Remember Ace's Mystery Illness?

[Guest gurehaundo]

Well, he's still not doing so hot and we don't have very many answers, either. The vet sent his blood to the lab in Arizona for the TBD panel. This was last Wednesday and we still haven't heard anything about it. In the meantime, I had the vet go ahead and schedule the ultrasound. I do have a question about this. If the titer comes back as some sort of a positive, should I still get the ultrasound done? The appointment is set for Tuesday. Obviously, if the titer shows that Ace has had zero exposure to a TBD, then the ultrasound would be a good idea. (I think this is how it works, right?)

 

The pathologist does not believe that Ace's elevated globulin level is myeloma-related, but is due to inflammation. Inflammation coming from where? No one knows.

 

Ace is still taking Tramadol, but is back to his pacing and panting self. The drugs did knock him out for long periods of time in the beginning, but they're not working anymore. He seems to be eating ok for the most part. He's getting half-kibble and half-canned food, plus treats if he's hungry. He doesn't seem to be too interested in treats anymore, though, so it's pretty rare that he'll eat anything other than his kibble-canned food combo meals. He also stopped eating that third meal I had him started on. He's still drinking and going to the bathroom a lot. He does seem to be struggling more and more to get up from a laying position. He's also still leaning and not putting much weight on his back right leg. The vet said that Ace showed a delay in that one foot response test where they put the toes on the edge of a table and the dog is supposed to pick its foot up and set it down. Ace just let his foot drag on the surface for a bit. He still seems uncomfortable being in his skin - uncomfortable laying down, uncomfortable walking around, etc.

 

I guess that's it for now. I was just wondering what I should do if the TBD titer came back with a positive... Again, I've never had to go through this with any of my dogs. They've all been really healthy. Thanks, guys...

[racindog]

No info but I'll be praying for your Ace man.

[Guest mirthlesstroll]

How frustrating when your baby is sick, and you don't know why! I hope your vet has some answers for you.

[Batmom]

I would go ahead with the ultrasound regardless of what the tick panel says.

 

One thing about titers -- they show that the dog was exposed to an illness but they really don't tell you anything about whether the dog has that illness now. Even a very elevated titer is equivocal without highly specific symptoms -- in some dogs, the titer will drop pretty quickly after the disease is cleared, and in other dogs the titer can remain at a high level for years. This is why I prefer the PCR panels. For suspected Ehrlichia, you may want both (PCR, followed by titer if the PCR is negative); for the other tick diseases (particularly Babesia), I'd bypass the titers and do a PCR. PCR isn't perfect either, but the technology for real-time PCR is pretty amazing these days and offers much more useful data IMHO.

 

Hugs and best luck with your pup.

[tbhounds]

As mentioned above I too would have the ultrasound performed-- that way they can rule out conditions it's not.

I would also run a pcr panel too-- antech has a great one- its called the fastback panel and it's a pretty reasonably priced test. Idexx lab has a blood panel that's pretty close but, the name excapes me right now.

[jamngrey]

Don't have any advice but want to send prayers

[Guest twogreytkids]

If your vet hasn't heard from Arizona yet, have him call them.

 

We have all of our hounds that are adopted locally tested and if our vet doesn't get the results from Arizona in a couple of days, our vet calls them. You wouldn't believe how many times they have never received the blood work or they lost it.

 

Marcy

[Nichole]

Prayers being sent your way.

 

Also, in my human experience and pup experience with Tramadol, it does make me jittery and I have found in my pups it makes them pant and pace.

[Guest gurehaundo]

Aww... Thanks for all the good thoughts! I was so used to having all of these super easy, illness-free dogs that Ace is throwing me for a loop. I think I just get myself all worked up. Ace didn't really eat this morning. He ate less than a cup of food. Whenever he doesn't eat, I get so bummed out. About the panting and pacing... He was doing it before he started taking Tramadol. He stopped for a couple of days, but is now doing it again. The only thing that has really changed is that he doesn't whine as much as he did pre-Tramadol. So, it must be working, right? Maybe just a little bit? Maybe it is working, but the Tramadol is making him exhibit those same behaviors like Nichole's hounds... Geez. I'm a mess, eh?

 

I'm going to keep the ultrasound appointment. I suppose I just needed some reassurance that it's still a good thing to have done.

[greyhead]

Liza said the test results came back as positive for Valley Fever and Babesia. She's pretty lost. If you can check in with her new thread and help her out, she could use it. Btw, her vet says the ultrasound is no longer necessary.