VALIUM

[james]

Sort of good news in that blood tests show nothing but sort of bad news that we still do not really know cause of all this.
We may have turned a corner as much brighter yesterday and accepting sausages and more importantly is engaging with other dogs and attempting to chase rabbits last night (a bit half-hearted but a million times better than of late). Still bright this morning and at vets. Temp back to normal and further blood count OK. Problem is temp has been fluctuating and at times has had back pain and over the last 10 days things have been one step forward and one step back. Hopefully we won't step back this time. However in the absence of any other likely causes vet suspects inflammatory spinal meningitis. She starts steroids tomorrow (prednisolone) and is back at vets Monday.
I think I have aged 10 years over the last 10 days and believe me I looked rough before the start of it all. At last though I think we are getting somewhere, touch wood.

James

[vickyb]

In some ways that sounds a bit like Sapphy when she started with the immune mediated poly arthritis back in Oct. She was suspected of having meningitis but had lots of symptoms but non that actually added up to a definite diagnosis of anything (common in greyhounds. It was only when it all reached a head and she screamed in agony all night and coulkdn't move and had to be rushed into the vet hosp for 5 days and had an MRI, joint taps etc that we finally found out what it was and started the long uphill battle we've been on. Our vet had done bloods and x-rays but nothing was found and had treated her with ab's and pred but they made no difference. Her temp would be fine on day, up the next but never terribly high but just above normal. She panted a lot and weight dropped off her scarily.

She didn't have a spinal tap as the vets held off on that in the hope that they could find something using less invasive tests as it carries risks - and they did when they did her joint taps.

Just a suggestion - Sapphy has been on massive doses of steroids on and off and they made her drink bowls full, pee hourly and gave her a voracious appetite. Our vet recently changed the pred to Medrone, another steroid which in some dogs doesn't make them so hungry and thirsty and it's certainly been better for Sapphy.

I hope she's better very soon, I do know how frightened and worried you must be feeling

We took Sapphy and the others to a fun dog show in our local park yesterday and realised it was the first time since october that she's been well enough for us to actually go anywhere - and then we didn't stay long but she's ok today thank goodness!

[james]

Thanks for the info Vickyb. Sounds like you and Sapphy have been through the mill.
Lupin has had much the same except that after the first 4 days she did not have much pain (or the Meloxicam worked really well). The great news is that she is even better today. She had a good run about and went on to eat a whole tin of Chum and looked for more. Except that her energy levels are a bit low you would never know there was anything wrong. I know what you mean about the Prednisolone as she had this once before and I remember well strolling through the pee in the middle of the night!
We are seeing the vet tomorrow morning and if her temp is OK I would be easily persuaded not to continue with the pred. I will of course take the vets advice and am not counting my chickens.
Hope Sapphy continues to improve,

James

[james]

Whoops nearly forgot it is her 4th birthday tomorrow so lets hope it is a happy one.

James

[alfiemoon]

Everything crossed here for Lupin (we think she's a bit special....can you tell??) that she is turning a corner. It's horrible when you feel so helpless, when all you wish is for her to feel herself.

A special Happy 4th Birthday to Lupin, and I hope she can manage a special birthday treat tomorrow.

xxx