What could be wrong? - Page 1

Hi I am re-posting this in a new thread in an attempt to generate more response, but for those wishing to know the beginning of the story please see my thread on cauda equina... I tried to update this thread and ask some specific questions a while ago but the board wasn't working. My dog spent several days on steriod pills and injections but showed no improvements then began to vomit white froth, so was taken off this treatment, given a muscle relaxant and 4 injections of neurobion (Vitamin B complex) and then piroxicam, a non steroid anti inflammatory since taking this he has shown some improvement and is walking more normally with his back much less hunched, seems more animated, but still can't walk very far before sitting down, and still can't go up steps. In any case I have tried to keep him still most of the time. In the meantime we took an X-ray, just one view, lateral of the lumbosacral region which did not reveal anything. He has had a whole range of bloodwork done and the only abnormal result was elevated ASTO (this might be the spanish name, but it indicated infection with streptococcus type bacteria I think ). The vet now is doing cultures on the blood. But could a bacterial infection cause this type of symptom? He has no fever and is now eating normally (lost his appetitie in the first few days but soon got it back). re some of your earlier comments, he has normal bowel and bladder function, can lift his tail completely and stretch his back legs out, has no paralysis or loss of reflexes, he doesn't yelp as if in sudden sharp pain and its difficult to localise the source of the pain, he doesn't mind his hips being manipulated and never shows aggression on being touched. He was checked for HD at 1 year as is usual here and was "a" normal, has always been extremely fit and active, competed in a show in december in top condition so this was very sudden. To do more complicated tests like myelogram or MRI (not sure if this is possible on dogs here anyway) I can't do in our town, and thought it best to wait for the blood results. I have tried to research possibilities on the Internet, but nothing exactly seems to match.....anyone have any ideas? I am also looking for chiropracter willing/able to work on a dog. Olddog did your female with infected lumbar tissue have any other signs of illness, high temperature etc.? How as she diagnosed in the end? I wonder about infection because this dog has a wound on his back leg (close to the foot) that was caused initially by a bite from another dog, and took ages to heal because he keeps licking it. My vet seemed to think that an infection eg abcess would show up on the x-ray. But if it is infection maybe thats why he didn't respond to the steroids? Any thoughts? and what about safety of piroxicam? he's not on antibiotics yet because the vet wants to wait for the culture results, but I worry about the delay. Discospondylitis my vet says would have showed up on the X ray?? Sorry this is so long...

Hi OSO, I did not see your initial posts, but yes, a dog could have a generalized infection which might present this way. Or, it might, indeed be more localized but somehow be missed. Even a neurological infection, somewhere in the spinal tissue or brain could present in such a way. The fact that the x-rays are negative, he does not show any real presentation for impingement that is constant suggests something else is going on, or he had a temporary problem which is slowly resolving with rest, and treatment. It is possible he has some sort of herniation going on in the vertebrae. Did the dog have a fever? If so, this would be indicative of an infection, not cauda equina or some spinal problem. The fact that the dog has a bite wound may be a clue and that could be the source of an undiagnosed infection. I do not know what ASTO refers to. If you can ask your vet what kind of enzyme it is, or what kind of condition causes this (such as it is an elevated liver enzyme or muscle enzyme) and spell out the entire name rather than the abbreviation, I can probably help.

Thanks for your input Hodie, I do not know what ASTO is an abbreviation for, but my vet told me that it indicated that there was a reaction to streptococcus type bacteria, suggesting infection, but of course this might be from the leg wound. it was 833, max is supposed to be up to 300. Leucocytes were also slightly elevated. I have wondered about disc herniation but he is only 31/2, has no paralysis nior (apparently) sharp localized pain, and strange he did not respond to the prednisone? I think MRI or myelgram is necessary to diagnose this?

Hi Oso I still think it could be some kind of strain - hence no sign on xray. If you have any horse or Greyhound people in the vicinity they may have some links to a Chiropracter or Osteopath - either will be able to have a look for you. We could not get our bitch to feel pain on movement of limbs but she had this aversion to going up stairs which obviously was causing her pain and also refused to jump into the car or even jump up us for fuss. Hope you find some one soon.

Thanks Nikki, you may well be right, I'll continue looking for a chiropracter, but I presume if it is a strain it should get better with time anyway? How was your dog's injury diagnosed in the end? Hodie, I forgot to say that, no he hasn't had a fever at all and just lost his appetite for 2-3 days a first.

Oso, Only just saw you’re your posts. I’m simply not a vet and am very wary to really comment further – more so after hodie’s earlier thoughtful input. Bitch I mentioned did show minor rise in temperature and signs of anaemia (indicator to wide range of possibilities including infection) I’m not sure discospondylitis or related spinal abnormality produced would really show up on x-ray in its early stages but this condition’s most overt feature is the excruciating pain that accompanies it. If it existed in real degree, you’d know! I hope though that pain relief provided isn’t disguising symptoms which otherwise would reveal themselves. The non steroidal anti inflammatories can produce false symptoms of their own I believe. An abscess infection would show up on x-ray, but am again doubtful if tissue infection would. As said, I’m simply not qualified to add more to hodie’s input – job for expert?