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Dog Vomiting and Diarrhea

A reader asks the question:

I had my dog in this morning for blood tests and physical. She was vomiting and diarrhea. All the blood tests were normal except for a low AMYL which was 427 and the normal range is 500-1500. The vet said the decreased level didn’t mean anything, that only a elevated level would indicate something was wrong but I read online Decreased amylase levels may indicate:
Damage to the pancreas Kidney disease Pancreatic cancer
so I am worried and I don’t have the money for a second opinion. I know you can’t give a professional diagnosis not seeing my dog but I hope you can comment on my vet telling me the low AMYL didn’t mean anything was wrong. The vet gave my dog some shots and fluids and said she was ok and didn’t think the vomiting and diarrhea was anything serious.

Please be advised that this answer is for informational purposes only and does not take the place of your veterinarian’s advice.

Dr. C responds:

While vomiting and diarrhea can indicate severe conditions such as pancreatic cancer or kidney disease, the majority of time these symptoms are caused by something less life threatening such as dietary indiscretion(getting in the garbage, people food, eating something outside that is decaying or rotting and even changing brands or types of food) and resolve in 24-48 hours.

Your veterinarian is correct in that it is a high amylase is the most significant because it can indicate pancreatitis. A low amylase is lot less concerning and if kidney disease or pancreatic cancer there often would be other indications on the bloodwork such as a high BUN(blood urea nitrogen) and Creatnine which are both kidney values and/or a low glucose.

My suggestion would be to talk to your veterinarian if you are concerned and if her vomiting and diarrhea does not stop within the next 24 hours or if she seems worse, take her back in for revaluation.

Comments Offadmin on September 14th 2008 in Vet answers Your Pet Questions, Dog Health, Dog

Cat Urinary problems

Courtney Jones said on 17 Dec 2007 at 7:06 pm

My cat is having urine obstructions. His kidneys are healthy, but, he is still straining. My Vet is having problems catheterizing because his penis is so small. She thinks he needs a PU or put down. I don’t like any of those options. Can you give any suggestions.He is urinating on his own some time. He is in their care now.

Thanks You
Courtney Jones

Please be advised that this answer is for informational purposes only and does not take the place of your veterinarian’s advice.

DrC said on 17 Dec 2007 at 8:42 pm

Courtney,

I am sorry to hear about your cat. Urinary problems can be common in cats. In male cats, urinary problems are more serious than females because their urethra is much more narrow. There is a syndrome called Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease.

The jury is still out on why certain cats seem to be prone to cystitis(inflammation in the bladder). It is thought that diet can play a role as well as a decrease in water intake and other diseases.

Blocked cats can be very difficult to unblock sometimes and if his penis is small that makes catherization even more difficult. How old is your cat? Does he have a lot of crystals or blood in his urine?

Cats that have urinary obstructions often times block more than once and if his penis is anatomically small than he is at high risk for having continued problems. Therefore, the best option for him may be the PU. Surgery will help widen his urethra so that hopefully he will not continue to have serious problems.

If you are not interested in surgery and he can’t be catherized than your options are limited. There is a medication called Phenoxybenzamine that helps with urethral spasms that could be tried but there are no guarantees that it will help him.

Has he been xrayed or ultrasounded for stones in his bladder/urethra.

Dr. C

No Comments »admin on December 23rd 2007 in Vet answers Your Pet Questions, Cat Health, Cat

Kitten throwing up

Lacey said on 20 Dec 2007 at 1:57 pm

My kitten is really thin, won’t eat or drink, and she keeps throwing up. I have been to the vet several times, the just gave me antibiotics “It is hard to determine what virus she has it could be multiple viruses.” Please help

Please be advised that this answer is for informational purposes only and does not take the place of your veterinarian’s advice.

DrC said on 23 Dec 2007 at 2:50 pm

Lacey,

I am very worried if your kitten will not eat or drink and keeps vomiting. How old is your kitty?

Has she had bloodwork to check her kidneys or radiographs to look for a foreign body?

There are many reasons why she may not be doing well from different viruses, parasites, something congenital, or something stuck in her stomach or intestines.

If it hasn’t already been done, I recommend having a fecal to look for parasites, bloodwork to evaluate her kidneys and liver, a feline leukemia and feline aids test, radiographs to look for evidence of a foreign body.

Dr. C

Comments Offadmin on December 23rd 2007 in Vet answers Your Pet Questions, Cat Health, Cat