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by clc29 on 07 August 2013 - 18:08
Hello Everyone,
I have a story to tell that will hopefully educate some of you on a disease commonly found in German Shepherds that I'd never heard of until last week.
On July 13th (Saturday) my big boy Cisco became violently ill. At first we thought it was due to ingesting a contaminated bully stick....due to severe digestive upset (heavy ropey drool, vomiting, retching, and diarrhea).....and treated it as such. However, by the following Thursday Cisco started exhibiting signs of severe back pain and by Friday (July 19th) he couldn't walk. My vet was stumped because all of the tests (blood, urine, x-ray, Barium x-ray [look for Mega E] and temperature) were continuously normal and revealed no blockages. The only conclusion he could think of was that somehow Cisco had re-injured his back in conjunction with eating a bad bully stick. So, he administered a shot of Dexamethazone, sent us home with prevacox and told me that Cisco should be walking better by the next morning (Saturday).
He did not get better by Saturday and his condition had worsened.....that afternoon we took Cisco to the emergency and specialty veterinary hospital. Once again he confounded his doctors since he continued to exhibit multiple symptoms that did not fit into one specific disease/illness. In addition to the emergency medicine doctors, he was examined by his orthopedic surgeon and an internal medicine doctor. Another round of tests were done over the weekend and once again they were all normal and revealed no blockages.
On Monday morning (July 22) the Internal Medicine doctor performed an endoscopy and discovered Cisco's esophagus and stomach were severally ulcerated and irritated. This proved that the Bully stick was part of the problem but did not explain his severe and partially paralyzing back pain. She immediately began treatment for Esophagitis, Gastritis and ulcers. When she showed me the pictures of his poor esophagus and stomach I was shocked and asked, "how did this happen so fast"? She replied that, the shot of Dex. and the Prevacox were the likely culprits since these are steroid drugs and have been known to cause this kind of damage very quickly when there is already some irritation and ulceration present. She also said that Cisco was very uncomfortable at the clinic and felt that his stress was making him worse. She wanted to send him home ASAP thinking this would help him recover faster.
When I brought him home on Tuesday afternoon (July 23rd) he was walking with assistance for about 20 feet (a vast improvement from Saturday), was no longer drooling and was able to eat a little without getting sick.
For the next five days his digestion gradually improved and he was finally able to walk without assistance for about 40 feet. Unfortunately, over the weekend, his gait stopped improving and he started retching again (not as bad, as the beginning only a couple of times). When I talked to the internal Medicine doctor on Monday (July 29th) she was concerned and wanted to see him on Tuesday. During the office visit on Tuesday we had blood drawn to test for Myasthenia Gravis. The only lab in the country that does this test is at UC Davis and it takes about 7 to 10 days to get results back. While waiting on the test results for MG to come back she also wanted a physical evaluation and an MRI done by a Neurologist, so we scheduled that for Friday Aug. 2nd.
After examination of Cisco the Neurologist was almost certain it was Myasthenia Gravis but, because Cisco was so painful he wasn't 100% sure it wasn't an infection of the spine and wanted to continue with an MRI......I knew, by the look on his face, when he came out of the MRI that it was serious.......Cisco's MRI showed a large piece of grainy tissue and a dramatic malformation of the disk between L7 and S1, that is severely pinching the sciatic nerve on his left side. His prognosis was fair to good if we could get in surgically to irrigate and remove the infected tissue and begin a course of antibiotics ASAP. He sent us home with new pain medication, antibiotics and a surgery date of Tuesday, August 6th.
Over the weekend Cisco began to improve again......He is now walking, albeit with a hitched gait, wants to play and his whole demeanor is once again cheery....a little to cheery as he tries to chase the cat and wants to play with Ava (the puppy).
On Monday (Aug. 5th) I talked with the internal medicine doctor and she is puzzled (why the sudden dramatic improvement) but thrilled with his improvement. Later that evening (about 8pm), the neurologist called to tell me that he'd sent the MRI images off, on Friday, to a Radiologist Specialist for a second opinion. She disagreed with him about his infection diagnosis and felt the grainy tissue could be normal and was probably scar tissue from the previous surgery. During our discussion he told me he'd been working with this doctor for years and she was very rarely wrong. He trusted her evaluation enough that he wanted to postpone Cisco's surgery until the test results for the MG came back.
Today....Wednesday...August 7th........Cisco tested positive for Acquired Myasthenia Gravis. This is actually a much better diagnosis than the previous spinal infection. MG can be chemically treated and is known to go into remission. I haven't heard yet what treatment course the doctors want to begin Cisco on and we may still eventually have to go to surgery to fix the bulging disk but, the doctors tell me they are encouraged that Cisco may recover completely if everything goes well.
