Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

Severe liver problems.

Species: Dog
Breed: Pomerian
Age: 8-11 years
I took Dillinger to vet on Friday, and after a blood test and urine analysis the vet told me he had: elevated liver enzyme, anemia, high WBC count, ascities, and high levels of bilirubin in his urine and stool. He gave Dillinger fluids and antibiotics. We returned to vet on Monday and Dillinger was in the same condition. The vet took blood sample and found his WBC count had decreases, but the RBC count had decreased as well. The vet gave home more fluids, cerebia inj, cephalexin inj, and Baytril pills to take twice a day at home. The vet said that Dillinger is in poor condition. He wants to work on the infection and if he responses to the treatment then he will send us to a specialist for liver treatment. Dillinger will not eat, so I feed him baby food, and can walk but not well. He is lethargic but responsive. I am very concern. I want to make sure I'm doing everything I can.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Oh dear. I am sorry to hear that Dillinger is not doing well. It sounds like his liver is very sick.

You have mentioned a number of things that have me concerned. The most concerning are the facts that he has ascites (which is fluid in the abdomen because of a sick liver) and bilirubin in the urine and stool. This means there is definitely something quite serious going on.

It is often hard to know specifically what the problem is when we are dealing with liver disease.

If this were my case, my next step would be to do an ultrasound to look for the possibility of liver cancer. Unfortunately if there is liver cancer there usually is not much that we can do.

The next step, if I wasn't sure, would be to do a biopsy of the liver. Usually, we can do that without an anesthetic and at the same time as the ultrasound. A biopsy may give you a better idea as to what is going on.

I think it is a good idea to start with the medications that your vet has prescribed just in case there is some type of infection. But, I really don't like it when I see ascites in a dog. This usually means there is a very severe problem.

I wish I could give you more promising advice.

Please let me know if you have more questions.

Dr. Marie.


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?

Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Customer reply:

Thanks for the reply. The vet wants to see Dillinger Thursday or Friday. He wants to see his progress. I can just hope for the best. Dillinger seems to be resting well and breathing ok. He responds to me when I call him. He also gets up when he want to go outside. Hopefully the meds are working on the infection and we can move forward.

Thanks again.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

You're very welcome. I'm praying that he improves soon!

Dr. Marie.



Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Leaking urine on bed. Dear Dr. Marie: My dog has had bladder problems since she was a puppy. She will... (7129 views)

Fever and dizziness in older dog. Dear Dr. Marie, Kodi is a 15 years old Labrador, he is very active and love to... (8168 views)

Extreme chattering. Hello my senior dog/male neutered/mutt (not sure how old..in the teens) has a... (19682 views)

Balding on legs and belly. My cat is bald on the back of her legs and losing hair on her belly as... (15616 views)

Histolytica in cats. My cat has low levels of histolytica. I was informed it was common and not necessary... (6533 views)

Sneezing cat. My cat keeps sneezing and sometimes has watery eyes. It started today and. I googled... (22861 views)

Dog pulling hair out of wrist. Well, Looks like there was an infection and he's on zeniquin 100 for 14d now.... (29093 views)

Bald spots on bulldog's legs. We purchased a baby bulldog about a month ago. We already had a bulldog, Mina, and... (33848 views)

Muscle tremors and distemper. I have an around 4 - 6 month old puppy who was a street dog in Dharamsala India. She... (15683 views)

Dog ate acorn Dear Dr. Marie: Back again! While on a walk tonight, Jammy may have gotten a bit... (106893 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.