Frankie
(updated September 14, 2002)

 

Frankie is a Clumber Spaniel, born on February 19, 1999. I adopted him from his breeder when he was eight weeks old, and flew him to the United States (he was 11 pounds and just fit under my feet on the plane). When Frankie was four months old, I noticed that his stools were very loose. I brought him to the vet, who assured me that everything was fine but suggested we try a different dog food: Hill’s i/d kibble.

When the puppy was six months old, he still had loose stools so I took him to a skin and allergy veterinary specialist. We went through strict food trials using Purina CNM/HA prescription kibble. Frankie only seemed to be getting worse. We then did allergy tests, which came back positive for many different allergens. At that time, Frankie began receiving allergy shots.

In December of 1999, Frankie was 9 months old and showing no signs of improvement. I was concerned that he was not gaining weight at the same rate as his littermates, he had diarrhea, and was vomiting everything he ate and drank. He also became lethargic and could not express his anal glands. I began to investigate serious illnesses, and thought that Frankie could have a liver shunt, although he did not have many common symptoms of the condition. I immediately got Frankie in to see a veterinary internist who did an ultra sound on Frankie’s liver. The ultrasound showed nothing abnormal.

Over the holidays, Frankie underwent an endoscopy (biopsies of the digestive system) and laparoscopy (biopsy of the liver). The laparoscopy was normal, but the endoscopy showed that Frankie has moderate eosinophilic enteritis, and his eosinophils, phasmacytes, and lymphocytes were all equivocally increased. Also, his villus tips were blunted. Villus tips are the little fingerlike projections that line the intestine, and are there to help transport the nutrients from the lumen (the hollow center of the tube) across the membrane into the bloodstream for use by the body. Frankie had his, they were just allergic and easily stimulated. Eosinophils, plasmacytes and lymphocytes are all different forms of white blood cells. White blood cells occur in five types (three of them are the ones listed) and are the body’s infection fighting cells. They are also involved in allergic reaction – especially the eosinophils. Lymphocytic/plasmacytic enteritis is the most common form of IBD, but eosinophilic is certainly not terribly unusual.  Treatment, the vet told me, was the same for both.

Frankie went through several different types of diets, from kibble to home cooked. The diet that he has done best on is Eukanuba Fish and Potato. Frankie has also been on various doses of medicine. He has gone as high as 40 mg of Prednisone a day, 500 mg of Flagyl a day, and 15 mg of Reglan. In August of 2001, Frankie had his anal glands removed, and since then has been in exceptional health.

It is August 2002, and Frankie has been off Prednisone for some time now and is doing exceptionally well. He will likely stay on Flagyl and Reglan for life in order to keep the bacteria in his intestine under control, and to prevent him from vomiting. He is maintaining his weight and looks and acts like a wonderfully healthy dog. Frankie has been receiving frequent acupuncture treatments since January of this year, and loves those sessions. My hope is that the acupuncture compliments his medicine and diet and combined, they are safely helping Frankie live a healthy life.  

Frankie is a special dog and is very much loved. I am thankful that he found me… across the miles. My life would not be nearly as full without him…

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