Ascites or dropsy in a dog: causes of fluid accumulation in the body cavity and ways to eliminate the root cause of the pathology

How to treat at home

Treat your pet at home with medications strictly prescribed by your doctor.
One of the recipes for folk remedies:

• Take 800 grams of parsley and cow's milk;
• Place the greens in a deep bowl, pour in milk and place in the oven, preheated to 70 degrees;
• Leave for 30 minutes and remove.

Give your dog strained milk once a day. The daily norm is 200 ml. (about 1 glass). You can give a folk remedy for ascites with the permission of your doctor.

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When a dog has dropsy in the abdomen, herbal infusions - from chamomile flowers, sage or currant leaves - will also come to the rescue. The grass is simply poured with hot boiled water, infused for an hour and given to the animal little by little.

Various decoctions are popular - from coltsfoot and tartar flowers, apricots or beans.

Treatment at home depends on internal and external factors. The dog needs to create comfortable conditions and reduce physical activity. If a sick animal is prescribed medication, the course cannot be interrupted. It happens that a dog is prescribed medications for life, and they will help the pet.

With a normal appetite, your pet needs to choose a diet that contains protein. Chicken or turkey will do. They are pre-boiled or doused with boiling water. Buckwheat and rice porridge are suitable, but fats and carbohydrates should be kept to a minimum.

With ascites, salt should be completely eliminated from the animal’s diet.

Liquids should be given in smaller quantities than usual, and the dog’s access to water sources should be limited.

Ascites in a dog! Help adjust the treatment!

Hello. Please help, maybe someone has encountered ascites and treated it. I understand that ascites cannot be cured. But I want to do everything possible to ensure that the animal lives actively and for as long as possible.

It all started with the dog’s stomach growing sharply. While I was leaving, I left the dog with my father, who, it seemed to me, gave the dog a lot of fatty food and in large quantities, the second option was that the neighbors were harassing him for something. The belly has grown sharply. After which, he fell asleep just as abruptly for some time when the dog was put on a diet, but the animal became ill. Severe weakness, fell on his paws. We went to the veterinarians and put on IVs: “sodium chloride, glucose.” They gave injections (I don’t remember exactly which ones) Initially there was a suspicion of intestinal obstruction. Then they took an x-ray and diagnosed gastritis. In general, the dog was cured (the belly was normal all this time, he was even thin, let’s say so. After a month (about) the belly began to grow. They thought about gastritis or bloating again, tried to change the diet, give vitamins, some medications. At the same time, the dog did all this she ate well and was active. But patience, as they say, came to an end. We decided to re-examine, since 4 months had already passed since the first course of treatment, we took the animal to the veterinarians, to another clinic, since they have good and powerful equipment ( ultrasound, x-ray, etc.) After checking, they said that the dog had ascites. The dog’s weight at the time of checking was

They immediately did:  Furosemide (injection) 10 ml.  feran 1.5ml.

Prescribed:  Furosemide 2 tablets. 2 times a day  veroshperon 1 tab. 2nd day  Senulox 500 orally 1 tablet 2nd day  Heptral 1 tablet. 2 day  Enap 1 tab. 1 day Gradually the dog began to lose weight. After 3 days the dog became very ill. She became very weak and began to fall on her paws again. On the fourth day we went to the vet again. clinic. The dog's weight after 4 days was 40 kg. They did an ultrasound again. According to doctors, there is still about 5 liters inside. liquids. They prescribed a bunch of medications. And IVs. At the same time, no one cared that the dog, when we brought him in the first time, was fine and active, but now the dog can barely stand on his feet. We were at the vet clinic yesterday morning. The dog was in pain all night. no one did anything to her. And the first time, when they didn’t know the exact diagnosis of the dog, but it didn’t have such a big belly and it also fell, they put 2 droppers in and after half a day the dog was running. I'm completely confused. What to do, tell me. In this new clinic, they say that they live with Ascites for half a year, a little more - a little less. But it seems to me that with their treatment, he won’t last even a month. Today we did not give the dog a diuretic and an antibiotic, since, in my opinion, this is what caused such a bad condition. I put on a Ringer's solution drip 2 times a day, give Heptral, and inject cyanocobalamin.

How to treat with medication, at the veterinarian

Drug treatment of ascites in a dog may include drugs:

• Diacarb;
• Veroshpiron;
• Furasemide;
• Dichlorothiazide;
• Losartan;
• Cordiamine;
• Sulphocamphocaine.

The required drug is selected individually, taking into account the assessment of the animal’s condition. In case of dehydration, an isotonic solution is infused. If you have breathing problems, your pet is given an oxygen mask. Blood poisoning is also possible. A transfusion will help.

It is difficult to identify the cause on your own; for this, laboratory and instrumental diagnostic methods must be used under the guidance of a competent veterinarian.

