Dropsy in dogs is a disease caused by a large accumulation of fluid in the abdomen. In healthy individuals, it can also be collected. But their fluid volume is negligible.
When it accumulates in a large volume, the functioning of all organs of the abdominal cavity is disrupted, because of this, the dog has difficulties in the work of the respiratory system. The dog becomes stunted, quickly tired and loses body weight.
Why does it appear?
Abdominal dropsy in dogs is a manifestation of the disease, not the disease itself.
The factors of occurrence are different, there are many of them. But we will now list the main ones:
- Neoplasm.
- Liver disease.
- Heart diseases.
- Kidney disease.
- Inflammation.
Often in a dog, dropsy of the abdomen appears due to a neoplasm inside it. Increasing in size, it presses on the blood vessels, causing a rise in blood pressure. As a result, there is an accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity.
When dropsy occurs in dogs, a sudden breakthrough of the tumor is possible, which leads to the exit of exudate into the abdominal cavity. Another similar formation can be triggered by the release of lymph or poisoning of the body with toxic substances.
Other possible causes of the disease
Dropsy of the abdomen also causes liver disease. Because it is precisely this organ that cleanses the body of incoming toxic substances and produces proteins.
If the liver is sick, then its work is disrupted. This means that more pathogens settle in the body. The liver is no longer able to cleanse the necessary amount of blood and lymph. Because of this, they stagnate and penetrate through the walls of blood vessels into the abdominal cavity, ascites occurs.
And since the production of proteins is impaired, the blood plasma pressure weakens, the fluid is no longer held where it should, and as a result it leaves the abdominal cavity.
Blood stasis can also occur due to a diseased heart. Since with this phenomenon, excess fluid enters the stomach.
The kidneys in the body are responsible for the water-salt balance and help the excretion of metabolic products like the liver. If the kidneys are healthy, then in the urine there are no additional inclusions, such as protein. But if the tissue is inflamed, then it will be present. Loss of sodium and retention due to this fluid will soon lead to ascites.
Peritonitis is an inflammation of the peritoneum, accompanied by the release of free fluid into the abdomen. Because of what, over time, it begins to exit into the abdominal cavity.
Dropsy in dogs. Symptoms of the disease
Now consider the symptoms of this disease:
- Big belly. In full dogs it is hardly noticeable. Therefore, no one focuses on this problem.
- Due to the accumulation of fluid in the abdomen, dogs have difficulty breathing and shortness of breath.
- The mucous membranes have a bluish tint. If fluid accumulations are associated with liver diseases, then the mucous membranes are icteric.
- Fluid suppresses the diaphragm and lungs. Therefore, the dog is forced to sit all the time. Due to dropsy, there are swelling. Although often they are a separate disease.
- If edema with ascites is observed, then this may indicate hypoalbuminemia or renal failure.
- Fluid may accumulate in the pleura.
- If the dog has increased thirst, she goes to the toilet in small portions, then this almost certainly indicates kidney failure.
- The dog develops physical inactivity. She becomes lethargic and indifferent. The animal loses body weight very quickly, it has no appetite, it is drowsy, with difficulty moving.
- Muscles atrophy, but the dog’s weight becomes more because there is already a lot of fluid.
- With ascites, the animal is constantly drawn to nausea due to the presence of an underlying disease (pancreatitis, liver failure, etc.). Gastrointestinal problems also appear and an appetite disorder is observed. In addition, you can notice the dog’s bad mood, lethargy, unwillingness to do anything. Another symptom is neat movements, inhibited, unnatural. This manifests itself on a walk, when a previously active animal moves reluctantly, is slow, does not frolic, can barely "sort out" with its legs, while breathing heavily.
- Frequent pulse, dull hair (tangled, crumpled).
The main symptom is a frog stomach
When fluid builds up slowly, hosts often leave it unattended. They think that the beast is just getting fat or pregnant.
