My precious Punky is sick. Need prayers!

I'm sorry to hear that Punky isn't rallying :( Is he home with you now? So, did you tell them a vet online told them to do a Lepto titer;)? I'll be curious to find out the results.

He may do well with SQ fluids administered at home 2-3 times weekly. Hang in there, and be sure to give us updates! My dogs are like my kids too, so I completely understand how you are feeling.

Heidi
 
Hi Heidi,

Yes I did tell my vet about your comments and we did have the lepto test run. Expected the results today but haven't gotten them yet. We also still await the urine culture results. I've been visiting Punky everyday. He's been on IV fluids with antibiotics for 48 hours and they were planning to switch to oral antibiotics later today. They are supposed to run new bloodwork this afternoon. The vet calls me each morning to give me updates so I will find out how his numbers are affected by the new antibiotics and fluids. Also, he is hopefully coming home tomorrow afternoon provided everything is working as they hope. PRAY FOR GOOD RESULTS.

I can't tell everyone how much I have been praying to Jesus and St. Francis, the Patron Saint of animals and everyone who might be listening. I have never had a dog like Punky before. If anyone out there has ever had a Brussels Griffon you know what I'm talking about. There really is something almost human about them. We always tease that Punky is just a little boy stuck in a puppy dog suit. He is the most loving dog and makes everyone that pets him smile and feel warm and fuzzy. It can't be helped. It just happens. I want to take him to the Oprah show so he can go to the masses and make millions of people smile and be happy. It's just the kind of dog he is. He loves. :D

Thank you to everyone for the continued prayers. Punky hugs you.
 
Tracy,
I just wanted you to know that I check in here several times a day to see how he is doing. He is in my prayers.
I know exactly how you feel about him (((hugs))).:)
 
Just wanted to let yall know that I got a call from the vet this morning. Punky is doing well and hopefully will come home this afternoon. The bloodwork showed his BUN at 22 which is in the NORMAL range and his creatinine is 2.1 - little high, but WAY better than where he was. They are going to reduce his meds and fluids and repeat the bloodwork late this afternoon to see if they hold. They did say he's not eating which is bad obviously. But I have been given some food options for him that hopefully will interest him. And I will give subq fluids once he's home.

The prayers are being answered and I ask that you PLEASE CONTINUE PRAYING. He's not out of the woods.

I can't wait to have him home. Thanks everyone for your concern and prayers.
 
That is awesome, Tracy! I don't kow what his BUN started out at but if it's down to 22, that's phenomenal. Please let me know what the Lepto titer results are. Was your vet offended that you specifically requested the test be run based on an online "vet friend"? :D Sometimes I can get testy if someone say "well, i read online...." just because there can be so many shady sources on the internet.

Keeping my fingers crossed - he sure sounds like a special little guy!
Heidi
 
Hi Heidi and everyone,

Punky's BUN was 64 when he was put in the hospital. That was down from the initial reading for 126 when he was first diagnosed. OMG right!

I just spoke with the vet and she said after taking him off fluids and the fact that the won't eat dog food (but did eat the treats I brought up there yesterday) his numbers creeped back up a little. She didn't actually said what his BUN was but the creat went back to 2.8 from 2.1 this morning. She said he would greatly benefit from another 24-48 hours (I'm sure it will be 48) on fluids and antibiotics. I told her I really wanted Punky to come home and live, not come home and die. But I also don't want to be given false hope and asked that she be completely honest with her recommendations. She said she feels his kidneys will heal more in the next 48 hours and truly feels it will be of great benefit and the subq will not offer the same benefit. She also said that although he couldn't live up there for 6 weeks, that it could take up to 6 weeks to get substantial kidney healing and he truly could recover a bit from his beginning condition. (His kidneys were at 75% failure so we had a long way to go on the recovery).

We are still waiting on the lepto and urine culture test results. I was told it would take a couple of days and it was done last Saturday. If they mean business days, then today would be the day to find out. I'm getting a bit restless about those details!

My vet didn't get at all upset with the fact that I wanted to go ahead with the lepto test Heidi. I told her I had a couple of online avenues that I was telling people and asking for help and prayers. She totally understood. She knows how great Punky is and she really wants him to get better too.

I know this is a long post and I apologize but like I've said before, I'm totally consumed with everything Punky.

Thanks for your continued prayers my cathe friends. Yall are truly amazing people.
 
Tracy, thanks for letting us know how your sweet pooch is doing. I think about you and will keep you in my prayers. Sounds like you have a nice vet!
 
sending hugs and prayers too. there's a new book you and every dog lover might enjoy. 'through the eyes of a dog'. there was a really good interview with the author on the diane rehm show on npr. you can look it up on the npr website or listen to podcasts of the show i think. i'll keep checking back and thinking about punky.
 
We just got back from a family visit with Punky. He just seems so normal. We got him to eat some bland hamburger meat and a few doggie treats. We played squeeker for a long time and we walked outside. And Sissy gave him a wet willie. She loves to lick his ears and he seems to enjoy it too, lol. It was great. Just wish he had come home with us.

