2 Emergency Visits, 1 Neurologist Visit $3000.00 Still have no clue
 

Hi all, I have had my Harley since birth 6 years ago.. Perfect health, happy, energetic, most loving pet we have ever had. We went on a cruise Nov. 13th - 20th and I boarded him at a new animal 24 hr hospital. All vaccines were up to date except they said Harley HAD to had a canine flu shot.. I said ok, paid for the tender loving care package every other day ( brushing, treat, walk, and bath at end of week ) we left and came back 7 days later.

He didn't seem quite right as in laying around more and not giving us kisses like usual, I thought maybe he was mad at us or separation anxiety, then my mother in law came over for 3 days and he was quite but thought prob all the unrest and people around had him freaked out....

ONE week back from cruise he started laying there, not responding, not wanting to eat or drink, when he sat up he would start swaying back and forth and front and back legs go like jelly and fall over, trying to walk he would walk like he was drunk and stumble into the walls .. His back looked hunch backed and his tail STAYED tucked under and he would yelp sometimes, when touched...

Saturday night Nov. 27th , took him back to the animal hospital he stayed at while boarding ( the EMERGENCY after hours this time tho) and Doctor said he had back pain and gave pain meds --$ 250.00 ** BUT THATS OK HE IS WORTH IT **

Monday Nov 29th he was moving slow but seemed to feel better until 8:oo p.m. then when I took him out to tee tee he started face planting after every 5 or 6 steps!! I picked him up and sat him in grass and he fell over.. I swooped him up and went back to emergency.. The doc saw how he could not even stand up without falling on face, his legs just went like jelly :(.. they did X-ray, blood tests for EVERYTHING and they called 2 neurologists for advice and asked to keep him overnight for observation..
This was $950.00 but he is my baby and family !!!

Tuesday Nov. 30th Doctor called me at work telling me Harley needs to see a neurologist for an MRI because he felt Harley may have inflamation of the brain or spinal cord or possibly bad neck/back disc.. I left work not caring if my supervisor cared or not I had to save my baby and they said it was URGENT to get him to another hospital with the equipment needed...
Met with Neurologist he was 98% sure it was bad neck disc and said prepare for surgery and told me what he would do while doing the surgery, if not that he would test for meningitis. HE didn't feel the need for an emergency MRI after seeing Xrays and etc... SOOOOO I was nervous and patiently waited for the back surgery to be completed the next day and for the doctors update..

Wednesday Dec. 1st Neurologist called me said he was numb founded, no neck/back discs were bad like he supected, Spinal fluid was good, no tumors in brain, no meningitis or inflamation in brain or back.. AFTER ruling everything out, he feels it is just neck spasms!! Gave me some valium to give him... $1895.00 , but worth it to know all tests are clean! no signs as to why he WAS doing what he was doing.. Since Harley was out so long he wanted to keep him over night for observation.

Thursday, called me to set up meeting and get him, he is walking outside, looks perfect health they said!! YAY... I get there, he is soooo excited to see us we could barely hold him..
We get him home -----> after 10 minutes stumbles, looks and acts alot better, but his balance is still off and front legs go weak... Doctor said he gave a steriod and should be better in 2 weeks...

I hope so!!!! This was baffling to all doctors involved.. I asked repeatedly if it may have been the flu shot?!?!?! they say no... but... he was PERFECTLY fine when we left for cruise.. I have a sick feeling something happened while boarding or the the flu shot :( I pray he gets 100% soon... I love him with all my heart.. :aimeeyork Just wish I knew what is wrong with my little fella ...

Hello and welcome to YT! Unfortunately it's not under better circumstances.

I am not a vet but I have a dog with disc issues and it was the first thought in my head when I read your post. Can you tell me what the neurologist did to know there was no disc problems? It sounds like he didn't do an MRI, but did he do a myelogram or anything? It is very hard to find a disc issue in an x-ray.

Beware
 

Hi ~ our baby of 14 recently passed. He had disc problems and we did the neurologist thing too. He also had kidney problems. I am telling you this because we have been through many diagnosis' in the past 7 mos. Be careful of the valium. Gizmo had a bad reaction 'coming down'. Also you may want to have his inner ear checked. This has to be done by CT Scan not MRI. Inner ear is not accessible any other way. I understand all too well the $$ thing but as you said this is your family! When Giz was 6 he got pancreatitis very badly - 900 ER vet bill. It was my car pmt or him - so there was no choice - it was him. They took the car but I still had the love of my life for an additional 8 years. They are always worth it.

Do a bunch of research on the internet - find matching symptoms and make suggestions to the vets. They try to think of everything but cannot always do so. Also, if you have a veterinary college in state - make an appointment there. they are on the cutting edge of all the latest health news and technologies.

