Sunday, March 25, 2012

Sick Dog

Coltrane and his hedgie
I've been absent from everything for over a week because Coltrane is sick.  To make a longish story short, our local vet did not know what was wrong with him and made an appointment for us at The University of Florida Vet School's Small Animal Hospital.  We were in Gainesville, Florida last Wednesday and Thursday.  Coltrane was seen by a neurologist and got every possible test from CT scans to MRI's to a spinal tap.  I think my dog got more attentive care than I have ever received. 

He has some as yet unknown brain disease.  It may be an infection or it may be inflammatory/autoimmune.  The initial results from the spinal tap did not reveal the cause so we are waiting for more results this coming week.  Right now he is being treated for another possibility - thiamine deficiency.

The little guy is in sorry shape, but we have had some glimmers of hope.  Yesterday he played with us.  He had no interest or even enough balance and awareness to do this all week.  I have a couple little dreams - to see Coltrane play with his toys again and to take him for a well-visit to the UF vet school.  Still, some of the results we are waiting for could be deadly.  My mom put it well when she said, "it is kind of like waiting for the other shoe to drop as you do the best with the shoe you have."
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3 comments:

  1. H.T.March 25, 2012 at 8:59 AM

    Hi:
    Poor Doggie...
    I am not the vet,but the dogs'lover.I have two dachshounds and adore them.They are the real members of the family.
    But I have got one ask to You:do You have ticks in Your area in Summer?They live mostly in leafy areas,appear actively after the rain,can be even in the grass,waiting for their prey-for the human,or the dog.Your dog is furry.Maybe,if You have ticks in Your place,they could have been hidden in the dog's fur for a long time-some kinds of them are really harmful.Can even cause the brain disorders in children,or elderly people,also in dogs,when they weren't detected and removed on time.The harmful consequences can occur even after the long time after the infection:i.e. if the dog was a carrier of the ticks last Summer,can be not very much immune and can have the sickness in Spring.In Poland and Denmark,where I had been living before coming to Sweden,there were lots of Summer appeals to the dogs'owners to be specially careful about the ticks.In Sweden the climate is more chilly,so there's no problem with them here.
    I do hope,everything will be fine with him.The contemporary medicine will have him all right.
    Warm Hugs-Halinka-

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  2. Christine M.March 25, 2012 at 9:04 AM

    I've been thinking about you guys. Sending even more love your way :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Amy S.March 25, 2012 at 10:05 AM

    Praying for Coltrane to recover soon and be back to his old self. :(

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