9 year old male shar pei in good healthy shape and well looked after. 4 weeks ago he started breathing heavily and coughing. The vet said everything checked out well and he's healthy. Said it could be a allergy and gave me something to calm his throat. This didn't work. He went back in Saturday as he's got worse. They took his bloods. They rang this morning and said he's loosing proteins from his blood and needs a abnominal scan that's 600. I said how many scans and tests before you find what it is. Money isn't a problem but I'm not willing to be taken for a ride. They rang later today and said his bloods are good and only slightly out and offered pain killers.His back is arched and he looks pregnant. He's not lost any weight. He's happy eating and drinking. He's going the toilet fine. He's short of breath and his back legs are also swollen badly this has just happened today. Please can someone help
I would seek a second opinion from another vet. If his back is arched and his stomach is distended, I would look for a vet that specializes in gastro-intestinal, etc.
It sounds as if your dog is losing protein and these scans are sometimes the only way that the how and why of a disease can be identified. My own dog has a malformation in her nasal passages, and I have been quoted up to £1800 for a CT scan of her head. I'm not looking forward to paying it, but can only suppose that in former years there must have been a lot more exploratory surgery.
