Can't sleep, can't eat and can't think! AND thats just me!!

Hi guys!
I've tried going thru as many posts as I can to make sure I'm not doubling up on a question and even tried the 'search' bar for my particular topic but strangely enough it doesn't seem like the Topic of IBD in canines has been broached yet!!
Anyway my 'not' so little yr old rescue is coming along leaps and bounds, we still have issues with a few things but we have come to terms with the fact that even though she is a large 1 yr old bitch in training and mental capacity she is really only 6 months old, we've had her 6 months now and before that her only training was being told NOT to eat the walls, so we are getting there with her! It is very tiring for me but quite cathartic to actually be pushing myself a bit harder than I should health wise! As I haven't really introduced myself maybe I should just highlight my issues.....it makes whats to follow kinda surreal.....I was Diagnosed with an IBD, Crohns disease to be precise, at 15 years old. 25 years later, (quite a few actual death incidents under my belt but I'm not going anywhere without a fight!!!) I am minus a considerable portion of my intestines, in fact some of the Small bowel and everything bellow is now no longer there. The years of malnutrician and then virtual obesity after restarting meds has had its effect on mind and body. The meds can be as bad long term as the effects of crohns but without them I wouldn't be here now.  I also have 2 forms of Arthritis, Hydradinitus suppurativa, Capsulitis AND Mortons neuroma in one foot (never wanting to be normal apparently to have both is fairly rare!) plus quite a few little annoying things that I just deal with! Well you got to right?
Anyway, about 6 weeks ago we took both the dogs to a local nature reserve, had a great time but on the way home Lola was sick in the van! No biggy! But as soon as we got in doors my Babyboy started being sick........and has never really got better! He has had every test possible and we got a definite diagnoses last week! My baby boy also has IBD! Freaky right? But unlike me the meds don't seem to be doing a lot, whilst the almost daily thunder storms have been pushing his already frayed body to its maximum! He isn't eating, he isn't drinking alot, he's not even wagging his tail more than 2 swipes whilst I can't go to bed and leave him as every night I'm convinced he won't make it through, so I have probably had about 2 hours sleep a night for quite a few nights! We have been to the vets almost twice weekly for weeks changing meds and generally causing my Eddiebear annoyance! Last week they through quite a bit at him, Steroids, Antacids, antibiotics and another tablet (sorry more brain dead and brow beaten than normal and now rushing this as I am taking him back down in about 30 minutes!) The effects these have on him is awful, panting (I counted over 100 breathes per minute the other night! Only about 70 more than normal!!?!?!?), he is lethargic and really not liking the effects (I can see the confusion in his eyes! O no...the tears have started again!!!) and what is worse none of them have had a positive effect on him!!

I had to go before I had finished! So now have the next step from vets

First thing is my Beautiful lined baby boy has gone from a 21/22kg healthy Staff to a 15kg bag of bones, to be truthful if I saw him on the street I would assume he was being mistreated.
Change the meds again, stay on the pred and omeprazole but add in Azathioprine! Which for those not in the know is a lower level chemo drugs that can have amazing effects on auto-immune diseases like most IBD's. It can have nasty side effects (the fact its chemo says a lot!!) so has to be monitored closely. After a little prompt from me, having suggested that Vit B12 deficiency goes hand in hand with IBD, he decided to not even test him just give him a jab. The vet said......because having lost all this weight will be bellow acceptable levels! ****So why did it take me prompting him to act on it???****
We're rather surprised that he wasn't taken in over night to monitor and administer IV's etc (apparently they don't do TPN's, a nutritional compound that is put through a special IV,) but instead we have been sent home with a can of Z&Ds prescription food! He's never liked or eaten wet dog food well, and at his first response I don't think its gonna happen now.
The next step is a specialist. The vet was very upfront about things like the cost of a specialist and that it would probably be more than the insurance will pay out as they will redo all the tests, scopes, biopsies and charge us for the privileged! We don't care the cost, I know I'm disabled but I have a back pay of DLA coming up and Personally I would be willing to sell our house if it was going to make him better, the cost doesn't worry us as much as putting an 8yr old, lethargic, malnutritient bag of bones through all the tests that basically freaked him out when he was double this only a few weeks ago! (yes sorry he is a complete spoiled pansy!!! Just the separation when he comes round from the anaesthetic has him Howling like a sissy!)
Is it Fair on him? Every part of me is saying we have no choice, he cannot go out like this. He IS the reason I'm still here, I was housebound for 2 years before my op, and hubby was doing extra to cover my loss of wages so there was just me and The Dude most of the time, he knows all my dark thoughts, my weird wonderings, he's licked my tears when no one knew I had been crying and more to the point he was the reason 90% of the time to swing my arse out of bed and at least try to live! I owe him the same respect back, but he's not human! Does he understand? How hard on him will it be?
I'm waffling now but this is so hard! Soul destroying in fact! He is my first Dog, I helped bring him into this world (I broke the sack and made him breathe), and rather sadly he is the child I'll never have, I need him to have a few more years! But thats just selfish!!!
THANK YOU to all that have reached this point, through the mad ramblings of weirdo! To tell the truth, advice will be received gratefully, positive thoughts appreciated but its just been nice to put all my confuddledness down in words So thank! x x x x x x " />

