4My2Greys Posted March 26, 2011 Share Posted March 26, 2011 I need GT's very large collective brain to give me some ideas of what is possibly going on with my friend's greyhound. First of all she has taken him to the vet and a blood panel and urinalysis was done, but nothing was out of range except the T4 which was just a tad low at (.4) which I know is really not enough to go on. Okay now with his symptoms. He loses his balance when walking. I saw him today and he walks with kind of a staggering gate like he's about to fall over. She said he fell against the wall when taking a small step down. He has lost his appetite along with 7lbs. The strangest thing are the head and neck tremors my friend says she has witnessed twice, body is still but head and neck are shaking very rapidly. Any ideas what this could be or what tests should be run? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFullHouse Posted March 26, 2011 Share Posted March 26, 2011 Definitely sounds neurological. I'd have him seen by a specialist to be honest. Quote Judy, mom to Darth Vader, Bandita, And Angel Forever in our hearts, DeeYoGee, Dani, Emmy, Andy, Heart, Saint, Valentino, Arrow, Gee, Bebe, Jilly Bean, Bullitt, Pistol, Junior, Sammie, Joey, Gizmo, Do Bee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted March 26, 2011 Share Posted March 26, 2011 I'm assuming they ruled vestibular disease?? If the vet isn't sure what's going on it's time to see a neruologist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4My2Greys Posted March 26, 2011 Author Share Posted March 26, 2011 Vestibular disease was brought up and ruled out. The vet was going with hypothyroidism because of the low number and put him on thyroid pills, but I think more is going on here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieProf Posted March 26, 2011 Share Posted March 26, 2011 (edited) It is very important that hypothyroidism NOT be diagnosed in a greyhound with just a T4! They need a full thyroid panel. My greyhound had a T4 of 0.4 and her panel revealed her to be perfectly normal. I think head tremors can be a linked to hypothyroidism, but this vet isn't practicing good greyhound medicine. Edited March 26, 2011 by PrairieProf Quote With Cocoa (DC Chocolatedrop), missing B for Beth (2006-2015)And kitties C.J., Klara, Bernadette, John-Boy, & Sinbad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4My2Greys Posted March 26, 2011 Author Share Posted March 26, 2011 It is very important that hypothyroidism NOT be diagnosed in a greyhound with just a T4! They need a full thyroid panel. My greyhound had a T4 of 0.4 and her panel revealed her to be perfectly normal. I think head tremors can be a linked to hypothyroidism, but this vet isn't practicing good greyhound medicine. I told my friend that this morning that she really needs to have a full thyroid panel done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted March 26, 2011 Share Posted March 26, 2011 The loss of BALANCE is not a symptom of mild hypothyroid- My first thought was vestibular disease--how was this "ruled out"? I agree with seeing a neurologist. Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4My2Greys Posted March 26, 2011 Author Share Posted March 26, 2011 The loss of BALANCE is not a symptom of mild hypothyroid- My first thought was vestibular disease--how was this "ruled out"? I agree with seeing a neurologist. He's not exhibiting the signs of Vestibular dysfunction. He doesn't have the classic head tilt or wide body stance. I talked to her not too long ago.She is going to have a full thyroid panel done and also have him checked for tick-borne diseases. She also mentioned taking him to a specialist. I always find it good to arm yourself with questions to ask before you go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted March 26, 2011 Share Posted March 26, 2011 If he's currently taking thyroid meds, he needs to be off of those for 6 weeks before doing the full panel. I would head straight for a neuro, tho. Those are neuro symptoms. Quote 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 IllinoisWe 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4My2Greys Posted March 26, 2011 Author Share Posted March 26, 2011 If he's currently taking thyroid meds, he needs to be off of those for 6 weeks before doing the full panel. I would head straight for a neuro, tho. Those are neuro symptoms. He's only had 2 pills so far. If she stops giving them now would she still need to wait that long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted March 26, 2011 Share Posted March 26, 2011 Ah, no, if she stops now she wouldn't have to wait that long but might need to wait several days. I would have her vet call/email the nice endocrinology people at MSU (Michigan State University) Animal Health and ask them. Quote 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 IllinoisWe 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickiesmom Posted March 26, 2011 Share Posted March 26, 2011 