Max poorly (liver damage)

[Tattydi]

Max had been really poorly this weekend normally a happy dog tail never stops wagging (hes known at the vets as the cocker with a waggy tail)  but his tail is between his legs and his head well down and shaking  none stop   his wee was yellow and has runny poos, he also had a funny smell about him he is on antibiotics and had blood tests its turned up that he has liver damage so the vet has put him on steriods and vit B he has picked up a little has anyone esle had this sort of thing with their cockers and do you think it will get better or just keep reoccuring?

since all this his back legs have no umph (dont know how esle to put it )  when he has been asleep he has trouble getting up and cant get up stairs now (our lounge is on the middle floor)

Anyone any ideas or do i have to make that awful decison. 


Max is 14 this april

[Spaniel Girl]

When Rupert was about one, he ate something toxic and gave the signs of having pancreatitis, rushed him to the vets as he was very distressed, she did blood tests that showed his liver readings were off the chart, indicating liver damage with that he was kept in over night on a drip to try to flush the toxins out, released the next day as he was bouncing of the walls Afraid I can't remember much of the treatment he was on, just had to keep going back to the vets to have his bloods taken.  Rupert will be 4 in May and he is absolutely fine, never had any recurrence, my understanding is that the liver is the one organ that can heal itself, I'm sure Max will be fine.

[Tattydi]

Thank you for your reply.  He has picked up a little this morning and is following me around once more like the shadow he always is.

[skyesmum]

poor Max, send him big kisses from us 

[beebee]

Sorry i dont really know about liver damage, but healing thoughts heading your way

[6thSense]

I hope he is OK. I have a friend who is going through the same thing at the moment with her terrier. She is getting blood test results today and the poor girl is on a drip at the mo. It's very worrying. Lots of positive healing thoughts to Max and I hope he's better soon. 

[JennyBee]

I don’t know anything about the liver, but I hope he gets better soon   he sounds like a lovely dog and he obviously loves you loads Will be thinking of you both xx

[elaine.e]

My last Cocker, Joshua, became ill very suddenly one day when he was 15 years old. I'd been out with friends for Sunday lunch and when I got back Josh, having seemed normal in the morning, had diarrhoea, had been sick a couple of times and was very, very sleepy and lethargic.

The vet immediately said that it was a liver problem and blood tests confirmed that. I can't remember exactly what medication Josh was put on as this happened 7 years ago, but it definitely included antibiotics. I think the problem was an infection but we never knew what caused it.

We had a few days of him being very weak, but he was eating small meals and kept hydrated. Most of the time he just slept and he wasn't in any obvious pain. I think the vomiting was the difficult thing to get under control. Like Max, he found it difficult to get to his feet when he'd been sleeping, so I used to help him up.

The vet couldn't really give me a prognosis but warned me that Josh mught not recover. I decided to give him some time because, as I said, he didn't seem to be in any obvious pain (and he was a real wimp about pain, so I think I would have known).  I know the vomiting must have been unpleasant for him, but as he seemed to be peaceful when he was sleeping and was able to eat small meals I wasn't willing to let him go without a fight.

Josh made a full recovery and went on to live another year and a half in good health for an old boy and had no further liver problems. I don't know if Max has the same as Josh but if so, I hope he will recover fully and get his quality of life back. I had some sort of instinctive belief that Josh was strong enough to fight the illness and had a good chance.

Josh was my first dog, so my first experience of care of a geriatric Cocker. I used to worry that I wouldn't know when to let him go, but I'm sure that I made the right decisions for him. It was a mix of taking a step back mentally to look at his quality of life but also relying in my instincts.

I really hope Max gets well soon and you have your happy boy back to normal.

[KatieJean]

Hope Max gets better quickly

[Tori]

So sorry to hear Max is poorly 

Jessica had sudden onset Liver infection a few years ago, was sickly for a few days and then when very jaundice.  Anyway she was in the vets for a week if i remember rightly on very high doses of synulox and iv fluids they also put her on zentonil which is methionie which supports liver rejuvination.  I also put her on milk thistle for her liver as well.  She did make a full recovery but it did take some time. 

Fingers crossed for you all and sending healing thoughts to Max 

[Tattydi]

thank you all he has perked up a bit this afternoon just doesnt want any tea but he had breakfast this morning which isnt normal but as he was hungry i fed him, im not bothered about changing routine at this point in his life what ever makes him happy.  He now manages to get upstairs on his own. and is barking and wagging his tail so hopefully the meds are starting to work luckily we havnt had to have him on a drip.  He is also my first dog i have had to nurse in old age.

Thanks for all your replies it certianly helps that im not alone.

[WarwickshireFlyball]

Glad to hear that Max is starting to feel a bit better. Hope he carries on improving 

[Tattydi]

Its all up and down feel as if im on a roller coaster as max has now been sick and didnt want his tea tonight. 

[Countrygirl]

So sorry Max is poorly, we have all fingers and paws crossed here that he gets better quickly.

[spanielcrazy]

  I also put her on milk thistle for her liver as well.  She did make a full recovery but it did take some time. 

Milk thistle (an herb) is excellent for the liver


Positive healing thoughts for Max