Navarre update
Dec. 20th, 2009 10:46 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
beltaineladyWe took him to the vet on Thursday, and his blood work isn't back yet. The vet is thinking a possible tick-borne illness, and thankfully took half the payment and let me defer the other half until I get paid. I have my doubts that it's tick-borne, unless we completely missed seeing a tick on Navarre. With his short-short hair and constant petting, I'd have seen one.
We had to take him to the emergency vet yesterday because he had a seizure. He's been having these weird episodes where he just yelps out for no reason. He's been disoriented and lethargic; then he'll just be sitting or lying...not doing anything and then screams out. I thought it was pain, but other than the yipping, he's not displaying a pain response. Then, when I took him out for a walk -- the big one hit. He went over to one of his regular toileting spots and yipped out. Then, he started screaming and his leg went out from under him, he tried to stand up and then went completely down. He was on the ground, screaming and twitching and then as soon as it started, it ended and he pulled me home. He had a couple of smaller episodes where he just yelps out, and seems like he doesn't know where he is or who we are.
The ER vet isn't sure what to make of it. She said it could be encephalitis or meningitis, or a brain tumor. Dogs Navarre's age don't develop epilepsy unless something is wrong. They wanted to keep him overnight to monitor and see if he had another seizure, but I couldn't see spending the money if it didn't happen. Plus, I used to work with epilepsy patients, so I know how to monitor a seizure (when I'm not panicking and hysterical). So, we got a prescription for antibiotics, just in case, and brought him home. I have my camera set to video so we can record it and show it to the vet. I'll be calling the regular vet on Monday and hope his blood results are in.
Personally, my gut feeling is he has a tumor or something. It's definitely neurological, and it's progressing every day. As often as my gut feelings are right...
We're all stressed, scared and sad. We feel so helpless. Navarre has been healthy and strong his entire life and it's like he's gone from being 6 years old to 16 overnight. I'm trying to be strong, but it's so hard. Navarre and I are so attached, and he's really had an effect on this entire family. Even Will, who grew up with Maltese, adores him and is starting to turn to the "dark side", i.e., pit bull lover.
So right now, we're still in a holding pattern, waiting to hear on the blood results. Next step will probably be X-rays. I'm preparing myself for the worst, but hoping for the best.
This sucks.
We had to take him to the emergency vet yesterday because he had a seizure. He's been having these weird episodes where he just yelps out for no reason. He's been disoriented and lethargic; then he'll just be sitting or lying...not doing anything and then screams out. I thought it was pain, but other than the yipping, he's not displaying a pain response. Then, when I took him out for a walk -- the big one hit. He went over to one of his regular toileting spots and yipped out. Then, he started screaming and his leg went out from under him, he tried to stand up and then went completely down. He was on the ground, screaming and twitching and then as soon as it started, it ended and he pulled me home. He had a couple of smaller episodes where he just yelps out, and seems like he doesn't know where he is or who we are.
The ER vet isn't sure what to make of it. She said it could be encephalitis or meningitis, or a brain tumor. Dogs Navarre's age don't develop epilepsy unless something is wrong. They wanted to keep him overnight to monitor and see if he had another seizure, but I couldn't see spending the money if it didn't happen. Plus, I used to work with epilepsy patients, so I know how to monitor a seizure (when I'm not panicking and hysterical). So, we got a prescription for antibiotics, just in case, and brought him home. I have my camera set to video so we can record it and show it to the vet. I'll be calling the regular vet on Monday and hope his blood results are in.
Personally, my gut feeling is he has a tumor or something. It's definitely neurological, and it's progressing every day. As often as my gut feelings are right...
We're all stressed, scared and sad. We feel so helpless. Navarre has been healthy and strong his entire life and it's like he's gone from being 6 years old to 16 overnight. I'm trying to be strong, but it's so hard. Navarre and I are so attached, and he's really had an effect on this entire family. Even Will, who grew up with Maltese, adores him and is starting to turn to the "dark side", i.e., pit bull lover.
So right now, we're still in a holding pattern, waiting to hear on the blood results. Next step will probably be X-rays. I'm preparing myself for the worst, but hoping for the best.
This sucks.
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(no subject)
Date: 2009-12-20 04:57 pm (UTC)Energy sending, use as needed.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-12-20 05:35 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-12-20 06:02 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-12-20 07:33 pm (UTC)Wishing the best for you and Navarre.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-12-20 11:57 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-12-21 04:08 pm (UTC)Rufus did that too a few weeks ago - turns out he was constipated. Started giving him more fatty foods and he cleared up in three days.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-12-21 04:19 pm (UTC)Vet will be calling around 11:30 with his test results.