Bailey's In Trouble

[Guest Greytminds]

Has your dog been tested for seizures. Lucky had some similar issues before his meds where regulated his hind legs would also loose strength. He has been on a home cooked diet of rice, chicken, and carrot with a teaspoon of CALL OF THE WILD food suppliment twice a day in his food. This appears to have given him extra nutrients that his body needed.

While he is not a runner he jogs around the house and yard now. Good Luck and hope you get the answers soon. I know your hound is late in life to develop seizures but who knows.

 

Paul

[sweetdogs]

I bought a wearable sling for Phoenix, my senior with wobbly legs from Carol Beck in Florida, and it works great for helping a hound walk.

Here is a link to Carol Becker from the NCGS site.

[Guest WCorder]

Has your dog been tested for seizures. Lucky had some similar issues before his meds where regulated his hind legs would also loose strength. He has been on a home cooked diet of rice, chicken, and carrot with a teaspoon of CALL OF THE WILD food suppliment twice a day in his food. This appears to have given him extra nutrients that his body needed.

While he is not a runner he jogs around the house and yard now. Good Luck and hope you get the answers soon. I know your hound is late in life to develop seizures but who knows.

 

Paul

 

Bailey had seizure's when she was much younger. There's no evidence of seizures at all right now.

[Guest WCorder]

Poor Bailey. What a nightmare your sweetheart is going through. Just a note, after Bueller got attacked by the Mastiff, he was taking the Tramadol for pain and he absolutely would NOT eat anything but some boiled chicken I made for him. And I had to feed him mini meals throughout the day and night otherwise he would wake up retching and trying to puke. Even though the vet insisted that the Tramadol wouldn't make him sick to his stomach, I knew better. He was like this for the whole week and a half he was on the Tram. The very next day after taking Bueller off the Tram, he started eating again. Took him a couple days to get back to his normal amount though. I'm wondering if the meds are making him Bailey not hungry or upsetting his stomach. I will keep your precious Bailey in my thoughts and prayers. I truly hope they figure out what's making your poor baby sick and get her well pronto! Tiger, Bueller and Domino are sending Bailey lots of healing doggie kisses.

Well, the not eating began before the Tramadol. Doc said to take her off either the tramadol or the robaxin because she was over sedated. I chose to discontinue the Tramadol. Someone on here clued me into it causing tremors, and I really do feel the tremors were worse after she started that. There's some good news, she still has some tremors, but it's obviously less severe and not constant. I think that was 'cause of the Tramadol.

 

Thank you!

V.

 

I will get the article to you somehow, V. Hang in there.

 

Marcia in SC

Thanks Marcia. We don't really have a deck at the top of the stairs. There's decking that goes around the sun room, but it's just the width of a hallway. I just wanted you to know that, in case it makes looking for the story a moot point.

 

Thank you!

V.

 

I bought a wearable sling for Phoenix, my senior with wobbly legs from Carol Beck in Florida, and it works great for helping a hound walk.

Here is a link to Carol Becker from the NCGS site.

That looks great! I may order that this weekend.

 

Thank you!

V.

[Guest MZH]

V, I've emailed the indoor potty instructions to you. You'll be pleased at how easy this will be to construct!

 

Marcia

[Guest MZH]

PS. You still have room for the potty even with the narrow decking; you can make it any size. The suggested size is only 3 x 4 so it would likely fit just fine up there. It would work very well in the sun room too. Come to think of it, it would keep rain off it if it were inside. Nothing like soggy litter.

 

Marcia

Edited May 23, 2008 by MZH

[Guest WCorder]

... I discovered that Tramadol can indeed cause tremors. I discontinued it and the trembling decreased greatly within hours and stopped shortly thereafter. I discussed this with both the neurologist & his regular vet - neither had seen trembling as a side effect from Tramadol, but I am convinced that it was the cause. . . .

 

Hugs,

 

Stef & the silly 7

I think you're right. Although the trembling started before her visit to the criticare unit - it was much worse afterward, and now that we've stopped it, it's better. It's not gone, but it's better.

 

Thank you!

