Yorkie Encephalitis ?? - YorkieTalk.com Forums

crzy4dogsxx21 · 01-08-2014, 10:09 PM

Has anyone ever had a yorkie that was diagnosed with yorkie encephalitis? I have a little girl who was just diagnosed with that? She is very unsteady on her feet and has difficulties walking but never had a seizure or the head tilt. If anyone has experienced this I would love to hear their story and their dog's outcome. I have been doing a lot of research and I think that this is what she has. Any advice or feedback about the condition or medicine is appreciated.

kjc · 01-08-2014, 10:27 PM

Many things can cause this... best to have her looked at ASAP by a neurologist, as specific conditions need to be found, fixed, or ruled out, and started on meds. Best to keep her quiet, in a kennel to prevent further injury. This is an emergency situation and she needs to be treated with extreme caution and kid gloves up until she is actually diagnosed by a specialist and a treatment plan is initiated.

crzy4dogsxx21 · 01-08-2014, 10:42 PM

She is currently at an emergency vet's office and has been there for the past few days and is seeing the neurologist there and is started on some meds already. I am looking for someone who went through this with their yorkie and how they were treated and how they responded to the medicines.

kjc · 01-08-2014, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crzy4dogsxx21

She is currently at an emergency vet's office and has been there for the past few days and is seeing the neurologist there and is started on some meds already. I am looking for someone who went through this with their yorkie and how they were treated and how they responded to the medicines.

Very good. Medications depend on what the cause is. Encephalitis is a bucket term for 'swelling in the brain', which can be from injury, birth defect, over production of cerebral spinal fluid, and others. Common drugs used are prednisone to reduce the swelling, omeprazole reduces the amount of CSF produced, and if caused by over vaccination or vaccine allergy, chemotherapy. Usually MRIs and Spinal Taps are done prior to starting meds.

Hepatic Encephalitis is similar but different drugs are used as it results from a liver issue.

ladyjane · 01-08-2014, 11:44 PM

You say that she was diagnosed with it, but then you say that you think that it is what she has.
In your other thread you said that the neurologist wanted to do a MRI and Spinal. Have those been done?

Yorkiemom1 · 01-09-2014, 11:57 AM

Encephalitis is infection of the brain. It is caused by a viral infection, bacterial infection, or more rarely, fungal and even by parasites. Then there is a post infectious encephalitis that can be caused by vaccinations, where the auto immune system is attacked/affected. The first thing that will be done is determined what the causative factor is, and then treating the causative agent....in humans, an infectious disease specialist heads this up. When the cause of the infection/inflammation is determined and treated, then treatment of the symptoms and side effects of the disease process are concurrently treated.

crzy4dogsxx21 · 01-27-2014, 07:14 PM

Just wanted to give an update on my little baby. She was diagnosed by the neurologist with necrotizing encephalitis. She has been on clindamycin , doxycycline and prednisone for about 3 weeks and we have seen a significant improvement in her. Initially she was unable to walk or even stand because her left side was very weak but now she is much more stable on her feet and can stand on her own and is walking and even trying to run a little. She is becoming more active and follows us where ever we go and jumps and cries for attention when she is alone. Her eating has also picked up and she has gained a half a pound but I think that is due to the prednisone. I know she is not out of the woods yet and that it is still possible for her to slide back but she has came a long way and her neurologist is surprised and impressed with her improvement. I am just taking things day by day and hoping for the best . I can finally look forward to giving her a great 3rd birthday party.

Yogi yorkie · 01-30-2014, 07:36 PM

Hi, just saw your post or would have responded sooner. Our Yogi had encephalitis last year, at 11 months old. He presented with stumbling, falling crying and lethargic. Spent one night at a 24 hour emergency vet who thought he had a liver shunt. Next day my vet sent us to a specialty hospital, being treated by a neurologist and he spent a few nights there. Had a spinal tap and a brain MRI to be diagnosed. A few meds including a steroid for 4 months, tapered off and now he is doing great. It's very scary but they can make a full recovery! Hope your baby does as well as Yogi did! Let me know if I can be of any help! Good luck!

Patti · 01-30-2014, 07:57 PM

I'm glad your baby is responding to the medicines. I hope he makes a full recovery.
I'm glad Yogi is also doing great!

Connie · 01-30-2014, 10:03 PM

I'm so glad that your little sweetie is showing so much improvement. Praying she makes a full recovery!

cavery · 02-01-2014, 07:26 AM

How is your baby doing? I hope she is continuing to do well. Unfortunately, I am going through the same thing. I have a two year-old, 5 1/2 pound Biewer which is a breed that came from Yorkies. My baby was diagnosed a month ago with idiopathic encephalitis. I first realized something was wrong when he started walking in circles and seemed a bit off balance and somewhat dazed. After doing an MRI and spinal tap, I was told the devastating news. The neurologist has put him on 2.5 MG prednisone twice a day. Also, he has now gone for two rounds of cytosine, a kind of chemotherapy drug. He goes for these injections two days in a row every three weeks.

