[Jessie H]

Melanie B,

Could you tell me how much fluid your dog, Cooper was leaking in the beginning of your experience? My parents have a bloodhound, Rori, who is 6 years old and she has been diagnosed with idiopathic chylothorax. It has been 2 weeks of emotional hell while she has been staying at a specialist vet an hour away with a fluid tap in. They are draining 2 liters of fluid out of her a day right now. She had the thoracic duct surgery and the pericardium, quit leaking the chyle fluid for 2 days only to start draining again. It is so discouraging and we are trying everything we can to save this otherwise perfectly healthy dog. She is finally at the point where she is maintaining her weight and not really losing weight anymore, and we are feeding her low fat food and protein to keep her levels up so she is not suffering. But time is running out as well as options. They are bringing her home tomorrow and taking her to be drained at our local vet daily this week. After that, if she has not let up on the amount of fluid or if she is beginning to suffer we are going to have to look at quality of life which is heartbreaking to even consider. She has a littermate sister who has been with her since day 1 who cries and howls wondering where she is. It is just awful. The only shred of hope we have had is that the vet told us yesterday morning and this morning that the amount of fluid drained was slightly less, and a bit thinner, and less fatty which is a good sign. So, I was just wondering with your case going so well for your Cooper, do you remember how much fluid was being drained from him when he first started? Just hoping for a little glimmer of hope if it was similar to Rori. Her doctor said the port was more trouble than its worth and often didnt do well enough to bother with it, which sounds odd after reading that so many others on here have had the port and many had success. Any advice or suggestions are greatly appreciated!