Necrotizing encephalitis of yorkshire Terriers

[YorkieChick1]

Do all of you know about the yahoo group NewGMEDogs?? It is a support and informational group for people who's dogs have GME!! I highly recommend it, it has helped me tremendously during this hard time with Brooke. Here is the link, NewGMEDogs : NewGMEDogs
Please join, you will not regret it. Good Luck to everyone!

[gidgetann]

Originally Posted by YorkieChick1

Do all of you know about the yahoo group NewGMEDogs?? It is a support and informational group for people who's dogs have GME!! I highly recommend it, it has helped me tremendously during this hard time with Brooke. Here is the link, NewGMEDogs : NewGMEDogs
Please join, you will not regret it. Good Luck to everyone!

Thanks for providing that. I signed up and the group is tied to Dr. Sisson so it is a great site for information.

Lee Ann

[gidgetann]

For those of you whose dogs have Necrotizing Encephalitis or GME, have any of you noticed that your dog after taking pred or chemo now has red veins that are more prominent on their stomach. Gidget is doing good but I never have noticed any veins showing on her stomach and I just noticed them today. Her belly doesn't seem to be swollen but veins are just really showing up like I never have seen them before. Her stomach looks like she has varicose veins like a human would get on their legs. Any thoughts?

[Gramie]

From the things I am reading on here, I have male yorkie not 4 years old that has this. He has all the signs that has been mentioned. He went blind about 3 months ago, then about a month ago he started going around in a circle, then about 2 weeks later he started acting like he was getting weak in his back legs. I can not afford to take him out of state and get a MRI. I need any advise I can get on this. The vet is trying him on some predizone and antiboics and has done this twice now. The first time he was gave me a week of them, this last time she gave me two weeks of the predizone.
Any advice will help. Thanks in advance.

[bchgirl]

Originally Posted by Gramie

From the things I am reading on here, I have male yorkie not 4 years old that has this. He has all the signs that has been mentioned. He went blind about 3 months ago, then about a month ago he started going around in a circle, then about 2 weeks later he started acting like he was getting weak in his back legs. I can not afford to take him out of state and get a MRI. I need any advise I can get on this. The vet is trying him on some predizone and antiboics and has done this twice now. The first time he was gave me a week of them, this last time she gave me two weeks of the predizone.
Any advice will help. Thanks in advance.

You'll probably get a better response if you start a new thread on this topic.

[Ladymom]

Originally Posted by Gramie

From the things I am reading on here, I have male yorkie not 4 years old that has this. He has all the signs that has been mentioned. He went blind about 3 months ago, then about a month ago he started going around in a circle, then about 2 weeks later he started acting like he was getting weak in his back legs. I can not afford to take him out of state and get a MRI. I need any advise I can get on this. The vet is trying him on some predizone and antiboics and has done this twice now. The first time he was gave me a week of them, this last time she gave me two weeks of the predizone.
Any advice will help. Thanks in advance.

I don't know where you live, but the CREATE fund at North Carolina State University will help with the costs of diagnosing GME.

Here is more information.

gme

[mychau]

Originally Posted by ashmack

I am glad to hear your baby is doing better. That seems like a really low dose of prednisone. My yorkie who is only 4 lbs was on 15 MG for for 4 days and then it was taken down to 7.5 MG for 11 days and now it is down to 5 MG. If the dog is responding to the pred. then it most likely isn't the infectious type which is treated by antibiotics. I'm not a vet by any means, I'm just telling you the information that I have found from others that have gone through this. If you would like to give me your e-mail address I can e-mail you a paper that a specialist in Boston has written about his latest protocol for the disease. You may want to get show that to the vet treating your dog. He has had a 90% success rate.

hello, can you send me the specialist in boston about his latest protocol please, my e-mail:
vo120258@yahoo.com

[MIAGIRLSWEET]

My sweet girl Mia has been at NC State Vet School in ICU, I thought it might be Portal Shunt but this AM the neuro dept DVM called me to say that her Ammonia tests were ok and that she probably has Yorkie Encephalitis. We had been treating her at the local vet x 2 weeks and had ruled out Addisons and were going ahead with the Bile Salts study the following day. That evening she started agressively circling and salivating and on my way to the Urgent Care ER Center, she started to have a seizure, this was a very frightening event, the first of a total of 4 over a 24 hour period. She received Valium each time and also started on Phenobarb with no further seizures. I transferred to NC State Vet School care and now this very frightening news!!! PLEASE someone ot there help me!! She is my baby girl, only 3 years old!! They are going to do a CT scan then a spinal tap but WHY did the vet come out and tell me this first without any diagnostic work to support it??? I am in great need of some help please!! He said he thought she was now blind in one eye. She is not lame in any extremity. HELP!!!!!!!!!!

