Yorkie Encephalomalacia

[lillymae]

Originally Posted by Deputy Sheriff

No, my dog does not have balance problems, nor has he EVER had balance problems, besides the 5 days he was injured. The night of his accident it was dark, and not to mention he was running in sand. He missed the jump because he was in sand. Not because he has brain disease. Taking him in is NOT an option for me.

I am not asking for advice on what to do. I am asking if anyone has had a similar case. Its a very unusual case, and I know from this post it sounds very drastic, but my dog is OK. He is 100% health.

Sorry , but this is NOT an unusual case. First of all you said he hit his chest NOT his head. Hitting his chest would NOT make his pupils two different sizes that can ONLY happen if he has something going on in his BRAIN unless he was born with a congenital defect with one eye or has an eye condition like glaucoma. Yorkies are prone to a condition called Chiari Malformation. It can be hereditary or congenital and can vary from mild to very severe . An MRI and Spinal Tap are the ONLY way to diagnose Chiari. If he has Chiari and this was his 1st symptom you will see other and more frequent symptoms. If taking him to a vet if his symptoms become more frequent and severe is not an option, then I recommend finding a reputable yorkie rescue to turn him over to. If you had a sick child would you say taking it to a Doctor is not an option ? NO you find a way.

[christiers]

Originally Posted by lillymae

Sorry , but this is NOT an unusual case. First of all you said he hit his chest NOT his head. Hitting his chest would NOT make his pupils two different sizes that can ONLY happen if he has something going on in his BRAIN unless he was born with a congenital defect with one eye or has an eye condition like glaucoma. Yorkies are prone to a condition called Chiari Malformation. It can be hereditary or congenital and can vary from mild to very severe . An MRI and Spinal Tap are the ONLY way to diagnose Chiari. If he has Chiari and this was his 1st symptom you will see other and more frequent symptoms. If taking him to a vet if his symptoms become more frequent and severe is not an option, then I recommend finding a reputable yorkie rescue to turn him over to. If you had a sick child would you say taking it to a Doctor is not an option ? NO you find a way.

I have been on both sides of this dilemma. And the one time I opted not to do the MRI on my then 10 and a half year old yorkie, because she was asymptomatic is a decision I have regretted daily since July 16, 2005. That day will haunt me forever because I constantly wonder, was there something I could have done for her? If I had been more of an advocate for her health, was there something I could have done to make her life more pleasant.

We opted not to do a necropsy, because she was gone....finding out whether or not it could have been curable at that point was useless. Even if it wasn't curable....her symptoms came back so quickly and the episode that took her from me was so very violent, you could tell from the look of her little body that I walked in and found in the crate we had been keeping her in since her symptoms first presented on April 2, 2005.

Had I known then what I know now.....I will try to abbreviate this story as best I can.

Gidgi was a lively, happy, healthy baby girl. She loved her toys, food, going places, and mostly she loved her mommy. The morning of April 2, 2005 her symptoms began to show. She was sleeping, work up crying, running in circles and the sound she made when you went to touch her.....HORRID. This passed within a few hours, but she had a decreased appetite and just laid in my lap. I phoned the vet, my reg vet and her husband were still on vaca and would be back Monday. I took the first available appt. That evening we were to go to a birthday party for my boss, I reluctantly went and that was the first night in years that Gidgi had been back in a crate. The next day another episode in the morning, again at lunch, and twice that night. I was scared to death.

