Dogs: Has Anyone Experienced...

[Linda Mili]

Hello and Smiles...

My darling Theodore, mini-dachie, age 17yrs3mths, blind and deaf, seemed to have injured his back or neck, or at least that is what I thought until today...his back legs cross and walking now is almost impossible without his wheelies...After seeing the vet and having bloodwork done, our vet says his health is good and he is wondering if the symptoms he has been demonstrating for the past two or so months maybe neurological...Those symptoms are: He seems very stiff and lays on his side...If you pick him up he does not bend..he remains flat and stiff almost like a dog who had died but he is quite alive....he throws his head back and sometimes I fear he will actually break his neck due to how far he is bending it...He cannot sit up by himself...He can eventually push himself up sometimes but only if there is something he can prop up on...He is extremely thin and the vet has ruled out cancer...His blood levles all proved to be in the normal range....He has a fairly good appetite....We visited the neurologist last summer when Theodore was demonstrating a head tic of sorts...I wasn't sure if he was having seizures or if they were just tics or if he had experienced a stroke...The idea of the stroke was ruled out by the vet and neurologist...I had taken him to our regular vet and saw his associate who wanted the neurologist to see him before going any further. He did not demonstrate the ticing in his presence so I left still unknowing only again being shared that Theodore was quite old and sometimes seniors have light seizures...Just to monitor and go from there...Well the ticing is now very rare but this other business has me concerned. Our vet checked his glucous level twice in the last 2 wks as the first test showed it to be very low and he said these symptoms could be from a problem stemming from this low level...He tested him again this Monday and the levels are now normal...

Theodore was a rescue and had experienced much abuse before coming home to me...I sometimes wonder if this present condition could have been from the past abuse...He had been kicked, beaten with a chain and thrown against a concrete wall on many occassions, hit by a car and locked in a room with no window,no food and no water for 7 days until he ate his way threw the drywall...then beaten for doing that...All shared by the vet tech who saved him from this horrid life and kept asking me in a kind way if I would take him....

Has anyone experienced these type of symptoms and if so, what were you told about your darling???

Hoping to hear from you very soon...

Many Thank Yous and Hugs and Smiles..

Linda and "chilren short and tall" in Baltimore

[Stephanie]

Please have him checked for a possible inner ear infection...I can only pray that it is something that simple though. I saw on Animal Planet once, a dog was brought in the the ER, it was that white haired doctor, I forget the show, but this dogs eyes kept going in circles, the dog had vertigo and would do odd things with it's limbs. It turned out to be an inner ear infection that was putting pressure on the brain. Perhaps it is another type of infection and putting pressure on another part of the brain...I don't know. Good luck to you.

Stephanie Missy and forever Tama

[Linda Mili]

Thank you Stephanie...I had not thought of that and the vet did not look in his ears!!

I will call him and ask!!

Many Thank Yous
Linda and "chilren short and tall" Baltimore

[Cindidoxiemom]

Linda,
First of all nose kiss to Theodore..My goodness 17 y/o . Some of what you are describing does sound like disc disease. The stiffness could be pain. The lack of walking also sounds like IVDD.
Is Theo (may I call him Theo?)going potty ok? Eating? Drinking?
If this is a disc problem prednisone and crate rest would be the most conservative treatment. Prednisone to bring swelling down in the disc and crate rest to let the area heal.
A CT/MRI or Myelogram could be used to diagnosis IVDD. Considering Theo's age..I would use the least invasive which would be the CT or MRI.
It is just heartbreaking to hear about how Theo was treated before coming to you...but really a blessing that you have him now. Keep us updated.
Cindi

[Linda Mili]

Hi Cindi and Thank You!!

He is eating and drinking okay...When he first seemed to have hurt his back the doctor put him on pred and he had a very bad reaction...Took care of that and then gave him a very strong steriod...I worried about long term use so went to our holistic vet, Carvel Tiekert...He placed him on holistic meds and Theo seemed no long to be in discomfort but walking then was touch and go...Unfortunately for us Dr. T is out of commission for the next 8 weeks due to a surgery...Our regular vet does not seem to think pred is needed...and due to Theo's last reaction to it I am afraid to try on my own...I am thinking of calling our orthopedic surgeon and just discuss on the phone and see what he thinks...I am using MSM very affectively on my Lily for pain and discomfort...another horror story I'll share later, but the MSM has releaved her pain and she is now walking a bit better...Have considered using it with Theo but wanted Dr. Tirkert's okay first which is right now not obtainable...Our orthopedic though uses holistic meds at times...I think I will call him on Monday...

Many Hugs and Thank Yous...You have my wheels spinning again with hope...

Linda and "Chilren short and tall"

[GabrielDeafBlindPupFamily]

Linda, no I have no neurological canine experience. But I had to throw my 2 cents in there, and say WELCOME! What a story! Your little man is sooo lucky to have you. He waited his entire life for you, and now he will spend his entire life in comfort and with love just draped around him like a soft blanket.
What a wonderful rescue!
I have a deafblindpup who was born that way, and they are sooo endearing aren't they?
Welcome,and let us know if you find out what in the world is going on.
The stiffness would scare me if I happened upon it, I am just so glad it isn't one of the BIG things.

[Paul Coover]

Linda:

Everyone has already added what I would have said, so I'll simply say that it is wonderful of you to have rescued this little guy. Could you possibly post a picture of him?

As the proud dad of 5 dachshunds, I can only hope that they live close to 17 years of age. Incredible! Your advice and input would be extremely helpful on this board, and most definitely welcomed by myself. Thank you for stopping by and posting.

Paul

[markcrobinson]

With Apologies, this message was lost during a maintenance process.

If this was your message, please re-post.

Sorry,

Mark Robinson

[Linda]

Hello Again...
I guess this message is two fold...A second reply and question to Stephanie and another question to the group...

I did not think when I wrote back to you, but the vet put Theodore on Baytril, an antibiotic, to get rid of the inflamation in his liver..Do you think this would also clear an infection if he has one in his ears?? I have been thinking about this all weekend....

I also wonder if my darling did have a stroke last summer and maybe a second one this winter causing the symptoms he has now...Maybe this is what the vet wants to learn from the neurologist...Knowing nothing of all the symptoms a stroke could show, has anyone experienced such and if so did your dog show any of the symptoms Theodore is experiencing??

Linda

[Linda Mili]

Hello Everyone...

And SOOOO Many THANK YOUS for your suggestions and hugs...Oh so many Hugs....You cannot imagine how both have helped with my next step....

I contacted Dr. Gainsburg yesterday afternoon...Explained Theodore's symptoms, etc. He shared Dr. Molesworth had contacted him for a copy of Theodore's evaluaation last summer and he has faxed it...

After all was shared, Dr. Gainsburg thinks he can help my Darling Theodore and he does not think his age will be a factor!!! From what he briefly had to share with me, I am thinking he feels the problems lie in his cervical disc and he feels he can offer a remedy....Even if Theodore cannot be made completely well, if he can at least be able to sit up or walk better in his wheelies again and his needing to throw his head back and wanting to always burry his face in a pillow or cover to the point I think he will sufficate himself, would be such a gift!!!

Your prayers and hugs and your holding my hand tomorrow during the evaluation, 9am, would be so gratefully appreciated....I will write once we return with what the kind doctor has to say...

Again...Many Thank Yous and Hugs to ALL
Linda and Theodore

[Carol T.]

That's very encouraging! You and your little fur baby will be in my prayers.