Sudden Onset Of Extreme Hind End Weekness

[DesertFox]

Update:

The meds are working. He still has issues gettig up on his own, but once underway he seems fairly stable.

Added bonus, the Pred has increased his appetite (which has NEVER been good).

I think my boy is on the mend!

GREYTALKERS ROCK!

[Guest Spencers_Greyt]

Thanks for all the responses! I got maybe 2 hours of sleep last night and headed to work thinking it may be the last time i saw my best buddy.

DH and I had already talked and if was the C word, amputation of a hing leg on dog pushing 11 y/o with arthritis in both hind legs wasn't a realistic idea.

Happliy the x-rays were clear on both hind legs and spine The vet thinks he somehow got knocked over or bumped into something the wrong way so there's inflamation in the spine. Dumbed down for my education It means apparently he can't really feel one of his back legs at the moment. He's been put on Predisone 2x's a day for 5 days and then once a day for another 10.

We were also given the number to a neurologist if he doesn't show improvement in a few days, I am somewhat amazed she didn't push a MRI

Donna,

Thanks for the number I'm going to give him a few days to see how things go but acupuncture is something that did cross my mind once i found out what the issue appeared to be.

Jen,

I'm going t look up Dr. Stack's work. while LS was not mentioned by the vet, would that be something that would show on an X-ray or do you need a MRI for that?

Once again thanks everyone!

 

That's great news! I'm very happy for you! Acupuncture does help so keep it in the back of your mind if something like happens again. Anything I can do to help let me know!

 

Donna

 

 

 

glad to hear it wasn't "C"! Sugar developed severe back end weakness, seeming overnight at almost 12. She'd had arthritis for a few years, too. It was a spinal problem, not LS, but the symptoms were similar. She had a course of pred, and we upped, then later changed, her pain meds. She got better, then had a relapse, same treatment. What ultimately helped get her back to normal was acupuncture. I can't recommend it enough! I used at different Dr that Spencer's mom, I can give you her number if you need it (she's at 27th Ave & Glendale) Smiley

 

I'm glad there's someone in your area for acupuncture. I swear I looked everywhere and only found the vet on 32nd St. & Shea but that's more convenient for me anyway. I swear by acupuncture!!

[Hubcitypam]

All you need to diagnose LS is a *free* test with two thumbs. I've seen it done on dogs with and without it. The difference is pretty amazing.

Edited December 30, 2008 by Hubcitypam

[MandysMom]

Update:

The meds are working. He still has issues gettig up on his own, but once underway he seems fairly stable.

Added bonus, the Pred has increased his appetite (which has NEVER been good).

I think my boy is on the mend!

GREYTALKERS ROCK!

 

 

I'm so glad to read that your sweet boy is doing better!!

[Guest Greensleeves]

Happy to hear that it's not "the C-word!"

 

I did want to mention, though--like you said in your first post, my old guy had LS, and he would get HUNGRY whenever he'd have a flare-up with it! It was the weirdest thing. He normally had a terrible appetite, and the least little thing out of the ordinary would put him off his food. It was truly bizarre to watch him struggling to stand, his legs slipping out from under him, *completely oblivious* as he wolfed down his food!

 

(Prednisone was also a happy, happy drug in our household. )

Edited December 31, 2008 by Greensleeves

[DesertFox]

Setback: This morning both hind legs are swollen. He seems very tired and shows little interest in anything. I got him to drink some water. H doesn't want ot use his back end at all. We're towel walking him at the moment to get him outside to pee, and then DH and I gently pick him up to lay him down, as once "standing" he can't seem to get down on his own.

Somehow I have a feeling this isnt' a good sign.

Not how I wanted to start 2009

[Batmom]

Sending prayers for your boy.

[Remolacha]

[DesertFox]

We iced his legs for @ 15 minutes, after a lot of inspection his "bad" leg is the swollen one and the hock on the good one is swollen.

Until the vet opens tomorrow AM we going to treat this as an injury rather than something else.

The good news, the ice helped. His hock is looking almost normal, but the skin is purple (bruised I assume). The ice also helped bring down the swelling in his other leg. We saw a little difference right after we took the ice packs off, then we went out for 2 hours and came back to the legs looking quite a bit better. He is currently being iced again. If he were a horse I'd be giving him Phenylbutazone, but I'm out of my league with a dog. I've never seen anything like this. He fianlly flinched when I was touching his bad leg just before I started the 2nd round of ice. It's the first time he's acted like he's noticed me touching that leg in since this all began, I am taking that as a good sign.

