christinepi
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Posts posted by christinepi
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Tracker just go this blood test back a few days ago. He's 11. His creatinine is 1.5, SDMA is 11, and the urine specific gravity is 1.048. RBC, WBC, Globulin and Hemoglobin all normal for a Greyhound. His T4 is normal and he's on thyroid meds. But his platelets are 173 in a lab range of 80-150 (and from what I understand Greys should be lower than regular dogs), and here's what made me nearly faint: his Creatine Kinase is 841 (range 10-200)!
He's on 60mg of Galliprant per day.
Before I actually got the lab results in writing today, I only had a text from the vet a few days ago and she just said everything looked pretty good, which really blows my mind because so far she's been really good. I sent her a text and I'm waiting for a response. I'll also send this to Dr Couto and Hemopet.
But if anyone could chime until then, I'd greatly appreciate it.
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Thanks, this is helpful!
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Tracker is due for both rabies and a booster shot, I believe it's distemper (can't find the vet's postcard with the vaccines due). He's had an adverse reaction in the past when he got, I'm pretty sure (sorry, I know, this is all very vague), 3 vaccines at once. I don't want this to ever happen again. Do members think I should only have him vaccinated for one vaccine at a time and no more, period, or are two ok at the same time? If I should space them apart, how much time should I allow? A week? Two?
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Tracker will start on Doxepin shortly for his laryngeal paralysis. I know there are a few Greys who were or are on it for the same reason. My vet's prescribing 75mg 2xday. According to the internet, the maximum dose for humans per day is 150mg, but humans weigh ca twice as much as a Greyhound. But maybe this is what it takes? Would love your input before I start this.
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Poor Tracker.
Did Dr. Couto give you any idea how fast LP is likely to progress? Does this mean that the allergy diagnosis was wrong?I didn't ask, but I will. He started showing symptoms about a year ago, but there has been no progression. The frequency of cough/retches remains stable, which I'm very glad for. Hope it'll stay that way. He has confirmed allergies, but nobody can tell whether that's what causing the cough/retch. His larynx wasn't moving during inspection, so that would pretty much point to LP, and I guess the allergies aren't really bothering him. Who knows. I wipe him down with wet wipes after every walk now to get pollen off his fur (we're in a rural area with tons of grass and trees).
MP, that's so great to hear that things had gone well!
FiveRoooers, thanks for your wishes and good to hear acupuncture and the painkillers helped. I will try acupuncture on him asap.
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Btw, Dr Couto wrote this:
I strongly discourage Greyhound owners from pursuing surgical correction, since there are lots of complications. I have done it only in dogs where we had no other treatment options.
Of the forum members who had this procedure (uni/bilateral tie back) done to their dogs, what was your experience?
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I sent all the info to Dr Couto and he more or less concurrs it's laryngeal paralysis (early stage). He suggested I could do a CT scan and/or ultrasound, but apart from the cost not to mention physical/emotional stress for Tracker (all labs are far away) I just don't see the point. His symptoms are still so mild that he's perfectly comfortable. Should this change, we'll deal with it then. We likely will try Doxepin in the near future, but right now we're trying to figure out how to help him with his hind end weakness and arthritis in his thoracic spine. We put him on Galliprant, and will probably add Gabapentin soon, and that doesn't go well with Doxepin. Once we have his pain dialed in one way or another, we'll try Doxepin.
This is my first dog and the idea of his not being around eventually just makes me well up already.
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Tracker, dude, keep away from those feathers and mites!
I'll take allergies over the alternatives. I imagine that the retching could be caused by post-nasal drip irritating the poor guy's throat. I suffer from it and frequently develop a cough and a sore throat and even soreness in my nasal passages. I know, right? I just sent the vet a question re post nasal drip. Maybe he has a mild form of it.
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I finally got Tracker's allergy test results. He's allergic to a ton of environmental allergens, like "mixed feathers", alder, dust mites, eukalyptus, marsh elder, a bunch of grasses etc. May that explain his retching? I hope so. We were advised to wipe down his chin, belly, and paws after every walk with green tea wipes or diluted chlorhexidine. So we ordered green tea wipes online. Of course, the retching could still be totally unrelated to allergens. And dust mites--there in every house by the millions, can't do much about that. At least he's not allergic to our cat!!
