Timber's Non-Results

I suppose it's time for an update on Timber.  He has been to the vet, at Aloha Dog and Cat Hospital, here in western Beaverton.  We have a very nice veterinarian caring for him, Dr. Heather Hershey, and she has been running a variety of tests trying to figure out what is going on with him.  So far we have come up with nothing - negative test after negative test.  Which, in reality, is something, because it eliminates some potential problems.

The first order of business was a physical exam (he passed), then a urinalysis (which Timber so kindly provided a sample of all over the floor of the waiting room - maybe he needed to prove that he has a problem with drinking and peeing too much).  We also ran a urine culture to ensure that we weren't missing an infection, because of the dilute pee he offers.  Finally a full panel of blood work, exchanged for half our savings account (just kidding - it wasn't that bad!).

The results - negative, negative, negative.  On to the next test, dropping him off at Aloha Dog and Cat Hospital for the day to have a series of blood tests done, checking him for Cushing's Disease.  Again, negative.

Next test, a urine concentration test.  This test was done by withholding water overnight (just long enough for the test, not so long that he would get sick from dehydration), then taking a urine sample first thing in the morning, before he had a drink of water.  The results from that - rather inconclusive.  He managed to concentrate his urine somewhat, not definitively telling us anything.

So, that means we've worked our way down to about 4 or 5 possible diseases, according to Dr. Hershey.  Our next test will be a two week trial of a medication that treats Diabetes Insipitus.  This form of diabetes is not the same as the sugar imbalance - it is a disease of either the brain or the kidney (depending on the type) which causes excess drinking and peeing.

See the picture below to get an idea of how bad the peeing has gotten.  Timber was left alone in the house for about 4 hours while I went to a doctors appointment and picked Ethan up from school.  He was wearing the belly band we purchased, and that was supplemented with two super-absorbent adult incontinence pads.  I came home to pee all over the living room - Timber had soaked through the two pads, through the belly band, and still had enough pee to leave puddles all over.  What do I do about that?