10 Month Old Retriever anorexic & mildly pyrexic

Re: 10 Month Old Retriever anorexic & mildly pyrexic

Emily Nightingale — Thu, 05 May 2011 11:46:28 GMT

I feel your frustration!!!! Arrrgg... Will be interesting to find out why they cancelled- hopefully because he is better.

At least you know you did your best, even if you never got your diagnosis, which let's face it, we rarely end up with.. Treat what you see.

Re: 10 Month Old Retriever anorexic & mildly pyrexic

Holly Lee — Wed, 04 May 2011 12:02:09 GMT

Unfortunately the owners have cancelled today's planned work up. Am yet to find out whether this is because he is suddenly better or for other reasons... watch this space...

Re: 10 Month Old Retriever anorexic & mildly pyrexic

Emily Nightingale — Wed, 04 May 2011 10:21:50 GMT

How's the case going? Hopefully issues are resolved now?

Re: 10 Month Old Retriever anorexic & mildly pyrexic

Bob Russell — Tue, 03 May 2011 16:05:08 GMT

I would be looking for a missing sock on X-ray (rather evidence of a sock)!

Re: 10 Month Old Retriever anorexic & mildly pyrexic

Holly Lee — Mon, 02 May 2011 11:40:20 GMT

Still ongoing...

I haven't asked the owners to keep a record of what he eats - is a good thought, although I suspect it might not concur with reality. Am tearing my hair out in frustration having asked them NOT to tempt the dog to eat and see what happened, I speak to them and find they've changed his food and are still putting chicken and things on it to get him to eat (which he then does).

They are still very concerned and he's coming back in on Wednesday for further work-up - abdominal radiographs and ultrasound and probably repeat bloods (perhaps do CPL as well). I am still losing sleep over chasing a diagnosis on this one!

Re: 10 Month Old Retriever anorexic & mildly pyrexic

Thomas Johnson — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 09:01:00 GMT

[quote user="Holly Lee"]

About 200g - if that, keeping him still on the scales was a challenge - and he started at 39kg (and would be better at 35kg).

[/quote]

I would have thought he would have lost more if he was truly inappetant? Have you thought abut asking the owners to keep a record of exactly what he is eating. It sounds like a very frustrating case!

Re: 10 Month Old Retriever anorexic & mildly pyrexic

Stephen Courtney — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 21:53:13 GMT

I think you'll find he will do just fine with minimal further interference. Failing that he will show further, helpful clinical signs!

I can remember an episode at our hospital years ago, when we couldn't discharge any patients as they ALL had fevers. took a while to realise as several vets were involved, but the final clue was that they all had a temp of exactly 104.0

A new thermometer cured everyone in double quick time.

Re: 10 Month Old Retriever anorexic & mildly pyrexic

Utlendigur — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:23:01 GMT

Mild pancreatitis? May be worth a specPLi?

Re: 10 Month Old Retriever anorexic & mildly pyrexic

Holly Lee — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 17:40:54 GMT

About 200g - if that, keeping him still on the scales was a challenge - and he started at 39kg (and would be better at 35kg).

Re: 10 Month Old Retriever anorexic & mildly pyrexic

Thomas Johnson — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 16:39:41 GMT

How much weight has he lost since you first saw him?

Re: 10 Month Old Retriever anorexic & mildly pyrexic

Holly Lee — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 21:44:34 GMT

Again - thank you all for the thoughts...

Good point about beach walks, hadn't thought of that.

Saw the dog again today - still no other signs, clinical examination still normal except pyrexia - 39.9C today - I feel this is too high for an excitement-type hyperthermia but had crossed my mind.

Have elected to 'wait and see' - after offering all work-ups. Still finding it frustrating case but feel bit better after discussing it on here! Will see what happens next...

Re: 10 Month Old Retriever anorexic & mildly pyrexic

Utlendigur — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 20:00:44 GMT

[quote user="Laura Henderson"]

High Na and Cl may be due to feeding of high salt human food?

[/quote]

Just another thought along those lines - are you near the coast - beach walks?

Re: 10 Month Old Retriever anorexic & mildly pyrexic

Stuart Fitzgerald — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 14:52:50 GMT

I'd be extremely keen to get some abdominal imaging done on a 10 month old Dyson, I'd be willing to bet you'll find something requiring surgery given my experiences with what seems like a dozen Retrievers in the last 6 months.

Re: 10 Month Old Retriever anorexic & mildly pyrexic

Stephen Courtney — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 21:47:40 GMT

If the dog is well in himself and otherwise active, it is possible the 'fever' is hyperthermia due to exertion or excitement - I have had the odd case of persistent pyrexia where in the end I felt the animal was overexcited at the vet surgery rather than persistently ill.

I have lost count of the number of fat dogs that hardly eat a thing. Usually it comes down to owner's perceptions, it sounds like he is stuffed with delicacies because he is off his food, because he is stuffed with delicacies.

