[ SHOWGSD-L ] thoughts?
- From: Pinehillgsds@xxxxxxx
- To: showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 11 Jan 2009 09:28:11 EST
OK, this is a puzzle and my initial thought was some type of reaction to a
toxin (dog food??? melamine? new bag w/ mold???), but there are things with
whatever scenarios I can think of that just don't fit...also, I think I have
the details right, and there are some areas that I would have liked to ask
follow up and get better info, but that's impossible when a person is
(understandably) so upset...so here's the best I have from notes I took while
we were
speaking...
I received a frantic phone call from a lady y-day, 3 year old GSD bitch,
kept indoors, run of the house while family at work/school, spayed, healthy
until now.
On Wednesday after school, +/- 3 PM son comes home, lets bitch out, plays
Frisbee, all is well.
Son brings her back in, off to play w/ friends.
Mom comes home +/- 6PM, the dog's face is covered in hives, quarter size,
very swollen, eyes almost closed, jowls sagging, rush to vet.
Vet administers a shot of steroids (pred????), sends dog home w/ pred &
antibiotics. (I don't know which antibiotics).
Dog makes miraculous recovery, all seems well.
Thursday PM, family has something to do in the evening, when they return
home, dog seems lethargic, but eating/drinking/ and relieving herself normally.
In fact, she's drinking more than usual which would be OK due to pred.
Friday AM, dog is noticeably more lethargic and seems to be having
difficulty w/ one paw. (????)
Back to (regular) vet who does a series of tests. Spine is x-rayed
(normal), esophagus normal (I suspect here the vet may have though MG), blood
is
drawn, some sort of tick born illness suspected...dog sent home.
Drinks normally, eats w/ encouragement, relieves herself outside (but
appears "very unsteady").
Saturday AM, much worse, more lethargic, normal vet closed, off to ER vet.
ER vet suggests stopping pred & antibiotics, wants to refer to orthopedic
specialists(?????). Suspects neuro problem. Mentions possible brain tumor
(??????) Owner tells me at this point they are googling things at the ER vet
and nothing fits...ER vet mentions "Coon Hound paralysis" (????). While at
the
ER, the bitch starts walking on the top of the paw she is having difficulty
with (DM?). It sounds to the owner like the vets are just all over the
place, so she takes her dog home, opts not to take her to the orthopedic
specialist (yet).
ER vets don't think there is any relation to the face swelling/hives
incident and the rapid onset of neuro symptoms. (????)
OK, here's where I get (really) scared...
After returning from the ER, the bitch has an accident in their sun room.
Very dark, blood tinged urine w/ what the owner said "smelled of tin". The
owner called the ER back, and she was told that was from "muscles
deteriorating". (?????????) Say what????? (Keep in mind here, there was no
point in me
grilling this lady, as the story went on, she was/is obviously very upset. I
may be getting good info, or I may be getting what she's remembering, and we
all know what it's like to be in a panic for answers and later try to retell
the story).
My initial instinct would be to RUN not walk to "my" favorite ER, and
naturally I gave them the phone, directions and who to ask for, but gosh am I
going
to run up a bill for them that way...not that it's all about the money, but
both husband & wife's jobs are in jeopardy w/ the economic situation, they
just spent $$$$$ over 2 days and have no answers...also as I'm saying this I'm
thinking if indeed her kidneys are failing...and this started Wednesday and
now we're at Saturday PM...well it's a very questionable outcome...the bitch
was resting comfortably in her crate w/ the door open when we spoke, drinking,
eating a little, not in obvious discomfort, though unwilling to walk/go
outside, so their plan, unless of course at any time the bitch appears to be
in
distress/pain...is to wait until the (regular) vet gets the blood panels back
Monday AM. I suggest getting as much liquid into her as possible.
Here's some more fill in the blank stuff...I asked about Christmas
decorations/poinsettias/potpourri/sugar free gum/chocolate/raisins (all the
usual
suspects), ...all negative.
They do use an exterminator, but not recently.
They do treat their lawn, but not the back lawn which is fenced for the dog.
Plus the front hasn't been treated for 60+ days...
She hasn't had any shots recently.
She had her heartworm pill in December, not January yet. (I suggested
holding off.)
The owners have been all through the house/yard w/ a fine tooth comb and can
find nothing amiss that the bitch could have gotten into.
The bitch eats Nutro (Nutra???), and sometimes it is top-dressed w/ the
same stuff in pouches that was recalled. However, we went to the recall web
site
and none of the lot #s that the owner still has are on the recall list,
although she had given her 2 pouches prior to Wednesday that have been thrown
away, so those lot #s weren't available to be checked. Interestingly, some of
the ones on the recall list have best-by dates into 2010...
For treats she gives dehydrated chicken & beef strips (that really got my
attention...there was something last week about those being from China and
containing melamine, right????). Unfortunately, the strips have been in the
dog
cookie jar, the packaging has been thrown away and that's all I have on that.
Again, I know there are a lot of holes in the info. I don't want to start a
dog food or vet bashing war here, I know some things don't make a lot of
sense, (realize I was taking notes as one very frantic owner was trying to
remember all that has happened, remembered some things out of order, and who
hasn't slept in two+ days), but does anybody have any ideas that I can relay
to
her???
TIA
Kathy, member GSDCA, DVGSDC
Celebrating generations of Dual Titled TC'd Champions
visit www.geocities.com/pinehillgsds
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