The next month, she was asymptomatic. I felt foolish walking into the vet. He did a full exam, manipulated her head and neck (she always held her head contortidly and to the side during an episode)...NOTHING. Dr. S sent her home for us to observe. She slept most of the day, had ate some chicken and rice a few times and seemed ok, not normal but recovering like. Dr. S thought perhaps she has strained a neck muscle and she would be fine. At 5:12 that evening....the HORRID screams had me running into the living. She was crying, walking drunkenly in a circle....I was on the phone with the vet's office. Dr. G (my regular vet and Dr. S's wife) wanted her in the office right away. Gidgi was still exhibiting symptoms when I was there (THANK GOODNESS). She got a shot, steriods to start the next day, and Dr. G called the neurologist. He wanted her to complete a course of steriods and us to go in to see him in 4 weeks. We followed up two days later with Dr. G. Then a week later and the next two weeks. When we went to the neurologist, he insisted that if Dr. G hadn't called him and he didn't have her records, he would swear that nothing was wrong with her. He gave me the option to do a MRI but I didn't want her to have anesthesia if he felt she was fine. OH HINDSIGHT!!!! He suggested that if the symptoms returned to call him for an appt. She was normal, running around playing, loving life. Fast forward to July 15, 2005.....11:30 ish that night. She was non-responsive and staring blankly into space. (June of 2005 my Belle, non-yorkie baby had her second episode of paralysis from herniated discs and had her second surgery for repair.) About 40 mins later that horrid screaming again. The drunken circling, crying if she thought I was going to touch her. On the phone with Dr. G (I have her cell number). We had filled another dose 1 week dose of steriods in case of emergency, she advise me to start that tonight. I called the neuro Saturday morning and made an appt for Monday. I left for a few errands, decided not to take Gidgi with me because Belle was outside walking and visiting with Gidgi and Sassy for the first time since her surgery. I returned home from the car dealership (service on my car), the mall for a cd, and Petsmart for new food bowls and treat containers.

I was going on to get my girls and take them to the lake. Belle was acting funny when I walked in and it took 30 seconds to know why. Gidgi was dead in her crate. Her little body contortided and appearingly a very violent end to her precious little life.

If only I had gotten that MRI, she would have been on meds to help whatever she had or perhaps it could have been cured or worse case, I would have known it was hopeless and would have been more aware of symptoms that likely needed addressing. The staring blankly had become something not unusual and because she otherwise seemed fine I dismissed it until the night she wouldn't respond to her name, "treat", or "let's go out". I beat myself up over not pursuing the MRI because of the anesthesia and the money. The anesthesia, these doctors know what they are doing....the money, well we would have made it work somehow.

Every since, whether it is BATs, conjunctival flaps, labs and labs and labs, euthanizing because one was bleeding out internally and she wasn't operable, er visits for mushroom consumption, whatever......we have always been able to make it work.

[ladyjane]

I am so sorry, Christie. I cannot imagine how painful it was for you to write that post. I sat crying as I read it.
I want to thank you for your courage in sharing your story. Perhaps it will help another.
Hugs to you.

[smartpuppiepets]

It is very interesting to see how some people behave in this forum. They only accept whatever they want to hear! And then if a few people give their very best opinion and advice about something they are criticized by the OP who was asking for the help. I have given up on answering here for months because of this. I am glad some people like "christiers" are still willing to write such big post sharing their experiences in the hopes that the OP will listen and do something beside attack whoever wants to help .
It is a tough time for every body ... but there are always options. There are many reasons we are seeing more and more quality of life in dogs for the longest years and a advanced vet care and more conscious ownership are big factors. Unfortunately if we decline to use the vet resources available and to open our minds and step up as more responsible owners our pets will be deprived of life quality !
I do not mean to offend you OP, but i really hope you listen, research and accept some sincere advice from great people who are taking the time, effort and are trying to help out. It just happen to be that most of us here are very much responsible, to the point we so much consider our yorkies as part of our families that we can dedicate the same care and consider them as a real part of our "families" . Please do not make any more excuses, there are always options.
By the way , i really wish and hope your boy will be fine. If you say he is 100% , just to be sure, get the vet confirmation on that !
Blessings.
XOXO

[christiers]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

I am so sorry, Christie. I cannot imagine how painful it was for you to write that post. I sat crying as I read it.
I want to thank you for your courage in sharing your story. Perhaps it will help another.
Hugs to you.

Thank you LJ. I just re-read my post and noticed my many errors...the sad part is I edited it. It is painful, as well as therapeutic all at the same time. I couldn't talk about it for years. I still cry on her birthday and Christmas. My poor DH tried to make things better the second Christmas by decorating by himself and putting her ornaments and stockings away in their own container and back into the Holiday decorations closet in the basement. BIG MISTAKE. But he is still with us. I wish I had known of YT back then, I imagine I would have gotten advice to do the MRI, opinions that may have opened my eyes. Unfortunately, through my experience with Gidgi it has taught me to be more assertive and a better advocate.....that will benefit all babies I ever have the pleasure of sharing their lives with. I will always have that "too little too late feeling" about her though AND I wouldn't wish that on my WORST adversary. I hope this helps the OP, it not....then hopefully it helps someone else, the tears I have shed with these two posts will be well worth it IF it helps just one baby. Steroids are amazing, I imagine the situation would have deteriorarted much more quickly without them. They worked so well, I honestly believed she was better.