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If both flaps in the larynx are not moving normally under light anesthesia, it could mean LP (paralysis of those cartilage flaps means the normal nerve-to-muscle control for opening and closing the larynx is lost or nearly lost. Article with drawing: http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2012/june/laryngeal_paralysis_common_cause_of_respiratory_difficulties_in_dogs-26124
Upon my first hound's test under light anesthesia, one flap appeared completely paralyzed; the other flap moved only to a partial degree. She was immediately medically required to stop running outside (no more Greyhound play dates, but my common sense halted her intense running anyway after her initial breathing distress was observed). Throughout life, she continued breathing smoothly during our regular shady, cool temperature, harness walks, or an occasional very brief indoor zoomie. Her breathing at rest remained smooth. She was not a candidate for tie-back surgery, but we managed her condition fairly easily for nearly a decade in our mild ocean influenced climate. I keep all our hounds far away from smoke (whether neighborhood fireplace, BBQ, cigarette, or wildfire smoke).
The vet wrote after the procedure: they sedated him prior to anesthesia for the laryngeal exam. and then: "we did give him an injection of Doxapram to stimulate respirations. I did not see any asymmetry of laryngeal movement nor any collapse of the structure of his larynx. However, the movement I did see was less than what I would have expected. Tracker, as an athlete, has a very large trachea and larynx. It is possible that his windpipe is so large that there is not enough pressure to demonstrate the full range of laryngeal movement needed when he is exercising." She concluded he doesn't have severe LP, but maybe is in the early stages.
You wrote "If both flaps in the larynx are not moving normally under light anesthesia, it could mean LP". Now Tracker WAS under anesthesia, and maybe that makes for a totally different medical situation, but what do you make of his larynx not moving?
Neal, Tracker seems to have more interest in grass now, too, although maybe I'm just being paranoid after reading your post... will watch carefully...
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3greatjoys: you wrote: I would ask vet to check her larynx movements whenever her next scheduled surgery occurs. What do you make of Tracker's lack of movements? That's something I don't get. The vet was really baffled by that.
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Neal,
I'm so sorry to hear this. Fingers crossed that Ned will recover. Thanks for letting me know about what arthritis drugs can do. Which drug was it? Tracker's not on anything yet, but I ordered Galliprant for him, because I read this:
A new arthritis drug for dogs called grapiprant (Galliprant®) is now available. Grapiprant works similarly to an NSAID but it targets just one specific pain receptor. Other NSAIDs also affect other similar receptors that are important to kidney health and the maintenance of the lining of the stomach, so those drugs have a higher risk for side effects to those organs. The FDA toxicity studies on grapiprant involved giving dogs 15 times the label dose with no fatalities or serious side effects. It should be a great choice for treating chronic pain in dogs who don’t tolerate other NSAIDs such as carprofen and deracoxib. Galliprant can be used off label for cats as well.
I'm hoping that'll lessen the risk for problems.
Question though: in Ned's case, did arthritis drugs come first, quite some time ago, which eventually triggered reflux, which caused his coughing/retching? Do I have the sequence correct?
All the best,
Christine
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I know.
I will send Dr Couto the video of Tracker's laryngoscopy and ask him what HE thinks this "huge larynx" is about. And whether he thinks we're looking at early LP or not. Or megaesophagus. Or something else entirely, like, nothing. I'll keep you posted.
I also sent a serum sample to Dr Dodds to see about environmental allergies, but haven't heard yet.
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You think they love you, but all they really want is food!
They're smart that way...
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Wow, thanks so much for all your replies. I think a picture is slowly emerging. I feel like trying an NSAID, either the tried and true, or Galliprant, and if I don't see any change, I could add the Gaba and use it with or without the NSAID. And throw in some acupuncture. I was glad Remolacha advised against chiropratic in case he has LS, because that was one thing I thought of trying. I did try PT over a year ago for months once a week and that did nothing. He loved it, though, because he was fed little bits of chicken by the assistant for 40 minutes.