You cannot self-medicate.

Dropsy in dogs: prevention

If we talk about preventive measures for dropsy in dogs, it should be mentioned that dropsy is a consequence of the presence of another disease. There are no measures aimed at preventing dropsy alone. It is necessary to try to exclude the occurrence of diseases of the internal organs that provoke this disease (liver, kidneys, heart, oncology, inflammation).

How is a puncture done?

Laparocentesis is a procedure, the essence of which is to pump out accumulated fluid in the dog’s abdominal cavity by inserting a catheter needle. The operation is not easy, but it can save the animal's life. The puncture is done only in emergency situations when other methods will not be applicable.

The procedure is carried out in several stages:

1. Preparatory. The animal is given sedatives to relieve pain and speed up the process. Excess hair in the belly area is shaved off and treated with an antiseptic.
2. Insertion of a catheter needle, which allows you to remove excess fluid. The puncture is made on the side along the white line of the abdomen, the contents come out on their own or with the help of light pressure.
3. The final stage at which the pet experiences complications, cardiac dysfunction. The operation is performed by two specialists. We must not forget that ascites is a deadly disease.

Despite the significant improvement in the animal's condition after surgery, it is important to identify the cause of ascites in the dog and select treatment. Otherwise things may get worse.

Owners need to know that even after surgery, a relapse is possible, and if the abdomen increases in volume, they need to urgently contact a veterinarian.

Diagnostics

A visit to the veterinarian begins with interviewing the dog's owner to describe the symptoms. Next, an external examination takes place with a detailed medical history. Usually these actions are sufficient to determine the diagnosis, but not complete. Ascites in dogs can be caused by various reasons; additional studies are carried out to identify the causes:

• Ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity;
• X-ray of the abdomen;
• Puncture with collection of fluid accumulated in the abdomen;

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Additionally, cardiac echocardiography may be prescribed. Research helps to make an accurate differential diagnosis; resorting to treatment without making a diagnosis is prohibited.

Causes of ascites

Ascites is not an independent disease, but a condition that develops against the background of other diseases. The accumulated fluid compresses other vital organs, disrupting the functioning of the entire body.

Often, owners take ascites as a sign of obesity or pregnancy, no measures are taken to treat and eliminate dropsy, and the dog dies.

Causes of the condition:

1. Kidney diseases, malfunction of which can cause excessive protein excretion from the dog’s body. The resulting fluid quickly accumulates in the abdominal cavity.
2. Malfunctions of the liver, in which the organ loses its ability to filter lymph, stagnation appears, and excess fluid enters the abdominal cavity.
3. Cancerous tumors, abscesses in the abdominal area. Their presence disrupts the outflow of lymph, while abscesses are dangerous because they can burst at any moment, and their contents enter the abdominal cavity of the animal.
4. Peritonitis is an inflammation of the peritoneal lining, due to which the walls of blood vessels lose their elasticity and provoke the accumulation of fluid.
5. Heart failure, as a result of which blood circulation is disrupted, and then stagnation occurs. The accumulated fluid further provokes ascites.
6. Poor nutrition, lack of protein in the dog’s diet. Owners must remember that their pet’s nutrition depends on them and they should provide their pet with all the necessary substances and microelements.

To prevent abdominal dropsy, you need to adhere to proper nutrition, take your animal for walks more often, and most importantly, promptly treat your pet for diseases of the liver, kidneys, urinary and cardiovascular systems.

Prevention

Since dropsy is only a symptom of other diseases, there are no specific preventive measures against it. But you can protect your pet as much as possible from the development of processes that provoke the accumulation of fluid in the body.

First of all, it is necessary to protect the dog from liver diseases and constantly monitor the health of the organ. Regularly donate blood for bilirubin, AST, ALT and GGT. It is imperative to vaccinate your dog against enteritis, infectious hepatitis, distemper, leptospirosis and other diseases. Several times a year, remove worms using deworming drugs, as well as timely treatment against lice, fleas, lice, ticks and other parasites, if any.

The main factor in preventing dropsy is proper and balanced nutrition for the animal. The basis of the diet should be meat. It is advisable to abandon economy and premium dry food. As prescribed by the veterinarian, it is periodically necessary to take vitamin and mineral complexes to prevent vitamin deficiency and deficiency of substances important for the body.

Prepare before going to the vet

In the office, you may have to provide the veterinarian with all possible assistance (hold the animal while they take blood for analysis, give an injection, extinguish aggression, calm your voice, scratch its ears, stroke it). If you know that you are terrified of blood, IVs, or definitely cannot withstand the type of medical interventions, then perhaps you should ask a friend or relative for help.

Find a veterinary certificate, veterinary passport.

