Help! Wobbly Legs

[Guest babyphoenix]

Just picked our greys up from a petsitter this evening and ever since we've gotten home Phoenix (7 years) has been really slow and wobbly legged. Called the sitter to ask if she had noticed anything or if she could think of anything that may have caused this, of course she hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary.

I'm extremely concerned

I did get him to eat and drink some water just about 15 minutes ago so he seems to have an appetite. But standing at his dish his back legs were shaking so much it appeared hard for him to stand.

We've had instances in the past where he's simply worn out after a weekend playing with other dogs in a boarding situation and won't get up to "answer" the door and will forego his usual barking at the neighbor dogs for the evening but this seems different...like he can't even think about getting up :/

Please, if anybody has ANY ideas, post them. I'm not sure if we need to take off to the e-vet or if we should take a more wait-and-see approach and see if he seems better in the morning.

[Guest babyphoenix]

and I'm not really new here...just been absent for several years if you've been around greytalk awhile, you may remember us

[Guest Energy11]

Hi! Just seeing this early this morning.

 

What you are describing COULD be heat-ralated. Your baby could have gotten too warm in this intense heat.

 

Hoping he feels better this morning. Please inform your sitter that in THIS HEAT, you cannot let them run, or leave them out long.

 

Good Luck!

 

 

[silverfish]

I've only just seen this so I'm hoping everything is OK.

 

I'd be asking some very searching questions of your petsitter - did he eat anything odd, or could he have got anything? How much exercise did he have? How hot was it where he was? Did he get into any spats? Does she have any snakes/spiders/etc that could have got him? Not to try to put any blame on her, but just to narrow things down a bit.

 

How is he now?

[Guest babyphoenix]

not any better this am. i'm starting to think it could be a nerve sort of thing? the only thing i could relate it to human-wise would be like sciatica, i think. he's able to walk, but clearly it hurts or things aren't quite working properly.

i originally thought it could be heat related/exhaustion but I'm wasn't as convinced as the night went on.

i picked him up in our outback station wagon and the only thing we can think of it maybe i pinched his tail or back end when i closed the hatch? of course i can't think clearly back to that moment but I do know there was no yelp or anything to suggest he'd been hurt. and i always make sure they're out of the way before the door closes. and i just don't know how something like that would happen and i wouldn't know?

I can't even think about it if i might have hurt him like that, my stomach is just sick over it :

 

eta: vet opens at 730 this morning...counting down the minutes til i can call

Edited July 26, 2010 by babyphoenix

[JohnF]

That must be really worrying for you because there are so many things that can cause them to tremble or be otherwise ataxic. Please see the link and maybe ask the vet about some of them:

http://petcare.suite101.com/article.cfm/why_is_my_pet_shivering

I'd say it's likely to be a nerve issue with something stuck in a negative feedback loop, (eg. mine will sometimes move her back legs when she's anticipating being set off leash running) but it's best to think simple things first. Good luck with the vet this morning; I hop your dog can look forawrd to a quick diagnosis and very speedy recovery.

[MP_the4pack]

I'd take him to the vet and send the bill to the sitter. It could be heat exhaustion even if he temp is normal now. It could be spinal/nerve problems. It could be something he ate or a spider bite.

 

It could also be anything completely unrelated to his stay there. But I don't even want to mention that.

[Guest babyphoenix]

just dropped him off at the vet, was going to have to leave him there so they could examine him between surgeries, but luckily the dr was able to see him right away.

He seemed very concerned, said he definitely seemed ataxic. gave him some pain meds and are doing a full blood work up. if that doesn't pull up anything we'll move on to xrays. should know about bloodwork by 11am

 

not sure how i'm going to make it through the day

 

eta: forgot to add, temp, weight, heartrate etc...all was within normal

Edited July 26, 2010 by babyphoenix

[Guest GreysAndMoreGreys]

Good thoughts for Phoenix today

No real thoughts or ideas on what could be going on but hope it's nothing major

 

and welcome back to GT, just sad it's under these conditions

[Guest Energy11]

Prayers and good thoughts for Phoenix today! Hoping they find something easily treated.

[Guest babyphoenix]

Good thoughts for Phoenix today

No real thoughts or ideas on what could be going on but hope it's nothing major

 

and welcome back to GT, just sad it's under these conditions

i know, i can't believe i'm actually having to post in the health and medical section

so nice to "see" you here again! how are things in the South?