Minor abnormalities in electrolyte levels or often not repeatable, but if he is getting a lot of human snack food his salt intake might be higher than the owners realise.

If the owner isn't prepared to spend any money, then WTF would they be unhappy with a wait and see approach? Make sure you charge a consult fee each and every time you examine that animal otherwise you devalue yourself, and in a way then accept that it is somehow your fault that they feel he is unwell, even though they won't/can't spend any money on further investigations

Re: 10 Month Old Retriever anorexic & mildly pyrexic

Mark Hedberg — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 21:14:16 GMT

You did mention 1+ protein in urine; perhaps you could send off a sample and test for Bence Jones protein? Positive test could indicate cancer. (myeloma, lymphoma, and so on.)

Re: 10 Month Old Retriever anorexic & mildly pyrexic

Clive Ansell — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 13:51:50 GMT

I agree with the other posts; as he is not showing any other clinical signs and is not losing weight I would wait and see then possibly repeat bloods, electrolytes at least, in a week or so.

I had a case several years ago with a Labrador that had vague signs such as lethargy, reduced appetite etc, and repeatedly had high Na+ and Cl- . It turned out he was labradoring road salt out of those yellow road side bins.

The only causes I can think of for hypernatraemia are ingestion of NaCl, fluid loss/dehydration, or Hyperaldosteronism (Conn's syndrome), although this is very rare and I think you can exclude this because K+ is normal, and I believe it would be repeatedly low (<3.0 mMol) with Conn's.

Re: 10 Month Old Retriever anorexic & mildly pyrexic

Richard Carter — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 10:07:39 GMT

owners missing any socks/ toys/ underwear/ carpet/ sticks? This is a retriever we are talking about.

Re: 10 Month Old Retriever anorexic & mildly pyrexic

Louise6732 — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 22:27:29 GMT

A 10month old ENTIRE male is overweight?! Not sure of the significance of this in relation to the illness, but what do they normally feed the dog? Is he eating anything at all? Or eating a bit but not what he 'normally' eats (which I expect is inappropriate amounts/types if he is overweight already!)

I'd always consider steroid responsive meningitis as I had one at 5m old which took about 1week after he developed a temperature and dullnes before displaying neurological abnormalities

As everyone else has said, I'd sit tight, repeat bloods if poss.

Louise

Re: 10 Month Old Retriever anorexic & mildly pyrexic

Holly Lee — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 17:55:59 GMT

Again-thanks for the replies.

Not tried to repeat the Na yet - would like to but may meet owner resistence so may have to leave for the time being. The O assures me that they haven't given the dog any food likely to have high salt (as this was my first thought) but obviously that's no guarantee.

I would certainly be keen for the wait and see option - I guess it's selling this idea to the owners that I'm having trouble with.

Thanks again, any further thoughts always welcome! I'm having a week of inexplicable cases...

Re: 10 Month Old Retriever anorexic & mildly pyrexic

bob lehner — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 15:21:57 GMT

ooops - seem to have hit the 'post' button twice.

Re: 10 Month Old Retriever anorexic & mildly pyrexic

bob lehner — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 15:21:55 GMT

[quote user="Holly Lee"]

The dog is described as 100% in himself, exercising normally, no V+D+, drinking normal (or slightly increased?) amounts, absolutely no signs of a urinary tract infection.

[/quote][quote user="Holly Lee"](eats 'tempting' food but not normal food;[/quote]

Personally I would just wait and see for a bit. Try different brands of dog food. He'll either start to eat when he gets hungry, or some other symptoms will appear which may give you more clue as to where to look next.

Re: 10 Month Old Retriever anorexic & mildly pyrexic

Richard Fox — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 13:39:23 GMT

Is the Na repeatable - i.e. always best to recheck individual abnormalities like that. I personally would watch and observe a little longer. Totally agree with above about throwing money at a PUO and finding nothing - I would re-examine regularly if poss and repeat bloods in a week or so and see if the haematology changes - i.e. inflammatory leukogram!

Re: 10 Month Old Retriever anorexic & mildly pyrexic

Noweia — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 09:37:52 GMT

High Na and Cl may be due to feeding of high salt human food?

Re: 10 Month Old Retriever anorexic & mildly pyrexic

Holly Lee — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 09:16:16 GMT

Thanks for the replies.

Owners are pretty sure there are no bitches in heat in the area, I guess can't be 100% sure but I don't think he's trying to get out or anything.

No travel history and no known exposure to ticks - did consider Lyme disease but again would have hoped for some other clinical sign to point me in the right direction!

I'm less worried about the anorexia than the owners are since I think the dog's overweight anyway,

What does anyone think about the significance of the high sodium?

Re: 10 Month Old Retriever anorexic & mildly pyrexic

Robert Whiteford — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 00:03:56 GMT

Is there a bitch in season somewhere nearby?