You know who this is about...thoughts and opinions needed PLEASE

[cdawnfine]

Hey Brooke,

This sounds very similar to what happened with my sisters dog last year. It turned out to be her back, in dogs just like humans it takes lots of rest, it took was about 2 months of crate rest, they wanted to try that first. Daphne is perfectly fine now as a matter of fact she spent most of the summer here with me playing with Milo. I know it is much easer said than done, but please try not too worry too much.

Cheryl and Milo

[Little Bit]

It sounds like you've got all the bases covered with the tests you want. I am praying that it is nothing serious. Hang in there. I know how worried they can make us feel.

Hugs,

[Zanders' mom]

So sorry Tatum is having these symptoms. I hope she is OK, I pray it is NOTHING serious, easily treatable.
I am worried about the interaction of the meds you gave her, if the inner ear could be the problem then what does benadryl do for it ??... does nutrical cause dependency? reason for shaking? then it stops when you give it to her?
I hope you get to feeling better so you can eat, don't want you to get sick. Hugs n kissies from your fans over here.

[speleogirl37]

I am so sorry. Tatum will be in my prayers! I pray this is something simple to fix. I can not help with any medical advise but, I just wanted to ask if you've thought of getting her some kind of booties/slippers that have the nonskid stuff on the bottom? Just a thought. Get well soon Tatum!!

[peanut]

OH no Brooke, you and Tator have been through so much lately, I wish I could give you a big hug, just know that I am thinking and praying about you both. I am here if you need me. Give my Tator Tot big hugs & kisses, (Steddy too!)

[Ladymom]

Brooke, how far are you from Texas A&M? At this point, I think I'd ask for a referral. Poor Tatum is just sick with mysterious symptoms too often.

[jeanm1963]

Brooke, just wanted you to know that I am praying for you and Tate, I hope she is fine and home recovering in your arms and that it was nothing serious!!

[Reese1]

Brooke,
I'm so sorry Tatum is not feeling. Poor little thing has been through so much.
I hope and pray she is ok. Please keep us all posted!
She's in my thoughts!

[Patti]

Just seeing this but wanted to say I hope Tatum is ok and they can give you a reason for her symptoms and it can be easily treated. Pixie had a reaction to fertilizer where she was wobbly and walked funny but she was falling over so it doesn't sound like anything toxic caused Tatum's symptoms. Cali has spondylosis of her spine and she walks funny when it is acting up and shivers if you pet her back. Other than Tatum's knee surgerys I can't think of anything else. I will keep her and you in my prayers. Hoping for a good update.

[Robin Lodal]

Poor Tatum, I hope that it is not anything serious. Your post broke my heart reading about her falling. Its so hard when our babies are sick or hurting because they can't tell us what is hurting or what is wrong and it makes it that much harder. (((hugs))) Please keep us updated and know that we are here praying for you.

We love you Tatum, get better soon!

[lrichardsonrnc]

Thank you for being so good at sharing your feelings. You have expressed every neurotic thought I've had if I think something is wrong with my Priscilla. The stomach pain, the loss of appetite, the sinking sick feeling. I HATE to take her to the vet for fear I'll get bad news. I thought I was the only lady with a overactive imagination when it comes to this baby. I'm ordinarily so positive but let that girl have one symptom and it's off to the races with my worry-brain. You have such a caring heart.

[spiritwings1202]

You are in my thoughts and prayers and I am sure she will be fine. It breaks my heart that you are going through this. It is so scary when we don't know what is wrong with our babies. Big Hugs to you~Joyce

[Julz]

I can't wait for an update. I sure pray Tatum is well.

[stedmansmommy]

Ok guys, here's the update. I took her in and the vet checked her ears and said they looked good. I saw the insides of her ears up on the monitor and everything looked nice and clean...no redness and no infection. He checked her out and said that neurologically everything looked good as well - Praise the LORD!!!!! Her reflexes were good...she was alert and could see and hear perfectly fine. Per my request he did a blood chem profile and everything came back perfectly normal and fine there as well - Praise the LORD again!!!! Thank you JESUS!!!

