Hoping to get an update on little Bella...

Prayers
 

I am so sorry ya'll are having to go through this. Prayers coming your way

So the bile acid test has not been done?

Blindness is one or both eyes is a liver shunt symptom as are the others you mentioned. A friend's dog was the first I'd heard of blindness. Fortunately this is a temporary problem.

Portosystemic Shunts FAQ

Best wishes to Bella

Blindness can also be caused by encephalitis. My guess is that everything might not be pointing to a liver shunt....the vet has a full blood panel I am sure.

I think she is still getting bile acids done as dog will be on steroids if encephalitis so would be good to rule liver issue out but cbc was fine no high ALT. Still waiting to see if MRI was done as that is where true diagnosis will come if neurological. I would definitely take all tests to a neurologist for second opinion to make sure though if this were mine

MRI hasn't been done yet and we're waiting out on the steroids until the bile acid test comes in tomorrow. Our nearest neurological specialist is 3.5 hours away and I just got off the phone with them to see how much a MRI would be. They stated $3500-$3700 and with a spinal tap it would be in the high in.:(

There was another place I had called yesterday which is about 5 hours away from here who stated it would be $1800-$2700. All we need now is a referral for the MRI after we get our test results tomorrow. I feel like this its urgent to rush Bella in to do a MRI but it seems like everything is taking so slow.

I've also been wanting to get a video of her on youtube for you all to see. I just need to get around to it. It's been so stressful.

Thanks for all your prayers too.

A video for us to see can wait. Just take care of yourself and little Bella. We all know how stressful it is to have a sick pup.

I am sorry, I have no suggestions or ideas... Just want you to know that we are thinking of little Bella and will keep you both in our prayers.

Huggs

hang in there you are very close to getting a definitive answer and treatment. How did vet determine this as i am assuming they are determining this from blood work if no MRI? Do you have CareCredit Healthcare Finance - Payment Plans and Financing for Cosmetic Surgery, Dental, Vision, Hearing, Veterinary & Other Medical Procedures That is good to hold up on steroids until blood work is done as steroids will skew the test big time as all meds are processed through liver so you want to have a clear idea of how liver is functioning as meds used for this is steroids and they are used as an anti-inflammatory to keep swelling in brain down. They tend to use high doses at first then wean back once no symptoms to lowest dose to treat situation. I would have MRI done though before doing steroids too because the steroids will affect what they will see on MRI as well so please discuss with vet this before doing steroids as well. You have caught this early so this is a GREAT thing and you are a GREAT mom as you were persistent and you paid attention to the signs before she got worse so please feel comfort in knowing you did this and that she will be ok :) It is amazing what modern medicine they have for dogs now a days and you can join a few forums for this as well that i posted and that are in the link below from Pam.

type in youtube and see if you see other dogs having the same symptom as yours

she is beautiful

Poor Bella! She is so sweet, I hope you find out what is wrong soon.

Awwww - Beautiful Bella :love:

I Just posted to my vet group and to a few vets the link to your youtube to get their input as well :)

Thank you! Let me know if they reply. I'll try to get one of her walking outside as well.

ok here is response from vet

can be encephalitis, inner ear infection, vestibular disease. any falling over, circling, vomiting? no wouldnt show up on blood work. would need mri and csf tap

here is her other response

well i will be hoping it is not encephalitis but if it is make sure to go to a neuro specialist for treatment. i have cured a malt from gme when it used to be a death sentence

are you in eureka, California? are you near ucdavis ?

how far is this from you? This is where vet recommended - did your vet recommend this place?

California Veterinary Neurology &amp Neurosurgery Specialists i dont know how far this is from her

The vet thought it could be encephalitis also. Sounds like there's no treatment/cure for it?

Yes I'm in Eureka, CA. I'm actually going to be in Sacramento on the 5th and can go by Davis. What's there? I'm uploading more video of her outside.

yes there is it can be treated so do not give up :) check out link i sent you is that close to you ?

Ok, yeah that's actually the one I was looking into taking Bella since MRI was only $1800-$2700 compare to the one closer to me which my vet recommended.

ok how close is ucdavis from you ? have you called there for it?

she still thinks could be vestibular as well but mri will determine

any vomitting, circling, or falling over she wants to know? This will help

what is link to other place - she said $3500 is high but then again we are in california ughhhhhhh

I printed out the information on vestibular and gave it to my vet today when I went in to pick Bella up. She said it didn't sound like that was what Bella had especially because her eyes doesn't move back and forth and something else about Bella's right side body weakness. The vet did the test where she glided Bella to the right and to the left and she was suppose to "hop" with her feet. will, she didn't "hop" on her right side and allowed the vet to glide her sideways.

No puking, no circling. As for the falling over..I've noticed that when she goes potty, sometimes she loses her balance.

This is the other place who quoted us really high (where my vet recommended..possibly because it's closer?)

Animal Care Center

ok just emailed her that one - sonoma close to napa valley - you can do some wine tasting :)

Oh that's funny because on top of all this...I'm 22 weeks pregnant! Stress & hormones & more stress & no money haha.

oh wow you poor thing so you cannot even have wine :( darn

i am back at work so will have to see what vet responds back with when i get home

hang in there