My 5 year old rescued male shih tzu has been miserable for about 2 months now with worsening symptoms. He’s got allergies and has been generally uncomfortable. He has very poor conformation up front (legs as crooked as my vet’s ever seen) and his back is way long (like a dachsund) so he is just setup perfectly for pain!

Let me preface the treatment plan by saying, I started the meds yesterday and I’m not kidding… he made it on his walk this morning for the first time in a month. Recently he would lay down after only 1/4 mile and I’d have to carry him home.

DRUGS:
Zyrtec 5 mg twice a day
Rimadyl 25 mg twice a day
Cosequin DS 1 capsule per day

He feels that the zyrtec is very, very safe and effective for treating allergies without drowsiness. As for the Rimadyl, I’m a bit more concerned about this drug given its assoc w/ kidney problems. He said we won’t use it long term but just for now to calm things down.

Opinions?
What should I watch for as reaction to Rimadyl?
Wow, such great answers already! Just as a side note. I also switched my baby to Canidae lamb & rice formula dry food just a few days ago. I am told this is a better food, so hopefully will help him. He is my angel!

Technorati Tags: Allergies, amp, angel, conformation, Cosequin Ds, dachsund, drowsiness, drugs, Dry Food, few days, Kidney Problems, lamb, legs, male shih tzu, Medical Experts, preface, rice formula, rimadyl, shih tzu, vet, zyrtec

I’m a 16 year old girl and im an athlete. I play basketball, and i didnt start to get this pain in my back until christmas 2007. I dont think this pain came from playing basketball during the season, because i didnt really play much and i never fell down to the point that my back would be hurting. When i was younger, if i would stand for a long time the lower right side part of my back would start to hurt and would only go away if i sat down for a while, and i still have this problem, but it is even worse now because i have lower back pain on the right side and left side of my back. Sometimes if i stretch my back it feels like a charlie horse. At first i thought i had kidney stones, but I found out that it was just back pain. I dont know what to do. I just want to be a teenager and have fun like the old days, but its hard now that my back feels like a old womans sometimes.I wish this pain would just go away. I only feel this pain when i bend over or try to stretch my back.PLEASE HELP!
yea i told my mom about it a couple months back and she says its kidney stones and then says its nothing but a muscle but thanks everyone…im gonna
i will go to a doctor to check this out thanks
i dont have any pain running down my legs..all the pain is just in my back thanks

Technorati Tags: Athlete, charlie horse, christmas, kidney stones, legs, long time, lower back pain, mom, old girl, old womans, Play Basketball, playing basketball, Sat 100, teenager

my real question is … his back legs , seems like he is/has lost his fur ,almost seems like the bone is exposed . before taking him to the vet , any body have any idea what this is , any treatment . he does not seem like he is in pain , any advice would be nice !

Technorati Tags: Cat Kidney, fur, iv fluids, kidney failure, legs, Lost, medications, vet

I woke up at 1 in the morning with severe abdominal pain. It only got worse as the night went until I curled my legs in holding my stomach and slept a little. It’s 7 now and the pain isn’t nearly as bad except when I get up to move around I can feel it a little. It almost felt like I was punched in the stomach and the pain radiated forever and just didn’t seem to go away with any position I made. I also went to the bathroom and my pee was a light yellow but It didn’t burn to pee. I also made a bowel movement and it was very dark and tarry. What could this be?

Today was supposed to be my 5th day in Ketosis. Could that have something to do with it? My diet consists of Boca burgers, eggs, peanut butter, cheese, cashews, protein shakes, and 5-8 glasses water. I also take a vitamin D3, B12, and a multivitamin.

Please help. Was it a Kidney stone even though I didn’t feel any pain peeing?

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I’ve been in the hospital having many tests. I went in due to extreme fatigue/rapid heart rate. which increased over 2 months time. I tested positive for the d-dimer test (all subsequent clot testing of heart/lungs/legs were normal). I was low in potassium, but have managed to increase my levels with 5 days of supplements. Also, ketones in my urine at 60 (normal range from 0-9). I retook that test today but no results yet. I have not been dieting/vomiting etc. My blood sugars are normal, no diabetes. The other symptom I have is a burning (icy/hot) sensation which varies in intensity throughout the day on my entire body skin surface. I have kidney stones and liver hemangeomas but kidney/liver tests showing normal. I’m under no extreme/unusual stress…..but this last December my ex-husband (father of my son) died by suicide. I was under extreme stress for a few weeks.
If you have any ideas of what may be happening, I’d love your opinion.

Technorati Tags: blood sugars, body skin, Connect The Dots, diabetes, extreme fatigue, extreme stress, intensity, kidney stones, legs, liver tests, Love, lungs, potassium, rapid heart rate, sensation, skin surface, Specialist Doctor, suicide, supplements, vomiting