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LaFlaca,
It appears, then, that Gaba is more like an alternative to NSAIDs if they're not tolerated. Gaba is not a harmless drug in and of itself, so I'm wondering whether I shouldn't go with the NSAID and see wgether Tracker tolerates it ok and then stick with it?
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OK, I feel much more inclined to give Tracker an NSAID now. One question remains: Wendy is on Gaba b/c she can't have NSAIDs, but what about, Conner, Remolacha? Why is he on Gaba rather than an anti-inflammatory? Is that always an option as an alternative or is Gaba only used in certain situations which may not apply in Tracker's case?
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My opinion:
Aging is a fact of life. There are things you can do to help keep it at bay for as long as possible, but eventually it's going to catch up with you. Just like with people, dogs get to the point where they need some help from medications to get through the day. Fish oil and other omega 3 supplements can help, but often they aren't enough. Keeping your aging dog active and at the proper weight is important, as is proper nutrition.
Some other alternative treatment you could try would be canine massage therapy, and acupucture. I've become a huge proponent of acupucture lately!
As far as nsaids go, they can really help with mild-to-moderate arthritis symptoms. Yes, some dogs can be sensitive to them, but on the whole they are safe and effective. Make sure you give them after eating on a strict schedule, and there shouldn't be any problems. Galliprant is a really new drug so I don't know if many people have tried it. The literature looks promising so it might be worth a shot.
Good luck.
That's reassuring. About the acupuncture: my vet's office offers it. I personally have never been helped by it, and don't really believe in it anyway, but, who knows? Has it really helped you or your dog? I thought about trying it on Tracker, but am currently on the fence about it...
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Tracker, who is now 10.5, started showing some hind end weakness a bit over a year ago. When he stands for a bit without moving, his legs start shaking. I took him to a PT for months. She said he felt better to her, but I never actually saw a difference (which doesn't mean he wasn't helped by her). I also tried laser therapy, no change. I stopped both therapies because I had to drive 45 minutes for them one way, Things have been stable since. Recently he needed a lung x-ray for something else and it was confirmed what the PT had said that there was mild arthritis in his thoracic spine and none in the hips, though his range of motion in the hips was declared not entirely as big as normal. His joints felt good.
Sooo... the vet wants him on Galliprant, which costs a fortune, and as an alternative on Rimadyl or Meloxicam. I'm not certain whether this is the right tack (the vet overall seems to be very drug happy). She had me start him on some fish oil supplement ca 4 weeks ago to help with inflammation. She said it might take 6-8 weeks for it to kick in. Right now I feel like at least waiting that long to see whether or not the oil does anything before putting him on an NSAID. The thing that makes it so hard to decide anything in regards to NSAIDs is: they can be bad in the long run (although I would have his liver checked regularly), but could one argue that since the NSAID would help with inflammation, it might slow down the arthritis in the long run, too, even if it perhaps doesn't even bother him that much right now, is that correct? What causes that leg trembling anyway (I always figured there's a problem in his hips, but that doesn't appear to be the case)?
He doesn't appear to be uncomfortable. He still hops into the car mostly completely normally and moves normally otherwise.
I'm not opposed to NSAIDs, but want to make an informed decision.
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Does anyone know how a vet would determine if the coughing and/or retching is allergy related? Wendy has a follow-up appointment in 3 weeks and I'd like to discuss the possibility of allergies. She actually just now retched seemingly out of the blue.
LP was discussed with the vet. She does not think that this is what's happening as Wendy is still able to easily run laps without experiencing any breathing difficulties.
The only thing I can think of is doing an allergy test and then perhaps treating with some drug, maybe antihistamine, and seeing whether symptoms go away? I had a serum sample sent to Hemopet today, and the test is for environmental allergies (Spectrum serum testing for inhalant and contact allergens). Sorry I can't be of help here.