[Guest WCorder]

How can I get her to drink? She's never been one to accept eating or drinking when laying down. Doc says she's dehydrated. I can force the food down her throat, which she *asks* for, but I can't exactly shove a garden hose down her throat! She'd drown! I think she's feeling a little better. I think it's the food. Although it could be the change in meds, we were giving her Tramadol - discontinued - 500 mg Roboxan, three times a day, now it's 250 mg twice or three times a day, we tapering off the prenisone, and she's getting doxycycline. And she had accupuncture on Wednesday. So, if she's feeling better, I don't know why. And I'm not sure she's feeling better. Still won't eat or get up by herself, and my back is still killing me.

[iluvgreys]

How can I get her to drink? She's never been one to accept eating or drinking when laying down.

Have you tried low sodium chicken broth, or make your own sodium-free by just boiling chicken? She also might drink vanilla flavored Ensure or Boost. You can also inject water/broth with a food syringe between the teeth to get her fluids. I don't like to inject down the throat as it's too easy for fluids to be aspirated into the lungs.

[Remolacha]

Poor Baily! I have just read through all this (so I don't repeat). I had a lot of trouble getting my Sugar to eat last fall when she was having spinal issues. She would usually drink a vanilla Ensure. Not the best nutrition, but it got some liquids and some calories in her. The acupuncture will take some time (at least a few treatments) to show results, but it should help the pain, and it helped Sugar's appetite as well. I know how your back feels, I did my share of carrying her up and down the steps

 

I hope she starts to feel better!

[Guest WCorder]

well. . . today sucked. yesterday, things were looking up. Then she threw up. And today, she got up this morning, very stiff, very disoriented. I took her . . . excuse me, carried her, outside (steps, you know?) put her down, and she stumbled down to the back door and into a stored arbor that leads to a catastrophe of junk under the sun room. She was stuck.

 

It was twenty-nine years ago, the only time I had a dog put down. And the point of no return was when she got stuck in a ladder. So, I was very upset. She's going downhill so incredibly fast. And Bailey's only just turned 12. Tippy was 19!

 

I had altered her diet. Previously the force food was 1/3c cold water, 1 envelope gelatin, 1/3 c hot water, and two cans of Mighty Dog Prime Cuts. But her poop has gotten so soft that I wanted to start introducing her regular food - which is Iams Mini-chunks.

 

(In hind sight, this eating issue has been a long time in coming. Originally, it was two cups of Iams, twice a day, with a touch of water on it. Numerous times, we've had to add chicken or cottage cheese. . .But, we started making her food with half a can of Mighty Dog. . . and by the time she stopped eating this year I was just putting down one can of mighty dog. So, . . .)

 

I added a half cup of Iams to the force feed. Now, Doc had said if she started vomiting; discontinue the Doxycycline immediately. I didn't. I thought it could have been due to the density of the force food. Stay with me here.

 

At 9am, I gave her the pill and force fed two portions of the eight she takes daily. At 12, I fed her again. My DH had said it was my fauld she had thrown up because I fed her too much. So, I was doing two 'servings' at a time. She threw up twenty minutes later. Half of the food, or all of it, I don't know. And we succeeded in getting it all on a pee pad.

 

Then, not terribly longer, before we had to go out to welcome some troops home at a nice party for one of DH cousins, an honor, I took her outside. And she still was acting disoriented, but actually happy, scratch that, interested perhaps in being outside. She walked over to this hill of mulch we have. Stopped and looked around, sniffed the air, and shook herself until she fell hard, chin first into the ground.

 

I ran and picked her up. I lost it and cried . . . and cried . . .delayed going to the party . . .

 

When we got back I found that she had: A) peed on the carpet. pooped on her bed and C) thrown up on her bed, and possibly ate it, or it was just bile. I don't know.

 

Now, I've offered her vanilla insure . . . no interest. Forced half a pepcid, and I'm about to force feed her . . . because "DH" thinks that she wouldn't have eaten her vomit since she won't eat anything . . . and he has a point. So, I'm about to force feed half a serving. 1/16 of her daily input.

 

Do you believe in miracles? Help me remember why.

 

Thank you.

V.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[robinw]

both you and bailey are in my thoughts...

[Guest LovesDoggies]

What state are you in? How much prednisone is she on?

 

I am so sorry for what you and Bailey are going through. I hope her miracle comes soon.

