Yorkie Encephalitis Any experts?
 

Hello All,
Our little 2 year old Yorkie "Bunnie" had developed Yorkie Encephalitis at age 1.

We did the MRI and the spinal tap. All that was required to make the diagnosis.
He had lost most of his eye sight prior to the diagnosis.
However, the new problem.
He's been on Leflunomide 10 mg. All was going well. The vet suggested that we try to cut the dosage in half to see if he stayed stable.
Did so ... after 1 month .. we noticed that what little eye sight our dog had left - was gone. So now ... he's been on the full pill for 2 weeks. But completely blind. Does any one have any suggestions or experience on this?
I'm curious if prednizone in addition might help us get him back on track and regain some vision.

The Leflunomide had worked much better than prednizone as the dog doesn't drink so much and bloat up like on prednizone.
Anyone else dealing with this with their little baby?

:confused:

How tragic for you and your baby,,,,,,I have no experience or working nowledge on this, but wanted to you know how saddened I am for you and that poor little baby..... How did Bunnie get this, did the vet say?

My post disappeared! Let me try again! I have no experience with this...how terrible for you and your Bunnie...did the vet say how Bunnie contracted this ? Have you had Bunnie to a specialist for this?

I would see this vet:

Dr Sisson will do phone consults and will work with your vet if you cannot make the trip... Dr Sissons contact info... he'll need copies of all tests... but call they'll tell you what to send.


Allen Sisson, D.V.M., M.S.,
Diplomate ACVIM Neurology/Neurosurgery
Angell Animal Medical Center
350 South Huntington Avenue
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Tel: (617) 522-7282 (press 4, then 2 when the automated operator message begins or 6 to speak to someone)
Fax: (617) 989-1648
asisson@mspca.org

My dog has GME
 

Hi Bunnie's Mom, sorry I don't know your name, My little girl Brooke has been fighting GME for 5 years. She was diagnosed when she was 1 in 2007 and Dr. Sisson is our neurologist. He is one of the main reasons that Brooke is alive today. Brooke is on 5 mg of leflunomide a day but she was on a high dose prednisone regimen first with a taper and now she will be on lef for life. She was in remission for almost 2 years but then relapsed and when we tried to take her off of leflunomide she relapsed again so she will remain on it. Was Bunnie (I have a yorkie named Bunny!) ever on high dose pred?? The prednisone is what brings down the inflammation of the brain which causes the pressure on the optic nerve and can cause the blindness but the more the inflammation is left without taking pred the more chance for permanent damage. I am part of a Yahoo group called NewGMEDogs, you should join, you will get support and a ton of good info. I will go look up the link for you. Take care, Nanci and Brooke

Here is the link for the GME yahoo group

NewGMEDogs : NewGMEDogs

I do not have any experience with this. Just wanted to send a little hug and support for you and bunny

Felicia Baby
 

Please send out your prayers for my little Felicia Baby. She is having an MRI today for neurological symptoms that sound similiar to this. All other tests have been normal for her so for, thankfully (Lab work, Ultrasound, Chesy x-ray). They wanted to rule out anything metastatic to the brain, but her symptoms are very much neurological. I am sitting on pins and needles waiting for a call and praying the test will turn out fine and she will be okay.
Her birthday is next week and she will be 15 on July 24th. She is a little angel baby and has been through a tough week.

15 years?

Felicia Baby
 

Yes next week is her birthday.

Neurologist confirmed on MRI that she does have encephalitis, but is hopeful that we caught it early and can get her well again.

I'll be praying for her... sweet baby. Get well soon! And an early 'Happy Birthday!'

Felicia Baby
 

Thank you so much.

I hope you have many more precious moments with Felicia, and that with your wonderful care of her, her neurological issues subside.

I'm so sorry--
 

This is a fairly new challenge with some of the toy breeds. Dr. Sisson seems to be the world authority. It's a terrible disease with a poor prognosis. I wish I could help figure it out.

Felicia Baby
 

Thank you so much. I just got off the phone with Felicia's doctor. She is better in some ways and the same in other ways. She is a long way off from being her normal little self. We're waiting for the results of the spinal tap to see which med. is the best choice for her. In the meantime, she has been started on Prednisone and this alone may bring her around fairly quickly. He is hoping with everything he has observed and MRI results etc. that she has the simpler type of encephalitis and they have better and quicker success rate with this. I am praying for a quick rebound for my baby. She's been through so much. She's never been away from home like this without me, so that adds to her stress -- mine too. The hospital she is at have been wonderful with her though and that helps ease my anxieties just a little. They are very loving and caring to her. They are going to allow her to come home today. She can get the meds at home, so I am praying that coming home will also be a help to perk her up. She's been hospitalized since Monday. She has a way to go yet in her recovery, but I am hopeful we can get her all well again and back to being her little playful self. I think having her back home will also perk up her sister, who has been depressed without her.