I'll keep you updated on our progress.
Cheri
Myasthenia Gravis:
Please read these links.......it's very important that you educate yourself on this disease.......it's much more common than you may realize and knowing some of the symptoms could potentially save your dogs life. I got lucky (I hope) I never would have thought that my big strong healthy boy could be struck down so suddenly and severely.......
http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/vsr/Neurology/Disorders/Myasthenia%20Gravis.html
http://www.michvet.com/library/neurology_myasthenia_gravis.asp
http://www.embracepetinsurance.com/health/myasthenia-gravis
I have a story to tell that will hopefully educate some of you on a disease commonly found in German Shepherds that I'd never heard of until last week.
On July 13th (Saturday) my big boy Cisco became violently ill. At first we thought it was due to ingesting a contaminated bully stick....due to severe digestive upset (heavy ropey drool, vomiting, retching, and diarrhea).....and treated it as such. However, by the following Thursday Cisco started exhibiting signs of severe back pain and by Friday (July 19th) he couldn't walk. My vet was stumped because all of the tests (blood, urine, x-ray, Barium x-ray [look for Mega E] and temperature) were continuously normal and revealed no blockages. The only conclusion he could think of was that somehow Cisco had re-injured his back in conjunction with eating a bad bully stick. So, he administered a shot of Dexamethazone, sent us home with prevacox and told me that Cisco should be walking better by the next morning (Saturday).
He did not get better by Saturday and his condition had worsened.....that afternoon we took Cisco to the emergency and specialty veterinary hospital. Once again he confounded his doctors since he continued to exhibit multiple symptoms that did not fit into one specific disease/illness. In addition to the emergency medicine doctors, he was examined by his orthopedic surgeon and an internal medicine doctor. Another round of tests were done over the weekend and once again they were all normal and revealed no blockages.
On Monday morning (July 22) the Internal Medicine doctor performed an endoscopy and discovered Cisco's esophagus and stomach were severally ulcerated and irritated. This proved that the Bully stick was part of the problem but did not explain his severe and partially paralyzing back pain. She immediately began treatment for Esophagitis, Gastritis and ulcers. When she showed me the pictures of his poor esophagus and stomach I was shocked and asked, "how did this happen so fast"? She replied that, the shot of Dex. and the Prevacox were the likely culprits since these are steroid drugs and have been known to cause this kind of damage very quickly when there is already some irritation and ulceration present. She also said that Cisco was very uncomfortable at the clinic and felt that his stress was making him worse. She wanted to send him home ASAP thinking this would help him recover faster.
When I brought him home on Tuesday afternoon (July 23rd) he was walking with assistance for about 20 feet (a vast improvement from Saturday), was no longer drooling and was able to eat a little without getting sick.
For the next five days his digestion gradually improved and he was finally able to walk without assistance for about 40 feet. Unfortunately, over the weekend, his gait stopped improving and he started retching again (not as bad, as the beginning only a couple of times). When I talked to the internal Medicine doctor on Monday (July 29th) she was concerned and wanted to see him on Tuesday. During the office visit on Tuesday we had blood drawn to test for Myasthenia Gravis. The only lab in the country that does this test is at UC Davis and it takes about 7 to 10 days to get results back. While waiting on the test results for MG to come back she also wanted a physical evaluation and an MRI done by a Neurologist, so we scheduled that for Friday Aug. 2nd.
After examination of Cisco the Neurologist was almost certain it was Myasthenia Gravis but, because Cisco was so painful he wasn't 100% sure it wasn't an infection of the spine and wanted to continue with an MRI......I knew, by the look on his face, when he came out of the MRI that it was serious.......Cisco's MRI showed a large piece of grainy tissue and a dramatic malformation of the disk between L7 and S1, that is severely pinching the sciatic nerve on his left side. His prognosis was fair to good if we could get in surgically to irrigate and remove the infected tissue and begin a course of antibiotics ASAP. He sent us home with new pain medication, antibiotics and a surgery date of Tuesday, August 6th.
Over the weekend Cisco began to improve again......He is now walking, albeit with a hitched gait, wants to play and his whole demeanor is once again cheery....a little to cheery as he tries to chase the cat and wants to play with Ava (the puppy).
On Monday (Aug. 5th) I talked with the internal medicine doctor and she is puzzled (why the sudden dramatic improvement) but thrilled with his improvement. Later that evening (about 8pm), the neurologist called to tell me that he'd sent the MRI images off, on Friday, to a Radiologist Specialist for a second opinion. She disagreed with him about his infection diagnosis and felt the grainy tissue could be normal and was probably scar tissue from the previous surgery. During our discussion he told me he'd been working with this doctor for years and she was very rarely wrong. He trusted her evaluation enough that he wanted to postpone Cisco's surgery until the test results for the MG came back.
