I'm searching/researching, trying to figure out my 5 year old yorkies current issue. Let me reassure everyone before reading this, that she does have an appt with our vet today at 5pm (1 1/2 hours from now).
A little bit of background - at the age of 9 months she was diagnosed with PSS (liver shunt) and had a successful surgery to correct the problem. She was starting to show neurological signs at that point, but recovered quickly after surgery. About 6 months ago, she started to have Grand Mal type seizures. The seizures only last about a minute or two and they come in clusters. She'll have one every other day for a week and then they'll go away for several weeks. She hasn't had a seizure for several weeks now. She has been vet checked for the seizures as well, but no definitive cause and no need for medications. I honestly just chummed it up to the fact that her body still isn't completely correct from the PSS and never will be, just odd that it started this past year and it's been several years since her surgery. I've also had a cocker spaniel who had the same type of seizures and lived normally to the age of 17 years - so I didn't worry too much.
As of Thursday this past week, I noticed she had a hard time coming up 2 steps that she normally flies up and into our kitchen. I noticed it immediately, because it's certainly not normal for her. Basically it seemed like her rear end couldn't function very well - she would get stuck on the step, although trying her hardest to make it up. Everything else seemed perfectly normal with her, so I just watched her over this past weekend. I gave her a few 'tests' and brought her outside, as we normally do, and she didn't want to follow. This isn't normal for her either. As of today she does seem to be worse, although not significantly. You'd have to know her to understand anything is wrong with her while she's just walking. When she tries to run, rather than the fast little thing she used to be, she slowly lopes with an odd gait. She never acts like she's in pain - I've felt around on her spine and rear end, with no signs of pain. No signs of pain while running or going up the steps. It seems as though her front legs are also not as coordinated as they were just a week ago either, but that just started to today. It doesn't seem neurologic to me, because I've seen the neurologic signs of the PSS. I guess there are different types of neuro signs, but it just doesn't seem to be that. But, I'm not a vet.
If anyone has had a similar experience, I'd love to know about it. If anyone may have an idea of what this could be - classic signs of something, signs of yorkie prone issues? This forum helped me diagnose her with the PSS, so I have high hopes that you all can help with this as well.
My vet didn't diagnose her, I gave up trying to convince him that I knew what her problem was and brought her immediately to an ER clinic after several appts with the regular vet. Please, anyone with any glimmer of what may be causing this, let me know. She's only 5 years old and my goodness I love this little dog!
Thank you in advance.
Nicole