[Ladymom]

Originally Posted by MIAGIRLSWEET

My sweet girl Mia has been at NC State Vet School in ICU, I thought it might be Portal Shunt but this AM the neuro dept DVM called me to say that her Ammonia tests were ok and that she probably has Yorkie Encephalitis. We had been treating her at the local vet x 2 weeks and had ruled out Addisons and were going ahead with the Bile Salts study the following day. That evening she started agressively circling and salivating and on my way to the Urgent Care ER Center, she started to have a seizure, this was a very frightening event, the first of a total of 4 over a 24 hour period. She received Valium each time and also started on Phenobarb with no further seizures. I transferred to NC State Vet School care and now this very frightening news!!! PLEASE someone ot there help me!! She is my baby girl, only 3 years old!! They are going to do a CT scan then a spinal tap but WHY did the vet come out and tell me this first without any diagnostic work to support it??? I am in great need of some help please!! He said he thought she was now blind in one eye. She is not lame in any extremity. HELP!!!!!!!!!!

I assume the vet is probably referring to GME. I know you are scared, but your Mia couldn't be in better hands. NC State is a leader in research and treatment of GME.

There is more information about it on the Yorkie Angel Patrol website:

gme

[MIAGIRLSWEET]

I feel horrible that when she started circling this past week that I did not take her immediately to NC State but instead was taking her to the local vet who I feel was clueless about Yorkies (just moved to a smaller town from Raleigh, NC) Do you think that since she had a seizure that she suffered more damage? I grabbed her up and was on my way to the Urgent Care when I noticed her anxiety, increased circling and salivating. That was the first seizure and 30 minutes after arrival there she had another one. She was never lame and was walking from her bed to the door to go outside without circling and I only noticed it occasionally. I had NEVER heard of these kind of neuro problems before and really thought it could be a portal shunt problem. She has been receiving Decadron and Phenobarb which has made her very groggy but she is out of ICU today. Funny thing about this is we went for a ride and she actually started acting like she felt better and was staying out of her bed more just the day before the seizure!! Do all dogs have to take Seizure medication with this? THANKS to everyone on here who can help me! This little girl had tube feeds and then a cleft lip repair at 3 months and she has been through so much! And she is the love of my life!

[ashmack]

Please go to:

NewGMEDogs : NewGMEDogs

This is a support group for owners of dog's with gme/nme. You can also get information regarding Dr. Sisson's protocol that has had a lot of success with this horrible disease.

[littleyorkie]

Hi MIAGIRLSWEETI noticed your post was in early September, so you might have already confirmed the cause of your dog's disease. I am almost certain it is GME/NE(necrotizing encephalitis). I am sharing the story of my yorkie here, hopefully that can help others in the future.

I understand your feelings as I just went through far more horrible experience during the past week. My littleyorkie was perfectly healthy untill he had an intense seizure the first time one night about a week ago, lasting for about 2 or 3 minutes, I was so scared and thought he was gonna die immediately. But he managed to come over it and walk around. He then had another one around 3 o'clock in the morning. He looked quite normal the next day and because we were travel in another country so we did not take him to vet immediately. Unfortunately, in the following evening, he had seizures three times within half an hour. When we took him to emergency hospital, he could not stand. Again, he had a really bad seizure in the emergency room which last a few minutes, he was crying all the time and totally lost consiousness. The doctor sedated him and gave him phenobartital, and he stayed in the hostpical over night. We took him back the next morning, and he started to walk in small circle to the right, and he could not accurately located the food and water. The doctor suggest us to take him to see neurologist because she suspect he has cancer or tumor in his brain. We then immediately drove back to our country and on the way back home, he had small seizure a few times, partially around the head and neck, not full body. He panted a lot. He looked fine when we back home, he even happily walk and run for about an hour, I thought he has recovered and I was so happy. We called our vet and booked an appointment next afternoon.

