09/16/12 - Finally, Sean and I have decided how we are going to proceed with Reo. You may recall that I've been struggling with whether or not to continue to give Reo the retinal protection supplements, as it seems she has very little vision remaining these days. I have not been sure whether the small amount of remaining vision is worth preserving - she might get around better if she were completely blind. And, I don't want to continue to give her things that her body doesn't need/can't use.
We have decided not to give most of her supplements any longer. We will be suspending the following:
- Lutein (her last capsule was given yesterday)
- Phosphatidyl Serine (have about a month left, will suspend when we use the last of it)
- Magnesium Taurate (have about 2 months left, will suspend when we use the last of it)
- Standard Process Adrenal Support (have about 1 week left; just not sure she needs this any more)
- Sardines (these were given as a source of adenosine, which works in conjunction with the Magnesium Taurate)
We will continue to give Reo the Cell Advance 440, Nutramin, and Prozyme, and keep the rest of her diet the same (Welactin, Dasuquin) as we like the benefits of those supplements for older dogs (and Leigh gets these three supplements as well).
I do have a huge amount of guilt for not being more pro-active for Reo surrounding the time of our big move in March of this year. I really thought that we were "in the clear" since her vision had returned, and I severely underestimated the effects of stress on Reo's vision. Literally, when we started packing up our house, her vision started to decline. She then got a toe infection, and allergens in the air were high. A lot of stress for our little girl (plus lots of stress on the humans, too!), really affected her. I'm working on letting my guilt go, and taking comfort in the fact that Reo is as healthy as she has been in years. She is still such a happy dog, and her health truly is the most important part.
We will continue to get blood chemistry and thyroid tests every 6 months, to make sure that we are on the right track with her care. I envision getting and EI-1 panel from NVDS every year or so, again, to make sure that we are staying on track. If there are any issues that make me think she may be unbalanced, I may test more frequently - we will just have to play it by ear!
I will likely update this blog less frequently, as I hope (?) Reo will be quite stable. But, of course I will share any new things that I learn about SARDS, relevant articles, and updates on Reo's condition. I am also very happy to hear from readers whose dogs have been diagnosed with SARDS, and help in any way that I can.
Showing posts with label vision. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vision. Show all posts
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Friday, August 17, 2012
Reo's updated obstacle course videos
08/17/12 - Wow, I've been so bad about updating lately! We've been having a lot of summer fun. We went camping, and had my parents out to visit, so we've been busy.
So, we've passed about a year since Reo was confirmed to have her vision return. Here is one of last August's videos for reference (many more videos archived on my blog!):
August 2011 course
Since this time, her vision improved in the fall/winter, but then took a huge backslide as her stress kicked up due to our family's cross-country move. My thought was that when we moved, she had no vision whatsoever. She received another series of DepoMedrol injections, hopefully to help reset her system, and she did improve.
Lately, I've been wondering if she has any vision at all, or if she's just mapped things out. I do find it curious that she bumps into things a lot. I would have thought if she were totally blind, she would have mapped things out better. I spoke with Caroline Levin about this, and she said it's been commonly
reported in humans that low-vision is more difficult to navigate than no-vision. So, I don't know what is going on. Certainly sometimes, it seems like she can't see anything - she can't track a cotton ball like she used to.
But, recently, I took some new obstacle course videos for curiosity's sake - now I don't know what to think! I think she could still have a little vision left.
August 2012 #1
August 2012 #2
August 2012 #3
She seemed to have the most problem in the last video, getting caught between the gutter downspout and the strawberry flat! But because I've never had a blind dog before, I'm not sure if dogs can do exercises like this obstacle course based on their other senses?
Reo appears to have the most trouble in the shade/light transition, which I think is worthy of note (she always seems to do better in full sun). There is no doubt that she does not get around as well as she was one year ago, but I don't think that she is completely blind, as she can get around some of the obstacles and not crash into them like a fully blind dog would. I feel certain that she is completely blind in her right eye, and she has some minimal vision in her left.
I'm not any closer to making a decision about whether to continue all of the retinal protection supplements, or to just suspend the and let her become fully blind over time. I need to do some more thinking about that.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Uveitis and blood work
06/26/12 - Reo and I went back to the vet yesterday. Her eye condition seemed to respond to the antibiotics (oral and eye drops), and the scary blue cast to her cornea has disappeared (whew!). Dr. V was also able to measure her intraocular eye pressure on this visit, and she was normal in both eyes (both eyes were 13 mmHg).