When the fluid arrives too quickly, they also do not pay attention to it, throwing everything away for gluttony, bloating or worms.
But between all of the above pathologies there is a significant difference, or, in other words, with ascites there is a frog stomach syndrome. With him in a dog pose on his back, fluid flows sideways from the abdomen. When raising a dog, vice versa - down. You need to see a doctor very quickly, even when it seems that the animal is feeling fine.
The fluid accumulated in the abdomen presses on the organs of the peritoneum, lungs, heart. Disorder of the movement of blood, respiration, digestion. In general, the prognosis is good, especially for young individuals, but poor for the elderly, weakened by the disease. Naturally, the faster you see a doctor, the more correctly diagnosis and treatment will be prescribed.
Diagnosis of ascites
How is dropsy diagnosed in dogs? You must do the following:
- Survey the owner of the animal.
- Examine the symptoms in detail.
- Blood test.
- Take fluid from the abdominal cavity for examination.
- Roentgenography.
- Ultrasound
After assessing the results of the diagnosis, the veterinarian will conclude whether it is dropsy or not.
Fluid in the stomach. What is she like?
How to understand what kind of fluid in the stomach? To do this, evaluate its smell and color.
If the liquid is light straw in color, then in 99% it is ascites. If it is scarlet, then it’s definitely blood. In this case, urine has a specific smell and yellow color.
Milky liquid - lymph.
If the fluid is mixed with pus and has an unpleasant odor, then there is purulent inflammation in the stomach.
The composition of the liquid is divided into:
- exudate;
- bloody exudate;
- transudate;
- altered transudate.
If it is found that the fluid is a transudate, then the verdict may be as follows: tumors, worms, impaired liver or intestines, portal hypertension, kidneys work with violations.
If the transudate is changed, then this is highly likely to indicate heart failure. Although this can be a sign of both a tumor and port-systemic hypertension.
Exudate appears due to peritonitis and tumors. If there is blood in it, then this indicates a hemorrhage.
Dropsy in a dog. What to do? Ascites treatment
Now let's try to understand this issue in detail. If dropsy is diagnosed in dogs, treatment is usually carried out comprehensively. Sometimes they also resort to symptomatic therapy.
Liquid condensation results from various inflammations in the body. It is necessary to find out the root cause and cure it, and then the dropsy will disappear by itself.
If the condition of the animal is serious, then an emergency operation is needed - laparocentesis. During it, unnecessary fluid is removed from the abdomen. But this operation does not help for a long time. Indeed, over time, the liquid will accumulate again, its periodic removal leads to the loss of protein in a considerable volume, the condition of the pet worsens significantly.
To make up for the deficiency of the element, the dog is injected with the drug “Albumin” or simply cleaned the withdrawn liquid, after which it is injected back into the body.
After clarifying the liquid, 500 IU of heparin is poured into 50 ml of it. Then the resulting solution is administered intravenously for 48-72 hours. Sometimes poisonous substances and mycobacteria are found in the liquid. Therefore, the introduction of antibiotic drugs is mandatory. With this treatment option, the dog's condition improves significantly, and sometimes recovery occurs.
The use of diuretics
Sometimes diuretics are prescribed to remove fluids. But with the urine, the potassium excreted in this way is removed. To save it, you need to use special diuretics. But over time, they cause an imbalance in water-electrolyte metabolism. Therefore, do not abuse such drugs.
Good results can be achieved by using protectors for cardio and liver. They help these organs function normally.
There should be no salt in the animal’s diet, and fluid intake should be minimal.
Conclusion
Dropsy in dogs, unfortunately, is not always treatable. But the means of complex therapy and the general efforts of the owner and the doctor will allow for some time to maintain the body of the animal in good condition.
To make it easier for a doctor to cure dropsy in a dog, he must learn about all the diseases that the pet has ever suffered, as well as the conditions of its maintenance. Often, treatment takes more than one month. At this time, the animal should be provided with peace.