I have had 21 years of having yorkies and this is the first time I have encountered this and it is very frightening to see this happen to my little sweetheart. Thank God for experts who can pinpoint what it is and as soon as he read the reports and looked at her, he knew, but had to be certain through MRI. My heart goes out to anyone who goes through this with their little yorkie babies.

Thanks to everyone who have posted their kind words and their prayers. It is much appreciated. Please keep thos prayers coming. Thank you.

Felicia Baby
 

Thank you so much. I just got off the phone with Felicia's doctor. She is better in some ways and the same in other ways. She is a long way off from being her normal little self. We're waiting for the results of the spinal tap to see which med. is the best choice for her. In the meantime, she has been started on Prednisone and this alone may bring her around fairly quickly. He is hoping with everything he has observed and MRI results etc. that she has the simpler type of encephalitis and they have better and quicker success rate with this. I am praying for a quick rebound for my baby. She's been through so much. She's never been away from home like this without me, so that adds to her stress -- mine too. The hospital she is at have been wonderful with her though and that helps ease my anxieties just a little. They are very loving and caring to her. They are going to allow her to come home today. She can get the meds at home, so I am praying that coming home will also be a help to perk her up. She's been hospitalized since Monday. She has a way to go yet in her recovery, but I am hopeful we can get her all well again and back to being her little playful self. I think having her back home will also perk up her sister, who has been depressed without her.

I have had 21 years of having yorkies and this is the first time I have encountered this and it is very frightening to see this happen to my little sweetheart. Thank God for experts who can pinpoint what it is and as soon as he read the reports and looked at her, he knew, but had to be certain through MRI. My heart goes out to anyone who goes through this with their little yorkie babies.

Thanks to everyone who have posted their kind words and their prayers. It is much appreciated. Please keep thos prayers coming. Thank you.

Felicia Baby
 

Well, my little one did not stay home very long before she had to be rushed back to the hospital. She is hanging in there. This has been a horribly frightening weekend and it's been touch and go. The neurologist is still hopeful. It is so heart breaking seeing her go through all she is going through. This disease is so horrible. I wish there was a quick way to turn this around.

Please keep all your prayers coming for my little one. She needs every single one of them. She's in God's hands right now. Everything medically is being done for her. I just hope she can turn around.

Keeping Felicia in my thoughts and prayers...

Felicia Baby
 

Thank you so much.

I am a wreck, as you can well imagine.

Big Hugs to you... it is so very hard when our babies are so ill. I just hope and pray she improves and can go home with you soon.

Felicia Baby
 

It is very hard. Thank you for your kind words and support. I'm waiting to see if I can see her sometime this evening and praying when they call, she is better.

Please give her a gentle hug from all of us. :getwellso Felicia

Waiting is the worst... I'll be watching for an update....

Felicia Baby
 

Yes, it is hard. Thank you both for your support.

http://i43.tinypic.com/3590hgl.jpg

From left to right - Cuddles (Felicia's mom), Tiffany - her sister and Felicia is on the far right). This is a section of a bigger picture. The other half has her sister Debbie, brothers Teddy and Zackary.

The boys, mom and sister Tiffany are with God now. She has a brother Toby who is with my aunt and her sister Debbie. They're birthday is July 24th.

Felicia Baby
 

Not sure how to load pics on here.

Aw! What cuties!

I hope you can see your baby tonight and that she improves a great deal. My heart breaks a little more each time that I hear that a little one is ill. You are giving her the best of love and care; it's all we can do, and Felicia knows how much you love her. I am praying for both of you.

Felicia Baby
 

My little Felicia Baby lost her battle tonight. Tomorrow is her birthday and she didn't make it. The Prednisone caused her uncontrollable GI bleeding and the weekend fight for her life took it all out of her too. They couldn't take her off the Prednisone because of the brain condition, but they couldn't get the bleed under control either and she had a touch of pneumonia that came on since this weekend as well. Her blood counts kept dropping and wouldn't stabilize from the bleed. I am so heartbroken there's no words for it. Things progressed too fast to get a handle on it. The secondary things complicated her recovery. I allowed the hospital to do everything they could to save her, but when the neurologist told me today that they are just sustaining her and even a blood transfusion would not really do anything, just put a bandaid on it and we'd be back to the same place in a matter of days and told me there was no longer anything they could do to turn this around, my heart just sank. I lost my beautiful little girl to this horrible disease. It took her so fast that she didn't even stand a chance. My heart is broken for her sister who loved her so much and knows she is gone now. She's been depressed since this whole thing started and now she is walking with a limp that came out of nowhere, so she is going to the vet as soon as possible. I want to thank everyone for all the prayers and support. I just wish the outcome had been a recovery for my little baby, but it just didn't happen.

I'm so sorry :cry:

Oh, I'm so sad for you right now. It's wonderful that you got her the care you hoped would save her. God bless you!

Happy Birthday in Heaven little Felicia...