greyhndz

Iggy Jared, who was my heart-iggy Lexi's litterbrother, went to the Bridge today. I know he was welcomed by his deeply adored mum, Penny. (Lexi wasn't crazy about Jared, so I wouldn't count on her being part of the welcoming committee. ) Jared came into this world with a lot of strikes against him, and a very difficult puppyhood. He and Penny were spoiled rotten at their home of 8 years in Kentucky. Sadly, illness forced his family to give up Jared and Penny, and they wound their way back to me. Penny died about 4 years ago, and Lexi died after a long illness 8/15/09. Jared was a tough little guy who was reknowned for his Donald Trump ear comb-over. He never met a morsel of food he didn't love -- and steal. He survived two critical illnesses when he was young: immune mediated thrombocytopaenia, and having been struck by a car after being missing for a week. Jared was definitely a survivor, but sadly was so fearful of people and of being touched, and that never really changed from age 1 to age 13. And Jared being Jared, after his spirit was set free, his earthly bladder let loose and I had urine dribbling down my leg. He always had to have the last word. Godspeed, little guy. You'll be missed. ETA Lexi

KV Vet. Great prices. I order prescriptions from them as well. Shipping is free.

Isn't that ridiculous? Do they issue waivers in CT for dogs who should not be vaccinated for medical reasons?

Oh, goodness... well, if it's of any comfort, I was diagnosed with posterior uveitis in 2005 due to an underlying autoimmune disorder. The reason your ophthalmologist is using prednisone is that the prednisolone drops work well for anterior uveitis (iritis) but not for inflammation in the intermediate or posterior portions of the eye. The prednisone taper is pretty standard for autoimmune/inflammatory diseases, and the ophthalmologist really sounds like a very savvy vet. Aleeya will probably drink more, pee more, be more hungry, pant, and even be a little wired! But the side effects improve as the dose decreases. If uveitis persists or recurs as she comes off steroids, he might recommend putting Aleeya onto a long-term immunomodulating drug, such as azathioprine, methotrexate or cyclosporin. I'm not sure if this is also true for dogs, but in human medicine, the thought is that after 2 years on an immunomodulator, the immune system is "reset", and often the drug can be tapered down and stopped. I did not go onto oral steroids - I went directly onto methotrexate and within 6 months was in remission. The methotrexate was finally tapered after 2 years in remission, and I've been off MTX for 2.5 years - still in remission. Uveitis can be controlled, and it sounds as if your ophthalmologist is doing everything right to make that happen! Hugs to my uveitis-sister!

Lindsay, if you have documentation of those vaccinations, she doesn't need anything for a minimum of 2 years. Do you have 3-year rabies? If so, she doesn't need that either. I remember that you've had trouble keeping her seizures under control - if a vaccination isn't essential, I'd avoid them, especially any containing modified live virus. seizures and vaccinations by Jean Dodds guardian angels

Godspeed, sweet boy. How lucky you were to have found each other. If you'd like to e-mail me photos of Luiggi, I'm happy to post them for you. greyhndz @ comcast . net

Roast beef slices usually work here. But how about having her meds compounded? A good compounding pharmacy can take virtually any med and put it into a form that she'll probably love. They can also compound meds into transdermal formulas (like gels, which can be rubbed into the ear). vet compounding pharmacies

I'm sorry your much-anticipated vacation had to be cut short, Sarah. But I'm very relieved to hear (as were YOU) that Tuna perked up once mommy was home and figured out what the problem was. It sounds as if you and your vet are communicating very closely and being honest with each other about each development, which is very comforting. And now that you're home, Tuna is much more relaxed and snorkeling down her food. (Snorkeling is good! ) Sometimes it seems as if these oldsters are walking a very fine line, and almost anything can tip them one way or another. But I think there are times when a girl just needs her mommy, no matter how old she is. It may be a bit disappointing now, but you will never regret coming home to be with your baby girl. Jordan

No, b. canis is part of the routine tick panel. Req Form The thing is, different strains of each organism are prevalent in different parts of the country, and there are different panels available depending on what testing should be done. Here's where Cindy is a huge help: she can make specific recommendations on testing for organisms that are prevalent in your area. Sometimes she will recommend adding on additional strains to test for. She'll also recommend if and when the dog should be re-tested to determine if titres are increasing, decreasing or remaining the same, which reflects the stage of disease. If she suggests testing for one strain vs a strain on the generic tick panel, she'll often just substitute without any addl. charge. I've found that it's usually far cheaper to have the vet or tech draw the blood, then package it yourself on ice and send it overnight. Cindy can tell you what to put on the requisition form, and you can either send a check or have them bill you.

