Taking Thor to the er vet :(

[Mephibosheth1]

So far these blood tests have been done: CBC

This checks the basic system functions for infection and overall health. The number of red cells, the total number of white cells, the number of each type of white cell (who even knew there were 5 different kinds of white blood cells), the number of platelets, and the health of the red blood cells are calculated/counted. This can indicate (just for example) if the animal has cancer, what kind it has, if it is fighting an infection, if it is waging war with parasites, if it has a congenital defect, etc. It can also tell if it there are metabolic issues, (elevated protein in the blood plasma, etc) which can indicate if there are problems in the kidney or liver system.

a diagnostic vetscan panel

This looks at specific blood chemical values (albumin, urea, sodium, potassium, lactate, creatinine) as well as enzyme levels (AST, CK, depending on which series of tests are run). These are needed in conjunction with the CBC results to look at key system function (again those kidneys and that liver).

HWT/Lyme/Ehrilchia/Anaplasma have been done.

These diseases (caused by parasites) can cause chronic pain and the symptoms you have described; I would imagine that there were probably elevated eosinophil values in the CBC (the White cell associated with inflammation, allergies, and parasite response) or they ran it because it is tick season (and the last 3 can be carried by ticks)


Sorry for rambling; figured I'd help clear some confusion up

[SlitherinSisters]

This checks the basic system functions for infection and overall health. The number of red cells, the total number of white cells, the number of each type of white cell (who even knew there were 5 different kinds of white blood cells), the number of platelets, and the health of the red blood cells are calculated/counted. This can indicate (just for example) if the animal has cancer, what kind it has, if it is fighting an infection, if it is waging war with parasites, if it has a congenital defect, etc. It can also tell if it there are metabolic issues, (elevated protein in the blood plasma, etc) which can indicate if there are problems in the kidney or liver system.



This looks at specific blood chemical values (albumin, urea, sodium, potassium, lactate, creatinine) as well as enzyme levels (AST, CK, depending on which series of tests are run). These are needed in conjunction with the CBC results to look at key system function (again those kidneys and that liver).



These diseases (caused by parasites) can cause chronic pain and the symptoms you have described; I would imagine that there were probably elevated eosinophil values in the CBC (the White cell associated with inflammation, allergies, and parasite response) or they ran it because it is tick season (and the last 3 can be carried by ticks)


Sorry for rambling; figured I'd help clear some confusion up

Wow, thanks for all the info! They really did check everything blood wise, wow! I think the last one was mostly to make sure Thor didn't have lymes disease. I didn't vaccinate him for that yet this year.


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[SlitherinSisters]

Dang Steph HHHHUUUUUUUGE amount of Good Vibe and positive thinking id goin His Way... Well I thing THOR will not give up easy!!!

Lol that's true! Although the vet laughed at his name since Thor is so sad and hurting. He just shivered and hung his head the whole time we were at the vet.

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Edit, forgot an update! He's doing much better, although he woke me up crying this morning as soon as his meds wore off. He has to take a pill every 8 hours. He's on Tramadol. I don't remember what the vet wanted to put him on.

[Sita]

I think the last one was mostly to make sure Thor didn't have lymes disease

Tiny nitpicky detail, but it's called Lyme disease, not "lymes". It's just one of those little things that really bother me when people say it wrong, sorry!

He's on Tramadol. I don't remember what the vet wanted to put him on.

Rimadyl or carprofen is probably what he wanted, but it's not safe for dogs with kidney/liver values out of whack. Tramadol is pretty safe, though.

[SlitherinSisters]

Well, he's pretty much back to normal as long as he's on the meds. You can tell when it has been 8 hours since his last pill. Also, getting him to take the pill is impossible! He won't eat anything I offer him because he thinks it has a pill in it. UGH! I did some reading online and they said to try crushing it and putting it in yogurt. I think I'm going to try that because I'm out of ideas.

Here are a couple of pictures of him when he's not sad

[dr del]

Ask the vet for suppositories - a week of that he will be whining for a pill.

Glad to hear he is doing so well though.

[Sita]

A couple things we tell people to try: try hiding it in chunky peanut butter, since it's harder to tell between a pill and a peanut. Also, soft treats (Pill Pockets are good) wrapped around it, cheese wiz, bread, or lunch meat are options. I don't think Tramadol has much of a flavor, so the yogurt thing might work. There are some meds that you absolutely couldn't do that with because they taste so nasty.

Another trick is to have at least 3-4 pieces that look identical, except only one has the pill in it. Give him one or two without, then the one with, then immediately give the next one before he's even done with the pill one. That way he's thinking about the next treat he sees coming, rather than thinking about what's in his mouth.

He's a cutie! I'm glad the Tramadol is working for him.

[Mephibosheth1]

Wet cat food (not the chunks kind) works well.

If he doesn't want to take it in that even, if you grab his mouth from behind his head where his largest tooth is at on the side (third premolar) you should be able to tip his head back, then use your other hand to open his mouth and plop the glob of "cat food a la pill" into the back if his throat. You usually don't have to worry about choking unless you shove it WAYY back in there.

[Alexandra V]

Wet cat food (not the chunks kind) works well.

If he doesn't want to take it in that even, if you grab his mouth from behind his head where his largest tooth is at on the side (third premolar) you should be able to tip his head back, then use your other hand to open his mouth and plop the glob of "cat food a la pill" into the back if his throat. You usually don't have to worry about choking unless you shove it WAYY back in there.

This. Just make sure that when you're putting your finger with the pill into his mouth that you go straight to the back of his mouth (i.e. through the incisors) and not by the side, because let me tell you it hurts quite a bit when they (accidentally or not) close their molars on your finger. You'll know he's swallowed it when he licks his nose.

I hope everything keeps going well, I'm glad his meds are helping him!

[dillan2020]

I always had good luck giving the pills inside a folded up piece of American cheese.