frustratedearthmother
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Hope it works!
Wesson(Neosporosis) So Stubborn! Coyote wounds now!
- Thread starter dejavoodoo114
- Start date
sadieml
True BYH Addict
DH had a 5-day hospital stay w/IV steroids for his 1st bout of optic neuritis (MS induced), and 2 weeks of IV steroids at a local out-patient facility for his 2nd. They (the steroids) really can help. Hope it works for Wesson.
btw - I'm with @Southern by choice in wondering why the vet didn't start with a steroid/pain med injection. That's what MedCare did for my sciatica. I'm just sayin'...
btw - I'm with @Southern by choice in wondering why the vet didn't start with a steroid/pain med injection. That's what MedCare did for my sciatica. I'm just sayin'...
- Thread starter
- #43
dejavoodoo114
True BYH Addict
Oh I know, we have decided to take him to UT and have the referral appointment for early next week with the neurologist. Hopefully they will have something more helpful to offer. I will try and remember to update after. Feel free to bug me Tuesday!
Southern by choice
Herd Master
Sometimes a shot of steroid is all it takes.
Sometimes there is no rhyme or reason and so that is why that will be given... if it works great! When it doesn't then the specialist.
Often the neurologist will want to do MRI's etc and that bill adds up quick...
Glad we have competent vets here.
I am glad you are doing what you can for him.
Sometimes there is no rhyme or reason and so that is why that will be given... if it works great! When it doesn't then the specialist.
Often the neurologist will want to do MRI's etc and that bill adds up quick...
Glad we have competent vets here.
I am glad you are doing what you can for him.
- Thread starter
- #45
dejavoodoo114
True BYH Addict
UPDATE:
So I took him to the Neurologist Tuesday. She said his case was bizarre. If everything was caused by one thing most likely a tumor in the spinal chord or slipped disk/pinched nerve in his cervical spine. But because everything was so strange she wanted to test for Everything. Since I am not made of money that was not an option. However, she was great with working through all the possibilities with me. We were able to mark off the list the ones we could not afford to treat (min for testing and treatments seemed to be 5K) and the ones with no treatment.
In the end we narrowed it down to 3 possibilities. 1 and 2 are toxoplasmosis and neurospora, they are both protozoa that infect the spinal chord and are picked up by eating infected animals (like the ones he kills and eats). The downside of these is that even IF the treatment destroys the bacteria there is, at BEST, a 50/50 chance he will regain his motor control. We are waiting on the results of these tests because that 50/50 was better than the other options so we are hoping...
3, Actually, that was as far as she went. She wanted the MRI to see if it was a slipped disk. I called my friend who is a dog trainer and told her what was going on. She has worked/trained a lot of agility dogs and suggested I take him to a chiropractor instead of the MRI. I was surprised but was able to find a chiropractor who was willing to work with him. He spent over 30 min checking and rechecking every single vertebrae and found 3 problem spots, 1 in the cervical spine and 2 in the lumbar region. On one of the ones in the lumbar region when he touched it Wesson's left rear leg collapsed. He adjusted him and there was a difference. His gate, watching from the back seemed more awkward, as in a judge would not be happy, but he was no longer falling to his right and was able to walk easier.
It was in no way a miracle cure but I took him back again today and will be watching closely to see how he does getting around after this treatment. Again it seemed a bit better but I will continue to watch and continue taking him to be adjusted.
Because of the odd symptoms the neurologist thought it may be multiple problems but was not quite willing to push that because it started all at once. Wouldn't it be wonderful if an antibacterial and chiropractic adjustments got him back into working order? I'm not going to get my hopes up but I am praying!
So I took him to the Neurologist Tuesday. She said his case was bizarre. If everything was caused by one thing most likely a tumor in the spinal chord or slipped disk/pinched nerve in his cervical spine. But because everything was so strange she wanted to test for Everything. Since I am not made of money that was not an option. However, she was great with working through all the possibilities with me. We were able to mark off the list the ones we could not afford to treat (min for testing and treatments seemed to be 5K) and the ones with no treatment.
In the end we narrowed it down to 3 possibilities. 1 and 2 are toxoplasmosis and neurospora, they are both protozoa that infect the spinal chord and are picked up by eating infected animals (like the ones he kills and eats). The downside of these is that even IF the treatment destroys the bacteria there is, at BEST, a 50/50 chance he will regain his motor control. We are waiting on the results of these tests because that 50/50 was better than the other options so we are hoping...
3, Actually, that was as far as she went. She wanted the MRI to see if it was a slipped disk. I called my friend who is a dog trainer and told her what was going on. She has worked/trained a lot of agility dogs and suggested I take him to a chiropractor instead of the MRI. I was surprised but was able to find a chiropractor who was willing to work with him. He spent over 30 min checking and rechecking every single vertebrae and found 3 problem spots, 1 in the cervical spine and 2 in the lumbar region. On one of the ones in the lumbar region when he touched it Wesson's left rear leg collapsed. He adjusted him and there was a difference. His gate, watching from the back seemed more awkward, as in a judge would not be happy, but he was no longer falling to his right and was able to walk easier.
It was in no way a miracle cure but I took him back again today and will be watching closely to see how he does getting around after this treatment. Again it seemed a bit better but I will continue to watch and continue taking him to be adjusted.
Because of the odd symptoms the neurologist thought it may be multiple problems but was not quite willing to push that because it started all at once. Wouldn't it be wonderful if an antibacterial and chiropractic adjustments got him back into working order? I'm not going to get my hopes up but I am praying!