 

I don't know whether Bailey has GME. I don't know about the neck spasms and the not eating. Brcue had neither of these. He did have gradually increasing weakness in his hind quarters. The prednisone corrected it in a few days every time his symptoms came back. He is only 2. I'm sure these disorders present themselves in many different ways.

 

I would see if your neurologist would send her records to Dr. Sisson at the Angell Memorial Hospital in Boston. He consults with other neuros and regular vets too. I don't think all vets are necessarily game to do so, though.

 

You should join this group also: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/NewGMEDogs/

 

They have a lot more experience with GME than I do and many folks on there will be happy to help you.

 

So sorry for Baily and for you. She is a very pretty girl.

Edited May 26, 2008 by LovesDoggies

[Guest WCorder]

 

 

[Aerosmom]

What state are you in? How much prednisone is she on?

 

I am so sorry for what you and Bailey are going through. I hope her miracle comes soon.

 

I don't know whether Bailey has GME. I don't know about the neck spasms and the not eating. Brcue had neither of these. He did have gradually increasing weakness in his hind quarters. The prednisone corrected it in a few days every time his symptoms came back. He is only 2. I'm sure these disorders present themselves in many different ways.

 

I would see if your neurologist would send her records to Dr. Sisson at the Angell Memorial Hospital in Boston. He consults with other neuros and regular vets too. I don't think all vets are necessarily game to do so, though.

 

You should join this group also: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/NewGMEDogs/

 

They have a lot more experience with GME than I do and many folks on there will be happy to help you.

 

So sorry for Baily and for you. She is a very pretty girl.

 

I recommend Angell Memorial too. I went through a lot with my Cricket, but she was only 4 1/2 at the onset. After reading your posts and watching the videos of Bailey, it looks like she is in a lot of pain. Poor sweetie! It must be so hard for you to watch this and not know how to help her. I would encourage your vet to look for answers or to consult with someone. Your girl looks very distressed.

 

3greys2cats had her Sara successfully treated for GME -- you might want to check for her posts and I'm sure if you sent her a message she'd respond. I'm not sure what is going on with Bailey, but what is worrisome is the rapid weight loss and lack of appetite -- Prednisone should make her drink and eat indiscrimately.

 

Here's a link to a post she made about Sara. Hopefully she will see your topic too.

http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php?showtopic=165921&hl=

 

 

Sending many hugs to you and Bailey. It is so hard watching them and not being able to find a solution. I hope that your neurologist can help her.

 

 

[Guest argolola]

Checking in for a pupdate.

[Guest WCorder]

We had some bad days and a good day this weekend. Monday was better and we decided to resume the doxycycline and force feed her less food more often. She notably lifted her head and got up to wander more often. Still, Sunday was bad and we considered restarting her prednisone. Right now we think we're going to stick with the doxycycline, continue to taper off the prenisone, and I'm giving her Robaxin less often. The robaxin sedates her; I didn't want to sedate her right when I got home from work on Friday - so I decided to just give her one or two doses a day rather than three. She really seemed to be in less pain yesterday - even though Sunday was so bad.

 

When she picks up food to eat it, it falls out of her mouth when she chews. When I force feed her, and I don't get it all the way down, it seems she tries to chew it, but it all falls out. And it's not like she doesn't want it. I've found that if I tilt her head back with her mouth straight up, she continues to chew the food and succeeds in swallowing.

 

Right now, I'm trying to come to terms with my intention not to have a spinal tap. If she has the GME meningitis and not a tick borne disease, then I'm going to do my best to manage with a plan to put her down sometime. Unbelievable.

 

She goes back to the acupuncturist today, and I'll have a conversation with her neurologist today too. She said if the doxycycline was going to work, we'd see improvement within five days and we think we have. I hope it's a TBD, because I won't put her through the spinal tap or additional hospital stays.

 

The care of her right now is stressful mostly because it takes so much time. But it's not terribly hard. She gratefully accepts the force food, and we do our best to monitor her movement because every time she makes the effort to stand, it's to pee. And she pees immediately. So when she starts to get up, we have to grab her and carry her outside, where she just stands around annoyed at the sky. Eventually she'll take care of business, be we spend a lot of time standing around. This goes on through the night too. That is exhausting.

 

But yesterday was very good. She was up a lot and alert. She even stepped away from her worn path in the back yard and didn't seem afraid to be out. I even sent DH to take her on a short walk in the evening, but he didn't manage to get her too far. He said she would take about five steps, and just stop and look around.

