A question for Hillary I think when she presumably rings next week with the next lot of urine results. No apparently they are so busy they decided 12 months ago to only take on new clients who are local. Fair enough but they don't know what they are missing. I guess that just leaves the vets I've heard good and not so good things about. I think a visit and a chat is in order.
Unfortunately Rachael the test for diabetes insipidus would be very difficult to do with Scott. They have the dog in, take a urine sample, withhold water then take urine samples through the day to see if it's getting more concentrated. As Scott won't let them near him unless I'm hold of him or he's knocked out it looks impossible. The test for Cushings isn't much better. Blood test, injection of cortisol (I think) then another blood test four hours later. I can't remember which way around it is but whatever's happened to the cortisol gives a definite yes or no for Cushings.
The urine stuff seems like a stab in the dark to me too especially as back in June Hillary didn't seem concerned when all the tests came back clear.
Thanks Jelinga it's a great idea.
. It's not so bad with male dogs except the sample pots the vet provides are the size of a test tube. I got some disposable plastic cups to decant from. I figured they must be sterile to some extent as they are for drinking and cheap enough to be binned. Scott isn't bothered he'll happily fill up anything but Scout freaks out at the noise and stops mid flow.
I took a second sample of salty urine to the vets this morning as requested by Hillary. She rang this afternoon. No change. I didn't think there would be. Scott's urine is still dilute. Hillary has therefore decided he has diabetes insipidus or psychogenic polydipsia. As it's Scott I can believe it could be psychogenic polydipsia. In otherwords he just likes drinking. Scott loves to lick. He just loves it to the point of obsession if you let him. Thankfully not himself. When he drinks Scott has always looked like he's playing with the water. He laps up the side of the bowl making a terrific mess and can get quite mesmerised. Either way I have to treat it like diabetes insipidus and be careful of dehydration. Hillary suggested putting a pinch of sea salt in the water as an electrolyte. All of this she basically told me back in June when the kidney tests came back clear. I can only assume because boss vet got involved she thought she should have a go again. I asked why it couldn't be Cushings. She told me because "he isn't a Cushings type dog." Cushings dogs are usually overweight apparently. Hillary did say she'd like to rule it out properly but it would be impossible because as soon as she looks at Scott his cortisol levels will shoot sky high and he'd test positive even if he wasn't. Unfortunately no definitive result but I'm hoping that's it now no more messing about with wee. !!! I don't think it can be the infection if he's still on the antibiotics. My theory, although far fetched, is salt. It's the common denominator both times. After a week of eating salt Scott's back end becomes irresistible !!! I mentioned this theory to Hillary. The phone went quiet for quite awhile. She couldn't think why it should be salt but told me to stop salt for a week to see. She doesn't want to give him anymore antibiotics so suggested I squirt Scott's bottom with bitter apple spray to put them off !!! Surely that would sting.I agree it isn't very satisfactory. I know vets have to use an educated guess a lot of the time but I think this is a big educated guess. They've tested for the obvious though I suppose and the results were all clear. As for Scott's bottom I won't be using bitter apple spray on it. I will have a go with the anal gland wipes and fingers crossed. If it goes on longer than a week I will start pestering again.
I agree it isn't very satisfactory. I know vets have to use an educated guess a lot of the time but I think this is a big educated guess. They've tested for the obvious though I suppose and the results were all clear. As for Scott's bottom I won't be using bitter apple spray on it. I will have a go with the anal gland wipes and fingers crossed. If it goes on longer than a week I will start pestering again.
I wonder if there is something in the antibiotics that makes his bottom/poo smell interesting? Sugar perhaps?
Women frequently get thrush after a course of antibiotics...it's not crazy that dogs could also get something similar?