Southern by choice
Herd Master
Alexz7272
True BYH Addict
I know a dog that slipped a disk and could not walk or relieve himself for a full day due to it. Took him to an animal chiropractor, did 3 treatments and he is much better now. The vert had wanted him to have surgery! I hope it keeps working for your pup!
sadieml
True BYH Addict
I will be praying with you, also. It does sound somewhat promising, even if he isn't 100%, hopefully the adjustments and meds will alleviate his discomfort. 
- Thread starter
- #49
dejavoodoo114
True BYH Addict
OK, we have the confirmation from UT. Good news and bad news. The parasitology dept said they had never seen a dog So VERY positive for Neospora caninum. The good news is that we know what it is. The bad news is that he may never recover and that he may not even be able to live for long even with the medications, which we have already started.
For those of you curious about Neosporosis...
It affects dogs but is carried by herbivores (mainly cattle) and though it doesn't damage them like it does dogs it can cause abortions and still births in cattle. FOR THOSE OF YOU FEEDING RAW DIETS!!! (We supplemented with raw plus what he caught himself...
) Most cattle carry this protazoa, eating the placenta of a cow who has this will give it to your dog, eating the raw meat from any herbivore, cattle, deer, etc, that is infected can give it to your dog. There is a case study I found where an owner had fed her dog hamburger and 2 days later Bam. Be careful. My vet suggested we cook everything we give them from now on. This is not something that will keep beef from ending up in the grocery store because we are supposed to cook it and it is not zoonotic (we can't get it).
Some dogs can get it and it ends up chronic, which is better because it doesn't usually get to these symptoms. However, if a bitch has it chronically, having a litter will flare it up and she will likely pass it on to her puppies. When this happens the puppies usually end up acute (which is what Wesson is, ie bad). There is little hope for such puppies.
Neosporosis is a degenerative muscle disease. It affects the nervous system and muscles causing atrophy, necrosis, partial paralysis etc. It will also affect their ability to swallow. This explains why we have had to feed him soft food since this started... That doesn't completely account for his weight loss, that is mainly because of the damaged muscles.. The muscle loss is why he keeps knocking his spine out of alignment. The chiropractor, which we will continue seeing, can help with keeping him in line while we see if we can get this taken care of and some muscle back on him.
The neurologist had said that if it were neospora that he may not recover. When I asked the chances she said she didn't know, maybe 50/50. From talking to PhD's and other vets, as well as my own research in the vet school library 50/50 is quite optimistic. I am trying to get this written before my Organic class but it it devastating and I am sure I am forgetting some things.
@Southern by choice , I was paying attention to your suggestions for a steroid shot I promise! I had decided to wait for the neurologist and when she didn't suggest it I didn't push it. I am glad because a steroid given to a dog with this would give the disease free reign...
I am going to try and figure out how to change the name of this posting so that others who may face this will have this information. I have learned a lot more than I have posted here so if any of you have other questions I will likely be able to answer them.
For those of you curious about Neosporosis...
It affects dogs but is carried by herbivores (mainly cattle) and though it doesn't damage them like it does dogs it can cause abortions and still births in cattle. FOR THOSE OF YOU FEEDING RAW DIETS!!! (We supplemented with raw plus what he caught himself...
) Most cattle carry this protazoa, eating the placenta of a cow who has this will give it to your dog, eating the raw meat from any herbivore, cattle, deer, etc, that is infected can give it to your dog. There is a case study I found where an owner had fed her dog hamburger and 2 days later Bam. Be careful. My vet suggested we cook everything we give them from now on. This is not something that will keep beef from ending up in the grocery store because we are supposed to cook it and it is not zoonotic (we can't get it).Some dogs can get it and it ends up chronic, which is better because it doesn't usually get to these symptoms. However, if a bitch has it chronically, having a litter will flare it up and she will likely pass it on to her puppies. When this happens the puppies usually end up acute (which is what Wesson is, ie bad). There is little hope for such puppies.
Neosporosis is a degenerative muscle disease. It affects the nervous system and muscles causing atrophy, necrosis, partial paralysis etc. It will also affect their ability to swallow. This explains why we have had to feed him soft food since this started... That doesn't completely account for his weight loss, that is mainly because of the damaged muscles.. The muscle loss is why he keeps knocking his spine out of alignment. The chiropractor, which we will continue seeing, can help with keeping him in line while we see if we can get this taken care of and some muscle back on him.
The neurologist had said that if it were neospora that he may not recover. When I asked the chances she said she didn't know, maybe 50/50. From talking to PhD's and other vets, as well as my own research in the vet school library 50/50 is quite optimistic.
I am trying to get this written before my Organic class but it it devastating and I am sure I am forgetting some things. @Southern by choice , I was paying attention to your suggestions for a steroid shot I promise! I had decided to wait for the neurologist and when she didn't suggest it I didn't push it. I am glad because a steroid given to a dog with this would give the disease free reign...
I am going to try and figure out how to change the name of this posting so that others who may face this will have this information. I have learned a lot more than I have posted here so if any of you have other questions I will likely be able to answer them.
Bunnylady
Herd Master
Question: This sounds vaguely similar to EPM in horses (a disease where a parasitic protozoan attacks nerves, resulting in a loss of coordination and wasting of muscles). Is my impression accurate? I have no idea how this sort of thing plays out in dogs, but I have dealt with a few horses that were diagnosed with EPM, and have seen what seem like complete recoveries. Maybe your dog will be so lucky, as well.
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