Chorea / St. Vitus Dance. Please Help.
 

Does anyone have any experience with Chorea or St. Vitus Dance? I did a search but found limited posts on Yorkietalk.

I have reason to believe Otis may have this condition.

About six months ago he started having very minor seizures (http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sic...ures-what.html)

Went to several vets, could not diagnose what it was. Nothing organic; all of his tests, blood and urine, came back negative. Vet recommended an MRI. Then another vet said no MRI, too much stress on a 12-year old yorkie, and if they found something on MRI, they would operate. Do I really want to operate on a 12-year-old Yorkie? NO. So I've decided against the MRI.

He still gets these mini 3-second seizures maybe three to four times a week now. I snap him out of it very easily by calling his name, so he is coherent, it's just his body twitches, mainly his shoulder/neck/head area for two to four convulsions, and then he's normal and running around.

I've also noticed when he's sleeping, his one of his hind legs will twitch and wake him up, almost like he has restless leg syndrome. (it is soooo funny because my legs twitch and I kick a lot in my sleep too, so I've been told)

He also has some funny scaling on one of the pads of his feet.

These are are all indications of Chorea.

Some background:

12 years old
Raw food diet
regular walks/ excercise
pretty active when he wants but also sleeps a lot
bought from a reputable breeder
a little bit on the fat side (10 pounds) but he is not obese.


Any help would be appreciated!

Junebug & Otis.

Hi Junebug. I am so very sorry to hear that Otis is ill. After doing a very brief search on Chorea, I learned that it is a neurological disorder that can be caused by many different conditions including parasites, vaccinations, a traumatic injury to the head. It can also be caused by or the result of distemper or encephalitis. In the former causes, homeopathic treatment offers a good prognosis, but in the latter causes the prognosis is not so positive.

My best advice would be to do the research on Chorea taking Otis's history into consideration. Consult with your vet, or a canine neurological specialist to get a definitive diagnosis so that you can implement a treatment plan for Otis.

I will keep little Otis in my thoughts and prayers.

I would deff do the MRI & I would also want a spinal. There are Many causes of these symptoms & lots can be treated & does not always mean surgery but these diagnostics can & most often do find a cause. Without proper diagnostics you will never know if there is a treatment that could save your babies life. If he is in otherwise good health there is no reason he could or should not have an MRI. My Sassy had Chiari & if I would not have had the MRI she most likely would have died but with treatment she lived a very good long life.

How is your baby doing now ?