Just 24 hours ago it was unclear what the outcome of Simon’s condition would be. After all he is older, with severe arthritis and intervertebral disc disease, among other problems, and he is only palliated with medications. And now with his owners away, his caretaker has called to report he was weak, had vomited some blood and had black stools. Based on all this, gastrointestinal (GI) ulcers were suspected
Sure enough on evaluation we could see his gums were pale and a simple blood test proved he was anemic (low red blood cell count). As it happened, his red cell count was so low (10%, when normal is as high as 45%), and he was so weak, that he needed a transfusion. After receiving it, and the medications needed to slow and eventually stop the bleeding and protect his ulcers, his number rose to 20% and he was able to get up, go outside to do his business and even eat a small meal. We all felt great to see him rebound so quickly. That kind of clinical success reminds me why I love being a veterinarian. I am so grateful to have been able to help our Simon
The picture is of Simon’s blood in the test cassettes, and graphically illustrates the difference in “redness” both before (right) and after (left) his transfusion. That difference is what anemia “looks” like. Sometimes we can achieve a dramatic improvement by simply “treating for the treatable.” Reversing an acute anemia caused by GI bleeding can be very successful and rewarding, by giving a pet the time necessary to heal itself. Good job Simon!
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Gastro-Intestinal Ulcer Disease in Dogs
Find out what's happening in Cantonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Almost every pet owner will admit to being terrified about seeing blood unexpectedly emerge from their pet, especially from either end of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. We all know its not supposed to be there, and we also know that when it is, it’s different than when there is an external cut or other external source of bleeding. We also worry that blood coming from the GI tract may mean something awful, like cancer. The good news though, is not always. There are many other causes of GI bleeding and often the causes can be more benign than ulcer related bleeding.
Ulcers may result from various factors that lead to the lining of the GI tract eroding and being unable to rapidly repair itself, as is normal, in the face of a past or ongoing insult. Anything that compromises the lining may lead to ulceration including foreign bodies, infections, conditions like kidney or liver disease, Addison’s disease, toxic plants, various metals (including coins), chemicals, many drugs including both steroids and non-steroidal pain relievers, as well as simple stress. There are also genetic predispositions and age related factors at play. Ulceration is a highly unpredictable phenomenon, and must be kept in mind whenever GI bleeding is suspected and a predisposing condition exists. The good news is that it is treatable and may have a good outcome, as in this case.