Next day, he woke up quite weak, he could not stand stable on his back legs, panting a lot. I thought he need some fresh air and took him to a walk. He walked in small circles frequently, then he started to have white foam out of his mouth, immediately drooling. I was heatbroke, called taxi and immediately sent him to the vet. The vet gave him catherter and phenobarbital again and keep him in the hospital. We managed to squeeze in an appointment with neurologist two days after due to his urgent status. Because the hospital is closed at night, we had to pick him up at night and planned to send him back the next morning. When they handed him to my arm, I noticed he seems unconcious, and he twiched his head all the time. After being put on his bed, he finally lied down, with his eyes open all the time. About thee hours later, he started to have partial seizure again, and started to stretch our all four legs and pull back his head, and his body turning hard. I was devastated and called my vet, and she suggested us to send him to emergency hosptital immediately. When we got to the hospital, he seems dying. They put catherer on him again, sugar injection, oxygen, blood testing, x-ray on chest, and kept him there. I called a few times during the night, and he was not doing better. He was basically unconcious, none-responsive, and paddling all the time. Once again, the emergency hospital called the critical disease center and finnaly moved our appointment to the next morning. I was warned to be prepared to lose him.

Then the next morning, I was finally on my way sending the poor yorkie to a neurologist. His situation deteriorated so fast and so drastically and I alwasy felt like fighting for every minute and second. He was extremely weak, with catherers on both legs, tongue out, right eye popping out. He was so weak but he still crying from his throat, and paddling. I was devestating and desperate. I had the feeling, this is it, the end.

Then we saw the neurologist, and for two days they did all sorts of tests, CT (MRI was canceled because his poor response to anethesia), spinal tag, ultra sound, ... everything you name it. His right brain is swelling, and there is no tumor. I was called again 3 o'clock in the morning that he was dying, because his breath became harder and harder. They asked whether to let him go, or put him on oxygen ventilator which cost 2000 dollars a day. We had fighted such a long way here, I told the doctor to do whatever they can to save the dog. I kept crying after that, and two hours later, they said he seems doing okay with the ventilator.

Another morning, the spinal tap results could not be confirmed, they cannot be sure the brain inflammtion was infectious inflammation or NE. So they had to treat him in both way, manage the balance carefully before the result comes out. We were told the result will not come out on weeked, so yorkie has to wait for another two days with ventilator. Another two day's suffering for both the dog and us, but we could not do nothing but wait. I suspect whether yorkie can wait that longer.

Fortunately, this morning when I called them to check the status, they said the result was sent back, and it is confirmed to be NE, and they are starting immunsupress medication on him. We are still anxiously waiting how he will respond to the treatment, he has been and is still completely sedated with the oxygen ventiator inserted into is throat now. All is uncertain, but we are praying that he could finally wake up and I can hold him in my arm again.

Originally Posted by MIAGIRLSWEET

I feel horrible that when she started circling this past week that I did not take her immediately to NC State but instead was taking her to the local vet who I feel was clueless about Yorkies (just moved to a smaller town from Raleigh, NC) Do you think that since she had a seizure that she suffered more damage? I grabbed her up and was on my way to the Urgent Care when I noticed her anxiety, increased circling and salivating. That was the first seizure and 30 minutes after arrival there she had another one. She was never lame and was walking from her bed to the door to go outside without circling and I only noticed it occasionally. I had NEVER heard of these kind of neuro problems before and really thought it could be a portal shunt problem. She has been receiving Decadron and Phenobarb which has made her very groggy but she is out of ICU today. Funny thing about this is we went for a ride and she actually started acting like she felt better and was staying out of her bed more just the day before the seizure!! Do all dogs have to take Seizure medication with this? THANKS to everyone on here who can help me! This little girl had tube feeds and then a cleft lip repair at 3 months and she has been through so much! And she is the love of my life!