Take:

• Leash;
• Collar;
• Muzzle;
• Carrying;
• A pack of napkins;
• litter;
• Bowl, water (at the veterinarian's discretion)

Prepare answers to possible questions from the veterinarian:

• Are all vaccinations up to date on the animal?
• Pet’s behavior in recent days, appetite;
• His diet;
• What drugs and medicines did you give to the animal;
• Latest test data (if available).

It’s better to make an appointment in advance - you’ll save time and be able to calculate when you’ll have to take time off. This does not apply to life-threatening situations where you will have to take an animal to a veterinary clinic without an appointment.

Be affectionate with your pet, play, talk to him. You can take his favorite toy with you so that while you wait for your turn at the reception, you can distract your friend from the new environment.

Furry, feathered or scaly ones also need to be prepared. No matter how much you want to treat your little one with something tasty, remember: you need an empty stomach. Feeding is prohibited!

You can wash your animal without using detergents. But it is important not to touch your pet if there is nasal discharge, watery eyes, salivation (salivation), dandruff, scratching, rashes, skin scabs, loss of hair/feathers/scales, wounds and other external manifestations of a potential disease.

If the veterinarian has instructed, collect the animal’s urine in a sterile container, and pick up the feces with a stick (no blades of grass, specks, or debris). Transfer the feces into a sterile container. Send to the biochemical laboratory within 6 hours. The feces are examined for eggs of roundworms, pinworms, tapeworms, liver flukes, echinoccus, alvecoccus, pork tapeworm, bovine tapeworm, and gastrointestinal bleeding is detected.

At the veterinary hospital, the animal’s blood will be analyzed for antibodies to allergens, viruses, bacteria, and parasites.

Symptoms

There are quite a few signs that should alert the owner of a sick dog, but the most important of them is considered to be a hypertrophied (swollen and saggy belly). Subcutaneous swelling from the abdomen often spreads to other parts of the body.

Some alarming symptoms also include:

• difficulty breathing, which manifests itself as a visible respiratory effort during inhalation (exhalation is almost unimpaired). Difficulties in the breathing process are caused by strong fluid pressure on the diaphragm;
• cough, in particularly severe cases of hydrothorax (fluid accumulation in the lungs) accompanied by a distinct gurgling sound in the chest cavity;
• abnormalities in the gastrointestinal tract, such as diarrhea, vomiting or persistent constipation (noted very often);
• increased thirst and frequent urination, especially with a weak urinary system and kidney disease;
• intermittent fever, in which the high temperature does not last long, followed by 1-2 days of normal temperature;
• yellowing (noted with liver failure) or blue discoloration of the mucous membranes;
• loss of strength, lack of interest in what is happening;
• weight gain (due to fluid accumulation) with a general decrease in muscle mass;
• a lethargic state, often turning into a coma, is a clinical symptom that usually accompanies dropsy of the brain.

About dropsy of various etiologies, but mainly with ascites, the dog completely refuses to eat and noticeably loses weight. Against the background of general exhaustion of the body, a disproportionately swollen abdomen stands out. In addition, when lying down, the sick animal experiences discomfort and therefore prefers to sit.

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Choosing a veterinary clinic

We determine the veterinary clinic where you plan to go. A big PR company doesn't promise quality. The price is explained by the huge amount of money invested in advertising and “signboarding” of the establishment.

It’s great if you can ask your friends about clinics where their pets were treated “humanely.” If you travel far from them, it may be worth sacrificing time for the health of your pet.

A few more tips on how to spot an unverified veterinary clinic:

1. Refusal to provide certificates and licenses for veterinary activities.
2. Strange and suspicious behavior of the veterinarian (inconsistency, flattery, attempts to intimidate, shouting).
3. Prices are too low (compared to other organizations).
4. Refusal to freely visit the veterinary clinic.

“We have a sanitary day”

Beware of scammers!

When you contact the veterinary clinic, you are informed: “we cannot accept you at this address, sanitary day/repair/inspection.” How much intelligence does a dispatcher have? The client is persuaded to have a veterinarian come to his home. The price does not change.

A veterinary clinic can exist purely nominally. And the invited “Aibolit” will not bear responsibility. There is a high probability of running into a person without a veterinary diploma or simply an unprofessional.

It is better to find time to visit the veterinary clinic on your own. This is safer for the animal.

Games on feelings

In real veterinary clinics there will be elements of “divorce”.

