10/08/11 - Today is just a perfect fall day! Sunny, but neither hot nor humid. Reo woke up with stomach aliens again this morning (sigh), so she was not interested in breakfast. The aliens were particularly active this morning - I could hear them all the way across the room! Again, no change to her diet/schedule, so it's always a mystery how these things appear for seemingly no reason. I waited until 10 am and then, when she still wasn't interested in food, forced down her Medrol and L-thyroxine. It was a fight, as usual, but I want to keep her hormones on schedule, at the very least.
Being so beautiful out, I decided a walk in the park would be just the think to exorcise (or exercise!) those aliens. So, we went over to our favorite park and did about 30 minutes on the asphalt path, and another 30 minutes running around off leash, sniffing, and stalking squirrels. Good times!!
We got home and Reo ate some breakfast, so that was good. We went outside in the backyard to spent even more time outside. If only the mosquitoes would go away, it would be perfect!
I decided to set up another obstacle course for Reo, just for fun (okay, and to set my own mind at ease that I am not crazy!). I set it up alongside the house again, where she doesn't have access, so it was "new" to her. I used some different materials, and ended up taking 2 videos of her going out and back. Then I switched up the course and took another 2 videos.
Have a look-sey! What do you think??
Obstacle course video #3
Obstacle course video #4
(I love how, at the end of this one, she looks up at me, like "really, mom??")
Changed up the course and made the openings tighter...
Obstacle course video #5
Obstacle course video #6
I think she did great, and it definitely looks to me that she is seeing. You can sort of see her problem solving skills in the last two videos, where she first thought she could get around the recycling bins by going one way, then saw it was too small and then walked around. She did knock the fence and the recycling bin in the last video at the end, but she knocked with her body after passing through and not her face.
This little project was enough to satisfy me once again, so I can take a deep breath and relax. After our ophtho appointment on Wednesday, I started second-guessing myself. I had been worried that maybe I thought she was seeing, but she was just so used to the house/yard that her sight had, in fact, deteriorated. This does not appear to be the case, yay! :D
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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