Wonder if there is such a thing as a pump (or something) that dogs can wear to allow them to receive those healing fluids at home rather than staying at the 24 hour vet place for huge bucks?? Or if they can go from receiving fluids 24/7 to receiving fluids 8 hours a day at the regular vet and be at home during the night not receiving fluids? Seems there would be some way to go from 24 hour fluids to part time fluids at home. (Not subq) Seems those fluids are magical but you can't live at the vets office. I'm just sayin.

Thanks for the continued prayers everyone. They are working.
 
tsagona said:
Wonder if there is such a thing as a pump (or something) that dogs can wear to allow them to receive those healing fluids at home rather than staying at the 24 hour vet place for huge bucks?? Or if they can go from receiving fluids 24/7 to receiving fluids 8 hours a day at the regular vet and be at home during the night not receiving fluids? Seems there would be some way to go from 24 hour fluids to part time fluids at home. (Not subq) Seems those fluids are magical but you can't live at the vets office. I'm just sayin.

Thanks for the continued prayers everyone. They are working.
Click to expand...

When my sister's corgi was in renal failure, her vet inserted a catheter (or pump not sure which) and taught the family how to give fluids every so many hours. I'm not sure if this is possible in Punky's case, but you could ask.

I'm so happy to read he is doing better! You and Punky will continue to be in my thoughts and prayers. I can't wait for the day I open this thread up and find he is on his way home! ((hugs)):)
 
OMG!!!!!

Just got a call from the Vet. Punky's kidney values are in the NORMAL range for the first time in 2 weeks!!!!! OMG!!!!!! They are going to keep him one more night to see if they can maintain his numbers after turning down his fluids and he can come home tomorrow. PRAISE GOD! She said although there are no guarantees in science, there is a chance that he may come home and live a healthy life. OMG!!!!! Keep those prayers going for Punky. I've got to call Oprah, lol.

And for those who are interested in the actual numbers - get this!! His creatinine was 1.6 !!! Can you believe it. OMG! I am the most excited I have ever been EVER! OMG! His BUN was still a smidge high at 36 but we can work with that I think. Creat is the most important thing. Hopefully we've healed the kidneys to the extent that they will continue to improve. I can't tell yall how thrilled and happy I am.

I've said it before, Punky is all about love. I have to find an outlet for him to share himself with others who didn't realize they could love. He can bring joy to everyone he meets. Gotta call Oprah so we can hit the masses. Gotta do something. Thank you God! But keep those prayers coming cuz we're still climbing out.

Thank yall so much for keeping up with us on this. You're the best.:)
 
That is Great news!!! I am so happy for you. I have been through so much with my pets. I know exactly how you feel. Keep us posted! :) Linda
 
Tracy - I've just been catching up on Punky's situation! I'm so excited and happy for you that he's so much better! I know he still has some healing to do, so I will continue sending healing energy to Punky and for strength. He's a strong pup!

I hope you're able to bring him home really soon!
 
*cheers for Punky!*
smiley-dance005.gif
 
you could ask if your local library does a reading program with dogs. it gets the kids interested in reading. theres lots of programs where dogs can help. i'm so glad he's doing better. ((huggs)) to both of you.
 
I'm so happy to read this wonderful update! Give Punky a hug and a kiss from me.:D

Tracy, if you are serious about sharing Punky you should consider the volunteer Touch program.
I've enrolled Isabella in puppy school and now a young adult class at Support Dogs school (hopefully one day the Touch program). I love this place! Isabella enjoys her time at school too.:)

http://supportdogs.org/Programs/Touch
 
Just got the daily update on Punky. :( They reduced his fluids yesterday in an effort to wean him so he could come home. His numbers increased again. His BUN went back to 46 (from 36) and his creat went from 1.6 to 3.2. She wanted to keep him another night but I think it's just time for my precious Punky to come home. She said he was eating today so he's probably feeling okay. I think it's just time for him to come home and enjoy his family and toys and his little Sissy. When asked if he could just live life with elevated creatinine levels, she said he could but it would be unusual. She knows a dog that has lived a couple years with a 4.0 creat level but said it was the exception rather than the rule.

Happy that Punky will come home this evening but sad that the news isn't great. Please keep praying for my baby.
 
I'm sorry that his numbers keep fluctuating so much! I hope that he will still get better and be able to enjoy life with his family for a long time to come! Still sending prayers and healing energy!

I agree though that he'd be happier at home with the people who love him!
 
:D

Just got Punky's blood test results from this morning. His creatinine is 2.1 (which is only barely high) !!! His BUN is still a little high at 47. Do you know he's been home off IV fluids for 5 days and his numbers are better than they were the day we brought him home.

DH and I have been praying non-stop. We have gotten many people (including my cathe friends) to join us. I truly believe all our prayers have made the difference.

Punky is eating well. However, his diet isn't what kidney patients should be eating, but it is food that he will eat and will help him gain his weight back. He has gained back just over 1/2 pound. Yay! He is acting like his normal self and enjoying all the neighborhood kids, barking simply because he likes to bark and giving kisses to anyone who gets close enough.

I am as happy as I've ever been. DH and I finally have joy in our hearts again. Life is good. God is great!

And for those who may be wondering: the lepto test and the urine culture were both negative. Therefore, the underlying cause for all this remains unknown. We only know what it's not.

Thanks to you all for your prayers. Please don't stop as we're still fighting. Thank you so much.

Tracy (Punky's mom) :D
 
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