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Peggy does that occasionally in the early summer, so i think it's pollen-related making thicker mucus. A Bordatella retch is much deeper usually and sometimes they'll froth after exercize then. You are right to report it and keep a very close eye. Is the heart working OK still?
All the vitals are normal, incl. all blood work.
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No I haven't. After going through it with extensively with Kasey, I'm not sure I'm ready to head down that path all over again..... To be fair though, I really don't think it could be allergies. What is it that leads you believe that is the potential in your case?
I wrote Dr Dodds and described the symptoms. She suggested allergies, since the symptoms are so intermittent.
Yikes! This sounds exactly what I just went through with Wendy. She'd been doing the cough-cough-gag thing for a couple of months. Exactly what Bordatella sounds like. Also some hoarseness when she barked. X-rays of neck, throat, larynx , pharynx all normal. Labs, all normal. Last week, she spiked a 106F temperature and spent 3 days in the hospital. We truly thought that Wendy would not survive. Thank God and our wonderful vet, she's fine now but we still don't know what happened; all tests were normal! I know this is no help to you except to know that you and your pup are not alone in going through something like this. Keep an eye out for fever. The vet thinks that Wendy was probably feverish for several days before reaching a critical temp. I now have a dog-only digital thermometer! Best of luck with Tracker.
How strange, but I'm glad Wendy is fine now.
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Here's what a vet I found on Mr Google said:
Also, there have been some exciting anecdotal reports of a human tricyclic antidepressant being used to effectively treat laryngeal paralysis in dogs! This drug is called doxepin (trade name Sinequan in the USA but there is also a generic version available. The generic is available as 10, 25, 50, 75, 100, 150mg pills).
There have been no controlled studies on the use of this drug to treat laryngeal paralysis, but a US veterinarian who put a dog (who had LP) on this drug for another reason found that there was dramatic improvement of the LP,
Many other vets have since tried it and results have been encouraging.
With the small numbers of dogs this has been used on for this purpose, it seems that their response largely depends on the severity of laryngeal paralysis.
If there is total paralysis, then there are no medications that will help. If, however, it is partial paralysis, then often doxepin can be helpful. The dose being used in a large dog is 50-100mg given twice to three times daily. It can cause drowsiness in the first couple of weeks.
So not a real answer, but it has been used successsfully. We don't really know how anti-depressants work in the first place, especially with dogs, so new uses are always being uncovered.
That's really helpful, thank you! I forwarded this to my vet. I'm still hoping that the allergy test reveals some allergy to some pollen or something, but if that's all negative, I'm hoping the vet will let me try Doxepin.
Interesting findings. I'm going to keep watching this thread.
Ryder acts like this sometimes too, no excessive panting, but gags/retches intermittently. His lungs are clear as per his last annual visit, but every now and again, especially when eating a human snack for some reason, he often gags and coughs as if whatever size piece it is seems to always get stuck in his throat. Seemingly like his throat opening is just too small now for whatever reason.
Did you test for allergies?
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Have your vet try him on Doxepin even though you don't have a definitive diagnosis for LP. This was suggested for my senior Percy by JJNg, who added that the sooner you started on it the better it worked. Percy did not have any testing for LP but the Doxepin worked within days. If we missed a dose the symptoms returned.
Can't hurt to give it a try on Tracker.
Doxepin is an antidepressant--what does it do to help with LP? Does it relax the body?
Did Dr. Couto give you any idea how fast LP is likely to progress? Does this mean that the allergy diagnosis was wrong?
I'll take allergies over the alternatives. I imagine that the retching could be caused by post-nasal drip irritating the poor guy's throat. I suffer from it and frequently develop a cough and a sore throat and even soreness in my nasal passages. 
Sky High Creatine Kinase
in Health and Medical discussion
Posted
He wasn't nervous or shaking, since the vet came to our home, and he's a mellow guy, though he certainly wasn't thrilled with the whole thing; but it's good to hear that CK can go up and come down quickly. Might there be anything else (no idea what, just thinking out loud) that could bring on such variation (if indeed it's just that)?