Yesterday, Kendal began showing signs of not being himself. For one thing he was sluggish. During the evening he showed signs of discomfort – not getting up at the call to dinner and not inhaling the kibble we brought to him. We have fed everyone Acana Regionals for about two years, cycling among the four varieties. He lay down almost exclusively on his stomach and was uncomfortable, shifting position and groaning; breathing more shallowly and quickly than normal; trembling. He was aware of and interested in what was going on yet obviously not himself. We resolved to defer todays’ trip to Goderich and take him to the vet.
We watched him overnight (it was a long night). We had thoughts of bloat, a blockage, cancer, pancreatitis. He barfed at 5:00AM. Called the vet (Wallaceburg Animal Hospital) first thing and they said bring him right in. Kendal was perkier and positively jumped right up at the notion of a car ride.
After the initial exam the vet recommended a full blood panel, x-rays. Dr. Tracy Landry is a wonderful vet with a calm, factual, easy tableside manner. There was some difficulty with the x-ray setup which delayed those results. The verdict:
No pancreatitis, bloat, or blockage. X-rays revealed some gas buildup in his stomach and intestines and somewhat enlarged spleen. Bloodwork showed an RBC count below normal and sme liver values are elevated. The thinking is that this may be either a one-off upset or early signs of something more significant. Course of treatment: canned food for a few days, the antibiotic doxycycline to treat any infection, and Cerena as a stomach easer. I would not object too strenuously if Kendal blew a big stinky fart.
We are home. He’s alert and watching Faye, who is working in the kitchen. Kendal’s 12 years old, a good age for a Lab. We will watch him. After last night’s restless night, we may crash early.
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