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Hi again Tara
Sorry – I shouldn’t have put CVD earlier as this seems to be peripheral, not central.
If this had happened to Sprockett, I would have been as frantic as you are & I cannot bear to see my animals in distress. I would never put them through any suffering at all & I know this is hard for you. From what I have been reading, I still think the correct treatment will help Diablo recover, but it may be slow.
I found this very useful slide show for you
http://www.slideshare.net/marina761/neurovetmedufleduneurovestibularvestibularppt – tests & examinations to be done – please go through the slide show, particularly slide number two to determine nystagmus relationship to head tilt – it is brilliant & explains what is going on, how to diagnose exactly what the problem is & treat accordingly. The direction of the nystagmus in relation to the head tilt seems to be an important part of the initial diagnosis. I’m sure your vet could go through this with you & could work out the best plan of action for further investigation. If you want me to go through it with you, I would be more than happy, but I need to get more information from you. It would be easier for you with the vet I think! Doxycycline is mentioned as a suitable antibiotic & as we know, it is fine to use on our AIHA babies. It also says that the antibiotics need to be given for a long time, so maybe Diablo needs Doxycycline & to take it for a longer period & this could be why he has had a second episode. Prednisone is also mentioned as being useful in some cases & he is on a small dose already.
Have a look at these to cheer yourself up a bit as well – the outcome is normally very good according to these vet articles:
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/06/04/canine-vestibular-disease.aspx
http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2011/oct/old_dog_vestibular_disease-11847
There are blogs at the bottom, but I don’t always put faith in what I read on them. Some of them are upsetting too as people had their dogs put to sleep needlessly because their vet didn’t do the right tests & diagnose vestibular disease. However, there is someone who’s dog has had two episodes & is recovering, so that is hopeful.
Because this disease is so distressing for us to see, it is easy to make the wrong decision – I nearly did. Thanks to my experienced vet, I kept going with Sprockett & I’m glad I gave him time to recover. If this is what we think (peripheral) and it’s just because he didn’t have the right antibiotics for long enough, he will benefit from the longer treatment.
Does this help? If you have any questions or worries, please tell me
Loads of best wishes & hope
Sheena
Hi Tara
I’m sorry this happened again – I was really hopeful he was getting better – it sounds like another CVD attack if the nystgmus is back, I’m afraid. Please try to stay positive for now – he is not in pain, just very very dizzy. Poor Diablo & poor you – this is NOT fair. I have heard this can happen but never met anyone who’s dog suffered from 2 attacks so close together. I think an urgent vet visit is need & he will maybe have to have Cerenia & antibiotics again (a non- penicillin based because of the AIHA, maybe not Baytril either) & maybe add a blood circulation improvement drug like vivitonin. If you are worried about drug interactions & AIHA, I would contact Dr Dodds straight away. You know he can recover from these attacks, albeit slowly, so don’t give up just yet. Please give me some time to to a bit of research this afternoon & I’m going to phone a friend of mine who used to be a vet nurse. I promise I will post some more later. I’m sure Patrice will have some great information for you too.
Loads of love & best wishes from Sheena & the boys.
Dear Rey
I’m so sorry. Please accept my sincere condolences.
I’m very sad to hear about your losing your dear girl Scout & beg you not to blame yourself in any way. It doesn’t look like plug-ins have such a toxic effect & they have been around along time now. As Patrice says, boxers are prone to specific heart problems which can lead to anaemia & you did everything you possibly could to help her. The mere act of rescuing a dog (especially an “older” dog) shows you have a generous, kind heart & she was so obviously adored by you. Dogs are often given Enalapril for this problem & no-one can anticipate if there will be any side effects. She needed a drug for her heart problem & you & your vet did what you thought was right in the circumstances.
They are never with us long enough, Rey. We only blame ourselves for not doing enough because we love them so much. There are too many animals who have no-one to care about them – thank goodness Scout had you to love her. I am thinking of you at this sad time.
My deepest sympathy, Sheena.
Hi Joe
I’m really sorry I couldn’t get into the site last night to reply to you. Don’t you worry at all about telling us how you feel – it’s good to let your feelings out to others who understand why you feel down & low. Don’t stay away. Because you are such a kind & compassionate person, I am honoured to know you & thank you from the bottom of my heart for the support & encouragement you gave me when I joined the old site. I will never forget that & I know all the others feel the same. We care deeply for you. Nauset is a lucky girl having you to look after her, but no dog can ever, ever replace another.
Patrice has done an amazing thing by providing us all with somewhere to talk to each other & find information & help. I know she has some wonderful ideas for the future of this site & it will knock FB into a cocked hat (as we say in the UK!).
Thank you for being here with us – we need you.
Much love to you & Nauset from Sheena, Worzel & Ollie
Hi Linda
For some reason I couldn’t log in last night. I’m sure the mushroom incident hasn’t done this – a tiny bit won’t have hurt.
What a brilliant PCV/HCT – way to go Sadie! High neutrophils can indicate an infection (bacterial probably), but it can also be caused by the drugs too. Raised WBC can also mean infection/stress/inflammation. If the diarrhea carries on, a pooh sample might be a good idea. Me being of the crazy, paranoid, overcautious Mum variety, looking at her blood test results, I think she may well have an infection, Linda. It is sometimes very difficult to interpret blood tests because of the effects of these corticosteroids drugs, but this does look like she’s got something. Some antibiotics will soon sort her out if it is an infection anyway, so no need to worry.
I agree with Brigitte – licking lips & lick smacking sounds like she’s feeling sick to me. Ollie always does this when he feels sick, together with lots of swallowing. Worzel had a few bouts of diarrhea around Christmas & I think it was my fault – I hadn’t wormed them often enough. His blood test was normal though. The vet gave him an anti-spasmodic for 3 days & I also started him on probiotics & pumpkin for a week. Since then (fingers crossed) have not had to run round the garden in my underwear looking for him in the middle of the night! I bet the neighbours are very grateful for that!
So my friend, don’t worry – your vet is obviously on the case & will sort her out. Of course, these immuno-suppressant drugs make them more prone to catching infections as well. Good luck on Friday – let us know how my darling girl gets on
Loads of love as always from over the pond from Sheena & the Boyz
Linda,
the lip smacking could indicate Sadie is nauseous, maybe from the atopica? I have no advice as to reductions, sorry. It has just been to long for me and I don’t trust myself giving advice for that. I assume Sadie is still getting something to protect her tummy, sucralfate, slippery elm? for the soft stools, definitely canned pumpkin. Enzo is doing the lip smacking to me on and off, but just in the morning. I have started to give him 1/4 of a cup of goat milk or kefir at bed time. it seems to help. The kefir has a lot of probiotics and healthy bacteria. Is there a certain time of the day Sadie does it or is it just random. Patrice told me that some dogs get heart burn in the morning when they expect their food and have a totally empty tummy. I think the kefir can’t hurt, it is definitely good for GI health.
Kahlu had the creaking and popping too. it did not seem to bother him, he was clearly not in pain. Once he got most of his muscles back these awful sounds dissipated completely.
wishing you all the best,
Brigitte & the poodle boys
Dear Joe
Just want to send my best wishes to you and Nauset. I know how terribly difficult it is to have lost a beloved pet to this terrible disease, and you are doing such a wonderful job in caring for Nauset. She is so, so lucky to have you as her owner. I can’t imagine how much you must miss Dunes, but you are doing a wonderful thing in caring for Nauset so well.
With our love and best wishes,
Mary and Mable x
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