The bad news is he's not really intrested in food. We wound up cooking some hamburger with a diced up slice of bacon (for added smell) and he finally ate that. I know it's probably not the best thing in the world for him, but he's lost 6 pounds in 3 weeks, so eating something is beter than eating nothing. We'll be trying boiled chicken and rice for dinner.

[Batmom]

Hamburger is great for him! Might want to drain some of the fat off but it's good food for dogs.

 

Sending more hugs and prayers.

[Guest RooCroo]

THANK GOD!!!! I hate cancer with a passion, and I'm SO GLAD your boy doesn't have it. I've heard good things about acupuncture and homeopathic medicine in cases like yours.

 

Sorry to hear about the setback, though. I hope it's only an injury.

 

Sending prayers for quick improvement.

Edited January 1, 2009 by RooCroo

[DesertFox]

For those still reading this saga thanks (it keeps me calm writing about it);

I iced the legs approx. every 2 hours for 15- 20 minutes a session. By the evening, DH and I could see some improvment. His attitude was improving too. He was alert and when we took him outside for business he would try to walk on his own once outside (we didn't let him take more than a step or two). He was picky about dinner, turning his nose up at his normal food, so we boiled a chicken quarter and I served it to him bit by bit.

This morning he's really awake, and I even got a tail wag for the first time in days, still a little picky about food. Setteld for more cooked hamburger and a hotdog. At this point whatever he'll eat is OK with me. I iced his legs at 5am they looked painful as I didn't get up in th middle of the ngiht to do it. Just iced them again at 8:30, they look a ton better!

We'll be going to the vet shortly, but I think he just injured himself trying to walk without us rather than anything more sinister.

Thanks for reading, this week has been an emotional rollercoaster for me, DH and Smiley too.

[DesertFox]

The swelling is back and getting worse moving up his belly. The vet is still waiting on blood test results to compare the to a full panel including tick fever and Valley fever that was done three weeks ago when Smiley had a nasty cough (those results were pretty good), but he thinks the swelling is related to a blood autoimmune disorder, and the cough he had (it went away) the hind end lameness and the swelling are all symptoms of it and possibly something more serious. He found so suspicious white spots on the chest x-ray he took. We've been referred to a specialist he want's us to go have an ultrasound done.

The bad new is that there really isn't anything good that can come of it.

Currently he seems comfortable and has even walked a bit on his own. He's doing his business outside and help us get him moving, he does seem really tired

DH and I have decided to wait and see the test results, but this are not looking good at the moment.

So now I wonder when enough is enough, I'm not a quitter, but Smiley puts the spark on for me when I walk into the room but doesn't do much for DH. If you include the vet $$ for the cough I'm well over $1,000 in vet bills for the last 30 days and have 0 in the way of answers. Do I put him through more tests? There's only 2 ways those tests can go1) cancer or something equally bad and fatal or 2) no obivious answer which leaves me at square one.

I'm getting a bit jaded by vets that love to use clinical terms so I can ask "ok so in english what does this mean and what can we do?", and the referrals to "partner specilists vets" at insert name here places (2 in 5 days). It's not really the $$ it the fact that I think they KNOW, what's going on but would rather not be the ones to say "well this is it, I'm sorry".

This sucks

Thank you to anyone who's read this. I think I need a hug.

 

[Batmom]

{{{{{{{{{{Valerie}}}}}}}}}}

 

I don't have any answers either, just lots of hugs.

[DesertFox]

Thank you Batmom.. I needed that... it's nice to know someone who's never met me can take a moment for some kindness.

The vet called with the blood results apparently Smiley is borderline anemic which is a big change from 3 weeks ago when his red cell count was slightly higher than the norm (but still with in "acceptable" standards). No other major changes were evident.

They have doubled his predizone dosage and he's going on antibiotics tomorrow morning. He's going to get a mobile ultrasound in on Monday.

I give the vet some credit for caring. The office closed at 7PM he called us after 8PM.

Smiley got his 8PM ice packs, then got up went and out to do his business for the night. He then walked himself to the pantry and demanded his nightly greenie a ritual that has been going on since I adopted him over 4 years ago. This is the first time in a week he's even had an interest in that. After that he walked to the baby gate wanting to go upstairs to our room. I had to burst his bubble on that one so he walked to a dog bed and waited for me to help him lay down. Greenie was enjoyed and he has settle down with his gaurd kitten for the night.

