Annika needs your prayers - Page 1

Some of you may remember in January she was diagnosed with LS Stenosis/Cauda Equina. Well, she did well with the depo injection for about six weeks and then came down with Pano. We put her on Metacam for 3 weeks and she did great. Took her off the Metacam at that point I noticed a small lump at the depo injection site, she had developed a sterile abcess... Started her on a Sulfa antibiotic. She was less than enthusiastic about her breakfast for 2 mornings in a row but ate both her dinners at her normal rate, she had 2 doses of the Sulfa. Sunday morning, as I was out running dogs my husband was in the house getting breakfast ready for everybody, she had a seizure. By the time I got in the house she was having another seizure. In the end, she had 3 seizures in a matter of 20 minutes. When we got to emergency, she had a 105 temp and was still really out of it. She has been in and out of the hospital for the past 2 weeks, no appetite to speak of and her fever is very up and down, she has tremors on and off and the poor kid was sent home on 2 different antibiotics(5 pills I had to stuff down her throat twice a day). The first time I got her home she was good for about 5 days and then her fever went back to 105 with tremors, back to ER we went. This last time I brought her home I started losing her in 3 days, this time she was very weak in the rear and clumsy in the front, so back to ER again. Jump to today(2 weeks later) she has had more bloodwork and cultures done than one could possibly imagine, she has had chest x-rays, lymph node and spleen aspirates, joint taps, consult with a neuro doc and internist. We decided late Friday to recheck her LS x-rays and send out labwork for fungal diseases. So far everything looks great, we are all pulling our hair out. Yesterday morning I got a call from her doc that the rad report came back on her LS x-rays, she has a lesion there that is not good. Could be bacterial or fungal infection or the dreaded "C" word. My heart just sank, if it were bacterial we should have seen improvement by now(she is on Keflex, Baytril and Doxycycline), if it were fungal the tests we did should have come back positive sooooooooo that leaves us to do a CT scan or MRI for a definitive diagnosis. She has been in the hospital since last Thursday afternoon and I miss her so much but I also know bringing her home and taking her back is really hard on her, so I went to visit with her yesterday and she seemed to enjoy seeing me and even ate some tracking food for me, I walked her around outside(this is a really nice place on about 5 acres) for awhile and then brushed her to her hearts content. Today, we are waiting on the neuro doc to decide which test he would like, CT or MRI. I am just sick, she is starting to lose muscle mass along her spine which I had not noticed until yesterday. My poor girl has had a really rough 5 months when she came up lame that first time and I feel like her quality of life is just dwindling. At the same time I can't just let her go without knowing what is going on. So, please I ask all of you that read this to keep her in your thoughts and prayers. Darlene Vom Herrenhaus German Shepherds

I am so sorry.

That is very sad ... I don't recall, exactly but she is a young dog right?? My thoughts are with you.....

My heart goes out to you, we will include Annika & you in our prayers. Your story brings tears to my eyes, & makes me just want to hug my furry kids. God bless you. Jackie Osborne

I'm so sorry for what is happening.

Darlene what a tragic story, I am so sorry for what you and Annika are going through. I can appreciate your recognition of quality of life versus quantity. And no one here would think less of you for any decsion you made regarding Annika's quality of life at this point, You have been dilligent in treatments, and diagnostics, My hats off to ya for gutting it out this long and the expendatures that I am sure your finances have suffered. I'll pray for her full recovery, and hope for the best, even if that is letting go, I'll pray for your comfort if that ends up being the case. My thoughts and prayers to you, your family and of course Annika.

Sorry to hear about Annika. I will keep her in my prayers and you also. Is she getting ativan or whatever they give dogs for the seizures? Could it be a meningitis causing the fever and seizures? Just throwing out some thoughts for you. I don't understand ***the dreaded "C' word***

Thoughts and prayers to you. Good luck and visit her often. gsdlvr2, "C"=cancer

Darlene, so sorry to hear about Annika. I wish there was something I could do to help you - molly

So sorry for your dog