|
Welcome to the YorkieTalk.com Forums Community - the community for Yorkshire Terriers. You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. You will be able to chat with over 35,000 YorkieTalk members, read over 2,000,000 posted discussions, and view more than 15,000 Yorkie photos in the YorkieTalk Photo Gallery after you register. We would love to have you as a member! Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today! If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please click here to contact us. |
|
| LinkBack | Thread Tools |
07-05-2010, 11:30 AM | #1 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Indiana
Posts: 52
| Sudden onset of unsteady gait 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
__________________ Spice Trio Dakota in heaven |
Welcome Guest! | |
07-05-2010, 11:42 AM | #2 |
Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: North Carolina
Posts: 8,317
| The neurological symptoms you are describing could mean a lot of different things. There is no way to know for sure without a vet examining her. I am so glad you have an appointment today. Please let us know how it goes. |
07-05-2010, 12:13 PM | #3 |
Donating YT 30K Club Member | I don't know what could be causing this but wanted to say I hope she can get a diagnosis today and get her better.
__________________ Cali Pixie Roxie : RIP Nikki; RIP Maya;RIP my sweet Dixie girl 1/17/08 http://callipuppyscastle.bravehost.com/index.html |
07-05-2010, 08:35 PM | #5 |
I♥PeekTinkySaph&Finny Donating Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Posts: 18,866
| She may need to have a BAT done to check her liver function, but if that result is normal, I would get her to a neurologist.
__________________ Kat Chloe Lizzy PeekABooTinkerbell SapphireInfinity |
07-05-2010, 08:44 PM | #6 | |
T. Bumpkins & Co. Donating YT Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: New England
Posts: 9,816
| Quote:
__________________ Washable Doggie Pee Pads (Save 10% Enter YTSAVE10 at checkout) Cathy, Teddy, Winston and Baby Clyde...RIP angels Barney and Daisy | |
07-06-2010, 02:59 AM | #7 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Indiana
Posts: 52
| Fortunately, my vet believes she just has a bulging disc/pinched nerve in her back. He felt down her spine several times and it was very repeatable, where she had the pain. Her skin would cringe. Unfortunately due to her past with PSS, we are still waiting to hear back from the internal med specialist to give us the go-ahead to give rimadyl for pain/inflammation. He also did a basic neuro exam, which came back completely normal. Thank you all for your concern - I was really worried about her. Fingers crossed she gets better soon.
__________________ Spice Trio Dakota in heaven |
07-06-2010, 04:35 AM | #8 |
Yorkie Kisses are the Best! Donating Member | Good luck !! When I read about unsteady gaits I always think of the things that are mentioned here over and over -there's alot of info here on many issues but your vet is the best shot for sure I hope you find out quickly what's wrong - poor thing - she already has issues and we're seeing this far too often since yorkies are so popular and everyone and their uncle is breeding now ALL THE BEST ! Sending hopes for good news
__________________ Last edited by red98vett; 07-06-2010 at 04:37 AM. Reason: typos I never see till I hit SUBMIT |
Bookmarks |
|
|
| |
|
|
SHOP NOW: Amazon :: eBay :: Buy.com :: Newegg :: PetStore :: Petco :: PetSmart