He's trying, I hope it means there's a ray of hope.

 

[Guest vahoundlover]

Oh gosh, I was hoping to check back in and see Smiley was doing great. I am so sorry you are going through this. I was just thinking TBD, glad your vet is testing for it. sending lots of prayers you get some answers soon. Hang in there Smiley! You can also do a search here and you will come up with quite a few threads on TBD.

 

This is called the Tick list, you and your vet may find it helpful

http://saluqi.home.netcom.com/ticklinks.htm

[Guest jerrybird]

How is Smiley this morning? I hope all of you had a good nights sleep. We're sending hugs and positive thoughts to you!

[Neighsayer]

Hope the night was quiet. How is he doing today? Hoping for some good news!

[DesertFox]

Smiley, slept good last night. He let us help him get up and go out to do his business. He was feeling very independent he walked arund the yard a bit and even went back in the door on his own. The swelling has receded back off his belly and the leg that was swollen the worst has come down especailly in the hip and thigh areas. He didn't want to eat at 5AM so I didn't push the issue, he's never been much of a morning guy. He did eat all his breakfast at 8:30, so I'm not to worried.

We got the antibiotics from the vet this morning and started him on those. The vet said we should encourage him to walk on his own. So we are getting him up every few hours whether he wants it or not. The vet is still pushing an ultrasound($500 just for the mobile unit to show up, not including diagonistic), DH and I are backing away from that. IF this is some sort of weird bacterial infection then an ultrasound won't show us anything, if this is some sort of cancer (unlikely becasue of x-ray and blood test results) then we're just going to make him comfortable until we know it's time.

I feel bad because I want to do everything I can for Smiley, but the realist in me says that my vet wants to play with an ultrasound, and in the long run anything I get from it won't be useful to my current situtation.

Thanks for asking about him everyone! I have some hope now.

[Batmom]

Just checking in and sending prayers for your pupper.

[DesertFox]

Thanks Batmom.

The swelling has subsided somewhat I can see defination in his hind legs again, but they are still puffy, but I'm guessing with as swollen as they were it's ghoing to take a while. The bruising has continued up his belly but no swelling to go with it. He still has issues getting up on his own, and the unfortunate side effect of the pred. is increased water intake which means he can't go for more than 2 hours without a trip outside. Whe've had a few accidents, and I have to give him a bath tonight. Once he's up he's stable, it's like he just lacks the strength to get up.

I've managed to get him to eat by boiling a chicken quarter and serving it with 2 cups of cooked pasta. He loves it. I'm adding rice to the mix now, and have gotten him to drink an Ensure (Vanilla) but he looks like an escapee from a concentration camp.

DH will be taking him to the vet's tomorrow to give them an update and see where we go from here.

If anyone as any idea on how to get more calories into him I'm very willing to listen.

Thanks

[Guest RSD_Ranger]

If anyone as any idea on how to get more calories into him I'm very willing to listen.

We have had very good luck with EVO 95% rabbit and Merrick Cowboy Cookout. I mix a can in with his kibble so he's unaware that he's eating kibble as well. You can also mix it then nuke it for 20 seconds or so to try and get the kibble mushy if that's more appealing.

 

We've used Vanilla Pediasure with greyt succes, so I'm glad to hear you're getting the Ensure down

 

Have you ever tried Nutri-Cal? I'm pretty sure they sell it at Target, Petco, and Petsmart. I think it's about $10 per tube. You are supposed to squirt a line (it's the consistency of toothpaste) onto your finger and let them lick it off. My Kelsey didn't want to take it from our fingers so we would smoosh it off our finger onto the roof of her mouth until she would lick it down.

[DesertFox]

Thanks Kristen!

I'll be looking into the EVO food I've heard of it but never seen it on the shelves here.

I got the recipie for Satin balls and will be giving those a try as well.

 

[Batmom]

So glad your pupper is hanging in there and improving a bit!

 

Re calories -- RSD_Ranger has some good suggestions! Also ground beef -- cook gently and pour @ half the fat off so you're not slamming his system with lots of fat all at once. If he gets along with it, you can gradually keep more of the fat in.

[Guest RSD_Ranger]

Thanks Kristen!

I'll be looking into the EVO food I've heard of it but never seen it on the shelves here.

I got the recipie for Satin balls and will be giving those a try as well.

I found it by using their store locator. We get it at a place called Pet Supplies Plus, but I don't know if that is just a local store.

 

Just beware the smell of digested rabbit ... burning tire farts galore!!!