[MIAGIRLSWEET]

Hello and I hope your little Yorkie is doing much better!! Mia has been on Prednisone, Cytosar infusions and Leflunomide. She is still have some circling but with less frequency and mostly with excitement. She lost sight in her left eye during this crisis. She is on Phenobarb but has not had any further seizure activity since her initial hospitalization. She walks mostly in straight lines and even hops when she is in a hurry! She responds to her name right away when called. She actually barked last week after coming home from her Cytosar tx! I am very pleased with her progress over the past month! We are going to see a new neurologist in the next week to get closer monitoring of her care. I am not a happy camper with the resident at the vet teaching school! Where do you live? There is alot of resources that I might be able to help you with.

[littleyorkie]

Little Yorkie was gone Monday morning (Oct 19, 2009) at 8:25. When I went to visit him in the hostipal on Sunday, he was doing well. He was still on the ventilator, but he was lying there with great comfort. He reconganized our voice and he was trembling although he could not move at all. His bloold pressure suddenly went up the moment I was in the room and talking. He responded promptly when we touched his eyelid. Doctor said everything was normal with him and his breath gets lighter and lighter, and they hoped him to get better every hour and were prepared to get him off ventilator and let him breathe on his own. I was so excited and thankful, I thought he would soon come back and I could hold him in my arm again tomorrow.

Doctor called the same afternoon and updated that he was off ventilator and he was doing fine. We prayed the whole night and count each minute on the way of getting him back. We woked up at 3 AM then 4 AM in the morning, and no emergency call and we thought he has passed the most difficult time. We are so ready to touch him and talk to him soon. Then at 4:50, my phone ringed and the doctor called in and said he was breathing with difficulty. She said he has liquid in his lung and she would like to do some treatment although it most likely to be helpless. I was like being knocked down from heavy to hell. I don't understand why this, the day before they did ultrasound all over his chest and abodomen and said evrything looked normal. Then in the next four hours, I kept walking and trembling in the dark living room, and praying the god not to take him away from me. Finally the doctor called and said they were doing treatment and he was getting better, but suddenly there is blood coming out of his chest and his breath stopped. There is abosolutely not possible to get him back and she euthanized him.

That is it, with full of hope, joy and anxiety, I was waiting for the miracle to come, but all of a sudden, he was taken away. I could not accept the fact, I lept recalling every moment in the past week since he got sick, regretting there might be a different result if I have done this or that.... But when I stand before his empty cold canine, there is only one truth in reality, I lost him forever.

[MIAGIRLSWEET]

I am so very sorry for your loss, I had hoped everything would be ok after your email. I believe that if the seizures had been controlled better at first, maybe the outcome would have been much different. Mia never had a seizure at home. She started to develop a seizure just prior to my departure for the ER and half way had her first. They immediately took her back and started Valium IV and then the Phenobarb immediately. She had 2 more seizures, another one approx 30 min after the first then another one the following morning around 0400. The ultimate danger with seizure activity is the hyperthermia which can kill brain cells. They were treating her elevated temp the entire time and in fact had ice packs and alcohol wipes for her transport to the State Vet Teaching School Neurologist the following day. I did not waste any time after this episode. She immediately started on high dose steroids and her first Cytosar chemo treatment which halted her GME progression. I also have other Yorkies and I do believe that I know more about this disease than most vets including the clueless one I had to start with. Shame, they go through all kinds of clinicals and I as a RN had to tell my vet that Mia had hydrocephalus symptoms which it definitely was ruled in that she did!!! Instead, a full precious day was wasted due to her insistance to do an Addisons test which of cause she didn't. Borderline Potassium/Sodim ratio depression but she chose to ignore my comment about the circling that had JUST STARTED!! Her comment "well, I have never read where circling was a symptom with this (Addisons) THEN, I should have ran to the first closest vet within my locality. Anyway, Mia has improved, less circling, cognitive functioning improving, actually is becoming very vocal now! We have started to taper down the Prednisone with her Leflunomide on board for a litle over 3 weeks now. She received her #3 Cytosar treatment last Friday and I am not only switching Neurlogists but also her PCP.
I hope you will seek out another sweet dog, one that really needs you, a shelter dog that realy needs the love you have to give. Yorkie baby is doing fine now with the thoughts that there is no more pain and suffering over the Rainbow Bridge. You will see her again some day. Take comfort in knowing that she knew you were there when you needed her most. God Bless You and I will think of you in my prayers. Marjorie