My Jack Russell is very ill(diagnosed & pics)

[Stacey]

I know this isn't in the right place, but we are at a loss as to what to do and wondered if anyone had ever experienced anything like it.

On July 18 the dog (who is an 11 month old JRT) was taken to the vets with eye problems (eyes closed, weepy, lethargy) and was administered an antihistamine which seemed to alleviate the problem. A few weeks later the symptoms were back and much much worse, I took him back to the vets who looked in his eyes and gave him an antihistamine injection that lasts 6 weeks. Upon arriving back at my house which is a 5 minute drive my dog had a large seizure which included body spasm, contortion, defacation which lasted several minutes to which I rushed him back to the vets and was told it was not the injection he had just been given and was administered antibiotics.

For days my dog was like a zombie, lifeless & lethargic, barely recognising us, but all of a sudden started to pick up and was starting to experience a degree of normality despite his back legs and coordination not being quite right. We took him to another vet for a second opinion and were told that we needed to wait for the antihistamine to wear off before further investigation.

As it now stands, my dos has rapidly gone downhill from Sunday to the point where he now can hardly see, can hardly walk, can't sleep at night because he is constantly hot and restless and now the final straw he has lost his appetite. He has been blood tested this week and bloods are back clear, and is being MRI scanned tomorrow - HELP?!

[brindlerainbow]

Does he stagger when he tries to walk and is he sensitivie to having his head touched ? If you bend his paw so that he is kneeling will he correct it immediately ?

[suzee]

Did the Vet diagnose what the problem was with his eye on either occasion,i am not a Vet but it sounds as though he has had a very bad reaction to the histamines.Hope he recovers soon.

[Stacey]

Aug 24, 2011 13:14:09 GMT brindlerainbow said:

Does he stagger when he tries to walk and is he sensitivie to having his head touched ? If you bend his paw so that he is kneeling will he correct it immediately ?

I don't know about the bending the paw part but everything else sounds like his symptoms...? He has no power or coordination in the back legs, he is very sensitive to loud noises and doesn't seem able to see properly, although he isn't bumping into anything, in low light he 'sees things' or doesn't see things depending on the situation. He is constantly hot and panting, restless and his body quivers. Obviously as a family we are very distressed at the state of our dog, who is just a puppy really

[bow1607]

ahh, no advice really but it must be such a worry for you...... hope hes better soon and you get the answers you need!

[brt]

I really feel for you, nothing worse than seeing your beloved friend distressed.

The symptoms are very like my dog's, she had kidney problems, but they would have been picked up on the blood tests.

Please keep us updated and fingers crossed they find what it is. Hugs xx

[brindlerainbow]

Google GME and see if the symptoms are the same. The bending the paw tells if the brain is getting the signal to correct it immediately which most healthy dogs would.

[brindlerainbow]

Best Google GME in dogs rather than just GME

[Uptown Girl]

I hope he gets better soon x

[supes]

Oh God Stacey, don`t have any suggestions but know how much Barney means to you and just hope and pray the vets get to the bottom of his problems and he makes a full recovery, please keep us informed...I don`t even know Barney but over the months have grown very fond of him from the comical photo`s of him that you post on FB, he`s such a lovely boy .

Debs xx

[mackay]

my small younger pups, sometimes suffer from Hypoglycemia,drop in sugars/glucose. I give childrens Dioralyte-the salts etc in this safe product acts instantly-like an energy boost. try a finger full of honey in his mouth. Just a thought-anything worth a try eh? Good luck...xx

[ponymum]

awww bless your little guy , I hope you get to the bottom of it xx

[horseylady]

any new yet? xxxx

[Stacey]

Thanks everyone for the well wishes and advice. Barney is now in very good hands with the top neurologist in Europe - he had the foot test and eye test as stated on here (thank you for letting me know what to expect!) and it has been concluded that he doesn't have a tumour or cyst as this would be localised to one area of the brain as opposed to his symptoms which are typical of several areas. He's been kept in for the MRI and a spinal tap and they are running more bloods to test for liver function etc. as they have specialised lab facilities. I feel a lot more relieved now he's in specialist hands, the vet was very confident that we will be able to resolve his problems once he is diagnosed.

[brt]

Fantastic news! have been popping on here all morning looking for an update, he sounds like he's in good hands so fingers crossed they get to the bottom of it xxx

[brindlerainbow]

Good news, hope you get a positive out come, fingers crossed

[pattendown]

he sounds very simalar to our pup the vet said the symtoms are very simalar to a liver shunt ,any news on your blood tests

[woodpecker]

Aww poor little pup hope he's gets better soon

[lucyspin]

hope he gets better soon everything crossed for you all xxxx

[leeann]

Awh the poor wee soul, hope he's better soon x.

[Stacey]

Thanks all, had a call from the vet this afternoon to let us know that Barney has been diagnosed with Meningitis - he is staying in over the weekend so that they can start his treatment quite aggressively given how far progressed it is, they seem positive that he will make a full recovery and for this I am very grateful.

I'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone that has offered advice, support and wished him well, it's been a very stressful few weeks and the house is very quiet without him - it's amazing how much love you can feel towards your dog, it's truly devastating when they become so ill and you can't tell what is hurting or why.

The many snoozing poses of Barnaby
















And finally, a rare picture of him with his eyes open

[Yogananda]

Oh bless him, he's lovely. I hope Barney has a speedy recovery. x

[try]

Lovely to hear he's on the road to recovery - hes a gorgeous lad! Good luck and hoope it's a very speedy recovery xx

[thimble]

He is adorable. Glad to hear he is on the mend.

[supes]

As I said on Fb STace`, that`s fantastic news, I`m so pleased for all of you and especially for Barney!! Eeeh I`ve just been looking at his pic`s with tears in my eyes and he`s not even my dog and I`ve never even met him but he just looks such fun and so lovely...the pic`s are brilliant!! Thank you so much, made me smile...and the one with his eyes open...a rarity indeed!! He`s gorgeous! GET WELL SOON BARNEY!!!

Debs xx

[bow1607]

hes gorgeous!

[mountside]

Bless little BARNEY !!! Get well soon little man !!! xx

[ponymum]

so pleased Barney is on the road to recovery - you must have been out of your mind xx

[ilovebuckroox]

What a lovely lad! I hope he makes a full recovery

[brindlerainbow]

Glad you have a diagnosis I had a feeling it was GME which is canine meningitis!!!! One of my Boxers had it