Re: Pip diagnosis - Central cord syndrome
Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2023 12:29 pm
You oughta have a doctorate in Pip science by now!
https://handicappedpet.net/helppets/
https://handicappedpet.net/helppets/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=22427
I told him how we did PT till he could walk, then months later he began losing his walking and was diagnosed with laryngeal paralysis. I thought the "lar-par" was affecting his exercise tolerance (he'd do goldfish breathing when he was hot or exercising) so we tried wall exercises indoors, but he began not wanting to do those, even though it was cooler indoors. He looked uncomfortable when I would stand him against the wall.CarolC wrote: ↑Tue Aug 24, 2021 10:10 pm Pip was examined by a board certified neurologist today. The diagnosis is "Open for non-ambulatory tetraparesis and central cord syndrome". She doesn't think an MRI would change anything. He probably has either FCE, ANNPE, or syringomyelia, and it probably isn't syringomyelia because he's been improving. Her recommendation was to continue PT.
In August 2022 he started having apparent "itching" and kicking furiously at his neck. It went on for a week or 10 days and then quit. I quit exercising him August 9, 2022 because I was afraid he'd done something to his neck through falling when he walked outside. September 12 he was diagnosed with laryngeal paralysis and I started Knox Blox. September 22 we did the myasthenia gravis test (because I couldn't figure out why an FCE dog was losing his walking). October 3 was the first time he had trouble eating his breakfast kibble (problem chasing it in the bowl). October 5 the vet tried 2 weeks of steroids in case it was something steroid responsive.CarolC wrote: ↑Wed Jul 06, 2022 9:29 pm He's just not walking as well as he was. I can only guess it's the heat. He falls a lot, and has more trouble getting back up in the thin grass and hard ground. He was getting at least 2 runs per outing, from the back fence to the door, but it's too hot so we're doing one, which is half his usual exercise. To be honest, his first run is never as good because if he needs to go Number Two then it throws him off before he gets very far. The second run in each pair was usually his better one. He's still doing as well as ever on his wall walking, very confident. When he wipes out in the dry grass, he gets dust in his eyes and mouth.
That didn't last long. He was still uncomfortable, so we quit again. On February 14, 2023 I made him his "dog run" trolley on the fence. On March 3 he was running the trolley like a champ. But then we had to discontinue it.CarolC wrote: ↑Thu Jan 12, 2023 4:18 pm today we tried Wall Treats after not doing it since the end of October when he couldn't seem to do it and looked uncomfortable. I got the peanut butter treats out and he about licked my hand off with excitement. I put one down for a 3' walk and he did it with effort but no apparent discomfort. When I put the next one down he got up and did it with visible confidence... I thought 2 was enough after 11 weeks off. We will try it again tomorrow. Life just got better.
And that's pretty much where we are now.CarolC wrote: ↑Fri Mar 10, 2023 7:34 pm We discontinued the trolley several days ago. I'm probably going to end up dismantling it. I don't think he can keep doing it. I think it bothers his neck, even though he loves being able to move normally like he wants to. I tried just letting him do 2 runs and brought him in, but he looked uncomfortable after only 2 runs, so I decided to quit completely. The discomfort (if that's what it is) goes away after a while, and he might actually think it's worth a headache or neck ache to be able to run for a minute, but I don't want to make anything worse.
If you notice the look on his face in the picture, it's more determined than joyful. I think it could be, "I can do this and I'm going to give it my all, look at me go, but it hurts." After his run, an hour or two later he seems mentally happier and confident because he did something he wanted to do (run). I don't want to take that away from him, but I'm thinking we might have to if it's going to bother him.
This is looking more and more like syringomyelia. He is having frequent episodes of kicking toward his head/neck and scooting himself across his bed to get his head elevated up on the edge. He'll do that for an hour, then he's OK. In the morning he's barking and happy, but he starts to look uncomfortable in the late afternoon, early evening. Today he was restless and uncomfortable from about 6-6:30PM, yet we haven't done anything all day except eat, drink, have blox, and potty several times, and I'm careful how I handle him.
Here is the video of him drinking again.https://vetster.com/en/conditions/dog/atlantoaxial-instability wrote: Symptoms vary depending on the extent of spinal cord compression. In rare cases, AAI may cause damage to the brainstem, resulting in symptoms like facial paralysis, trouble swallowing and lack of balance/coordination.