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xie_xie_xie
29 January 2007 @ 03:37 pm
Rebel update  

I'm so touched at all the concern for Rebel. I guess I (understandably) over-reacted, because his bloodwork was fine, and his urine culture came back with an overgrowth of a common fecal bacteria, susceptible to an inexpensive, usually-well-tolerated antibiotic.

Rebel has a genetic kidney defect that results in being very susceptible to bladder infections. This is something we are aware of and treating, and I've had one other dog with this condition and am sadly very familiar with it. It's just a reality we have to deal with.

Anyway, the vet felt there was no reason to worry unless he still has symptoms after a couple of days on the antibiotics, and/or if the vomiting returns. If it doesn't, her assumption would be that it was unrelated.

Sadly, he did throw up his breakfast, and I am back in full blown paranoia. But it was chicken soup, and I think it was too hot, and he ate something else later with no problems, so I'm going to try to stave off said paranoia and relax. (Those of you who know me can all laugh now.)

I'll keep you posted! And again, my thanks!

 
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[identity profile] xie-xie-xie.livejournal.com on January 29th, 2007 11:51 pm (UTC)
Chicken broth for his tummy. :)

I tell my vet things on a need to know basis. I have been feeding my dogs a homemade diet for over 21 years now, we don't do the commercial food thing here. ;)

Xie
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[identity profile] lunachickk.livejournal.com on January 29th, 2007 11:59 pm (UTC)
That's so cute that you heated it up.

Does the vet know about the homemade diet? Some vets are funny about them but of course if one knows what one is doing, they are perfectly healthy. ;)
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[identity profile] xie-xie-xie.livejournal.com on January 30th, 2007 12:10 am (UTC)
These vets were informed my dogs are on a homemade diet when I brought Rebel and Kyrie there when I first moved here... but I don't know if the vet I talked to knows/remembers.

My REAL vets, who are not in San Francisco and so I don't go to for routine stuff like this, know EVERYTHING about my dogs. This is just sort of a local vet for blood draws and stuff, if one of my dogs needed anything beyond that, I'd take them to one of the other vets (depending on what it was).

And all their medical records from this vet are faxed to Rebel's internal medicine specialist, who treats his kidney disease and is one of my closest friends. When my dog Bran was dying of kidney failure three years ago, I stayed at her house while he was hospitalized at her practice, because I lived three hours from her hospital. I brought him to UC Davis for dialysis, but they were not able to save him. We fought for his life for ten days, he was only 4. He was Rebel's uncle, although he was actually younger than Rebel... Bran's father was also the father of the dog who sired Rebel.

I also worked in the veterinary field for seven years, as an editor for a veterinary database and group of websites. I still do consulting for them from time to time, and ghostwrite for a number of vets.

And yet, all this knowledge doesn't stop my mind from going blank and then re-filling with horrible imaginings when one of my own dogs is sick.
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[identity profile] lunachickk.livejournal.com on January 30th, 2007 12:57 am (UTC)
Oh yes, a good and trusted veterinarian is worth driving hours to see. :D

Sometimes, I feel like I know too much and can scare myself with what it could be. Seeing my dogs or cats sick worries me terribly.

How old is Rebel? (I think you said but I forgot.)
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[identity profile] xie-xie-xie.livejournal.com on January 30th, 2007 01:01 am (UTC)
He just turned 8 two weeks ago. :)
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