Veterinarians say that this is often determined by the client’s wallet. The greater the opportunity to pay for services and the more the owner worries about his pet, the more likely the animal will be prescribed additional immunostimulants, dietary supplements, water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins, and special food. There are cases when this is really necessary (pedigreed, show animals, weakened after a serious illness). But it will be good if you ask your veterinarian in detail about the need for each appointment. Find out in detail about the results of the examination and analysis of your pet’s condition. Be persistent. Do not give in to attempts to intimidate you, be consistent in your questions. Consult a specialist who does not work at this veterinary clinic. If it turns out that half of the prescriptions are prescribed to enrich the veterinarian’s pocket, and not for the health of the animal, feel free to leave. And do not forget to leave a negative review about the organization - other owners may also suffer.

How to find out the truth

Another possible way for veterinarians to make dishonest money is to conceal the diagnosis. Let's say a veterinarian discovers a malignant tumor in a cat. But if he says that the tumor is benign and treatable. A housewife who dotes on her pet will give money for already useless procedures, medications and surgical interventions.

The veterinarian may deliberately “downplay” the diagnosis in order to earn more money. If something doesn't add up, insist on clarification. There is no need to be intimidated by unfamiliar terms - take a short break and try to find information on the Internet.

You are free to leave (or threaten to do so) to another clinic at any time.

Make sure that the veterinary clinic is honest - get tested in an independent laboratory.

Justice

What to do if an animal was injured as a result of unprofessional actions of a veterinarian:

• Write an official complaint addressed to the head of the clinic.
• File a complaint with the city veterinary department.
• You can contact Rospotrebnadzor.
• Contact a lawyer for help

The Law “On the Protection of Consumer Rights” and Article 245 of the Criminal Code “Cruelty to Animals” are the grounds for considering claims regarding the work of veterinary clinics.

Diagnosis of ascites

1. The veterinarian asks the dog’s owner about its health and symptoms and takes its temperature.
2. Orders a laboratory blood test.
3. The pet undergoes an abdominal ultrasound and x-ray.

Based on the results obtained, the specialist can determine the presence of biological fluid in the peritoneum.

However, to confirm the diagnosis, it is necessary to examine the chemical composition of this liquid:

• blood - accumulates during hemorrhage;
• urine - is a symptom of bladder damage;
• lymph - requires examination of lymphatic vessels.

If the liquid has an unpleasant, pungent odor, purulent inflammation most likely develops in the peritoneal cavity.

To study biological fluid in the laboratory, the veterinarian makes a puncture in the abdominal cavity, then the material is collected. Dropsy can be accurately diagnosed only in one case, if the liquid is light-colored, straw-colored, and odorless.

Saving

What to do if funds are limited and your pet needs medical care:

• Some procedures can be carried out independently. Giving a drug injection to a cat or dog is not difficult. Dressing uncomplicated wounds is also sufficient. Ask your veterinarian to teach you.
• How to properly give a pill to an animal: hide it in a lump of tightly rolled minced meat. If the animal bites through the decoy, you can crush the tablet and dissolve it in water, milk, liquid porridge, or food.
• If an animal has been prescribed a course of vitamins or some other non-medicinal but expensive drugs, it may be worth finding analogues at a lower price.
• There are various benefit programs in which you can participate. This could be, for example, sterilization, castration, or vaccination of an animal.

Important points

1. Refusal to vaccinate. This is dangerous for the animal and all those who will come into contact with it (people). Vaccination is a scientifically proven method of preventing many infectious diseases. Get your animal vaccinated by a trusted veterinarian (or with his approval yourself). It is important to get vaccinated against rabies - this is a fatal disease induced by the Rabies lyssavirus virus, which cannot be cured, but can be prevented.
2. Anesthesia - inhalation, intravenous, anesthesia - epidural, conduction. They are necessary so that the animal does not suffer, to prevent painful shock. The veterinarian’s “hands on” are important here - both overdose and weak anesthesia lead to serious consequences (shock, poisoning, death) for the animal.
3. Sterility, antiseptic. If you see that the veterinarian does not follow the rules of antiseptics (reuses disposable syringes, diapers, bandages, does not treat hands with antiseptic after contact with the previous animal), the best choice would be to contact another veterinarian.
4. Important medicines:
5. Antibiotics - amoxicillin, tilozil, trimethoprim, sulfadiazine, lincomycin, marbofloxacin;
6. Antipyretics - paracetamol, salicylic acid preparations, antipyrine, butadione, amidopyrine;
7. Anti-inflammatory drugs - vedaprofen, choline salicylate cycloferon, aspirin;
8. Anesthetics - novocaine, lidocaine, dicaine, trimecaine;
9. Hemostatics - fibrinogen, thrombin, vikasol, phytomenadione, calcium chloride, etamsylate;
10. Antiparasitic - praziquantel, aversectin, albendazole, ivermectin, fluralaner.

If you care what happens to your pet, you should not neglect appointments.

Don't let unverified veterinary clinics endanger your pet and profit from their owner's feelings! If you have time and desire, it is worth trying to achieve justice in case of violation of ethical or legal standards.