Alpha!

[dakski]

Alpha needs your thoughts and prayers. I'll cut to the chase.

The doctors think she has doxycycline hepatotoxicity. It's exceptionally rare and her vet hasn't seen it in ten years of practicing.

Her liver is in deep trouble and she has been at the emergency vet for 3 days now. They think they figured out the issue and we will know more tomorrow, and are hoping and praying for improved liver function and no permanent or fatal damage.

Please keep her in your thoughts.

The full story:

We got Alpha a year ago and although she had some minor issues, including a stomach infection (forgot the name) that we treated effectively, she's been great. She's a total sweetheart and the picture of health, or so we thought.

When we got her, she was 15 months old and had been abandoned at 6 months and spent 9 months in kill shelters in Mississippi. We imagine her size and energy level were factors in her not getting adopted, but who knows. Either way she ended up with us. We adore her.

When we adopted her, she tested negative for heart worm, and we've been giving her preventatives monthly since. Two weeks ago she had her annual exam, vaccines, and blood test. Sadly, she tested positive for heart worm. The theory is she had it when we got her, but it was a fairly benign/low infection that wasn't able to test positive at the time because of the low values or early stage nature of the worms. Fast forward to now and the preventatives slowed the progression, but she has it, but not terribly bad. She needs antibiotics and steroids and then injections. The total treatment takes about 4 months, but the worst part is she cannot exercise that entire time and is crated, except for going out to the bathroom, the last 7 weeks, to prevent a hemorrhage or clot.

Did I mention that Alpha is a bundle of energy?

Anyway, about 2 weeks ago, we put her on Doxycycline to kill the bacteria the heart worms can carry and steroids/prednisone, but I forgot the exact reason for that. She was doing fine. Fast forward to 10 days on meds and Friday. Katie goes to Indiana to visit her best friend. I am left holding the fort, keeping Alpha calm, taking care of the reptiles, and the other two dogs. All good. Alpha seemed very sad Friday night, but she's never been without her mamma. Heck, Tyler, our 14 1/2 year old mini Schnoodle was whining all night because he missed mom, so no big deal.

Saturday night, Alpha didn't want her meds, or peanut butter, etc. I managed to get her to take them, and she ate, but then vomits all over the bed a few hours later. Okay, hmmmm. Maybe something is up. I'll see how she is in the morning. The meds are probably upsetting her stomach and I'll call the vet in the morning to see about other meds to counter. Of course, it's July 4th weekend!

Well, the next morning I wake up early and the bed is covered in urine and Alpha's laying in it. SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG. She never pees in the house, let alone the bed.

I rush her to the Emergency Vet 40 minutes from our house - the best one in the state. They have two animals that just got hit by cars and can I leave Alpha and they will examine her and call me with a report? She seemed stable, but lethargic (their words). I say sure. I'll be a nervous wreck sitting in my car for 5-6 hours and everyone thinks it's stomach upset from meds and the prednisone and cause excessive urination, etc. hence wetting the bed. Stomach upset + feeling sick + prednisone = peeing the bed.

They call about 4 hours later and ask if they can do a routine blood test so they can send her home with anti-nausea meds. I say, of course. 2 hours later the vet calls and is in visible shock. Alpha's liver numbers are off the charts (literally) and he cannot believe she's not yellow, unable to move, or dead. They put her on an IV fluids and liver meds, but choose to keep her on the antibiotics because if she survives, we still need to treat the heart worm. She's due for an ultrasound Tuesday morning assuming she's alive and stable.

For two days her levels get marginally better and she begins eating a little. Good sign. Tuesday morning, the ultrasound shows that it's not the two (original) biggest fears; something congenital or cancer. However, what the heck is causing this? The vet calls with the report and says he thinks it's doxycycline hepatotoxicity. He says it's so rare that they really never think to go there initially. Let's stop the doxy and see how she is tomorrow (Wednesday 7-6-22). At this point, her normal vet has gotten involved, says he's never seen this diagnosis, but agrees with it and is hopeful.

Obviously, I am having trouble sleeping and am hoping for good news later today and that she is on the mend.

Her vet and the team at the emergency vet are all putting their heads together in the hope that she pulls through and we still have to deal with the heart worm. Obvisouly, standard treatment is out for her.

I cannot reiterate enough how rare this is. This is research paper worthy. I guess she takes after her dad (me). Kidney transplant and all. They have written papers about me at Yale here in CT because of some of the adverse reactions I've had. They said no one has a kidney 10 years later that had as many issues as I did. Well, I pulled through, so let's hope the same for Alpha.

Thank you all for any thoughts and prayers you can send Alpha's way and I will keep you posted.