Lola may be relapsing :-( (update on # 75)

6303 Views 82 Replies 53 Participants Last post by maggieh, Aug 31, 2010

pammy4501

Discussion Starter · Aug 25, 2010 (Edited)

Lola started to look a little dull over this past weekend. I didn't think she needed an emegency visit over the weekend. But on Monday morning she started to have gait problems. So off the ASG we go to see Dr. Sullivan. She was actually due to have her regular pre-cytosar check this week anyway. When I get her there, they tell me she has a 104 temp. I feel like a total bad Mommy for not even thinking of taking her temp! So, they did some labs inhouse to see if it was an infection, but...inconclusive. No elevated WBC's, but she may not be able to mount a WBC defense at this point. Urine is out to the outside lab. So, we discuss the likelihood of GME relapse vs. infection. I decided that I want to try to treat infection for 48 hrs. and see if we can get her looking better. So, I take her home with Clavamox. She looked a little perkier when we got home, and she ate her full feeding of food and drank some water, and pee'd in the middle of the kitchen floor. (she gets a pass under the circumstances) She gets settled in her favorite spot on the couch. And then low and behold she tips over and has a big seizure! Scared me to death! My local Vet was in his office, so off we go again. She gets an IV dose of Valium. (can you say drunken salior) She made it through the night. She looks a slight bit perkier today. Still eating and drinking. Temp is down. But I don't know. She still is not 100% with her gait. Kind of slow and a little stumbly (valium still?) But she is WAY off her mark from where she was even a week ago! I am so bummed. Don't know what to expect. Back to pred again?? I just don't know if I can keep doing this to her. Please send prayers and good thoughts for Lola. My sweet girl isn't even 4 years old. This is a dispicable disease!

Save

1 - 3 of 83 Posts

dwerten

· #24 · Aug 25, 2010

I am so sorry Pam

I know you are on the gme group Nancy is on and Brooke was doing well for years and she just relapsed recently too and she is attributing it to flea meds she just used as it takes a trigger usually so was there anything that might have triggered it recently?

Reach out to her as she is on my yorkie groups and have met her a few times and really nice. I know you both could be a great support for one another since going through the same thing right now

Hang in there and you are an awesome dog mom and have done so well with her going through this - she could not be in better hands that is for sure.

If you need anything call me as I would be happy to help even if it is to just go to lunch and talk

Save

dwerten

· #67 · Aug 27, 2010

pammy4501 said:
GME (Granulomatous Meningo Encephalomyelitis) is a neurologic disease effecting dogs, most commonly small breeds, usually in females. Most effected are Pugs and sometimes it is called Pug encephalitis. There is a more severe form called Necrotizing Meningo Encephalomyelitis that is sometimes called Maltese Encephalitis. GME can be caused by infection, and in the diagnostic stage all dogs are cultured, along with a spinal tap and MRI. If the cultures are pos., the treatment is antibiotics. If neg, it is assumed that it is auto immune mediated. In other words the dogs immune system is attacking the dog. The only true diagnosis can be made at necropsy. So we assume GME and treat it as such. Lola was diagnosed last Nov. Most of what you read on the internet says GME dogs live weeks to a few months. There are new treatment protocols out there that are making a big difference. Still a tough disease to treat. Something Dr. Sullivan said to me really made sense to me. She said "Dogs don't understand length of life. they only understand quality"

Pam that is a very good explanation of GME/NME and Dr sullivan sounds great and I love what she said as that makes alot of sense

I hope Lola is doing better today

She is in our prayers

Save

dwerten

· #78 · Aug 29, 2010 (Edited)

pammy4501 said:
Hey! I got the mulit quote to work!! Thanks Joanne! We started the prednisone again on Friday (or was it thurs) and I do see an improvement. I just hate having her on pred again.

Thank you for all your kind thoughts and prayers. Lola seems to be responding to the pred. We will go to the vet again next week and see what else dr. Sullivan has in her bag of tricks for her.

Marj, I hate it too. It is a miserable disease. I am just hoping the high dose pred dosen't crash her liver again.

Thanks, doing a little better today. Her daddy babysat her today so I could go the the dog show in Santa Barbara. They did well together. She dosent seem as irritable. We shall see. Still need to find a long term drug that will work for her. Pred will always take to worst of the symptoms down. I think we are going to try cyclosporin, which is what people with transplanted organs take. Oh, and the pred is doing the usual magic of making her pee about a gallon a day! I just keep the mop ready and waiting! She has to go so much that sometimes she can't make it to the door, poor girl!

Pam the cyclosporine will not have the side effects the pred has with peeing but it can make them nauseated and they can vomit on it. DD was on atopica which is cyclosporine for a year so best to give with a little food but ideally best with no food but many dogs cannot take it without food so just a heads up. I hope it helps as it is a wonder drug for some allergy dogs and hopefully it will be for your baby. DD had to be on that and temarilp to help with her allergies at one time but unfortunately she was one of those dogs that could not tolerate atopica as she would vomit each time after a year so now she is just on the temarilp at a low dose. I know the dose you have to give is much higher though and why so much peeing

I hope this new protocol works great! Hang in there and again you are a great mommy to Lola for doing all you do for her.

also pam if they use the cyclosporine vs the atopica then cheapest place to get it is at costco so you can get a script for it as I am thinking she will be on a higher dose than dee dee as dd was on 10mg for her issue and it can get pretty pricey

See less See more

Save

1 - 3 of 83 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.

Top Contributors this Month