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Chloe & Head Tremors


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This past Monday when DH got home from work, he walked into Chloe having a head tremor.

 

She's had head tremors since the day we brought her home almost 4 years ago. She is hypothyroid and is on .5 mg of soloxine 2x a day. Her labs were just done (2 weeks ago)- clinically she is greyt. The tremors tend to come at the very beginning of spring, during extreme stress and other times, that I haven't been able to pin point.

 

Someone on GT told me to give her a piece of cookie when this happens and sure enough, it stops automatically.

 

Prior to the head tremor on Monday, the last 2 tremors she had was in December '09. I did notice that they seemed a little stronger and it took more than the little piece of cookie to make it stop. I beleive I had to give her a whole chicken strip rather than a little piece.

 

Rich said that the tremor on Monday was the worst he has ever seen and it took almost 3 full chicken strips to make it stop.

 

I emailed my vet. Apparently, I did not make it clear about giving Chloe the chicken strip and she thought that I think it has something to do with hypoglicemia which I know is not the case. It's just the act of concentrating that causes her to stop tremoring.

 

This is the email and I was wondering if anyone thinks of anything else to do? In addition, Chloe's gait is off. I think it's her front left. She does have an old racing injury that causes that to flare up a couple times a year. Chloe is 5.5 years old and my girlie girl, sweet biotch. She is perfect.

 

___________________________________________

 

...I'm a little concerned about the progressive nature of Chloe's head tremors. I don't think they're related to hypoglycemia, so I think the previous response to treats, etc. is probably coincidental. There are dogs that experience mild intermittent head tremors and they never progress to more than that. However, there are others that will progress to true seizure activity. There is no test to diagnose head tremor disorders or epilepsy. The way to do it is to rule out all the other causes of seizures (i.e cancer, liver disease, etc). Usually this is accomplished with bloodwork and it may be appropriate in Chloe's case.

 

However, greyhounds, as you know, like to be different. They do have very thick blood which likes to clot spontaneously and makes them more prone to throwing bloodclots and having "mini strokes" similar to TIA's in humans. The treatment for such dogs is to start them on low dose aspirin therapy.

 

Again, very difficult to know exactly what is going on. I wouldn't worry yet as the signs are still mild, but I think it's worth running full bloods with a bile acids test to rule out an underlying problem. If all is well, watch her. If the tremors continue, we may want to start her on the aspirin....

Edited by RobinM

 

 

ROBIN ~ Mom to: Beau Think It Aint, Chloe JC Allthewayhome, Teddy ICU Drunk Sailor, Elsie N Fracine , Ollie RG's Travertine, Ponch A's Jupiter~ Yoshi, Zoobie & Belle, the kitties.

Waiting at the bridge Angel Polli Bohemian Ocean , Rocky, Blue,Sasha & Zoobie & Bobbi

Greyhound Angels Adoption (GAA) The Lexus Project

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Guest Energy11

I think your vet's response was very good!

 

MY vet thinks Curfew is having seizures. I still think they are mini strokes. I DO give 1/2 81 mg. baby aspirin daily, per Dr. Couto. You could give you Chloe the same. I give his with (1) Pepcid AC, to help the stomach.

 

I would also agree on the full blood panel, which we did with Curfew. Be sure the vet also checks her blood pressure! Curfew's was EXTREMELY high, and he is also on Enalapril for that. I take his BP myself, twice weekly.

 

You could be looking at either a seizure disorder OR mini strokes. But, a good way to start is the bloodwork, the blood pressure check, and starting the 1/2, 81 mg low dose aspirin.

 

Sending lots of love and prayers your way! I hope they find the cause, but like Curfew ... it might be a day by day thing!

 

Dee

Edited by Energy11
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Is she on thyroid meds?

Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in Illinois
We miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.

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Is she on thyroid meds?

 

 

yes, little detail I forgot! I edited it and added that. it's .5mg 2x a day. She was just retested 2 weeks ago. She is doing very well clinically and her numbers are good. Still a little low- I don't have the numbers here.

 

 

ROBIN ~ Mom to: Beau Think It Aint, Chloe JC Allthewayhome, Teddy ICU Drunk Sailor, Elsie N Fracine , Ollie RG's Travertine, Ponch A's Jupiter~ Yoshi, Zoobie & Belle, the kitties.

Waiting at the bridge Angel Polli Bohemian Ocean , Rocky, Blue,Sasha & Zoobie & Bobbi

Greyhound Angels Adoption (GAA) The Lexus Project

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Do yourself a favor and ask Dr. Couto's group to review her original pre-meds bloodwork and current symptoms.

 

ETA: Tremors are a classic sign of hyperthyroidism.

Edited by Batmom

Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in Illinois
We miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.

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Do yourself a favor and ask Dr. Couto's group to review her original pre-meds bloodwork and current symptoms.

 

ETA: Tremors are a classic sign of hyperthyroidism.

 

 

Original pre meds? I got her on soloxine. After she settled into our home, I weaned her off the soloxine and waited 6 weeks. I did the whole panel. It was a disaster. Way way way low. And she was a basketcase. Back on the meds = wonderful, sweet, crazy girl!

 

So, I should show him the tests from when she was off the meds, the next one after she was on the meds and the current one?

 

Other than pericodic head tremors which admittedly are coming more intense when they come, she is asymtematic.

 

 

ROBIN ~ Mom to: Beau Think It Aint, Chloe JC Allthewayhome, Teddy ICU Drunk Sailor, Elsie N Fracine , Ollie RG's Travertine, Ponch A's Jupiter~ Yoshi, Zoobie & Belle, the kitties.

Waiting at the bridge Angel Polli Bohemian Ocean , Rocky, Blue,Sasha & Zoobie & Bobbi

Greyhound Angels Adoption (GAA) The Lexus Project

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Guest Energy11

Sounds like she needs the thyroid meds, but, it couldn't hurt to have Dr. C and his group look over everything you have, just to be sure. Good Luck!

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I would show him the full panel from when you took her off meds, and her thyroid-check bloodwork on meds.

 

I'd get some blood pressure readings too.

Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in Illinois
We miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.

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Guest Energy11

I would show him the full panel from when you took her off meds, and her thyroid-check bloodwork on meds.

 

I'd get some blood pressure readings too.

 

Yes, definitely on the BP readings.

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Ok- I will bring her in either tomorrow (if I don't get charged for an emergency) or Monday after work. She will have a full work up done along with her BP which will be exremely elevated because she realy stresses at the vet. But I am sure that is taken into consideration.

Chloe puts the breaks on when she is there. Once when she was there for a recheck of something, the vet checked Chloe out in the waiting room since she was not budging and the vet didn't want to stress her out more than she needed to be! :lol

 

 

ROBIN ~ Mom to: Beau Think It Aint, Chloe JC Allthewayhome, Teddy ICU Drunk Sailor, Elsie N Fracine , Ollie RG's Travertine, Ponch A's Jupiter~ Yoshi, Zoobie & Belle, the kitties.

Waiting at the bridge Angel Polli Bohemian Ocean , Rocky, Blue,Sasha & Zoobie & Bobbi

Greyhound Angels Adoption (GAA) The Lexus Project

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