Shed Tears Today :(

[dabroad]

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Luigi has a problem and im not sure what any ideas? The last few days he has started to yelp every so often as if he is in pain (which he is) It started getting more frequant last night so decided to take him to vets today they checked him over for leg breaks and fractures etc but nothing was found wrong he didnt yelp either (typical) They told me it may be that hes pulled a muscle or tendion of some kind. So i gave him metacam to ease the pain he was so obviously in. Did nothing at all! I let him out in the snow for a wee and he pelted round like a lune soon i heard a the loudest yelping ive ever heard a dog make I thought something had stabbed him he ran straight indoors to me and stood in front of me screaming in pain at the top of his lungs. I paniced and tried to remove his coat ... even that was painful he said! He wouldnt move and everytime he did he'd cry out loud. I burst into tears and could barely breath i couldnt see him in that much pain it's awful. He was cowering and shaking looking at me as if to say help me mummy! I rang the vet and he told me to keep him quiet. I can't go to the vet as all ways are grid locked and they can't get to us. I have tried to keep him settled he seems to be learning that if he moves it hurts. Any suggestions guys? I'm taking him to my local in morning. Unfortunatly my local isnt a 24hr and the one i needed to get to was. Im thinking maybe trapped nerve? He turns his head to the right alot and it's like a spazem. :'( :'( :'(

 

[pippywhippet]

Awwwwwww, poor boy. No suggestions I'm afraid, but sending him best wishes for a speedy recovery :luck:

 

[jinnyfizz]

It sounds as though he may have spinal meningitis.

My Rosie had this a couple of months ago

http://www.k9community.co.uk/forums/index....c=64879&hl=

and

http://www.k9community.co.uk/forums/index....c=64903&hl=

It manifests itself as severe pain from the neck back to the tail, sometimes with the dog tilting it's head to the side (avoiding the pain). There can be a temperature and the dog will be unwilling to move and look very unflexible.

With any luck, Luigi will respond to steriod treatment, as Rosie did very quickly.

Most vets will follow the route of prescribing anti-biotics initially and maybe a pain killer and temperature lowering agent, however if it is meningitis these will not work and you will be wasting valuable time during which Luigi will still be in pain

Nicky12 has had experience of this with her whippet, Tia, and knows more about it that I ever will so please PM her and ask her for advice. Above all else, please get Luigi to the vet tomorrow and request treatment for steroid responsive meningitis - not much is known about this illness in general veterinary practice but in my opinion it's not worth waiting for test results etc as all the time you are waiting, your dog is in severe pain.

If he responds to steriod treatment then all is well, if not then at least you have tried. The main reason for not prescribing steriods initially is that they will mask any other symptoms from appearing if it isn't SRM. A decision you and your vet will have to make for Luigi.

Good luck and I hope he turns the corner very soon :luck: :thumbsup:

 

[dabroad]

thankyou so much for this advice. I have called on call vet to see what he thinks x

 

[dabroad]

been told to give him another dose of metacam to bring down temp and give more pain relief till i can get him to vets first thing in morning! I really worried

 

[meddling]

Poor baby, its awful when they are in pain :luck:

 

[jinnyfizz]

Just keep him warm and bring fluids to him to keep him hydrated. He will be finding it painful to move his neck so maybe if you can syringe water into the corner of his mouth for him it would be kinder

Get him comfortable and don't worry, he will be fine.

It is amazing how quickly they respond to steroid treatment - the difference was apparent within hours in Rosie's case.

If you want to gen up on the subject, just google Canine Steroid Responsive Meningitis and you can get yourself clued up before going to the vet in the morning :thumbsup:

 

[jinnyfizz]

I believe Jan Doherty, the moderator on this section, has also had experience of this with one of her iggies having SRM a few years back.

