Harper has pancreatitis. She is Improving and should make a full recovery but it was still scary. On Tuesday she started vomiting intermittently. The vomit contained some chunks of food and a lot of white foamy stuff. We put her on a bland chicken and rice diet but she didn’t improve. She would keep one meal down and then vomit again. I called the vet Wednesday afternoon and thank God they were able to see her Thursday morning.
When the vet palpated her intestines she growled, which is highly unusual. Normally she loves going to the vet, she’s such a social little dog. X-rays confirmed the diagnosis. Her intestines and pancreas were very inflamed. She must have been in a lot of pain.
So yesterday she stayed at the vet getting IV fluids, pain and nausea meds and a new treatment from Japan that has just been approved for use in the US. It consists of 1-3 infusions of a drug that rapidly reduces the inflammation. She had one infusion yesterday, came home last night, and will go back again today for a second one. She is already showing improvement so we are feeling quite hopeful that we caught it early and that she will be fine.
Going forward she will be on a special diet that is low in fat to avoid the possibility of a recurrence. So far she really likes her new food, which is a relief because she is so picky. Some of her favorite treats such as peanut butter and cheese will be a no-no going forward but we will adjust.
After I left her at the vet yesterday I just sat in the truck and sobbed. Not Harper, nonono, not yet, not now. Because of her insulinoma we have been mentally preparing ourselves to lose Heather sometime in the next year or so, although she has been doing great. But not Harper. I am NOT ready to lose this dog! She was our first, our gateway Westie, lol. We love her madly and whenever she does finally leave this earth it will hurt, a lot. But not yet. NOT YET.
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