His symptoms have improved some but not as much as we had hoped. He is more alert (but not back to his normal playful self) and still walks in circles (but not as much). I have been told that it is fatal and incurable, and that the most we can hope for is a temporary remission.

It has been heartbreaking, needless to say. This little dog has wrapped himself around my heart in a way no other dog has. The vet told me that he has maybe 3-9 months to live and that the symptoms will eventually come back and worsen quickly.

Does anyone have any experience with different treatments?

Layla04 · 02-19-2014, 05:33 AM

I just joined this forum & was so glad to find these posts. I hesitated to respond because my outcome was not very good. I hope your baby is responding to medication. My yorkie had NME which is the worst form. Before she had the MRI we put her on the predisone but really no improvment. Her symptoms were blindness in one eye and the circling & she could not play because she would go off into like a nevrland and could not concentrate. The saddest part for me was that her organs and physical body were top notch. eating, pooping all great. It was her brain. After the MRI and the diagnosis of NME the neurologist said it was a miracle that she wasn't siezing because of the many lesions on her brain. She was not in any pain now but she soon would be and it is a fatal diagnosis. I opted for euthanasia and it was the worst thing I ever went through. I hesitated to write this because I want you to have hope. Your baby is not in the same position as mine. It is a terrible disease and I am doing much research on it so the next time I adopt a yorkie, and I will someday I will be more informed. I wish you all so much love and luck with your beloved companions.

Layla04 · 02-19-2014, 05:44 AM

I just joined this forum & was so glad to find these posts. I hesitated to respond because my outcome was not very good. I hope your baby is responding to medication. My yorkie had NME which is the worst form. Before she had the MRI we put her on the predisone but really no improvment. Her symptoms were blindness in one eye and the circling & she could not play because she would go off into like a nevrland and could not concentrate. The saddest part for me was that her organs and physical body were top notch. eating, pooping all great. It was her brain. After the MRI and the diagnosis of NME the neurologist said it was a miracle that she wasn't siezing because of the many lesions on her brain. She was not in any pain now but she soon would be and it is a fatal diagnosis. I opted for euthanasia and it was the worst thing I ever went through. I hesitated to write this because I want you to have hope. Your baby is not in the same position as mine. It is a terrible disease and I am doing much research on it so the next time I adopt a yorkie, and I will someday I will be more informed. I wish you all so much love and luck with your beloved companions.

crzy4dogsxx21 · 03-07-2014, 07:45 PM

Hi everyone. Sorry I have not been on yorkietalk recently but thanks for everyone caring about my baby. She was diagnosed with necrotizing encephalitis at the end of December 2013. After a lot of vet visits and hospitalizations she is doing better but is not like herself yet before this happened. She was on pred 2x a day for about 2 months and she just had her monthly neurologist appt last week and her neurologist was very happy with her improvements and he decided to start to taper her off the pred. So now she is just getting it once a day. She still seems to be doing good but is a little more shaky again so I am going to have to talk with her neurologist if that is normal. I was a little hesitant to change her meds because I didn't want her to regress and get worse again. But now she walks good on her own and likes to go outside and walk with her harness. She just started to do steps again and she went up about 8 steps on her own which greatly surprised me. She can eat good on her own out of her dish now and goes to the bathroom on her own and doesn't have to be supervised as much as before. She also just started to with one of my other dogs today which she has never done since last year. She is definitely a fighter and is doing good. I still worry about her alot because she is becoming more outgoing and "brave" to try new things like jumping up on my leg and standing on her back legs but I am always worried that she could fall again. I don't know if she will ever get back to her normal self because the encephalitis I think damaged a part of her brain. But I love to hear what others have gone through and what their yorkies were on because my Keesha was only on pred and no other meds so I don't know if any other meds would have helped her. But as of now she continues to improve and do more things on her own.

Layla04 · 03-08-2014, 05:50 AM

I am so glad she is improving. The expert in this disease is Dr. Sisson out of Boston. I am surprised they are just treating her with Pred. Depending on the case, he treats most cases with 5 different meds, for necrotizing. Usually only 3 for GME. If you want to read his treatments just google him. You are going to a neurologist which is great so I am sure she has her own protocol. I am tickled for you and your babies improvement. Much luck to you and your little one.

01-08-2014, 10:09 PM	#1
crzy4dogsxx21 Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Allentown,PA, USA Posts: 34	Yorkie Encephalitis ?? Has anyone ever had a yorkie that was diagnosed with yorkie encephalitis? I have a little girl who was just diagnosed with that? She is very unsteady on her feet and has difficulties walking but never had a seizure or the head tilt. If anyone has experienced this I would love to hear their story and their dog's outcome. I have been doing a lot of research and I think that this is what she has. Any advice or feedback about the condition or medicine is appreciated.

