[PyrNet-L] CHAT, CARE, HEALTH: Albert's illness & Our Littermates Reunion Pyr-nic

[MagEBroD@aol.com]

In a message dated 98-07-18 10:08:45 EDT, you write:

<< Well this morning I wrote that Albert seemed improved and rectal bleeding
 had stopped and he was eating some (Intestinal disorder diet).  Well, he
 backslid some and started bleeding rectally again by afternoon. Vet still
 decided to let me take him home at 5:30pm tonight for the weekend. He wants
us
 to watch him for 3 more days. (Today is day 8 of his being sick)
    He's ruled out many many things through blood tests (ruled out organ
 allergies, infections, many many diseases), thyroid tests (neg.) , stool
 sample tests (neg for parasites, etc.), ruled out polyps, torn anus, foreign
 materials, many irritations, blockages.
    If after 3 days he is still bleeding rectally, he will have us go to a
 specialist an hour away for further probes and biopsy.
    In meantime we will feed him the ID (intestinal disorder food). >>

   Well, I waited a few extra days before writing, as everytime I wrote Albert
was improving he got worse again.  Well for past almost three days he has
seemed fine. No blood in stool or rectal bleeding. The very frequent BM's have
ceased and they are now well formed. He has been eating his old Lamb & Rice
food for the past few days as well. We are still giving him only filtered
water. (Haven't gotten water tested for mineral content yet, as county doesn't
do that testing. Will have to go to neighbouring county and pick up test kit
for it.) We only want one variable at a time now, so Albert is not taking his
other med. for allergy and shots weekly for itching. I will watch him over the
weekend and see if he has any reaction to switching back to old food either
with GI tract or allergy-wise. Then will report back to vet Monday again. So
he's better, but we don't know from what he had suffered from or what made the
big difference in him improving. Still confused. But VERY THANKFUL!!!
   On last Sunday we had our Littermates Pyr-nic and 5 out of 10 littermates
showed up. Albert and us had a great ol' time! His most frequent playmate
Heidi was there and he played with her a lot. He was a little sad and confused
I think as the other dogs were all neutered males and they each growled at him
at least once each and so then their owners wouldn't let them go near Albert
after that for fear there would be a fight. Poor Albert just wanted to play
with his brothers again!! They all have other dogs to play with where they all
live, but Albert saw this as a special time to play with his buds and he
didn't get to, except for Heidi. I really enjoyed seeing all those Pyrs!! And
getting lots of Pyr hugs!! We got lots of photos taken and I just got them
back today and it was so much fun reliving it all!! Great bunch of dogs and
owners!! I gave everyone a photo of litter taken when I visited the litter
when they were 6 weeks old. BOY! Have they changed!!! They all liked cooling
off in the shallow creek. Heidi got so hot that she stuck her front legs and
head in the big huge bushel basket of ice and icewater where the pop cans were
keeping cold! And just stayed there for a long time!! BRRRR! What a goofy gal!
We all decided we'd like to do this again!! Maybe in September! Sounds good to
us!!! Can't wait! Hopefully some of the ones that didn't make it this time
will come then!
   Thanks so much for all of the concern about Albert and how so many shared
with me in hopes something shared might help. Many thanks also for kind
thoughts and prayers sent our way, too.

Janice Vocke
MagEBroD@aol.com
Shelton, WA.