Thank you again LJ for reading about my first precious little angel.

[mojo]

Originally Posted by smartpuppiepets

It is very interesting to see how some people behave in this forum. They only accept whatever they want to hear! And then if a few people give their very best opinion and advice about something they are criticized by the OP who was asking for the help. I have given up on answering here for months because of this. I am glad some people like "christiers" are still willing to write such big post sharing their experiences in the hopes that the OP will listen and do something beside attack whoever wants to help .
It is a tough time for every body ... but there are always options. There are many reasons we are seeing more and more quality of life in dogs for the longest years and a advanced vet care and more conscious ownership are big factors. Unfortunately if we decline to use the vet resources available and to open our minds and step up as more responsible owners our pets will be deprived of life quality !
I do not mean to offend you OP, but i really hope you listen, research and accept some sincere advice from great people who are taking the time, effort and are trying to help out. It just happen to be that most of us here are very much responsible, to the point we so much consider our yorkies as part of our families that we can dedicate the same care and consider them as a real part of our "families" . Please do not make any more excuses, there are always options.
By the way , i really wish and hope your boy will be fine. If you say he is 100% , just to be sure, get the vet confirmation on that !
Blessings.
XOXO

I think we all need to remember when getting a puppy, the cost of that pup is just the beginning. If you can't afford veterinary care, you can't afford that pup.
Not bashing the o/p, but please, listen to the advice you are being given and not just get upset because people aren't telling you what you want to hear.
We are all just concerned about your dog.

[susan lynn]

Praying for you and Deputy.

[Rhetts_mama]

To the OP- Yes, vet care is expensive and times are tough. But if there was something you could do that could improve the quality of your pets life, wouldn't you at least want to look in to it? And if all the tests come back negative, isn't that worth knowing, too?

There is a great thread on some ways to get help with vet bills.
http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sic...vet-bills.html

I hope you will be open to at least looking at that thread. And I do hope that everything works out well for Deputy.

[Deputy Sheriff]

Thank you for sharing your story, its very touching.

[Deputy Sheriff]

Absolutely not. I disagree with you 100%. Why in the hell would I give my dog up. What the hell kind of advise is that??? Do you even own a dog????? That was a very heartless response, Im going to pretend I didnt even read that.

[Disney]

If you cannot afford vet care for doggie, then you need to give him to someone who can. Ultimate gift of love...Could save his life.

[Deputy Sheriff]

Thats very helpful advice, thank you. I will be researching those sites, I really appreciate that. I cant help but to get upset with these responses. These people are making me feel like a horrible person for not affording vet care. I feel very attacked after putting my story out there. I will be deleting this account.

[Deputy Sheriff]

Horrible.

[misskate]

sorry you are feeling so bad about the answers you are getting. I'm sure they are all given in love, both for you and your dog. We all have to make decisions and some of them are very hard. I hope your problem wil be resolved quickly and your little one restored to health.

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by christiers

Thank you LJ. I just re-read my post and noticed my many errors...the sad part is I edited it. It is painful, as well as therapeutic all at the same time. I couldn't talk about it for years. I still cry on her birthday and Christmas. My poor DH tried to make things better the second Christmas by decorating by himself and putting her ornaments and stockings away in their own container and back into the Holiday decorations closet in the basement. BIG MISTAKE. But he is still with us. I wish I had known of YT back then, I imagine I would have gotten advice to do the MRI, opinions that may have opened my eyes. Unfortunately, through my experience with Gidgi it has taught me to be more assertive and a better advocate.....that will benefit all babies I ever have the pleasure of sharing their lives with. I will always have that "too little too late feeling" about her though AND I wouldn't wish that on my WORST adversary. I hope this helps the OP, it not....then hopefully it helps someone else, the tears I have shed with these two posts will be well worth it IF it helps just one baby. Steroids are amazing, I imagine the situation would have deteriorarted much more quickly without them. They worked so well, I honestly believed she was better.

Thank you again LJ for reading about my first precious little angel.

Bless you for caring so much!