After I told him about her LP surgery, and how severe her LP was (my regular vet was out today so we saw a different vet that was filling in for him)...he started "examining" her legs (feeling her patellas, the pins, flexing her knees/legs, etc.). At first he thought that everything seemed pretty good but then he went back and felt around some more and he said that her right patella he was able to move around. How odd because it was her left knee that was always the worst...but he said today that he was able to move around the right one some. However, when he did this, it didn't cause her any pain what so ever. He was holding her and she was just letting him mess with her little knees like it didn't even bother her in the slightest! My sweet baby girl. He gave her so much lovin' and said that she was just such a sweet baby doll....awwwww!!! He was just smiling the entire time he was looking at her...I really liked this vet ALOT! I wish he was the regular vet there instead of my other vet, cause I liked him alot better. My other vet is really nice and sweet and cute with the animals, but sometimes I just question his knowledge. That's how it is with alot of vet's in this town...except for the one I saw today, and wouldn't you know he is now retired and only fills in as needed Dang it!

ANYWAY...back to the update. He said that she could have possibly developed arthritis in her knees...and when I told him that she does in fact have Osteoarthritis (Tatum's surgeon told me that after he completed her LP surgery) he seemed to have thought that maybe that's what could be causing all this. MAYBE. It is getting colder here now and he thinks that the weather/temperature change MAY be having an effect on her...with the wobbling and falling down when shaking, running and trying to jump up when she gets a little bit excited. We closed all the doors in his office and put her down and let her walk around for him and he did see some stiffness there...so I guess it could be the arthritis. I just don't know. It's so hard to tell when everything else is showing up normal.

I opted to wait on the x-rays because I think hubby and I are just going to take her back to see her surgeon (which is about 2 hours away...so it won't be right away that we take her) just to follow up with him and have some x-rays done of her knees there. I'm thinking that after yesterday and today, Tatum's surgeon would want to see her. I REALLY like him alot and trust him 100%...so I will just wait and have all the x-rays done there, since he is the one who actually preformed the surgery, and see what he says and what he thinks. Maybe he will tell me that he thinks the pins in her knees need to come out...I have no idea. I just hope that he doesn't tell me that she needs yet ANOTHER LP surgery....but in all honesty...I'd MUCH rather it be that than some kind of other serious issue to add on, or something neurological or some awful disease or something. I am just SO SO SO thankful that it is nothing like that...you guys just have NO idea. I breathed the BIGGEST sigh of relief in that vets office today. I was SO incredibly scared of what they were going to tell me. I was honestly fearing the worst. Watching her fall like that just tore me up...and it scared me half to death. It made me think that there was something horrible going on with her brain or something...or like someone mentioned in one of the replies here...something with her spine. And then I started reading all this stuff online about Liver Shunt and just all these different things...and I seriously started panicking and making myself absolutely sick almost to the point of throwing up! My stomach was hurting all day and I didn't eat....God I was just worried SICK about her.

Anyway....here are the product notes from the vet...I just thought I'd share them with you all.

It reads: Patient had bilateral patellar sx in April 09; there is some laxity in right patella (can move it medially); arthritis??--no pain on manipulation of stifles; ears look good; CNS function appears normal; all within normal limits.

So those are the notes. Thank you JESUS for there not being anything seriously wrong! We are gonna get these little knees of hers checked out and x-rayed soon, but in the meantime at least I know that her brain and all of her organs are functioning the way they should be! I was SO worried! :cy:

Here is a picture of my sweet little babygirl. Ugh I just love this little stinker! She puts her daddy and I through so much (every few months lol) but we love her unconditionally no matter what! Sometimes I wish I could just open up her little mouth and make her talk to me and tell me what is wrong lol. Little sugar! I just her!

[Julz]

Ooooooo!!!! Thank God!!!!! What a relief!!!!!!! She is so darned cute she honestly doesn't even look real. I have been so worried about her. I can imagine how physically sick you were. Now you can have a wonderful THANKSgiving!!!!!