Same Story, Different Day

[Guest FullMetalFrank]

Lene, I am sorry you guys are having such a rough time with poor Rudy! I have no advice, but I'll be praying for sweet Rudy; and hoping he can stay on the doxy if that seems to help him.

[Guest mandm]

Has anyone seen the horse on Family Guy? DH and I both looked at each other and said, "That's Rudy!" Poor boy.

I don't watch TV, but I have a 13 YO son that loves that show. I know, the other mothers in the neighborhood say it is inappropriate, but the show's content is mild compared to the locker talk at the local highly rated, very desirable middle school, which I refuse to let my child attend. Off-topic, sorry.

 

OK, so I remember walking through the room while my kid was watching that episode. Sometimes the filthy language catches my ear and I stay to watch, becasue it is truely funny. So I saw a bit of it and said "that horse is just like a greyhound, the perfect pet." The cartoon family got a pet horse and it hung around whereever the family was, but did not interact in any way. Acted kind of "stoned." Just stared blankly, but wanted to be around it's humans.

 

So my question to you is -- does Rudy's personality improve when he is on the doxy?

[Batmom]

I know he's been tested for TBD, but there are some that are not routinely tested for in a basic vet TBD testing. =

 

IIRC, Rudy didn't have just the basic TBD test. He had a *very* thorough panel run.

[Guest argolola]

[so my question to you is -- does Rudy's personality improve when he is on the doxy?

Yes! His personality is 100% different on Doxy. He runs around, jumps on the bed and snuggles, tries to beat his sister out the back door, etc. When he is off the Doxy, he basically stares into space most of the time or sits in his cage. He refuses to come out for the restroom, thus we have to try real hard to get him out.

 

I know he's been tested for TBD, but there are some that are not routinely tested for in a basic vet TBD testing. =

 

IIRC, Rudy didn't have just the basic TBD test. He had a *very* thorough panel run.

 

Yes, he had the most extensive test, as the adoption kennel said let's try everything to get a diagnosis and treatment.

[Guest gurehaundo]

No words of wisdom here. I just wanted to let you know that I'll be thinking good thoughts for you and Rudy...

[Guest mandm]

Can you get the exact TBD tests that were done and the exact results? Post them here, or even better, post them to the Tick List.

[greyhead]

Is it true that, however rarely, a dog can actually have a TBD but for some reason not show much of a titer?

 

I seem to remember reading that not long ago, but I can't remember where. (Sorry, I've read a lot for my two dogs lately, and it's just more than I can keep track of!)

 

But that kind of information always catches my eye because my education and experience taught me a bit about the fallibility of testing. Most of us think test results are always true. But testing is not perfect, for all kinds of reasons. And not all individuals respond to testing as expected. I could go on and on! I'm sorry, I digress...but it's a big deal if you (or yours) are the individual who doesn't test as expected.

 

So back to the question. Anybody know if it's true about TBDs not always raising titers as tested and, if so, why?

 

ETA: Mandm, can you ask on the tick list since you're still a member?

Edited May 26, 2009 by greyhead

[Batmom]

IIRC, Rudy had not only some titer testing earlier but also a comprehensive PCR panel. His tick testing went a good ways beyond what most folks do when suspecting TBD. Believe she has also consulted OSU about her pup.

 

 

(I keep jumping in because I'm here and I think Lene is at work so may not be able to respond promptly.)

[greyhead]

Thanks, Batmom. This sure is a puzzle.

 

Hugs, Lene.

[Batmom]

Now I'm wondering if a different class of antibiotic might be worth trying -- but I think that is something you (Lene) and your vet could discuss, maybe in consult with OSU.

[Guest argolola]

Thanks Batmom! I will try to get the results from the vet. Yes, he did consult with Dr. Cuoto at OSU. This is the out of town vet that is track vet for the Kennel Club and vet for the adoption group, so I do feel good about his expertise. He said he would have bet money that we were dealing with Babesia, and was very shocked that it wasn't the case.

[Guest PhillyPups]

 

 

We thought thyroid too, but his was fine. He does have slightly low platelets, but greys tend to be lower anyway.

 

Anxiety is something I hadn't thought about. Thank you. He just breaks my heart. I am going to talk to the vet when they open back up. Doxy seems to be his miracle drug.

If you guys are stressed, Rudy will be too as he seems to be a very sensitive guy, and his stress can manifest itself in many different ways with health problems being one if them. If your DH is having a meltdown, Rudy will sense it and not know why Daddy's upset.

 

 

 

 

Thank you for saying what I was trying to say.