I read online that uveitis is of unknown cause in about 75% of cases, which is not very satisfying. So, I suppose we'll just be happy that it was solved by a course of antibiotics, and we'll watch closely to make sure no changes come about.
When we went to the vet on Friday, we did a chemistry panel and CBC. I am very happy to report that Reo's chemistry panel (liver, kidneys, cholesterol, etc.) was normal! This is good news, and means that she's tolerating her Medrol therapy well. She had some highs and lows on her CBC - certain blood cells were either elevated or reduced - but Dr. V was not worried about any of the fluctuations.
We also pulled blood for another EI-1 panel from NVDS, as well as another "baseline" panel from UTenn. I never followed up with UTenn for further testing after deciding to pursue treatment according to Levin/Plechner. UTenn diagnosed Atypical Cushing's in Reo, and suggested melatonin and flax lignans. I decided not to pursue this treatment for Reo, and go with Medrol therapy. As I posted about earlier, HERE, Levin has published a small study about treating Atypical Cushing's dogs with Medrol, to good success. Even though it's been more than a year since our initial adrenal panel and ACTH stim test from UTenn, I will be interested to see how Reo's baseline results have changed!
Stay tuned...
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Possible uveitis
06/21/12 - I've had a rough day! I found out that our new vet is no longer with the clinic - she moved too far away to commute. :( The good news is that the clinic owner saw us today, but I didn't feel like she was as interested in Reo's case as our previous doctor. We'll see how it goes!
I took her into the clinic today because Reo's right eye had been bothering her for a couple of days (today was the third day). I suspected that she got something in it (dirt, grass, etc.) and wanted to see if it would resolve itself. Today it seemed a little worse, swollen. So I flushed with saline a few times, but it didn't seem to help. Then, in the outdoor sunshine, I noticed a frightening bluish cast over Reo's cornea. I panicked, and thought that she had developed glaucoma in that eye!
The vet doesn't suspect glaucoma because the eye didn't seem too painful to Reo. But, their device to measure intraocular pressure was not working correctly, so they couldn't rule it out. We'll go back on Monday and hope they can get a reading.
In the meantime, Dr. V suspects uveitis (kind of the opposite of glaucoma, since it is indicated by low intraocular eye pressure, while glaucoma is high IOP). She gave Reo some oral antibiotics, as well as antibiotic eye drops for us to use the next few days to see if she improves. Fingers crossed!
We got a chemistry panel and CBC for Reo when we were in there, as part of her bi-annual check up, so I am curious to see how those results come back. I was planning to get blood drawn for another EI-1 panel as well, but want to wait until next week due to hot temperatures/overnight shipping. I also need to find out if Reo being on antibiotics will affect the test results at all...if so, we may need to wait to have the bloodwork run.
Silly Reo, always keeping us on our toes! Good thing I love her like crazy... :)
I took her into the clinic today because Reo's right eye had been bothering her for a couple of days (today was the third day). I suspected that she got something in it (dirt, grass, etc.) and wanted to see if it would resolve itself. Today it seemed a little worse, swollen. So I flushed with saline a few times, but it didn't seem to help. Then, in the outdoor sunshine, I noticed a frightening bluish cast over Reo's cornea. I panicked, and thought that she had developed glaucoma in that eye!
The vet doesn't suspect glaucoma because the eye didn't seem too painful to Reo. But, their device to measure intraocular pressure was not working correctly, so they couldn't rule it out. We'll go back on Monday and hope they can get a reading.
In the meantime, Dr. V suspects uveitis (kind of the opposite of glaucoma, since it is indicated by low intraocular eye pressure, while glaucoma is high IOP). She gave Reo some oral antibiotics, as well as antibiotic eye drops for us to use the next few days to see if she improves. Fingers crossed!
We got a chemistry panel and CBC for Reo when we were in there, as part of her bi-annual check up, so I am curious to see how those results come back. I was planning to get blood drawn for another EI-1 panel as well, but want to wait until next week due to hot temperatures/overnight shipping. I also need to find out if Reo being on antibiotics will affect the test results at all...if so, we may need to wait to have the bloodwork run.
Silly Reo, always keeping us on our toes! Good thing I love her like crazy... :)
Monday, June 4, 2012
House mapping
06/04/12 - Reo continues to do well, though vision is inconsistent/transient. She loves the Stella and Chewy's patties I've been giving her as part of her food/protein rotation. I might keep her on this for quite some time and rotate the protein. She seems to be doing quite well on it. Her weight looks great, and she is a healthy little dog!
