Greyhounds and MRI Scans... What to expect?

[rebeccaawalker]

Hi Guys, 

I hope you don't mind me posting again....

After 3 weeks on Phenobarb, the vet isn't happy with the little improvement Blue has made with his diagonosis of Idiopathic Epilepsy and wants to rule out the small chance or tumours before we advance with more med. 

He went for bloods yesterday, so we're waiting for that call, and then - depending on the results - she wants to refer him to Pride Vets in Derby for an MRI.

I thought we were making great progress. He's walking further and the last seizure was on Friday (4 days clear) compared to one a day. But the travel to the vets and he was already lethargic, he just freaked out and became incredibly anxious and panicy and began to display signs of going into fits. He looked a mess. But 10 mins back at home where he knows, and he slept like a baby and was absolutly fine. He even did a normal morning 20 min walk. The last time we did that was pre-diagnosis.

Sorry for the waffle! I'm just nervous about taking him all the way to Derby (we're in Sheffield) if he freaks out just going 10 mins in the car to the vets! What should we expect from the MRI? Will he be sedated? Left over night?

Thanks in advance.... x

[vickyb]

Bod had an MRI at Animal medical centre in Thurnscoe half an hour away from us (we live near the start of the M18 in Rotherham)

He had a fairly light GA but they had him on a drip as he has slight kidney trouble so it was precautionary. I chose to stay in an empty consultation room with him until they were ready for him so as to keep his stress levels down. They injected him with the sedative while I was there and I came home as they said they wanted to keep him a little longer than normal as they can fit as they come round from the GA although they use the one least likely to cause it but they like to be safe.

I picked him up a few hours later and saw the specialist who ran through the findings. In Bods case there was a slightly abnormal area so that was sent away to be blown up and a second opinion and it was thought to show that he had a few very very mild strokes - we've certainly never seen anything to indicate he had had or was having one, no sign of a tumour so it's classed as idiopathic epilepsy.  He was absolutely fine that evening, light tea and back to normal the next day.

Good luck xxx

We opted to go to AMC rather than Pride because it's nearer but our vet really rates Pride too.

[ragsysmum]

Can't help with any useful information I'm afraid but very best wishes for your boy anyway.

[rebeccaawalker]

Thanks guys - I really appreciate any response....

Update: The bloods came back with a level of 13 of phenobarb in his system - normal levels are 15 to 30, so he's just under the minimum dose level. My usual vet is back and she went through the bloods, and knowing Blue and looking at those levels, decided to up his pheno dose to 60mg twice daily as apposed to 45mg twice daily.

Now back to square one of him adjusting to the meds! Back to the worlds most lethargic dog! We'd JUST got back to walking him at a relatively normal pace!!! But. If this nips the seizures in the bud once and for all, I'm all game for that!!!

We're now 1 week seizure free. Praying for many many more...

[2tuxedos]

Glad to hear Blue's stabilized, hope he stay's seizure free. My lurcher had a couple of seizures and it was so distressing

My greyhound had 2 MRI's within a year, on his leg at East midlands referrals & brain at Dovecote, my friend took her lurcher to Pride after a stroke. Our boy had the consults in the AM (we were told to prep for GA with no food/water)and he then stayed with them for the MRI and was ready to collect in the evening.
With both MRI's he also had other treatment so may have been out longer than would normally be necessary, but he wasn't too wobbly on collection unlike one dental when i don't think he'd had chance to fully come round after. He had 10 GA's in a year, 7 were 5-10 min GA's for the shockwave treatment on his leg and was generally usual self on collection about hour or 2 later, vet did say they didn't use a sedative and that can make them slower to recover.

It maybe possible to have MRI locally and just send data to specialist to review?