I believe Michigan State University is the best place to have a thyroid panel done. They do a thyroid plasma membrane test (apparently the gold standard test) along with the full thyroid panel. For a nominal fee their endocrinologists will also provide an interpretation of the results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicocat Posted March 26, 2011 Share Posted March 26, 2011 Assume they have eliminated middle ear infection? Quote Ann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4My2Greys Posted March 27, 2011 Author Share Posted March 27, 2011 Thanks Jey, I'll let her know this. Rickiesmom I will definitely let her know about MSU. Thanks for posting that here. Chicocat she said ear infection was ruled out, not sure how though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grey14me Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 Is the dog eating something that your friend might not know about? Has the grass been fertilized...are there mushrooms in the yard...toads? My angel, Bailey had head tremors one day and I thought back on what we'd done and remembered that I'd let her eat grass at the park. Obviously I never let her eat grass anywhere but our own backyard after that and she never had them again. Quote Michelle...forever missing her girls, Holly 5/22/99-9/13/10 and Bailey 8/1/93-7/11/05 Religion is the smile on a dog...Edie Brickell Wag more, bark less :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubcitypam Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 (edited) Doesn't sound minor thyroid issue related to me. Possibly GME??? -- but that might be a stretch.. Poodle lost balance and stumbled after both his strokes, but never had trembling issues. I'd vote for a neuro visit as stop #1. Edited March 27, 2011 by Hubcitypam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4My2Greys Posted March 27, 2011 Author Share Posted March 27, 2011 Is the dog eating something that your friend might not know about? Has the grass been fertilized...are there mushrooms in the yard...toads? My angel, Bailey had head tremors one day and I thought back on what we'd done and remembered that I'd let her eat grass at the park. Obviously I never let her eat grass anywhere but our own backyard after that and she never had them again. She has thought about that. She said he has been eating a lot of grass, but only in her yard. The only fertilizer she put out was around her flowers and she tries to make sure it gets watered into the ground good. I'll tell her to check for mushrooms in her yard. Don't they usually foam at the mouth if they've tried to eat a toad? If she had gotten into something wouldn't it show up on the bloodwork somehow? I really appreciate everyone's thoughts and suggestions that they have given. Doesn't sound minor thyroid issue related to me. Possibly GME??? -- but that might be a stretch.. Poodle lost balance and stumbled after both his strokes, but never had trembling issues. I'd vote for a neuro visit as stop #1. What is GME? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3greys2cats Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 GME / Granulomatous Memingoencephalomyelitis is an inflammtory disease of the central nervous system, brain & spinal cord. The symptoms are what you are describing, loss of balance, head tremors, loss of appetite, lethargic, will progress to seizures if it is multifocal. My Sara was diagnosed in 2007 by a Neurologist @ Ma. Vet Referral Hospital, she had an MRI and Spinal and her MRI showed inflammation in her cerebellum(affects their gait) and spinal column. Hoping it is not that, not fun, I would have her bring her Grey to a Neurologist ASAP. It can be put into remission, not cured, my Sara is 4 years past her diagnosis, after a year on meds, prednisone, cytarabine, and phenabarbitol, metronidizale, she is symptom free Quote Roberta & Michael with Furkids- Flower (Shasta Flowers 6/7/06) & Rascal the kitty - Missing our sweet angels - Max(M's Mad Max) 10/12/02 - 12/3/15, Sara (Sara Raves 6/30/01 - 4/13/12) Queenie & Pandora the kitties - gone but never forgotten Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest twoskinnydogs Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 My girls T4 is .2, after a complete Thyroid workup at Michigan State it revealed that she was fine. I would go with the neuro route. A MRI is the only way to know for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4My2Greys Posted March 27, 2011 Author Share Posted March 27, 2011 (edited) My girls T4 is .2, after a complete Thyroid workup at Michigan State it revealed that she was fine. I would go with the neuro route. A MRI is the only way to know for sure. I believe that is what she is leaning towards. She's going to speak with her regular vet tomorrow about that. ETA: Thanks 3greys2cats for the explanation of GME. Edited March 27, 2011 by 4My2Greys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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