01-08-2014, 10:27 PM	#2
kjc I♥PeekTinkySaph&Finny Donating Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Posts: 18,866	Many things can cause this... best to have her looked at ASAP by a neurologist, as specific conditions need to be found, fixed, or ruled out, and started on meds. Best to keep her quiet, in a kennel to prevent further injury. This is an emergency situation and she needs to be treated with extreme caution and kid gloves up until she is actually diagnosed by a specialist and a treatment plan is initiated. __________________ Kat Chloe Lizzy PeekABooTinkerbell SapphireInfinity

01-08-2014, 11:44 PM	#5
ladyjane Resident Yorkie Nut Donating YT 20K Club Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 27,450	You say that she was diagnosed with it, but then you say that you think that it is what she has. In your other thread you said that the neurologist wanted to do a MRI and Spinal. Have those been done? __________________ CLOUD NINE BEDS--YORKIE HAVEN RESCUE MY ETSY SHOP

01-09-2014, 11:57 AM	#6
Yorkiemom1 Rosehill Yorkies Donating YT Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Houston Texas Posts: 9,462	Encephalitis is infection of the brain. It is caused by a viral infection, bacterial infection, or more rarely, fungal and even by parasites. Then there is a post infectious encephalitis that can be caused by vaccinations, where the auto immune system is attacked/affected. The first thing that will be done is determined what the causative factor is, and then treating the causative agent....in humans, an infectious disease specialist heads this up. When the cause of the infection/inflammation is determined and treated, then treatment of the symptoms and side effects of the disease process are concurrently treated. Last edited by Yorkiemom1; 01-09-2014 at 11:59 AM.

01-30-2014, 07:57 PM	#9
Patti Donating YT 30K Club Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Illinois Posts: 35,509 Blog Entries: 6	I'm glad your baby is responding to the medicines. I hope he makes a full recovery. I'm glad Yogi is also doing great! __________________ Cali Pixie Roxie : RIP Nikki; RIP Maya;RIP my sweet Dixie girl 1/17/08 http://callipuppyscastle.bravehost.com/index.html

01-08-2014, 10:42 PM	#3
crzy4dogsxx21 Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Allentown,PA, USA Posts: 34	She is currently at an emergency vet's office and has been there for the past few days and is seeing the neurologist there and is started on some meds already. I am looking for someone who went through this with their yorkie and how they were treated and how they responded to the medicines.

01-27-2014, 07:14 PM	#7
crzy4dogsxx21 Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Allentown,PA, USA Posts: 34	Just wanted to give an update on my little baby. She was diagnosed by the neurologist with necrotizing encephalitis. She has been on clindamycin , doxycycline and prednisone for about 3 weeks and we have seen a significant improvement in her. Initially she was unable to walk or even stand because her left side was very weak but now she is much more stable on her feet and can stand on her own and is walking and even trying to run a little. She is becoming more active and follows us where ever we go and jumps and cries for attention when she is alone. Her eating has also picked up and she has gained a half a pound but I think that is due to the prednisone. I know she is not out of the woods yet and that it is still possible for her to slide back but she has came a long way and her neurologist is surprised and impressed with her improvement. I am just taking things day by day and hoping for the best . I can finally look forward to giving her a great 3rd birthday party.

01-30-2014, 07:36 PM	#8
Yogi yorkie Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: New City NY USA Posts: 96	Hi, just saw your post or would have responded sooner. Our Yogi had encephalitis last year, at 11 months old. He presented with stumbling, falling crying and lethargic. Spent one night at a 24 hour emergency vet who thought he had a liver shunt. Next day my vet sent us to a specialty hospital, being treated by a neurologist and he spent a few nights there. Had a spinal tap and a brain MRI to be diagnosed. A few meds including a steroid for 4 months, tapered off and now he is doing great. It's very scary but they can make a full recovery! Hope your baby does as well as Yogi did! Let me know if I can be of any help! Good luck!

01-30-2014, 10:03 PM	#10
Connie Loved by Maddie & Libby Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: North Dakota Posts: 10,732	I'm so glad that your little sweetie is showing so much improvement. Praying she makes a full recovery! __________________ Custom doggie dresses and vests Memory is a country where I can go to see your face - but where do I go when I miss your embrace?