Much luck and love to both you and the baby ~

I'm so sorry this has happened to you. I'm thinking it may have been the shot, or perhaps something happened while he was boarded there, a fight with another dog, or some type of accident? The problem is either way, the hospital might be liable, and I'm not sure they are willing to give you the correct diagnosis because of this, there just might be a conflict of interest. :confused: I would find another vet not associated with the hospital. Sending prayers your way, I hope you get to the bottom of this.

I would contact Dr Jean Dodds, about the effects of the flu shot (I have heard a few bad reports on this vaccine) and also send her a blood sample for analysis. Her website is: Welcome to Hemolife
You can also email her. I would contact her asap.

Sorry this has happened... forgot to ask... Did the vet specifically check for Chiari? GME?

Maybe consider having a vet/Chiropractor evaluate him, and/or see an animal accupuncturist.

Hope you can find out something.... Keeping you all in my prayers.

Anyone with an older Yorkie had any problems with incontinence? My male
(neutered) Yorkie Sassy, 15 years old in two months, started peeing on the floor instead of asking to go out. This was a couple months ago. Sometimes he would ask to go out, but sometimes not. Had him to the vet and she said
he has demenia. I now have him on a drug called Selegiline, to improve symptons of cognitive disfunction. Now, about a week ago he started peeing quite often and sometimes a small amount--- on the floor.. Had him back to the Vet and she checked him out for diabetes, and other diseases and can't find anything wrong. She says the problems are his age, senility, and probably bladder muscle weak. I started him on a pill yesterday called Proin, for urinary incontinence in dogs.

Because of this problem I have to keep him in diapers. I have used the
doggie diapers from Petsmart but don't seem to completely cover him, so
have a regular diaper on him too. He eats well, sleeps all night, but it
is hard to accept the fact that if these pills (Proin) don't do anything for
him I will have to deal with keeping diapers on him the rest of his life.

What do you all think about this, and do you know of any better doggie
diapers or other ways to keep the pee from getting all over the floor. I have one of those washable wraps, and that works well but have to wash it.

The only Yorkie I have had that was older passed away in my yard. She lived to be 17 years old, but had congestive heart failure. So, therefore I have never had to put one to sleep, so that fact I would have a hard time dealing with. Especially under these circumstances. This diaper thing isn't that bad anyway. It would help if it were summer here, as he loves to be outside in the yard.

I will plan to keep on with the diapers for now, and hope somebody can
give me some tips or advice. These pets become JUST LIKE YOUR OWN KIDS. And when your own kids are grown up and gone, they are so much company.

I am sure that this has happened to others, so would like some input from whoever can give me some advice regarding diapers, etc.

I can't help you with your question, but you'll get better answers if you write your own thread with your question. Click on this to write a "new thread" in the General forum. http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/new...=newthread&f=2

Hi.. Dr. Cook gave Harley a CT MYELOGRAM. He said he did check for inner ear infection, absessed tooth, tumors , spinal fluid, brain abnormalitiy, after ruling out bad neck/back disc... I did mention some things I found on the internet like pancreatitis and even idopathic vestibular disease. He checked all that as well he said..

I am so sorry to hear about your baby as well. I can't even imagine the pain you are going thru, this episode had me so sick, I couldn't even eat or sleep and cried all the time last week...

Harley does seem a bit more peppy but still not wanting to drink any water, but is walking more steady! I gave him chicken and rice and added water so it was soupy.. He ate it all so at least he is getting some fluid.

Hi.. yes, he did a CT MYELOGRAM which he told me he would enter dye to get better images... He seems better today, the funny thing is like when he walked to door just now, when I called him to come back to me, instead of using all fours to turn around like ususal, he used his front legs to turn, back legs just stayed stiff like? Last night he would take a few steps and just drop on his bottom and scoot a few steps using front legs, but his anal glands are fine. Had that checked while in hospital..

Can you see another neurologist for a second opinion? That's what I would do. You may also want to crate him until you can see another vet. Whatever it is may get worse the more he moves around. Maybe that's why he seemed better after staying the night, he would have been crated there.

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Did you ever get a diagnosis? My yorkie is experiencing similar things to yours? He is at the vets now! It is frustrating.

Welcome to YorkieTalk. I'm sorry to hear your yorkie and you are going through this. I hope the vet can find answers for you and get your yorkie on the road to recovery. How old is your baby and what is his name?

I sure hope this little guy has improved since the orig post. Hoping you get answers to what is going on. What an ordeal for him & you. Sending Prayers for both babies!