Azathioprine suppresses the immune system. The vet obviously suspects that this is an autoimmune disease, such as Immune-mediate hemolytic anemia, etc. This drug is generally taken long-term. Is Olive also on steroids? Most of the time, steroids are needed for a period of time as their onset is rapid, as opposed to azathioprine or other immunomodulators, which can take weeks to months to take effect. ETA: If the vet is stating that her bone marrow is not producing cells, I would hope that was proven by bone marrow biopsy, which is the only definitive way of determining that, as well as of determining the cause. If it's possible for you to do so, try to get Olive seen by an oncologist or internal medicine specialist ASAP, as the diagnosis is needed to determine what type of treatment is indicated.

I agree with Dee's recommendation. Cindy Holland at Protatek is very, very well-versed on TBD. She's also very accessible, and if you call to talk with her, she can discuss the case with you, and dependent upon your location and the dog's symptoms, she will recommend the appropriate tests. Cindy is a fantastic resource. Protatek Info Protatek Reference Laboratory 574 East Alamo Drive, Suite 90 Chandler, AZ 85225 Telephone: (480) 545-8499 Fax: (480) 545-8409 Dr. Cynthia Holland: The laboratory is operated by Dr. Cynthia Holland, Ph.D., an authority on tick borne infectious diseases. Dr. Holland has authored and co-authored over 75 papers in peer reviewed journals and scientific presentations. Dr. Holland was responsible for the original isolation and identification of Ehrlichia (Neorickettsii) risticii, the causative agent of Potomac Horse Fever. For technical questions and consultation: Dr. Cyndi Holland - cholland@protatek.com For general questions: Jennifer Podulka - jpodulka@protatek.com

It sounds as if it might possible be immune-mediated hemolytic anemia. There are certainly other diseases than can cause RBCs to either not be produced by bone marrow, or be destroyed by antibodies which see the RBCs as foreign substances. The vet should be able to make the diagnosis; time is of the essence in either case. Leukemia or other cancer of blood cells can cause anemia, as could some type of unidentified blood loss. Transfusions may temporize the problem, but finding the cause and treating aggressively is crucial right now. I hope Olive's problem is identified quickly, so she can be treated and feel better very soon.

I'm so sorry, Jen. You gave everything to Whitey, a lifetime of love in a few short months. You were so lucky to have each other. Godspeed sweet boy.

The greatest gift we can receive is a dog who is our heart-and-soul. Misty was your heart girl on so many levels, Claudia. And while your greatest memories of her were from CA, she'll be in your heart and soul no matter where you live. You and Misty were each other's soulmate, and I just know that even in RI, she's right there with you, letting you know that the depth of love you had for each other transcends death. Misty will always be alive in your heart. Enormous hugs, my friend.

I am so sorry that you are going through this heartwrenching experience. Most of us on GT know this all too well and really feel for you because we've been there. You have to have faith in your love for SeeJ and his trust and love for you. Whatever you decide to do, it's based on your love for him. My first hound, Kody, had a cardiac tumor. He was 12.5 and had always been healthy, except for having developed a few seizures earlier in the year. Kody was entirely himself until the New Year's weekend, when he stopped eating and began panting. I remember him being on my bed at night, and hearing him awake, panting, and I knew something was very wrong. We were at the vet the next day, and the vet noted that Kody had muffled heart sounds, and on Xray his heart was enlarged in a way that indicated a pericardial effusion (fluid). The next day, he had an echocardiogram and suddenly I had the answer I never wanted to hear. What was most important for me was hearing what I could expect to happen within the days, weeks to come. What interventions or surgeries were possible, what they would achieve, and if they would give him any additional quality time. The vet told me that she could do a pericardial tap, but the effusion would almost certainly accumulate again quickly, as you've found out. Any improvement in symptoms would be only short-lived. She mentioned surgery to create a pericardial "window", an opening that would keep fluid from accumulating in the sac and preventing the heart from functioning normally. But this would not change the fact that the cancer was untreatable. In the end, I thought about how stoic Kody (and all of these dogs) was, and the fact that he hid his symptoms until he couldn't mask them anymore. That he was likely feeling much worse than he ever let on. And he would not eat even his favorite baby food. I was going to bring him home to love him, spoil him, before he was ready. But I realized, on the way to the hospital to pick him up, that he was already "ready". And bringing him home to witness him worsening every day was for my benefit, not his. It still hurts too much to think about, nevertheless talk about, but I guess what I'm sharing (that I learned) is that you always have to think about tomorrow, and whether his tomorrow will be better, or worse, than today. And decide if today he's feeling good enough to enjoy his tomorrow. My heart goes out to you. Trust yourself, and know that whatever you decide will be right, and will be what SeeJ would want.

Lots of healing thoughts, prayers and love being sent to Jennifer, Hope and Robby.

