Bryce is 14 month old welsh springer spaniel. Was off food Wednesday week ago...but ate a little and walked well. Wasn't his usual exhuberant self by Friday so went to vets. Returned with tablets which helped his activity levels for 1 & 1/2 hours after consumption. Could not bend to eat from bowl but ate if bowl was held at the mouth. By Monday lethargic and could npot walk. Back to vets. Blood tests suggested menings but xray clear...showing no skeletal damage. Has been at vets 8 days and $568 Aus later he is only a liitle better. Trying to lift head but poor muscle control in legs. Can be sat up but needs to be laid back down as he can't do it himself. Has been on macrolene, colvasone, clavulox, metrogyl, morphine sulphate, baytril, metacam, temgesic and glucose throughout this time. Has been eating last two days and will take water from a syringe. Responding now to our arrival and his eyes shine and tail wags but that's about it. Any clues???? Thanks for your interest.
A Cameron

Welcome to the Forum.

Sorry to hear that your dog is so ill :-( maybe someone here can shed some light on what is going on. Fingers crossed that you can get to the bottom of it soon. Keep us updated :-)

Leigh

Thanks for the reply.Have just returned from visiting the patient at the vets and he is drinking by himself...but won't sit up alone. Has been propped between towels to eat from bowl held at the chin because he cannot bend. Voluntary movement has returned to left side but not the right (yet). The vet has taken him off the drip but is still giving meds. Says he is a fighter. He says there is still hope for 2-3 days but after that we would be just keeping him alive. He likened it to a human paraplegia. We are still no wiser to what it is. Hopefully he will regain bowel movement himself and then the use of those legs...we are not too hopeful though. Sure is lonely without his perpetual whining and "chatting" through the screen door and his two legged dance at the gate when we arrive home.
Thanks again... will keep you posted..
Anne Cameron

Thanx for the update Anne. We are all routing for him :-) Leigh

Another snippet on the 24 hour progress of Bryce. Today he has eaten 2 meals -aided, been outside for a sunbake and taken a bath. He is beginning to sit more and for longer so we have hope. Thanks for the cheerios
Anne

Thats starting to sound better Anne ! Hope he had his sunblock on ;-) Leigh

That's good news Anne, fingers crossed it continues. :-)

Todays update...Bryce still has no movement on the right side. With cortisone and broad spectrum antibiotics now for 10 days we are looking at making a decision on Saturday. He needs an enema tonight as he has been storing food since Sunday. No wonder the poor little beggar is too uncomfortable when he sits. We hope he will continue to improve. Thanks again
Anne

Thanx for the update Anne. Are the vets running any other tests ? Keep us posted :-) Leigh

Similar question to Leighs really, have you been to see a specialist? My vet always says he is similar to a GP and if something appears to be out of his league he is more than happy to refer a dog to a specialist. Just a thought. Fingers crossed for a positive result.

When you say your dog was tested for menings do you mean meningitis or something else? My dog had meningitis and the symptoms you describe are very similar, a spinal tap was performed on her to determine for definate and she was given steriods and antibiotics (synulox), she was never xrayed. It did take the vets 2 weeks to find out what was wrong with her as she was initially treated for a slipped disc. Let us know how he is doing and any more info you might have.

Thanks for the reply.
When I said menings I did mean meningitis just didn't want to sound too long winded.
Have just returned from visiting the patient at the vets and he is drinking by himself...but won't sit up alone. Has been propped between towels to eat from bowl held at the chin because he cannot bend. Voluntary movement has returned to left side but not the right (yet). The vet has taken him off the drip but is still giving meds. Says he is a fighter. He says there is still hope for 2-3 days but after that we would be just keeping him alive. He likened it to a human paraplegia. We are still no wiser to what it is. Hopefully he will regain bowel movement himself and then the use of those legs...we are not too hopeful though. Sure is lonely without his perpetual whining and "chatting" through the screen door and his two legged dance at the gate when we arrive home.
Thanks again... will keep you posted..
Anne Cameron

In order to rule out meningitis did your vet perform a spinal tap to check the colour of your dogs spinal fluid? As far as I'm aware this procedure would give a 100% positive or negative answer. I'm confused as to how they could rule out meningitis by an xray? My dog was never xrayed but a spinal tap was performed immediately she was admitted to hospital and we knew what she was suffering from within 20 minutes of her going under the anaesethic.

Apparently meningitis can easily go undetected as the symptoms can often be the same as a number of other illnesses. Hopefully it won't be meningitis and forgive me if your vet has thoroughly ruled this out but after nearly losing my dog due to the fact they thought she had a slipped disc it has caused me to question everything.

Wishing you lots of luck. :-)

It doesnt sound like it but has Fucosidosis been ruled out?

Thanks for the reply.Had to look up fucosidosis on the web. Have checked with the breeder and she has contacted all other owners of the rest of the litter and there is no sign of illness in the others suggesting that there is no hereditary reason such as fucosidosis. Bryce has not exhibited gastro dosorder nor deafness etc. He is quite alert usually and can hear the family car arriving some 4 houses away when he is inside with television/radio noises around. Have left details of his progress over the past 24 hours in earlier responses. Will keep you posted. Anne Cameron

Bryce sadly did not recover and was gently put to rest on 6/11/01. My daughter and son-in-law who gave hin to us as a gift after their wedding last November were devastated. Hopefully he is causing havoc in doggy heaven and still wagging that excited little tail. Thanks fior the support, sorry the news was so glum
Anne

O, Anne so sorry to hear that Bryce didn't make it :-( Thank you for letting us know. Leigh

I'm sorry to hear that Anne and my thoughts are with you. Of course he's up there with all the others playing about and being himself but he'll always be waiting for you and one day you will all cross the bridge together.

Anne I am so sorry to hear of your sad news. Thank you for having the courage to come back and let us know at what must be a difficult time for you. You have made new friends here and are always welcome to come back any time for a natter :-)

Thanks again for the support. We are sad and lonely...even Rosie our bitsa is missing Bryce. She is eating his share of doggie biscuits though as everyone who visits gives her two...we've taken to calling her biscuit butt.
Anyway, I hope you all have more luck finding answers to your pets problems..thinking of you and your friendship when I needed it most.
Anne

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