Question:
I am hoping that someone can help me. I have a five year old boxer that is very sick. BEFORE WE GO ON LET ME SAY HE HAS BEEN UNDER A VET'S CARE FOR THE LAST 5 WEEKS AND THE VET IS AS STUMPED AS I AM. Calvin has had diarrhea for 5 weeks now. He has gone from 75lbs to 49lbs. He is eating and drinking. The vet has tried a number of things and still has no explantion. My dog has been de-wormed, xrays, blood tests, antibiotics, another med. to slow down his digestive track, and now is on prednisone. NOTHING has helped and nothing out of the ordinary has presented itself through the blood tests. We are now thinking that it may be cancer. I just wanted to post to see if there is anyone that could offer another suggestion. The vet mentioned opening him up and seeing if there are tumours in the digestive track. Of course this is very painful for Calvin and very expensive for me. I hope someone can offer some advice. Thanks

Answer:
OMG you poor thing and poor Calvin :( Your vet has no idea?
Is it just diarrhea or does he have other problems? What does his diet consist of?

Answer:
OH Geeze whiz!! Poor Calvin (and u)

What is the prednisone supposed to be doing to help him at this point? Be careful, not to let him stay on that very long it is a very very powerful drug that causes additional problems. Did your vet tell you this? Prednisone weakens the joints and ends up causing tears to ligaments and fractures.

However, the issue is why is he sick?

I consider 'opening him up' barbaric when they can do a scope?!?!!

Has the vet considered sending you to specialist? Have then done and ultrasound/scope to see is there is a blockage?

Dewormed and antibiotics and still not feeling well. Hmmmn

What is his diet like? Any vomiting, wheezing, excessive drool or panting...?


I would change the diet to see if it would help. If you are on dog food take him off and give him a very bland diet. Boiled chicken and potato or rice/both rotate.

Where did you get the dog from? Breeder? Contact the breeder asap...it could be a genetic problem the breeder may know immediately what the trouble is!!!

Answer:
sick boxer (again)
Thanks Luba and Chany for the replies. Here is a little more information.

Changing Calvin's diet was one of the first things the vet tried. The vet put him on two types of the presciption dog food. He even had me add some yogurt to it when Calvin was on the antibiotics.

Calvin has not been vomiting, weezing or drooling. In fact if he did not have the diarrhea and weight loss you would not know there was anything wrong with him.

We did not get Calvin from a breeder. We got him from an ad in the paper. I am now wondering if there was some inbreeding going on. We have had quite a few medical problems with this dog.

As far as opening calvin up....I am not in favour of it at all. We had to have the same surgery done a few years back when Calvin ate a golf glove and it had to be removed. The recent xrays that the vet took showed that there was not a blockage.

To be honest with you, money is an issue. As far as going to a specialist....I don't know if it is a possibility.

Thanks Again

Answer:
I added your reply here so we can keep it all together in one thread.

Do you happen to have the ad from the paper did u save it in a scrap book or anything? OR even a note with the phone number on it?

Do u remember where u got the dog? Address wise? Drive there go there see if the person still lives there!!

Did you pay cash/visa/cheque??? CAn you look back on those records?

I'm worried for your doggie as well to see if there is some genetic troubles.

Would take him off the dog food though and give a natural diet bland ....like boiled chicken and taters for a week. See if it calms down.

BUT dont' go through with surgery w/o going to see a specialist first.

Answer:
Your very welcome jodi. Didn't help much though .
Thanks for being honest about the money being a factor. I would definitely change food for your dog ASAP. Try anything, just to see if it relieves his diarrhea, or at least slows it down.
What about cheese, I know it bungs up some humans. But definitely try feeding him some table scraps. This is going to sound gross but how often does he have diarrhea in a day?
At least he's drinking water, so we don't have to worry about dehydration.

Answer:
I don't know if you are aware of this, but boxers (especially badly bred ones) are VERY prone to cancer.

I suggest he be tested for this.I hope it's not the case, but it needs to be examined.

Answer: