[JayBird]

New here but im hope yall can help my 7 yoa Tito is having serious health issues and the vet has no clue and neither do I so i hope some of my fellow pit owners can help me out. He's hanging but idk for how long.
This is what happned & is currently happening(im sorry for the length of post ahead of time but i want you to have all the info )

In a nutshell (if anyone needs more specific info PLease ask) last year @ this time Tito came down w/ severe upset stomach after eating some old chicken/japanese food left on my counter accidentally by a friend. So i took him to get the usual meds(he has always had a sensitive stomach). well brought him back and after a few days it didnt clear up so we xrayed to be sure no bones were lodged. the xray& ultrasound showed no bones but unfortunately showed that his kidneys, spline,liver all were uniformly enlarged and after a general blood test showed the protein levels were extremely high and his blood was sludgy. Keeping it short he kept this up for a month it got so bad he seized and it detached the retina in his left eye one night. So after a prayer to the lord above (MANY THANKS to you LORD for all you do/done for TITO)he slowly but surely got better and has stayed that way for almost a year to the date. Beside having to give him a eye drop for that eye daily. So a week ago he started w/ upset stomach again and i noticed his energy was down a lil. Took him to the vet we checked him and gave him fluids and did the general blood test it showed the proteins were extremely high again so for the last few days we been giving fluids @ home (under skin) and sent off a tick disease test that came back today as negative. So he xrayed & ultrasound him again and his spline, liver, and kidneys are all enlarged bad , but unformly and i cant cont the fluids b/c his energy level is down along w/ his strength so he has slight bruising under his front legs where i pick him up to place him in my truck to ride over there. If it helps his red bloodcell count is normal. IM sooo sorry this so long but it is killing me not to be able first of know what im dealing w/ but also not being able to help him. Any info or if anybody has had this happen or ever heard of anything like this. btw- for a year his bloodwork has been completely normal we had it checked every couple of months. THANK AND ANY HELP WILL BE APPRECIATED, if you need more specific info jus ask I LOVE my TITO man and want to help him before its too late. Thanks JT

 

[performanceknls]

I'm sorry you are having to go through this! I would get a second opinion and take all your records and lab results with you. Your vet might be missing something, there are lots of reasons of high protein levels in dogs here is some more info. It is going to be a process of elimination.


Over-Stimulation of the Immune System
High protein in the blood of a dog can indicate that the immune system is being over-stimulated. Lyme disease, chronic skin diseases, chronic intestinal disease or diabetes can affect and damage the kidneys. The kidneys are unable to filter or flush completely, causing them shut down.

Auto-Immune Disease
Lupus is a rare blood disease in dogs that can cause premature kidney failure and is indicated by high protein levels in the blood or urine. Antibodies form and attack healthy tissue -- in other words the dog becomes allergic to its own skin. Veterinary treatment for lupus in dogs is usually very successful.

Chronic Interstitial Nephritis
High protein levels can indicate chronic interstitial nephritis. This disease has several causes, including diet, infection, or an allergic reaction to medications. The condition is treatable, once the veterinarian identifies the cause of the nephritis. One treatment option is to limit salt or protein in the pet's diet.

Congenital or Inherited Disorder
A signal that a dog may be ill is by the veterinarian discovering high protein levels in the blood or urine of the dog. In some cases, a puppy is born with kidney problems. Symptoms tend to develop around four months of age; however in some cases symptoms do not arise until the puppy is two or three years old. Unfortunately, congenital renal failure is not treatable and often fatal.

Old Age
High protein levels can indicate potential kidney damage or failure. As dogs age, the kidneys are the first major organs to begin shutting down. The dog may suddenly become incontinent or have less urine output. The condition is fatal; however, a veterinarian can advise of the steps an owner may take to make the dog comfortable.

Amyloidosis
High protein levels may indicate amyloidosis. Amyloidosis is the development of abnormal deposits of protein in the kidneys and leads to kidney failure. This is usually a result of old age in dogs and may begin at age nine or older. A veterinarian may prescribe a special diet, low aspirin dosage or hormonal therapy. The condition is manageable, but fatal. Consult with a veterinarian on the best treatment plan for the dog.

