My Lab has hepatitis

FS74 · ‎01-31-2016

Anyone else have this problem? Long story short, Buddy our black lab started to lose his appetite and be lethargic about a week ago. A trip to the ER diagnosed him. XRays were normal, Sonogram showed nothing, just elevated liver enzymes. He is on 2 antibiotics, and a pill to help heal his liver. We have no idea how he got it, and his sister litter mate is fine.

One of the antibiotics has a side effect of decreased appetite and lethargy. Wonderful. He does drink and pees, no bowel movements since he turns down food. I sometime force feed him some scrambled eggs just to get something in him. He has another week left on his meds, which continues the side effects.

Anyone else have this issue, and how long is recovery? He is always an active goofball, it just hurts to see him this way.

on the bay · ‎03-09-2010

@FS74 -

That is so hard to see them sick.

I haven't had a dog with hepatitis but I have had older ones with food/digestive/vomiting issues.

Did the vet have any suggetions at all?

I would try 100% canned pumpkin and maybe tempt him with some boiled chicken breasts.

I can't tell you how many times the pumpkin added to food has solved so many eating issues with cats and dogs, sick and or older.

Make sure it is pumpkin and NOT pumpkin spice.

Very cheap at Walmart pickup or ,com

Hope He feels better so soon!

"If you walk the footsteps of a stranger, you'll learn things you never knew. Can you sing with all the voices of the mountains? can you paint with all the colors of the wind?"

Still Raining · ‎03-30-2014

Sorry to hear about Buddy. I would keep in good touch with the vet. They have advice. Might want to confirm about the bowl movements. Once it gets impacted it be a worse problem.

drizzellla · ‎03-14-2010

We try and protect our dogs from any trouble they may encounter. And then your dog gets hepatitis. Scary.

I am currently looking at a box of all the medications that our dog has taken. Hepatitis was never on our radar.

Hope Buddy bounces back. Glad he is getting such good care.

FS74 · ‎01-31-2016

We have tried everything the Vet suggested, he just has no appetite. He just sniffs the food and turns his head. The Vet said it is the meds that is causing the side effects, but like everyone said, it is hard to see him like this. He had a follow up on the 3rd, I will give updates.

Again, we have no idea what caused this, the only thing I can figure he must have ate something, he is a garbage can.

K9buddy · ‎03-09-2010

Peanut butter? Ask your vet for an appetite stimulant.

on the bay · ‎03-09-2010

@K9buddy wrote:
Peanut butter? Ask your vet for an appetite stimulant.

That's a good idea! I forgot about that-our dogs favorite!

Also what about those frozen doggy treats? Maybe his stomach is just so upset and needs soothing.

"If you walk the footsteps of a stranger, you'll learn things you never knew. Can you sing with all the voices of the mountains? can you paint with all the colors of the wind?"

Silver Lining · ‎04-16-2010

@FS74, several good recommendations here so I hope his appetite picks up soon. The pumpkin has worked for my dog in the past. I think peanut butter stimulated his appetite, too.

Sammycat1 · ‎03-09-2010

We've had a dog and cat with this. Ask for Cerenia to help with the nausea and perhaps subcutaneous fluids. You cal also request a mild appetite stimulant to jump start things.

FS74 · ‎01-31-2016

Thank you for all the suggestions. We tried peanut butter and he just turned his head. But I did find something, scrambled eggs with cheese. I have to put it down his throat like I do his pills and he is keeping them down. This morning he did eat 2 small pieces of Dentastix on his own which is major progress.

I would love to try pumpkin but that would be real messy, I probably would have more on me than in his stomach. Eggs it is!