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| At the Hospital getting ready to be admitted on Friday morning. |
Ahi has been really sick with HGE. Trying to catch it early I first took her to the vet on Wednesday nite but by Friday morning she was hospitalized. This is the same thing that she had in February. We had thought she was on the mend until we woke up on Friday morning to bloody diarrhea all over the house! It literally looked like a crime scene.
She spent 24 hours in the hospital getting stabilized with IV fluid, pain meds and antibiotics and then we brought her home to recover more. Unfortunately, she is not recovering as fast as I would like. She is super lethargic and seems to continue to have pain. I am working from home so I can continue to monitor her. The good news is she did bark a couple times last nite and has gone upstairs to lay on our bed.
Here is some good info on HGE:
Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis or HGE is a very serious condition
affecting dogs. HGE is characterized by a rapid onset of hemorrhagic
(bloody) diarrhea in an otherwise normal, healthy dog. Hemorrhagic
gastroenteritis can affect dogs of any breed, gender or age although
younger (2-4 year old) toy and miniature breeds appear to be
predisposed; stress and hyperactivity in these breeds may play a role in
this syndrome. In addition, an overgrowth of the bacterium
Clostridium perfringens and the toxins produced by this organism have been implicated. The actual etiology of this syndrome is unproven and unknown.
What are the clinical signs of HGE in dogs?
Dogs affected with HGE will often have:
- A sudden onset of profuse, bloody diarrhea with a foul odor
- Vomiting
- A loss of appetite
- Depression
- Acute abdominal pain
- Dehydration
HGE in dogs can occur very rapidly. HGE is not contagious and can
occur without a change in the dog's diet, environment, or routine. A
fever with HGE is uncommon.
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| This is what she is doing while recovering - roasting herself in front of the fire |
How is HGW Diagnosed?
The diagnosis of HGE is based on the dog's clinical signs (especially
sudden onset of bloody diarrhea) accompanied with an increased
packed-cell volume (PCV) - usually greater than 60%. PCV, also called
the 'hematocrit', is determined by measuring the percentage of red-blood
cells (RBCs) in the dog's blood. With HGE, the lining of the intestine
becomes "leaky" allowing the proteins in the blood (plasma proteins)
and blood electrolytes to leak out of the bloodstream into the intestine
while not allowing the larger RBCs to leak out. Therefore, the PCV
increases while the plasma protein level decreases. Radiographs are
generally unremarkable but may help rule-out other potential illnesses.
A positive culture for C. perfringens may also help diagnose HGE.
How is HGE in dogs treated?
Because of the bloody diarrhea, rapid intravenous fluid replacement is
essential in the treatment of dogs with HGE. In addition, antibiotics
may be needed to combat a possible
C. perfringens infection or
other bacterial infection. Transfusions of plasma may be required if
the dog has very low plasma protein levels. Food and water should be
withheld for 1-2 days and re-introduced slowly as the vomiting
diminishes and the dog returns to health. Antiemetics (drugs to
decrease vomiting) may be indicated. The dog usually must be
hospitalized for several days.
What is the Prognosis?
The prognosis for dogs with hemorrhagic gastroenteritis is good if
this condition is discovered early and the bloody diarrhea is treated
aggressively with replacement intravenous fluids and other appropriate
supportive care.
There are other disease conditions that exhibit similar symptoms to HGE.
Canine parvovirus, a gastrointestinal
foreign body, an intestinal
intussusception
or an intestinal volvulus (twisting of the intestines) may cause
similar symptoms and should be considered if the dog doesn't respond to
therapy for HGE in 24-48 hours.
We sent up Hops' crate for Ahi to sleep in at nite so that we don't get the surprise bloody diarrhea event that we had on Friday morning. Last nite, Hops felt that she needed to squeeze her 60 pound body into a 10 pound bed.
My poor sweet weener.