[Guest babyphoenix]

vet just called. bloodwork all came back relatively normal. only thing that was a little elevated was his kidneys and his urine was pretty concentrated. but dr doesn't seem convinced that it's just a dehydration issue. moving on to xrays...

keep us in your thoughts please

[silverfish]

Oh dear ... the only other thing I can think of is perhaps a small FCE - fibrocartilagenous embolism? Here's a link.

 

Maybe ask the vet what he thinks?

 

Sending good thoughts!

[Charlies_Dad]

We are keeping our fingers and paws crossed here for Phoenix.

[Guest babyphoenix]

xrays didn't show anything significant.

referring us to an internist.

 

i'm a wreck

[Trihounds]

Just for informational purposes:

 

Bumper had a similar ataxic event and associated pain. So disheartening to see, so I understand how you are doing. X-Rays were normal (nothing showing), MRI was normal (great news!), bloodwork all fine. Spinal tap revealed inflammatory cells in lumbar region. Diagnosis: autoimmune disorder that caused the inflammation which caused the ataxia and semi paralysis. We couldn't stop the ataxia from progressing at the time (didn't know what was causing it) and once steroids were administered a few days later, Bumper improved. Some nerve damage remains and he runs a little sideways but he's running (yay!) and getting even better.

 

As this could be anything your pup is facing, it is an option to ask about. Hopefully you are able to get a dx asap.

 

Good luck!

[Guest babyphoenix]

Just for informational purposes:

 

Bumper had a similar ataxic event and associated pain. So disheartening to see, so I understand how you are doing. X-Rays were normal (nothing showing), MRI was normal (great news!), bloodwork all fine. Spinal tap revealed inflammatory cells in lumbar region. Diagnosis: autoimmune disorder that caused the inflammation which caused the ataxia and semi paralysis. We couldn't stop the ataxia from progressing at the time (didn't know what was causing it) and once steroids were administered a few days later, Bumper improved. Some nerve damage remains and he runs a little sideways but he's running (yay!) and getting even better.

 

As this could be anything your pup is facing, it is an option to ask about. Hopefully you are able to get a dx asap.

 

Good luck!

 

THANK YOU! this is good info to have...i will mention it

[Trihounds]

Forgot to mention, happy to discuss further if you need more info (if your vet thinks this could be a possibility)...just holler. My email is (omit spaces) derekdeanis @ rogers dotcom

[Guest babyphoenix]

thank you everyone for your input i really really appreciate it.

we're heading to the internist/e-vet this afternoon. they'll most likely proceed with the spinal tap (thank you BrucieDad) looking for meningitis. hopefully that will give us something to latch on to.

 

i will definitely keep you all updated. and please keep posting any ideas/experiences you might have related to ataxia or meningitis or anything that might possibly seem relevant.

[TheFullHouse]

Gosh, hope you have an answer by this evening. I just hate it when something is wrong and no one can put their finger on the exact problem.

[Guest babyphoenix]

neuro surgeon evaluated phoenix just about an hour ago and it's inconclusive at this point. she doesn't see anything neurologically wrong with him. good and bad i guess. glad it's not neurological but frustrated to not have an answer. he's spending the night at the e-vet, they'll reevaluate throughout the night as morphine wears off to see if they can pinpoint any pain causes.

so still just waiting. going to be a long night.

Edited July 27, 2010 by babyphoenix

[Guest GreysAndMoreGreys]

 

It's so hard knowing our hounds have something wrong but yet not being able to figure out what that is.

 

Continued thoughts and prayers

[Guest babyphoenix]

thanks Heather. I'm so glad to reconnect with you on here. so nice to catch up and update, even if it's not good news. I really appreciate everyone here right now and I'm so sorry I've lost touch with greytalk. but that's the way life goes sometimes... and I'm so thankful to have the camaraderie and support right now.

I will give him an extra good ear scritchie from you tomorrow...

[Guest babyphoenix]

no real change today. neurologist is going to look at him again this afternoon, but internists exam this am didn't find anything going on neurologically.

seems to have pain in his front left shoulder and front right pinkie toe (?!?)

could this all be a pulled muscle and sore toe? seems hard to believe the arched back, collapsing/ataxia and deliberate front end stepping could be just that but we will see i guess...

[Batmom]

No advice, just sending prayers for your baby.