This is a more detailed post of what is going on with Leroy. I like to write these posts because it gives me something to refer back to when medical issues come up and it also might help someone else who has a dog that goes through similar issues.
Leroy’s having an IBD flare-up. This flare-up is different than the little ones that he has periodically because his albumin is low. This flare-up is similar to the worst of the worst that he had a little over 2 years ago.
The Timeline
Leroy started having diarrhea about a week ago. He started off with soft stool that turned to water. Water meaning a forceful amount of liquid that came shooting out of his butt like a fire hydrant. I started a bland diet and Metronidazole immediately and gave it adequate time plus one day to take effect. (The plus one day is because I have a tendency to jump the gun.) I saw mild improvement for one day but then it reverted back to bad so we set up a vet appointment. Leroy was eating and acting fine most of this time. He’s a Newfoundland so he’s pretty stoic. Friday night he refused his food and was acting a bit sluggish.
The Appointment
Leroy’s appointment was Saturday morning. it included an exam, gram stain, and full blood panel. Gram stain showed mild bacteria which we expected, with the exam there were no significant findings and bloodwork was all good except the Albumin was 1.4. Normal is usually above 2.6. Weight was good at 150 pounds. Our regular vet was booked for 2 weeks so we were seeing a rookie vet. When I say rookie I mean just out of vet school within the last few months. I’ll be honest, this made me nervous. I know we all have to start somewhere but Leroy’s a “complicated” case so the most I could hope for was that she thoroughly reviewed his chart. She was great and we were lucky because Leroy’s regular vet just happened to be in the office at the same time so she was able to refer to him for a game plan and she told me she referred to him so whew!
Treatment
Prednisone, Metronidazole, Probiotic and Vitamin B12 shots for at least 2 months. Recheck albumin in 3 weeks.
Now let’s talk about Albumin and why it’s not good when it’s low.
Albumin is one of those things that you really don’t pay attention to until there’s something wrong with it. You might never know what exactly it does if there’s not an issue with it and that’s a good thing.
Albumin is an important protein formed in the liver and carried into the blood, it is responsible for regulating blood volume by controlling pressure in the blood compartment. It is also important for retaining fluid in the vascular compartment. A lack of albumin can be life-threatening and can include dangerous fluid buildup.
Low albumin is called hypoalbuminemia. Hypoalbuminemia can be caused by a number of things but in Leroy’s case, it is caused by IBD. Leroy loses protein due to inflammation in his intestines. The protein leaks out into his body causing watery diarrhea and sometimes fluid build up (edema) in his extremities such as legs, stomach, ears and around the lungs. Because the protein is being lost and not absorbed he’s not getting the nutrition that he needs.
Back In Time
When Leroy had hypoalbuminemia 2 years ago, he had it bad. They had drained over 10 liters off of him in one day. The reason for this was because it went undetected for so long. (Our previous vet was treating the edema as an allergic reaction.) By the time he was correctly diagnosed he was almost drowning in fluid. It took Leroy over a full year to recover from that, but he did recover. This is why it’s so scary for me. Hypoalbuminemia can come on fast or over a long period of time.
Treatment of Hypoalbuminemia
Treatment depends on the cause. In Leroy’s case, we need to address the inflammation in his GI tract because it is not absorbing protein, it is leaking out into his body. The best way to do that is with a steroid. B12 injections are given so that he doesn’t get malnourished because his body is not absorbing any vitamins or nutrients. Metronidazole is to help with the overgrowth of bad bacteria in his gut. Physical therapy. It’s not really physical therapy but for Leroy, it’s key that he goes for walks a few times a day to keep the fluid from settling in one spot.
The Good News
I was pretty discouraged on Saturday. I felt we had taken a giant step back with Leroy’s health and felt defeated but many of you made comments that made me see the light. We caught this pretty early this time around. While Leroy does have protein floating around in his body he does not have a large amount in his stomach and there is no evidence that it is around his lungs. There are no signs of it accumulating in his legs. There was a little in his left ear but that has since gone down. We just had Leroy’s albumin checked 2 months ago and it was normal so this came on pretty fast, probably within the last 1.5 weeks based on his symptoms. We have months of treatment ahead but as long as we keep rechecking and monitoring we should be able to keep it from getting worse. We’ve been pretty careful with Leroy’s diet so I’m not exactly sure what threw him into another flare up. Maybe it was the loaf of bread he ate at Thanksgiving or the 2 french fries he got. I don’t know.
I’m hoping that as the inflammation heals and the leaking fluid drains out that Leroy won’t experience much weight loss. It’s too early to tell but it might not even be noticeable this time around.
I can’t begin to thank you all for your kind words and support. It means the world to all of us here and it really lifted up my spirits. I hope this helps you understand things a bit more. I know it helps me when I can write it out!
Cindy Miner
Thursday 16th of November 2023
I am so glad to hear Leroy is doing well! I found your explanation of albumin very interesting and will make sure to check it on Sunny’s blood reports. He has had bowel issues since he was a baby, attributed to allergies as well. Just a couple weeks ago he had his first explosive episode. Vet put him on probiotics, omeprazole, and Rx canned food. Prior to that I fed cooked homemade meals. An old vet in the 70s once prescribed lean raw ground beef mixed with an equal amount of very dry crumbled whole wheat toast, fed in about the size of a golfball every hour or so until he was better. So I did that, then fed his meals raw instead of cooked, so now he is a raw eater, loves it, and is doing fine with no bowel issues!
Mel
Wednesday 14th of December 2016
Holy cow Jen. I am so glad you caught this early. I appreciate the primer on albumin too. I have always known it was important on a dog's panel, but not why. Very interesting. I hope all you are doing is starting to work. Your attentiveness to Leroy and catching it early is huge. Sending some prayers your and Leroy's way.
Jen
Thursday 15th of December 2016
Thanks Mel. I was the same way with it! I had no idea it was so important until he had issues! Now it's the only level that I ever want checked! We appreciate the prayers so much. Thank you
tylersat99
Wednesday 14th of December 2016
Jennifer I am so sorry Leroy had a flare up. I know you keep a very close eye on Leroy and catch anything right away.You can just feel something is wrong. I am hoping this flare up is very short since he got immediate treatment. We are praying that he is good and ready to enjoy your snow. Leroy likes to get into trouble but he wants to be well so hopefully back to normal in no time xxx
Jen
Thursday 15th of December 2016
Thank you. This is the type of relapse that I was really fearing from the beginning of all this. It caught me off guard for sure. We are doing our best to get him back on the right track!
Clowie
Tuesday 13th of December 2016
I wish Leroy all the best for a speedy recovery.
Jen
Thursday 15th of December 2016
Thanks so much! The good wishes really mean a lot to us!
Beth
Tuesday 13th of December 2016
I'm so sorry that Leroy (and the rest of you) have to deal with this. I'm glad you caught it early and I know you'll be watching him carefully. Sending good vibes and hugs to both of you!
Jen
Thursday 15th of December 2016
Thanks Beth. We are doing our best to keep this one under control. Thank you for the hugs!