 

[performanceknls]

UGH I found some more info and it's not good, all the symptoms listed fits what your post says. You should be looking for cancer somewhere, it's a start.

Hyperviscosity Syndrome in Dogs

High blood viscosity, a thickening of the blood, typically results from markedly high concentration of blood plasma proteins, although it can also result (rarely) from an extremely high red blood cell count. It is most frequently seen as a paraneoplastic syndrome (the consequence of the presence of cancer in the body), and is often associated with multiple myeloma (a cancer of the plasma cell) and other lymphoid tumors or leukemias.

The clinical signs that are associated with hyperviscosity are caused by reduced blood flow through smaller vessels, high plasma volume, and associated coagulopathy (a defect in the body's mechanism for blood clotting). There are no gender or breed predilections, and it is more common in older dogs.

Symptoms and Types

•No consistent signs
•Loss of appetite (anorexia)
•Lethargy
•Depression
•Excessive urination and excessive thirst
•Blindness, unsteadiness
•Bleeding tendencies
•Seizures and disorientation
•Rapid heartbeat and rapid breathing if congestive heart failure present owing to volume overload
•Nosebleed or other bleeding in the mucus membranes
•Visual deficits associated with engorged retinal vessels, retinal hemorrhage or detachment, and optic swelling

Causes

•Multiple myeloma and plasma cell tumors
•Lymphocytic leukemia or lymphoma
•Marked polycythemia (a net increase in the total number of blood cells)
•Chronic atypical inflammation with monoclonal gammopathy (in which an abnormal protein has been detected in the blood [tick fever can cause this in dogs])
•Chronic autoimmune disease (e.g., systemic lupus rheumatoid arthritis)

Diagnosis

Hyperviscosity is a syndrome, not a final diagnosis; however, your veterinarian will want to know what accounts for the symptoms. Your veterinarian will perform a thorough physical exam on your pet, taking into account the background history of symptoms and possible incidents that might have led to this condition. A complete blood profile will be conducted, including a chemical blood profile, a complete blood count, and a urinalysis. Your doctor will be specifically looking at total plasma protein count and evidence of blood disorders. Once a diagnosis has been confirmed, your veterinarian will work out a treatment plan.

Treatment

Generally, dogs that present with this disease are treated as inpatients. It will be the underlying disease that will be the focus of the treatment. The total treatment plan will be based upon whether the symptoms are being caused by cancer or by an inflammatory condition.

Living and Management

Even after you take your dog home, your veterinarian will want to monitor your dog's serum or plasma proteins frequently to mark the effectiveness of the treatment. Follow-up blood tests will also be conducted, along with urinalyses from time to time, to determine how well your dog is dealing with its disease.

High Level of Plasma Proteins in the Blood of Dogs | petMD

 

[performanceknls]

autoimmune issues is another one I would look at.

 

[JayBird]

THANK YOU for all that info, I'm really glad I found this site for sure. I know he said he didn't see any signs of a tumor today and sent me home w/ some antibiotics he also gave him a steriod shot today I'm suppose to contact him tomorrow afternoon . The cancer you mention do you know if it will go completely away like it did then show back up like this a year later? THANK YOU again so much. I definitly gotta consider a second opinion as well JT

 

[performanceknls]

I have had several dogs (mine and clients dogs) where they got sick off and on and later we found it was cancer. If all the vet looked for was tumors there could still be cancer somewhere else. With as much money as you spent I would take your lab work and med records and get a second opinion, another vet might have new ideas and might be able to pin point it. Good luck and let us know what happens. Cancer is not the end all be all, some can be treated easily and managed. I know several dogs who had cancer and lived a few more years.

 

[JayBird]

Thanks Again ! I have to spend what lil xtra $$$ I have left after the last week / 2 weeks helping my Tito Munster as best I can. So I'm gonna look to see if I can find a vet nearby that will take a look @ him. He don't do anything but lay down now other than to drink water, play ever so often and to go outside to use the bathroom. Thank you so much JT