The low albumin and the fluid they found may be related. I wonder if you could call around at any specialty clinics and see if there is anyone available sooner. Still would want to know of there was an infectious cause. Did you ask about liver failure, yet the liver enzymes are still all good? I know that might happen in some cases, but I guess I would want to know more. The fluid and bloated appearance is consistent with the lymph~ http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_intestinal_lymphangiectasia.html

She said the ablumin is pretty much the reason for the fluid. If I am remembering right (it was the middle of the night after all) she was saying that because of the low albumin she is not able to hold her fluids within her blood vessels so it's leaking out. Not actual blood. The fluid was clear, I saw it.

Right, that makes sense. Why are they saying liver failure?

I can't remember now exactly. I liked this lady, she was super smart. There was a slight communication barrier because she had a really bad stammer but she is possibly the smartest vet or even doctor I have ever met. It was so late, I wish I could have recorded what she said or something. I don't remember exactly what she said if it was based on some test result or what. I don't actually have the test results either right now. I should have probably asked for them right away but I had been up almost 24 hrs by then and I was kind of in shock that all this had happened so quickly, and overwhelmed by all the things that she was telling me.

Did they send any meds home with you, or any recommendations?

They had lots of recommendations.

They said they could set her up on IV fluids and some medication that would stop her vessels from leaking but as soon as they stopped giving it to her it would start right back up. Keeping her over night and through til monday morning. Honestly that would be horribly stressful for her and is only a band aid, not a treatment.

Tons of tests they could run. I can't even remember all of the ones she mentioned.

Visit to the specialist. There aren't a lot of others around here. This isn't the big city.

Another option was to take her home with pain meds to take if needed to hang out til friday and follow up with vet during normal office hours with the option to bring her back to the ER vet if anything changes and go from there.

Last option seemed like the best for her. I am trying to make every choice with the focus on what is best for her and not what is best for me.

Although I can't repeat all the tests we did last night and all their results, I'll say the impression I was left with was that the prognosis was pretty grim.

We went home and she has tramadol for pain as needed. Nothing has changed today with her, so we're happy about that.

Okay, I hope that she and you guys have a good weekend!

We are going to our regular vet tomorrow morning to get some more blood work done that we haven't done yet with special attention now to liver things. Hoping to check for tick disease, infection of the liver, and something else that just slipped my mind. We will see where that gets us. She is really comfortable right now but I am watching her very carefully for any sign she needs to be taken back to the er vet.

I will take the info about the lymph~ to them as well and see what they say. I do really appreciate everyone's input. This is all very overwhelming to me. I have never in my adult life had to deal with something like this so it has been difficult. Thank you all for your time in reminding me to ask about things and check for things I may not have thought of. If I come across as dismissive it's just that I am not communicating well. This has been really hard.

It *is* really difficult

I just don't want to sound like I'm pressuring, these decisions are very individual, and people have to do what is right for them, and their situation.

I hope that you and your vet will come up with a good plan. This is the worst time of having a dog at your side, when they become seriously ill

Oh goodness, I just saw the updates about Ember. I am sending all good thoughts your way that you are able to get a diagnosis and treat whatever is going on.

If you can, get someone to go with you to Ember's appointment today. It really helps to remember all your questions and then remember all the answers.

All I can do is send more hopes that you will find a treatment for your glowing Ember.

Take it easy

MJ

Sending you all best wishes - sorry that this is happening.

So sorry for all that you are goIng through.
I hope you can get it solved and resolved SOON.

Thinking of you, and thinking of Ember.

Sending good thoughts and prayers from CT for Ember.

Thanks everyone.

Today she was pretty much the same as before. Took her in to our regular vet to do a couple of tests that I didn't do at the Evet but that we need to do before we do anything else. One of them is for liver function incl bile acids test and the other one is something for the pancreas, the name escapes me but I think we are looking for pancreatic insufficiency which I know we are all familiar with. We'll also be redrawing the proteins and stuff just to check where she's at then.

In the meantime she is on furosemide to try to slow down the flow of fluid into her abdomen over the weekend. She has to wait until monday to have the tests because she has to have been fasting and they can't send it out til monday anyway.

So there's that. Keeping her comfortable for now.

Wow - did they say if an ultrasound would help with someone good at looking at them (radiologist kind of person)? Those you can sometimes get done on an emergency basis. I feel so bad for you both.

We haven't talked a whole lot about ultrasounds except when the Evet mentioned having her into the dog internal medicine specialist.

And I have no idea if it would be helpful or not, just - almost - always have found stuff out from them.

I think, and I may be completely off base, that u/s would show things that are less fixable. Mass, tumor, etc...I don't think we would put her through surgery. I could be wrong and it's something to maybe talk about if these next tests don't turn anything up.