Today....Wednesday...August 7th........Cisco tested positive for Acquired Myasthenia Gravis. This is actually a much better diagnosis than the previous spinal infection. MG can be chemically treated and is known to go into remission. I haven't heard yet what treatment course the doctors want to begin Cisco on and we may still eventually have to go to surgery to fix the bulging disk but, the doctors tell me they are encouraged that Cisco may recover completely if everything goes well.
I'll keep you updated on our progress.
Cheri
Myasthenia Gravis:
Please read these links.......it's very important that you educate yourself on this disease.......it's much more common than you may realize and knowing some of the symptoms could potentially save your dogs life. I got lucky (I hope) I never would have thought that my big strong healthy boy could be struck down so suddenly and severely.......
http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/vsr/Neurology/Disorders/Myasthenia%20Gravis.html
http://www.michvet.com/library/neurology_myasthenia_gravis.asp
http://www.embracepetinsurance.com/health/myasthenia-gravis
by starrchar on 07 August 2013 - 20:08
Oh my goodness! What a scary and stressful experience! Poor Cisco (and you) went through so much. I'm so happy that you now have a diagnosis and he is doing much better. I haven't read the links yet, but I'm going to. My friend's Shiloh Shepherd was diagnosed with MA, but his started with Mega esophagus. He is now in remission and doing very well.
Thank you so much for sharing your story. Please keep us posted on Cisco's progress and I would really appreciate it if you would share the treatment protocol. Wishing you and Cisco the very best. He is a lucky boy to have you caring for him. Btw, where did you get the bully sticks from?
Thank you so much for sharing your story. Please keep us posted on Cisco's progress and I would really appreciate it if you would share the treatment protocol. Wishing you and Cisco the very best. He is a lucky boy to have you caring for him. Btw, where did you get the bully sticks from?
by Keith Grossman on 07 August 2013 - 20:08
Wow! My mom had this; didn't know it also affected dogs. Thanks for the info!
by Blitzen on 07 August 2013 - 21:08
Thanks for sharing this with us. I've only seen 2 dogs with MG in many years. Wishing Cisco a complete and speedy recovery. Good luck with him.
by clc29 on 07 August 2013 - 22:08
Starr.........Thank you. The Bully Stick was made by a company called Canine Caviar here in the US. Supposed to be very health conscious oriented company that makes high quality food and treats.
Keith......This was quite a shocker for me......Cisco is on the same medication used to treat this in humans Mestinon.
Blitzen......Thank you.......Cisco's Neurologist told me he treats GSD's for this condition all of the time. I was shocked as we don't have that many GSD's in NM to begin with.....Makes me wonder how many are treated Nationally.
Keith......This was quite a shocker for me......Cisco is on the same medication used to treat this in humans Mestinon.
Blitzen......Thank you.......Cisco's Neurologist told me he treats GSD's for this condition all of the time. I was shocked as we don't have that many GSD's in NM to begin with.....Makes me wonder how many are treated Nationally.
by fawndallas on 07 August 2013 - 23:08
I am so sorry to hear. Cisco has had a rough year. Here is to things looking up.
by LadyFrost on 08 August 2013 - 12:08
clc29...oh wow..so sorry...its never easy to see them suffer...glad you have some answers now...wish Cisco full recovery.
by Ruger1 on 08 August 2013 - 12:08
clc,,I was on pin and needles reading your post!,,:( I am sorry for Cisco's experience and can only imagine your concern and fear...I am overjoyed that the prognosis is better,,,Thank God!,,I will be thinking of you and Cisco...Please keep us updated..:)
by Hundmutter on 08 August 2013 - 13:08
Aware that it could happen in dogs, but only read about it, never seen
a case. Horrid thing for Cisco and you to go through. Thanks for the links;
yet another disease to keep in the back of our minds as a possibility.
Glad you have had a definite diagnosis and got treatment started, here's
wishing Cisco a speedy recovery. Is that likely to be a complete cure,
or is this something you may have to deal with for his lifetime ?
Linda.
a case. Horrid thing for Cisco and you to go through. Thanks for the links;
yet another disease to keep in the back of our minds as a possibility.
Glad you have had a definite diagnosis and got treatment started, here's
wishing Cisco a speedy recovery. Is that likely to be a complete cure,
or is this something you may have to deal with for his lifetime ?
Linda.
by GSDPACK on 08 August 2013 - 13:08
Cheri, I just spend three weeks learning about this disease! It is an awful illness and I am happy he is doing better.
M
M
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