 

Here's a couple of pictures of her this weekend. It's been a long time since she would lift her head up, and she did it freely.

 

 

[Guest MZH]

She is so pretty and looks good! I keep wondering what condition would make the food keep falling out of her mouth. Stroke? Maybe she's recovering from it. (Praying, praying.)

 

Marcia in SC

[Guest ss556]

I think she looks soo much better. I hope you can get a handle on this - whatever it is and she continues to improve. She is a beautiful girl. Continued prayers.

[Burpdog]

Re TBD: make sure the doxy is at the correct dose for 8 weeks (5mg per # of body weight twice a day) and get her stomach meds if she is barfing and doesn't want to eat! Carafate will help a lot.

[Guest argolola]

She is so beautiful.

[Remolacha]

I hope she continues to improve! It's a lot of work, but if it makes her feel better, so worth it!

[Guest LovesDoggies]

We had some bad days and a good day this weekend. Monday was better and we decided to resume the doxycycline and force feed her less food more often. She notably lifted her head and got up to wander more often. Still, Sunday was bad and we considered restarting her prednisone. Right now we think we're going to stick with the doxycycline, continue to taper off the prenisone, and I'm giving her Robaxin less often. The robaxin sedates her; I didn't want to sedate her right when I got home from work on Friday - so I decided to just give her one or two doses a day rather than three. She really seemed to be in less pain yesterday - even though Sunday was so bad.

 

When she picks up food to eat it, it falls out of her mouth when she chews. When I force feed her, and I don't get it all the way down, it seems she tries to chew it, but it all falls out. And it's not like she doesn't want it. I've found that if I tilt her head back with her mouth straight up, she continues to chew the food and succeeds in swallowing.

 

Right now, I'm trying to come to terms with my intention not to have a spinal tap. If she has the GME meningitis and not a tick borne disease, then I'm going to do my best to manage with a plan to put her down sometime. Unbelievable.

 

She goes back to the acupuncturist today, and I'll have a conversation with her neurologist today too. She said if the doxycycline was going to work, we'd see improvement within five days and we think we have. I hope it's a TBD, because I won't put her through the spinal tap or additional hospital stays.

 

The care of her right now is stressful mostly because it takes so much time. But it's not terribly hard. She gratefully accepts the force food, and we do our best to monitor her movement because every time she makes the effort to stand, it's to pee. And she pees immediately. So when she starts to get up, we have to grab her and carry her outside, where she just stands around annoyed at the sky. Eventually she'll take care of business, be we spend a lot of time standing around. This goes on through the night too. That is exhausting.

 

But yesterday was very good. She was up a lot and alert. She even stepped away from her worn path in the back yard and didn't seem afraid to be out. I even sent DH to take her on a short walk in the evening, but he didn't manage to get her too far. He said she would take about five steps, and just stop and look around.

 

Here's a couple of pictures of her this weekend. It's been a long time since she would lift her head up, and she did it freely.

 

 

She is such a pretty girl. How did she do today? Did the acupuncture help? Were you able to talk to your neurologist? I hope she is doing better.

[Guest EmilyAnne]

I haven't been posting here cause I don't have as much knowledge and ideas as the others, but know that you and Bailey are still very much in our thoughts and prayers.

[Guest WCorder]

Yesterday was not so good. The acupuncture was at 6:15. It seems to me that she was very unstable afterward, I mean I'm not sure if she was as unstable prior to it. But she may have been. I managed to get home at lunch time to force feed her, and I gave her a Roboxan then because she had some tremors. I think that I'm not going to give that to her for a while because it might be the reason that she was so unstable.

 

When I took Bailey to the vet on 5/5 and was still crying because she had lost ten lbs., the vet looked at me, sadly nodding, and said ". . . you know." "yes" I nodded.

 

I think DH knows now too.

 

Today she'll get only the doxycycline. We're going to make a chart so we can record medications, progress, and regressions - because we can't tell. Is she getting better? Is she going too?

 

If I have too, do I want her euthanized in my home, in her home? If it comes to that, when? By what standard? Pain? Impossibility of managing continuous incontinence? When it's too dangerous to leave her alone for fear that she'll fall and get hurt?