[Dailydrool] Requesting advice

[cathy.rice1]

I am fostering a dog for Ohio Basset Hound rescue and would appreciate any advice or info anyone would care to give. Kuder is a 7 year old male, already neutered, when he was relinquished by his owners to the local shelter because they said they were away too much and not able to give him the attention he needed. When the shelter called us they said they considered him unadoptable because he was very much overweight and would drink water until he made himself sick. They suspected he was diabetic. We had bloodwork and urinalysis done and Kuder was put on a weight reduction diet. The bloodwork came back fine but the urinalysis showed a very bad UTI which the vet suspected had been going on for a while. We treated with antibiotics and after the next urinalysis it showed no signs of infection and all other levels ok except for high PH. His water cravings did get better but he still has an obsession with water. He will attack any dog who tries to drink out of the water dish while he is there and sometimes even when a dog is drinking out of a separate dish that sits next to his. Otherwise he is fine with other dogs and no aggression towards us at all. he really is a big lover. We did a third urinalysis about three weeks later and the same result, high PH. He also seems like he is always hungry. He is fed three times a day, a total of 2 cups Grain free food, about 1/2 to 3/4 cup fat free cottage cheese and 1 can salt free green beans as well as about 1/4 cup of pumpkin. He has lost about 8 lbs since we have had him and although he is a big boy he looks much better.  We can’t figure out if he has just learned to hoard water and food or if it is medical. We guessed maybe with the bad UTI he came in with that maybe the owners had deprived him of water because he was having accidents in the house. The poor guy is definitely housebroken because he will urgently let you know when he has to go. Sometimes he doesn’t make it out the door or off the deck before he lets loose. I get the feeling he can’t control it sometimes. The last week or two he has been driving us crazy about feedings. After dinner he will go outside and immediately start hopping around and running towards the area where we keep food as if he is still hungry. We just took him in to the vet again this past Thursday for another urinalysis where they will be doing a protein/creatinine test. I questioned them about Cushings as well as Diabetes Insipidus but so far the blood work does not indicate either of those. If anyone has had a similar experience or any ideas about what his problem is I would be very grateful.  I really want Kuder to find a great home but I know it is not likely he will be considered when I tell someone about his “issue”. Thanks to all and so sorry for the long post.

Cathy, Momslave to Grace, GSD Leah, foster Kuder, foster Emily, Nathan ATB, Dozer ATB, Emmylou ATB, Barry ATB, Beau ATB, Daphne ATB
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