As usual, there is good news and bad news. Let’s start with the good news. Lucky just finished participating in a six-month drug trial to test a drug for use in congestive heart failure. Now that the study is over, he can’t get the drug anymore, but our cardiologist put him on a very similar drug – otherwise, the vet said, Lucky would only last a matter of days.
Our cardiologist was a little miffed at the drug company for pulling the trial drug at the end of the study – normally the company offers continuation of the experimental drug, particularly if the dog had been doing well on it. It’s only been 24 hours, but so far there aren’t any visible side-effects of switching drugs. We hope it continues that way.
Nemo, on the other hand, continues to mystify our veterinarians. Remember I mentioned he had a cough a few weeks ago? We’re still dealing with that and the cause is elusive. But now we’ve got more to worry about than just a pesky cough. A recent blood chemistry panel showed that Nemo’s liver numbers were significantly elevated. And worse than that, his albumin (a protein in the blood) was very low. Albumin is a very important protein in the blood. If that level gets too low, fluid will collect in either Nemo’s abdomen or chest cavity – a life-threatening condition.
We’ve stopped the anti-fungal medications (remember the usually-fatal fungus he had earlier?) and will re-run the blood panel in the middle of next week. I’ve been researching protein-losing enteropathy all over the internet – the internet can be a great tool and it can also be the source of lots of bad information. I’m trying to sift all the info through a filter so I can separate the valid information from the supposition and anectdotal. It’s not easy, especially since I’m not a vet, but I keep trying!
Keep Nemo in your thoughts as we continue to go down this mysterious road with him.
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