 

[dabroad]

ok thankyou do you know if this is only prone in these breeds and/or in puppies? thanks

 

[Jan Doherty]

I have had two with Meningitis. They do respond very quickly if diagnosed early. It does appear to be a breed thing in iggies. You should see an immediate upturn once he is on treatment but he may display pain until then and cry alot which is heartbreaking but you need to remain in a calm state or he will pick up your anxiety. Flipping weather, there is 6 inches of snow here at the moment and nothing is moving, hope all goes well. Try not to worry I have known of undiagnosed cases of 3 months getting full recovery so a couple of days shouldnt affect his recovery. BTW way it usually occurs in young dogs one of mine was 2 year and the other under 6 months.

 

[jinnyfizz]

It has not been documented so much in whippets or iggies, more in beagles I think, but there have been enough cases amongst K9 members for me to believe that these breeds may have a disposition to contracting it. There just isn't any documented scientific evidence at the moment.

As far as I understand it, young adolescent dogs are more likely to contract the disease, but there is always the exception to the rule. My Rosie is 2.5 years old and I think Nicky's Tia was around 18months when she first showed symptoms, although I'm not sure without looking back at Nicky's topics.

 

[dabroad]

I gave him another shot of metacam last night as the vet told me too and we had 3 -4 yelps in the night but this morning he is running around right as rain and is barking the lot. and playing! surely if he had this this wouldnt happen? any advice? x x x

 

[Julie D]

soory no advice for you but I'm so glad he seems to have picked up now, hope the steroids do him some good, it sounds hell to hear him yelping, good luck XXXXXX to Luigi

 

[whippetsrus]

I gave him another shot of metacam last night as the vet told me too and we had 3 -4 yelps in the night but this morning he is running around right as rain and is barking the lot. and playing! surely if he had this this wouldnt happen? any advice? x x x

Contact Nicky12. I am sure she will be able to advise.

 

[dabroad]

thanks

 

[jinnyfizz]

It comes and goes. Metacam will give some relief.

I know that Nicky found Tia was ok sometimes and not others and Rosie rallied a bit before it came back again.

 

[dabroad]

do you think it's wise to walk him? And a vet receptionist said if he had this disease he wouldnt be able to move?

 

[jinnyfizz]

No harm in walking him in a controlled environment :thumbsup:

He will soon let you know if he can't cope or the pain returns, but I'd shy off letting him free run at the moment, just in case

 

[nicky12]

I gave him another shot of metacam last night as the vet told me too and we had 3 -4 yelps in the night but this morning he is running around right as rain and is barking the lot. and playing! surely if he had this this wouldnt happen? any advice? x x x

hi there ,yes this would happen im afraid one min there fine next in loads of pain its awfull to watch and you feel so helpless i suggest you crate rest until you can get to your vets keep him calm and well hydrated ,does she have any sort of lamness in any of her legs? or is she lame but its shifting from one leg to another ?or stiff gait movement also reluctant to raise her head ?my tia was little over a year old when she first had this and we struggled with her ever since shes been on steroid for most of the time since then she nearly 3 now ,shes had a few periods of remision once for 4 weeks and this time was about 8weeks but since she has a relaps we have now pinpointed what she has (polyarthritis)symptoms to look out for are ...stiff gait reluctance to move ,fever,chronic lamness,shifting leg lamness,swollan joints ,serverly affected dog may not be able to stand or walk ,cardiac murmer all of the abovesymptoms my tia has had ,tia has been on prednsoione to keep her in clinical remission she has half tablet every other day somtime we have to highter the dose depending on her .

your probably worried sick i no how you feel but all is not bad they can and tia is proof of this live and have a normal life albe it you may have to limit her exercise depending on how shes doing that day ,but my tia lives a happy life still free running and enjoying her walks and life ....but has her off days which are few and far between now we have found right dosage that keeps her comftable .if you need to talk just pm me hun im always here for a chat ,another thing dont let the vets mess you about saying they would like to do exrays and radio graphs and the alike before they put her on any medication get them to start treatment asap :luck:

 

[dabroad]

going to attempt to walk up to local shop with him and pickle and with my bf so fingers crossed. they have thick coats and worse comes to worse ill carry him lol thanks jinny-fizz you have been so helpful. xxx