Well I am now sat in tears -I am so sorry to read this and I really don't know what to say - decisions like this are really only yours to make. All I can say is we are all here for you if you ever need to chat. Huge hugs from us Xx

Hi, I cannot begin to imagine what you are going through right now. My hubby can sympathise with you and has put this together for you:

As you are no doubt aware, No-one knows what causes Crohn's disease, and there's lots of research going on the world over.

As your dog now has the equivalent of Crohn's disease, it is worth talking to your own specialist about this, as well as the canine specialist.

The fact that your dog has developed the condition could possibly provide a link - it isn't known whether there is any vector (way/cause of transmission) in Crohns, but there are so many unknowns that every bit of information is valuable.

For example, as Crohn's is an aut-immune response, it could be linked to bacteria or viruses, no-one knows.  We know that just recently a new human - gut virus has been discovered, even though it has been around for ages and exists in the majority of people.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-28440006

This virus is a bacteriophage - it lives within and influences bacteria.  Just imagine if Crohn's disease is caused by a virus such as this not playing nicely with the bacteria it normally inhabits, information on your dog's development is perhaps a tiny piece of the puzzle, but a piece non-the-less.

I've watched my Mother suffer terribly with Crohn's disease for decades, and I do sympathise with both your own and your dog's condition.

I hope you can find an answer soon, if not for a cure, at least something to lessen the symptoms of this terrible condition.

Oh my I am so sorry, I dont also know what to say only as Janey we are here for you to chat anytime big hugs from us Xxxx

Oh my I'm so sorry to read this and truly wish I could offer some advice. It's such a hard decision to make but I would trust yourself that you know when enough if enough for him, my thoughts are with you xxx

my heart goes out to you,it must be horrible to see him like this,you know him better than any one and will do the best by him xx

I'm so sorry to hear your going through such a nightmare at the moment. I can't imagine how you must be feeling but we are here for you and will listen to you for whatever you need to talk about. Thinking of you and your little angel Eddie.
Can offer no advice but positive thoughts to you both  

We are all here to read your Posts, so don't ever worry about waffling. As you say, sometimes it just helps a little to put down in words how you feel. I have a little knowledge of Crohns as I have a friend that has suffered since being a little boy with this condition and my sympathies are with you.

What you do next with Eddie is such a tough call. I like you would move heaven and earth to help my little lady, but, there has to be a quality to life. I would see the specialist and take advise from there. If there is a chance that things could improve then I would grasp it.

Please feel free to rant, rave or just chat here at any time. My thoughts are with you.

Hi how is your dog now ?

I hope he is better.

Regards

I'm sorry I haven't answered or in fact come onto the boards in a while but the story continues and ends here.......
https://staffy-bull-terrier.niceboard.com/t59368-rip-eddie-bear-cochrane?nid=24#902856

So very sorry Xxx