What a huge relief! Please send Tina and Cofax my very best, and hope for a quick recovery!

another quick update, and fortunately, Dana is finally getting some answers. And the best news is that Cartier is eating and feeling better. Dr. Couto just responded back to me that he said "absolutely" when I asked if he could help us. Cartier is actually pooping solid and this is his 3rd day of eating. I just got off the phone with my vet and they told me his UPC results shows that his protein loss (albumin level) is positively thru the kidneys. His level shows 5.9 and they have diagosed his with glamarial (sp?) disease. He is being placed on Enalypril (1 pill a day) (which I asked for a prescription to be able to fill it at Walmart) Omega 3 fatty acids (which he takes already) Diet change (I'm going to try the Royal Canin Renal diet and received a prescription for that) They want to recheck his UPC in a month. I feel a light beyond the tunnel. Please pass on the news! Dana and Cartier

I'm so sorry that you've had an unbelievable amount of loss and personal pain in a very short period of time. Your courage and willpower are amazing, and in the face of all this loss, you're giving so much of your self to your mom, to Boo Boo. I really believe that bringing home ashes makes it so painfully real. But I also believe that Boo Boo's essence will never leave you. The ashes are her physical remains, but her soul is forever meshed with yours, and will never leave you, nor will your Mom's.

That's an understatement! How wonderful to hear that he continues to feel better and heal. I hope your upcoming summer is peaceful and very uneventful! I hope you're able to get to the source of his facial palsy and visual impairment. For a boy with a lot of medical baggage, Manny doesn't let anything hold him back.

Smells like feet?!? I never noticed that! This is what my holistic vet recommended to prevent ear infections: Vet's Best She suggested using the wash and dry together. I didn't use it only because Dandi was getting downright nasty if anyone came near his ears.

It sounds as if some type of allergy (especially food) is causing recurrent infections. But I wonder if it's truly ear infections as opposed to a chronic dermatitis from scratching. If the vet hasn't already cultured inside the ear, that should be done, so the presence of yeast or bacteria can be proven. And I'd think seriously about trying the pup on a novel protein, such as duck, venison, etc. - one of the diets designed for dogs with food allergies, and with only one protein source and one carb. Or, perhaps feeding raw?!? If the vet says that it is indeed a recurrent yeast infection, in addition to the diet change, oral ketoconazole can work very well. Dandi had recurrent, very painful ear infections that were not improving with drops (and putting drops into his ears was traumatic for everyone). A 2-week course of ketoconazole completely cured the infection, and it has not returned.

Sarah... Everything you described could have come from my own heart, and my own experience. I know too well how frightening it can be when you're the only one there for the hounds. We feel so vulnerable and alone at times. And there's the ever-present worry about how we'll be able to manage if something happens and we have to move one of our pups quickly. First, let me say that I LOVE LOVE LOVE Tuna, and am thinking of driving down right now to dognap her. Looking at that loving, gentle face, I don't see a dog who's lost her dignity. I see a beautiful face of a dog who's come to adapt to her limitations, and still gets enjoyment from eating, lying in the sun, and standing (even if only for a few moments) to eat her supper. These old ladies really are stubborn, aren't they? But this is what preserves their dignity. When she no longer wants to battle her handicaps, you'll see it in her eyes. Is it possible to create a bolster around the bed so she doesn't slip out? You can even prop up a bunch of pillow, and that should work fine. Do you use the washable incontinence pads? That would keep her bedding dry, and she might also use the pads if one or two are left on the floor. I'm happy to send some down to you, if you'd like. I was told about a vet in the Wilmington area who makes housecalls (or who is a mobile vet). If you want more info, I'll get it for you. It would be much easier for you to have someone who will come to you, especially when you know it's time for Tuna to make her journey. Please PM or call me if I can do anything at all... Jordan

I would certainly include seizure disorder within the differential. Could also be a metabolic disorder - hypoglycemia, liver dysfunction, hypothyroidism, etc. I'd also consider TIAs. At minimum, vet should be getting a full fasting profile (CBC, lytes, LFTs, renal function, complete Michigan State thyroid panel, urinalysis). Would be sure the vet gets a few blood pressure readings, and does a thorough neuro exam (or refers her to a neurologist). She should also have a careful fundiscopic exam (can be helpful in diagnosing high blood pressure, stroke). Either her own vet or a neurologist can do that. That's where I'd start at least. If nothing metabolic is showing up, I'd explore the neuro possibilities, with a referral to neuro, and as per the neurologist, some type of brain imagine (CT or MRI). I'd also recommend they keep a log of when these episodes occur, if they're related to eating (or not eating), activity when the episodes occur, and anything else they can think of that might be important. PS - I'd ask the vet if the owners should begin giving the pup a small dose of aspirin daily.