference for Bebe, and he knows it too. I am very proud of you both.

Love, Annie