02-01-2014, 07:26 AM	#11
cavery YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Nashville, TN, USA Posts: 2	Encephalitis Diagnosis How is your baby doing? I hope she is continuing to do well. Unfortunately, I am going through the same thing. I have a two year-old, 5 1/2 pound Biewer which is a breed that came from Yorkies. My baby was diagnosed a month ago with idiopathic encephalitis. I first realized something was wrong when he started walking in circles and seemed a bit off balance and somewhat dazed. After doing an MRI and spinal tap, I was told the devastating news. The neurologist has put him on 2.5 MG prednisone twice a day. Also, he has now gone for two rounds of cytosine, a kind of chemotherapy drug. He goes for these injections two days in a row every three weeks. His symptoms have improved some but not as much as we had hoped. He is more alert (but not back to his normal playful self) and still walks in circles (but not as much). I have been told that it is fatal and incurable, and that the most we can hope for is a temporary remission. It has been heartbreaking, needless to say. This little dog has wrapped himself around my heart in a way no other dog has. The vet told me that he has maybe 3-9 months to live and that the symptoms will eventually come back and worsen quickly. Does anyone have any experience with different treatments?

02-19-2014, 05:33 AM	#12
Layla04 Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Rome, Ohio Posts: 28	I just joined this forum & was so glad to find these posts. I hesitated to respond because my outcome was not very good. I hope your baby is responding to medication. My yorkie had NME which is the worst form. Before she had the MRI we put her on the predisone but really no improvment. Her symptoms were blindness in one eye and the circling & she could not play because she would go off into like a nevrland and could not concentrate. The saddest part for me was that her organs and physical body were top notch. eating, pooping all great. It was her brain. After the MRI and the diagnosis of NME the neurologist said it was a miracle that she wasn't siezing because of the many lesions on her brain. She was not in any pain now but she soon would be and it is a fatal diagnosis. I opted for euthanasia and it was the worst thing I ever went through. I hesitated to write this because I want you to have hope. Your baby is not in the same position as mine. It is a terrible disease and I am doing much research on it so the next time I adopt a yorkie, and I will someday I will be more informed. I wish you all so much love and luck with your beloved companions.

02-19-2014, 05:44 AM	#13
Layla04 Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Rome, Ohio Posts: 28	I just joined this forum & was so glad to find these posts. I hesitated to respond because my outcome was not very good. I hope your baby is responding to medication. My yorkie had NME which is the worst form. Before she had the MRI we put her on the predisone but really no improvment. Her symptoms were blindness in one eye and the circling & she could not play because she would go off into like a nevrland and could not concentrate. The saddest part for me was that her organs and physical body were top notch. eating, pooping all great. It was her brain. After the MRI and the diagnosis of NME the neurologist said it was a miracle that she wasn't siezing because of the many lesions on her brain. She was not in any pain now but she soon would be and it is a fatal diagnosis. I opted for euthanasia and it was the worst thing I ever went through. I hesitated to write this because I want you to have hope. Your baby is not in the same position as mine. It is a terrible disease and I am doing much research on it so the next time I adopt a yorkie, and I will someday I will be more informed. I wish you all so much love and luck with your beloved companions.

03-07-2014, 07:45 PM	#14
crzy4dogsxx21 Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Allentown,PA, USA Posts: 34	Hi everyone. Sorry I have not been on yorkietalk recently but thanks for everyone caring about my baby. She was diagnosed with necrotizing encephalitis at the end of December 2013. After a lot of vet visits and hospitalizations she is doing better but is not like herself yet before this happened. She was on pred 2x a day for about 2 months and she just had her monthly neurologist appt last week and her neurologist was very happy with her improvements and he decided to start to taper her off the pred. So now she is just getting it once a day. She still seems to be doing good but is a little more shaky again so I am going to have to talk with her neurologist if that is normal. I was a little hesitant to change her meds because I didn't want her to regress and get worse again. But now she walks good on her own and likes to go outside and walk with her harness. She just started to do steps again and she went up about 8 steps on her own which greatly surprised me. She can eat good on her own out of her dish now and goes to the bathroom on her own and doesn't have to be supervised as much as before. She also just started to with one of my other dogs today which she has never done since last year. She is definitely a fighter and is doing good. I still worry about her alot because she is becoming more outgoing and "brave" to try new things like jumping up on my leg and standing on her back legs but I am always worried that she could fall again. I don't know if she will ever get back to her normal self because the encephalitis I think damaged a part of her brain. But I love to hear what others have gone through and what their yorkies were on because my Keesha was only on pred and no other meds so I don't know if any other meds would have helped her. But as of now she continues to improve and do more things on her own.

03-08-2014, 05:50 AM	#15
Layla04 Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Rome, Ohio Posts: 28	I am so glad she is improving. The expert in this disease is Dr. Sisson out of Boston. I am surprised they are just treating her with Pred. Depending on the case, he treats most cases with 5 different meds, for necrotizing. Usually only 3 for GME. If you want to read his treatments just google him. You are going to a neurologist which is great so I am sure she has her own protocol. I am tickled for you and your babies improvement. Much luck to you and your little one.