Labrador Retrievers Dying at Young Age

by Michelle
(Texas)

Chocolate Lab in 2008 at age 2 years old had loss of appetite & diarrhea. Blood work showed high White count & high EOS. Went through about 6 weeks of different meds trying to get his appetite back & blood count normal. He was scheduled another vet visit & we were going to ask for an abdominal xray. Our dog passed away that night. Vet did autopsy & found a huge Intestinal mass. Our dog bled to death. We bought a Yellow Lab puppy in June 2010. This past week he showed symptoms of loss of appetite, diarrhea, vomiting. Took him to vet on Wed. Tests showed fever, high White count & high EOS.

Put on 2000mg Cephalexin daily for a week. No better by Friday. I was scared, freaking out, because symptoms were too similar to our other dog. On Friday asked vet for abdominal Xray. Xray showed intestinal blockage. Vet said need to operate immediately. Vet thought he had swallowed something & surgery would fix him. Vet found huge intestinal mass - leakage - irreparable. Our dog passed away while in surgery. I want people to know the symptoms of this killer disease. If your dog has a high EOS count don't fool with time & let a vet tell you its probably allergy or parasite esp if there's no evidence of those things. That's the mistake made with our first dog. I just can't fathom that we lost two young dogs at ages 2 & 16-months & both with the same kind of cancer. They weren't from the same parents. Remember be assertive with your vet if high EOS, appetite loss, diarrhea and/or vomiting. Don't let them misdiagnose your animal. I can't tell you how difficult this is. Both of my dogs were playful & externally beautiful - you would not have known by looking at them that they were dying of cancer.

Editor Opinion

Hi Michelle,

I'm very sorry for your loss and thank you for sharing your story with others. It's important for pet owners to be aware of the symptoms of potential health issues in their pets and to advocate for their pets' health when necessary.

High eosinophil counts can indicate a variety of conditions, including allergies, parasites, and inflammatory bowel disease, among others. However, as you noted, it's important not to assume that a high eosinophil count is due to a common condition and to investigate further if other symptoms, such as loss of appetite, diarrhea, and vomiting, are present.

In some cases, a gastrointestinal blockage or mass can be difficult to diagnose without imaging tests, such as an abdominal X-ray or ultrasound, or even exploratory surgery. It's important for pet owners to communicate any concerns they have with their veterinarian and to ask for further diagnostic tests if necessary.

While it's difficult to lose a beloved pet to any illness, knowing that you did everything you could to advocate for their health can provide some comfort.

Thank you for sharing your story and raising awareness of these important issues.

Jeff
Editor and Publisher
Dog Health Guide