Hello! So I will do my best to explain everything … yes I diagnose fever at home which usually comes on in the evening. The first fever episode happened a few days after the arrival of a new puppy. Second happy when I went on holiday and leaving him for the first time in 4yrs. He is also living my new boyfriend, and this is a first for him. He doesn’t love it, but is a very good boy and tries his best to be happy about it. He lost his best friend at the end of 2022, she was 19yrs old and they had never been separated. We then moved house and boyfriend moved in in February 2023, puppy arrived April 2023. So he had a lot of environmental stresses to deal with. I have also considered this being stress related. He has spiked during arguments between my partner and I and during a vet visit for my other dog. It was an emergency situation and although Golly didn’t come in could most definitely sense the stress. His episodes begin with trembling, licking of paws/legs then panting and trembling. He’s had mild diarrhoea the following morning, has never been sick.
My gut feeling is this is either stress related or pain. I can’t quite put my finger on it. The bloods revealing a high CK, ALT and CRP would that be more suggestive of something other than stress? These levels not during a spike are completely normal and show no inflammation or damage anywhere in his body. Can stress cause these levels to increase maybe?
I have asked vets about using a broad spectrum antibiotic and they have said they could but aren’t sure it’s necessary. His limping is pretty consistent and only worse if he’s had a particularly hard day. He is a farm dog, lives inside at night but spends the majority of his day outside doing as he pleases. He doesn’t have any difficulty moving head or neck. Lymph nodes don’t swell or become hot to touch. He hasn’t had X-rays on legs or toes, I have asked vets about this over and over again and they said if he has osteo or cancer in his limbs he would almost certainly be on deaths door by now and wouldn’t be going months without a spike? I have since asked our equine vet to image his legs next time they visit to save another vet trip and GA and they are happy to do this. He doesn’t appear to have any pain in his legs. To me he looks sore over back and SI.
He has had pretty much every type of blood test bless him, and a chest & abdominal CT other than the slipped disc and a 7mm cyst they and the radiologist didn’t see anything. He has a fecal and two urinalysis and blood culture. Vets have not explained the difference between the two types of fever. I have emailed Dr Cuoto and he’s replied and the ball in rolling there! My vets are saying they are now looking for some pretty rare things if anything at all
Day to day he’s brilliant, eats well, great coat and weight. Slight exercise intolerance but overall brilliant for his age. Something is telling me he’s sore behind or stressed. Just wish I knew! Equine vet can also xray him while stood up and awake. I’d quite like to do this as he was on his back for CT.
Thankyou so much for your comment, maybe I’ve mentioned something that stands out to you. One thing I have noticed is he’s less discrete going for a poop and he can do half a poop or a small amount before trotting off and then continuing to go else where. The problem is this has now been going on so long I am over analysing everything and a lot of his behaviour he could have been doing his whole life without me noticing. He doesn’t enjoy having the top of his bottom scratched as much these days and can run with his hind legs like a horse would with SI issues and look like he’s going to fall over on the bends bless him. His sheath can also be swollen after lying in certain positions but quickly returns to normal once he’s up.
Sorry for such an SA, hopefully we get an answer soon
