my dogs mystery illness

Hi. I have an 11 year old G. Shep that has been urinating blood for two weeks. The vet has done x-rays...nothing found....ultra sound....only saw blood clot....urine analysis and nothing showed on that.....she was on antibiotics for one week and is finished now. Yesterday she sneezed blood and nothing else since. She has same appetite as she always has had and good stools....

 I am at my wits end and scared to death something is goinfg wrong with her and yet I can not get it pinned down..her blood tests was normal and she is behaving like usual......but something is obviously wrong and i feel the vet is stumped and he is no longer doing any tests...

 I am worried sick to my stomach, cry almost every night when going to sleep and dont know where to turn....if anyone has a suggestion on a test to run...or has had this experience please please let me know!!!!!!!!

 Thank you,

Heather

Hi Heather,

 I am so sorry to hear about your pup. It is so hard when you cant get any answers from the vet. I have been going through a similar situation with my 16 1/2 year old pitbull.

Does your dog still have blood in the urine?  If the blood is gone now, maybe the antibiotics took care of the problem. If there is still blood in the urine, you might want to ask your vet about doing a blood test that specifically tests for bladder cancer. I am not sure what the name of the test is but if your vet does not know about it maybe you should ask another vet if they have the test. I have been dealing with my dog acting totally normal for over a month with the exception of blood and blod clots in his urine. My vet just kept giving different antibiotics and doing regular blood and urinalysis tests as well as xrays. Nothing specific was found. My dog just kept having more frequent blood and then started having other bathroom problems (incontinence, leaking, urgency, straining). I saw all the information on this web site about bladder cancer in dogs and then talked to another vet who said it sounded like my dog did in fact have bladder cancer. I just recently saw his regular vet who finally offered up this bladder cancer test. I am supposed to get the relults Monday or Tuesday.

Anyway, for right now my dog is doing ok (as well as an old, old dog can be). And actually he is doing a little better over the past week.

You might want to take a look on this message board under the pet cancer section as well as this bladder cancer section on the last page (pg 11) under the heading canine bladder cancer (tcc). There are over 700 postings under this thread with a ton of information. It is really hard to read all of the stories as they are so heartbreaking. But there is alot of positive information there about what other people have been going through and what they are doing to make their pups' lives better (medicines, natural remedies, diets, etc.)

I hope it turns out that your pup is ok, but if not, please know that you are not alone and that there are alot of people going through the same thing and that there is hope.

Keep me posted,

Teresa (Porkys mom)

Hi Heather

If you go to search at the top right of the page and type in TCC, you will be directed to the forum for people whose pets have been diagnosed with Transitional Cell Carcinoma (canine bladder cancer).  I've read quite a few of their postings and they are a marvelous group of people that will tell you what symptoms they

I believe dogs are God's very special creations and He watches over them the same as He does us.  I have two "boys" now and if they could talk they both could relate how God watched over them.  Three years ago I had no pets after losing my old companion of 17 yrs.  I was in Mississippi after Katrina with a disaster relief team, doing double duty working with the U.S. Humane Society when I came across an old Cocker that was deaf.  He had spent almost 2 weeks wandering around a town that took the direct hit from Katrina before he was found.  I was eventually sent onto LA after Rita and could not take him but I put my name all over his paperwork in case his family wasn't found.  I got a call a month later saying he wasn't doing well and could I still take him.  3 yrs later he has settled in wonderfully and was my little shadow during my treatment.  He has many health challenges today (enlarged heart, chronic ear infections, and severe arthritis so bad he can barely walk at times - on meds for all of it - had surgery last year for a torn tendon in his leg) but is doing well under the care of a wonderful vet.  We also "acquired" a Llasa Apso 2 yrs ago.  He is also a little miracle.  I took Dusty, our Cocker, to a groomer who was a childhood friend of my children.  When I got there I found out she had been hospitalized.  She called why I was there and asked me to "Take a look in the back room and come back to the phone".  I opened the door of the back room and here was this little dog plastered against the wall - scared out of his mind.  She asked me to take him home and work w/ him on socialization skills as he was a rescue from a kennel who had lived his entire life in a cage.  She asked me to then find him a home.  I worked w/ him 2 months and then found him a home w/ a young family.  I thought it was perfect for all but he ran away after 5 days.  Long story short he was on the run for 15 days.  The last 5 days, I know for certain he was at the edge of a forest preserve - complete w/ coyotas.   He had to cross a 4 lane highway and walk about a mile to get there from where he had disappeared.  I prayed - oh how I prayed that God would watch over him - not to let him die a horrible death.  I talked to God - I cried - I told Him that if He could keep Daniel safe in the Lions den he could keep Ricky safe until I found him.  On the 15th day I went back to the forest preserve to put out food and water - and walk the area in hopes of finding him.  I filled the water bowl and went to the car for the food.  After filling the bowl I started back down to where I had put the water.  Ricky came walking out of the woods - muddy, tangled, weighing 11# instead of the 18# he did before but he was alive.  The vet said the only thing he had to show for his 15 days on the run was a scratch on his eye. Today the little dog that was so scared of people that when you went to pet him would lay on the floor flat for fear of getting hit is now one spoiled little puppy.  People that knew what he was like before are amazed by him but he wouldn't be here if God hadn't watched over him.  I have no doubt about that.  I pray that God gives you more time with your companion and that when He does take him home he gives you many wonderful memories to remember him by.     

Good luck sweetie - and remember God created your friend and loves him/her also. 

Diana

Hi Heather--

I never go to this particular thread anymore so I'm glad I saw your posting.

I don't have an answer for you, but my dog has had TCC for over 3 years now and I follow all  the postings that are written. I have NEVER seen anyone describe sneezing blood as a symptom.  Blood in the urine--yes and if that clears up with antibiotics then it was most likely a UTI that may or may not mean your pup has TCC.

I don't know to what extent your dog sneezed blood--a little or a lot. But if it was significant then I think I would try very hard to find a more specialized veterinary hospital--maybe you have one associated with your state university.

When my dog was first diagnosed TWO vets suggested I wait to see what happened. I didn't follow their advice and that is the only reason why I think my girl is still around today. She has been treated by a very knowledgeable oncologist and I trust him 100%.

If you don't have access to a specialist I THINK it is in this thread that someone refers to a vet who will consult with other vets (if it's not here, you'll have to go to the pet section and read through those postings) I think you need better advice.

Good luck to you.

Marty 

If you don't have a specialty hospital nearby, you can do a phone consult with Colorado State U. I have never done this myself, but others have mentioned it here. As far as the symptoms, I would pursue a tcc test. Even if the blood resolves with antibiotics, I wouls be suspicious of the. Combinations to check further. My dog has tcc and had recurring blood that responded to antibiotics for months and had tcc all that time.

Sounds like your vet needs to consider a bleeding disorder.  You've got blood coming from both nose during sneezing as well as bleeding into the bladder.  I would do blood clotting tests for Von Willebrand's disease and others.

Hope this helps, and remember to take care of yourself too. Best of luck!

Dr D

www.dogcancervet.com

www.dogcancerblog.com