 

[VinnieAndRexsMom]

 

We thought thyroid too, but his was fine. He does have slightly low platelets, but greys tend to be lower anyway.

 

Anxiety is something I hadn't thought about. Thank you. He just breaks my heart. I am going to talk to the vet when they open back up. Doxy seems to be his miracle drug.

If you guys are stressed, Rudy will be too as he seems to be a very sensitive guy, and his stress can manifest itself in many different ways with health problems being one if them. If your DH is having a meltdown, Rudy will sense it and not know why Daddy's upset.

 

Thank you for saying what I was trying to say.

 

Lene' What do the vets say about his goopy ears and his bumps?

Edited May 26, 2009 by VinnieAndRexsMom

[Guest argolola]

Old vet said ears were just dirty, some dogs' ears more so than others, but I am not so sure about that. Lola had the same thing when we first got her, she was treated (can't remember with what) and she has been clean as a whistle for almost 6 years now. As far as the red bumps, they come and go so fast, when I get him to the vet they have disappeared.

[VinnieAndRexsMom]

Did Lola have mites? They'll make ears look dirty.

Is there an odor to Rudy's goopy ears?

 

Well, pooh on the bumps. Too bad they can't see them.

[Guest how888]

My How passed away with systemic lupus.. Just seemed so much like TBD.. Oh Lene, I am so sorry.. Lupus is an autoimmune disease... Dirty ears could be yeast infection or the mites.. Just wish I had an answer for you.

Edited May 27, 2009 by how888

[Guest argolola]

Linda I wondered about Lupus. Did Angel Howie get fevers? Thanks for sharing this with me.

 

On a side note, my roommate at work is a former vet tech. She suggested we use mineral oil to treat the ears (mites.) They look much cleaner and he isn't scratching so much. The miracle is that for the first time, the ears are not hot to the touch!

 

Thanks everyone! GTers are fantastic!

[Guest argolola]

The vet is going to put him back on Doxy just like we discussed, at a lower dose. The vet also said that he is questioning the accuracy of the tick panel, as he has thought Babesia all along. Rudy is an Oklahoma pup that came to Florida.

[Burpdog]

Doxy does not help babesia. Why not repeat the panel?

[Guest mandm]

I'm not disagreeing with Burpdog in any way, I believe her & I are of like mind. But I wanted to add that I think Doxy will alleviate some of the symptoms of Babesia, make it seem better, but will NOT cure Babesia.

 

Could just as likely be Ehrlichia, which Doxy does cure, but it has to be given at high, contiunous dose.

 

Another tick panel, do the shipping yourself to save $, seems like a good next step.

 

The track vet, I'd pay real close attention to his instincts, which are based on lots of experience. Seems that most vets place more confidence in lab tests than their own experience. Just the way they are trained, I guess.

[Guest argolola]

I will talk to him in detail when we go for our appointment, and try to do another panel. It must not be Babesia, as the Doxy has been a miracle drug.

Edited May 28, 2009 by argolola

[Batmom]

Doxy would normally improve symptoms with babesia but not eliminate the disease. If the vet suspects babesia, you could probably do another babesia-only pcr for $20-$25 (I think that's NCSU's price) plus the blood draw and shipping. Sure wouldn't want to treat him with Imizol if he doesn't have babesia and has, say, an immune-mediated condition.

 

I'm not sure it's cost-effective to do that, given the tests he has had so far, but your vet can review all that with you.

 

Also consider, if his fevers are relatively mild, his temperature may simply go up when he's stressed, no disease about it. I have one sitting right here at my feet who can easily do 103, 104, 105 if she's feeling freaked. You wanna make sure that's what it is -- psychological, not physiological -- but it happens.

[Guest mandm]

Imizol treats both Ehrlichia & Babesia. That's why my adoption friend uses it when she is not sure, since her program does not have the funds to figure out tricky cases with lab tests.

[Batmom]

The thing that puzzles me -- and probably puzzles Lene's vet -- is that Rudy's bloodwork doesn't show any symptoms of much of anything. At least, last blood panel Lene posted has no signs of any significant disease, tick or other.

[Guest mandm]

The thing that puzzles me -- and probably puzzles Lene's vet -- is that Rudy's bloodwork doesn't show any symptoms of much of anything. At least, last blood panel Lene posted has no signs of any significant disease, tick or other.

It's good to look at trends, if they can manage the cost of retesting. My greyhound's platelets went from a healthly level, around 115,00 to a still normal, but lowish level around 80,000. A substantial drop, not of big concern by itself, but when viewed with all the other symptoms, a cause for concern.