04/30/11 - Today is my 36th birthday, and I can't think of a better way to celebrate than to start down the path of health for Reo!
Dr. P, Dr. O, and I agreed upon a treatment plan of a series of 3 injections, spaced 10 days apart.
We met Dr. O today, and he took a blood draw for another EI-1 panel for Reo. He also injected Reo with Dr. P's recommended doses: 0.3 mg triamcinolone (Vetalog) and 25 mg methylprednisolone (DepoMedrol). The injections were over faster you than you could say "lickety split", and there was no turning back. I can't believe it took us such a long time to find a vet to help us, for what seems like such a minor "procedure".
I'll be honest - I was exhilarated but also nervous. I was crossing fingers and toes that my research had paid off, that Caroline and Dr. P knew what was best for Reo, and that I made the right decision. Only time will tell...
05/01/11 - Last night was an awful night with Reo. She was up every hour to drink and urinate - definitely displaying PD/PU. These symptoms continued throughout the day. After speaking with Dr. P, he told me to eliminate the triamcinolone from Reo's future injections, and just inject the DepoMedrol.
05/02/11 - 05/04/11 - Reo still awake frequently at night, usually every 1.5-2 hours. It's hard on Sean and me, but I know it must be even harder on Reo! Her appetite has been good over the past few days, and I'm still able to get some supplements into her.
We saw Dr. Lanz on 05/04, and she recommended we start Reo on Vetri-DMG. This is a liquid supplement (it also comes in pill form), and a completely natural compound. It supports the immune system (important for dogs who are on powerful steroids, as steroids suppress the immune system), promotes liver detoxification (also important for SARDS dogs with adrenal issues, who are clearing lots of excess hormone/protein), and also helps circulation and oxygen utilization.
You can read more about the benefits here: VetriScience Labs Vetri-DMG
Though I initially purchased this from Dr. Lanz, I began purchasing it from Entirely Pets on Amazon.com in the 113 ml bottle, as it was much less expensive (about $30, and would last Reo and Leigh [also put Leigh on this!] for months).
05/05/11 - Reo only got up twice last night - I LOVE YOU DR. LANZ!! I am certain that acupuncture makes such a difference for Reo. She shows such great improvement in mood and sleep after a treatment, and would encourage any SARDS dog owner to seek out a veterinary acupuncturist to help soothe their dogs.
It's also been very valuable for me to have another vet's eyes on Reo's case. Dr. Lanz is a "real" veterinarian, but she has a Chinese Medicine point of view, so I can share Reo's bloodwork, symptoms, etc. and know that she will give me her perspective from both the traditional realm and also the Chinese medicine realm.
Last night, I had a dream that Reo regained her vision! :) That was nice. However, when she went outside in the morning, she crashed into our fence after getting lost, and I think she slightly scraped her eye. :(
05/08/11 - Reo has been doing much better at night - only up once or twice, usually. She continues to be very restless and wander all over the house.
She is still rather heat-intolerant, and pants quite a lot, even when Leigh and Tula are not.
Reo also continues to have inappropriate elimination - not in the house when we are there, but if we leave her in her crate, she will urinate. It doesn't matter if it's 10 minutes (literally!), or 3 hours - she'll go in there. Acting out?
In March 2011, our Miniature Pinscher, Reo, suddenly went blind and was diagnosed with SARDS (Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration Syndrome). We were given no hope for vision recovery, but through research, perseverance, love, tears, and a lot of luck, we brought our dog back from a serious illness, and restored some functional vision in about 5 months! This is our story, our journey...and we hope that by sharing our story, we can help other dogs diagnosed with SARDS!
BLOG DISCLAIMER
**DISCLAIMER** Please note: I am not a veterinarian, and the purpose of this blog is solely to educate, provide resources, and share Reo's story. In this blog, I will present research and information on the theories of SARDS to which I subscribe, along with my own narrative. If you think your dog may have SARDS, or adrenal exhaustion/Plechner Syndrome, please seek veterinary care right away!
If you are just beginning your SARDS education, I suggest you start with the blog post from August 22, 2011 entitled "SARDS Resources". If you'd like to know our trials, tribulations, and joys from the beginning, start with "But first...Reo!" and click chronologically on from there.
If you would like to read my suggestions as to how I would approach treatment for a newly-diagnosed dog, check the November 16, 2011 post "If I had another SARDS dog" (and then read my blog more fully for appropriate context).
Though we have decided to suspend Reo's retinal protection supplements in September 2012 (see September 16, 2012 post "Decision for Reo") due to the fact that she had very little remaining vision, I am still strongly supportive of our treatment approach, and know that it changed Reo's health and longevity in a positive way. Feel free to comment and ask me any questions - I am happy to help if I can!
Update: Reo became an angel on October 21, 2014. She had a profound kidney infection, causing acute kidney failure, and she was unable to recover. The contributing factors to her decline are covered in my February 16, 2015 blog post "Farewell to Reo".
Though I do not regularly update this blog any longer, much of the information is still relevant (though some of the links may be out of date). Feel free to join the conversation at "SARDS Dogs United" on Facebook.
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