It Felt Like Choya's Been Poisoned

It feels like Choya has a never-ending bout of diarrhea no thanks to her sensitive GI tract. I was just beginning to allow myself to feel slightly relieved about Choya's gastrointestinal health, and then it all went to the shits overnight. 2022 hasn't been kind to her stomach. I cried buckets. I'm not usually this emotional, but seeing Choya needlessly suffer is too much. It has only been two months since she's back to solid poop. Why oh why.

Choya's episode of bloody diarrhea last week worried me deeply because I knew the likely cause — mild toxicosis caused by licking Voltaren (a deep heating gel, an analgesic and a human NSAID) off her fur from her therapy session at the rehab clinic. I was angry and sad. Voltaren (the active ingredient is diclofenac) is approved for veterinary use for HORSES, but it's highly toxic if ingested by cats and dogs or rabbits. Two licks will kill a cat, and a small dog, and it will make a bigger dog horribly ill. I do not want it used on Choya, and it was not done for the past sessions. Yet at this final therapy session, the therapist (a licensed veterinarian) used a heating gel containing diclofenac without asking for my permission, without cautioning us about potential side effects. 

I spotted the tube of Voltaren too late, and couldn't stop its usage in time. Of course Choya licked it, and of course that amount was enough to make her ill. It made her so so ill. I was so upset and angry. Choya has gotten all well and healed from the last bout in March (without antibiotics, thankfully), then within two months, she crashed overnight. 

Day 1 and 2 (18 to 19 May)

It began with diarrhea thrice in a day, during walk timings. Tanked up probiotics and slippery elm and psyllium husk. And I waited. But it was a fast slide into hell by the next evening. The moment her diarrhea turned bloody in the evening, I didn't hesitate to take her in to Companion to ask for a full blood test, and specifically a SDMA to look at kidney functions. Gentle Oak wouldn't do. (It's not a hospital or an emergency clinic.) 

I've considered it thoroughly, and I'd still stick with Companion as our go-to. I tend to require blood tests and an equipped hospital that could do most surgeries stat with a competent attending doctor in the night. Tonight I didn't want to wait it out. Choya is in pain and I want to alleviate it asap. This bout of GI inflammation is deadly worrying and I know it's beyond my capacity to handle it with home remedies. 

I needed to know what I'm dealing with. I needed to know if it's leptospirosis, parvovirus or as I suspected, toxicosis, and if her kidneys were compromised. Detailed bloodwork was needed, along with SDMA test (symmetric dimethylarginine, a kidney biomarker). Her kidneys are fine. We don't have a definitive link between diclofenac toxicosis to her acute hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE). It's my hypothesis for now. The vet could only offer a 'possible' link. 

Her white blood cell count was horribly low, which indicated toxicosis of an unknown origin. We couldn't get to the specific pathogens. She was fighting severe GI inflammation AGAIN. WTF. And likely a compromised gut lining with ulcers to boot. For good measure, the doctor administered two more jabs- an anti-nausea, and also fluids to help hydrate her body and ease the load on the liver and kidneys. Ahhh... this doctor is good. Why have I not met her before tonight.

Day 3 - 5 (20 to 22 May)

When she continued to poop mucus and blood the next day, which held bits of gut lining, it was obvious that the coagulants and gut soothers weren't enough. This is acute hemorrhagic gastroenteritis. I didn't hesitate to call the clinic to pick up antibiotics. 

(Metronidazole, no choice. If I want an IV drip of amoxycillin-clavulanic acid, then I would have to hospitalize Choya, and that's worse.)

It was time. The doctor warned me that we would be going into the peak of the symptoms the next day. In this case, it's imperative that the bleeding be stopped. I could only term it as 'purging blood'. My heart thoroughly shattered at the sight of the smol girl pooping out blood (melena; raspberry jam, the worst sort of diarrhea that requires veterinary attention stat) and gut lining. My poor smol girl. 

She was nauseous for three days, although there wasn't much vomiting. I could hear some dry retching and acid reflux going on. She puked out yellow bile at the clinic while waiting to be seen. However, her puke puddles were clear of blood, thank God. Just white foam and a bit of bile. And the once-a-day puke for three days happened after the evening car ride. Okaaaay, I get that.

I cried when she refused food for 1.5 days and finally deigned to drink beef bone broth and ate five small pieces of meat from a bowl. I cried again later in the night when she refused to eat from a bowl, but accepted my hand-feeding and later slurped up the bone broth. She needed to get food in so that I could give her that first dose of antibiotics. I'm just thankful that she's drinking her normal volume of fluids and just a little bit more. Nothing excessive. 

Day 6 and 7 (23 to 24 May)

I pray and reflect daily, but I've never prayed this hard until Choya came into my life. For five nights, I prayed fervently for the bleeding to stop, and the healing to begin. Sure, meds, but I also believe in the power of prayer, wishes and goodwill. I wasn't alone. Of course the husband is around. He is Choya's Daddy. I also had a dedicated main doctor for Choya, and a whole medical team behind her and external consultants. I had so much emotional support (to be honest, no one could DO anything) from faeriefolk, friends, pawrents of Shibes, all of which were essential to propping me up to be strong for Choya. 

Choya began asking for food on Day 5 and 6. She began flipping around and asking for rubs again. Her tummy must be calmer. She didn't smile for a few days. She finally shone a bright smile on Day 5. She was less lethargic. And then the purging of blood fully stopped on Day 7. 

On Day 7, healing indeed began. Prayers work. Amen. It took a full seven days for her to stop pooping blood and gut lining. Oh my brave girl. This bout is the worst yet. 💔❤️‍🩹

Can you blame me for being over-protective about Choya nowadays?