Please help

Hi All

My Jack Russell 5 year old bitch has been ill for about 7 weeks. We have had countless vet visits in that time and so far they have drawn a blank and are suggesting she gets referred to another vet 3 hours drive away but I am not certain that they have crossed all the ts etc yet and want to know if anyone on this site can please help.

First signs were stiffness in limbs. She then got very lethargic and when we took her to the vet her temp was up and lymph nodes enlarged, the vet put her on antibiotics and did blood test for lymphoma which came back as pretty near normal except that white blood count was a little low. After two weeks she still had fever, had lost weight, was off her food and very weak so then they put her on steroids which improved her however she didn't get back to normal, temp came down and lymph nodes went down but stiffness and lethargy remained, when steroids were reduced symptoms returned so she went back to higher dose. Antibiotics were dropped but when it became obvious that she was in pain, heckles on the back raised, we went to higher dose of steroids.

She improved and was nearly back to her old self. So again started to reduce the dosage gradually, OK when dosage halved for 1 week but within 2 days of halving dosage again stiffness and lethargy returned so upped the dose of steroids again. Within 48 hours she wasn't walking on her rear leg and very low. Vet put her back on antibiotics and did test for Lymes disease, negative.

The symptoms that she now has are:- lethargy, pain, muscle tremors, stiff legs (especially front and back on right side), seems to find swallowing hard (chokes on most food), funny breathing noise from throat (similar to a cat purr), muscles have shrunk especially in and around back legs and lower back, she now has a dip in her back just above her tail and a ridge above that which wasn't there before but I think this is because we can feel bones that were covered by muscle before.

We have spent hours researching on the internet and have come up with a few possibles including lupus.

Can anyone please let me know if their dog has had similar symptoms and if they have what happened please? Please someone help.

Many thanks

Hi elvina, and welcome to DogForum

I'm sorry, I have no pet information to help you on your search, but my mum has lupus and if there's half as much difficulty diagnosing and treating it in animals as there is in humans then it's not going to be an easy path.

One question I do have though- has your vet run a lupus blood panel or an autoimmune blood panel? If they haven't then I would look at the availability of that to animals. It's not part of the standard bloods run in humans but the answers can be very helpful.

I hope that you find a way forwards that gets your little one out of pain and back into being a happy dog

Hi

Many thanks for your reply. No the only tests that they have run are one to rule out lymes disease and one at the very beginning which was looking for any indication of lymphoma. I asked the vet this morning about a test for lupus but she was very um ah and didnt come up with anything. I have read on the internet that there is a test available but didnt want to sound too bad by saying I know there is a test, now run it. Anyway she has said to increase the steroids as this would be the treatment if it is lupus. I am going to give it 24 hours and then see how things are going. I am considering another vet as mine seems a bit in over her head. Thanks again.

Elvina

I would ask for full blood panel including thyroid and another Lyme test at the very least. Not much help, but I definitely think ite worth rechecking the Lyme, and making sure a full panel is done.

On the other hand if they are at the end if their ideas, perhaps it is worth that referral and 2nd opinion

If you don't want to travel that far get a recommendation from friends for another local vet, explain what you've been through and that you are looking for a fresh pair of eyes and a 2nd opinion

I would ask for a referral to a specialist veterinary hospital as they have far more experience and diagnostic equipment available to them than your general vet has. It will be expensive but you should get an answer :luck: Good luck I hope your wee dog is back to normal soon

Hi Elvina,

I realise this is a very old post, however we have a two year old bitch (Jack Russell cross) who is experiencing exactly the same symptoms as your dog and has been for two weeks now. Thankfully, we live close to a fabulous veterinary hospital and they are investigating various immune disorders (our vet is meeting with colleagues and speaking to specialists to try and diagnose). Our dog is currently on a big dose of steroids which is keeping her symptoms at bay, as you mention above. To be entirely honest, we are expecting to have to make some difficult decisions and are taking each day as it comes at the moment (and trying not to keep thinking the worst).

I am just wondering whether you received a diagnosis for your girl and if so, do you have any information you could pass on? I have been searching the internet and dog forums and it bought me to your comment above. This is the first thing I have found which sounds exactly the same (even to the various tests which have been done for Lyme Disease etc).

Anything you can tell me would be appreciated as this is the first post I have found that describes anything remotely similar.

Thank you, Sarah

Hello sorry to hear about your dog, as already mentioned get your pet to a animal hospital, I have 2 vets in Cardiff and at times they seem to clutch at straws.

my dog was very ill and my vet revered him to a vet hospital, they have much better vets much better equipment and keep on trying until they get to the root of the problem.

My lad went through a battery of tests before they got to the problem.

The hospital I used was Langford in Bristol, and it took 2 days to find out his condition, there must be a pet hospital nearby and when I say nearby I mean it could be a 2 or more hour drive.

So get hold of your vet and get them to refer her.

Good luck and all the best.