I had a thought the other day, when watching Reo navigate the house. We haven't changed any furniture positions in at least 6 weeks, and yet Reo still has trouble getting around - she's been bumping into things regularly. I was wondering if this was more "proof" of her transient vision, because she hasn't figured out the locations of things in the house or yard. Yes, she has general awareness of where things are, but there is a clear distinction sometimes as to how she gets around - sometimes she bumps everything and looks like a ping pong ball, but other times she appears to see well and gets around without bumping anything! It's strange, because I would have thought that if her vision was limited or completely gone, she would have been able to map out the house and get around better.
Of course, we are just staying the course with the supplements, etc. as I posted about previously HERE. We're about 3 months post her last injections, so we'll see. We love her like crazy nonetheless. :)
I had a thought the other day, when watching Reo navigate the house. We haven't changed any furniture positions in at least 6 weeks, and yet Reo still has trouble getting around - she's been bumping into things regularly. I was wondering if this was more "proof" of her transient vision, because she hasn't figured out the locations of things in the house or yard. Yes, she has general awareness of where things are, but there is a clear distinction sometimes as to how she gets around - sometimes she bumps everything and looks like a ping pong ball, but other times she appears to see well and gets around without bumping anything! It's strange, because I would have thought that if her vision was limited or completely gone, she would have been able to map out the house and get around better.
Of course, we are just staying the course with the supplements, etc. as I posted about previously HERE. We're about 3 months post her last injections, so we'll see. We love her like crazy nonetheless. :)
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Making a decision
05/13/12 - Today, I ordered what could be Reo's final bottles of Magnesium Taurate and Phosphatidyl Serine. If we don't notice improvement in her vision by the time she finishes these, I believe that it may not be worth the cost to continue giving her these supplements, since her vision is transient/minimal. Every once in a while, she surprises me with her vision when she navigates new terrain successfully, but she struggles sometimes too. I believe she struggles more than she has some sight these days.
I recall that it took about 5 months after her first series of injections last year, to see a good improvement in her vision. She got her injection series in March, and we are only 2 months after those, so it's possible we have a ways to go, which is okay. I plan to get another EI-1 Panel from NVDS, as well as a CBC in late June/early July (about 6 months since her last), to see how she is doing, but I know from her demeanor that she is healthy and happy.
I am still optimistic, but I am also trying to be realistic. I wanted to write this on my blog to make it more "real" for me, that it is possible that Reo's vision may not recover from all of the emotional and environmental stresses from earlier this year.
I feel pretty guilty that I wasn't more pro-active, and didn't think about how all of the changes we were making could affect her. But, ultimately, we wanted to/had to move, as it was the right decision for our family - and how could we have predicted that allergens would have been especially brutal this spring? My regret is that I didn't give her a "booster"injection of DepoMedrol as soon as I began to notice a regression. Of course, hindsight is always 20/20 and I can't go back now.
When I took that last obstacle course of Reo recently, I went back and watched her previous videos, and it's clear that she is not doing as well as before. It crushes my heart, because I feel as though I've let her down in some way, or failed her by not paying closer attention, or realizing what was happening as her vision was regressing. Yes, the most important thing is that she is healthy and happy - and we are blessed that she is both! But, a part of me is really sad that her vision has regressed, and I am hopeful that she will get back to "normal"for her, like she was the second half of 2011. Fingers crossed!
I recall that it took about 5 months after her first series of injections last year, to see a good improvement in her vision. She got her injection series in March, and we are only 2 months after those, so it's possible we have a ways to go, which is okay. I plan to get another EI-1 Panel from NVDS, as well as a CBC in late June/early July (about 6 months since her last), to see how she is doing, but I know from her demeanor that she is healthy and happy.
I am still optimistic, but I am also trying to be realistic. I wanted to write this on my blog to make it more "real" for me, that it is possible that Reo's vision may not recover from all of the emotional and environmental stresses from earlier this year.
I feel pretty guilty that I wasn't more pro-active, and didn't think about how all of the changes we were making could affect her. But, ultimately, we wanted to/had to move, as it was the right decision for our family - and how could we have predicted that allergens would have been especially brutal this spring? My regret is that I didn't give her a "booster"injection of DepoMedrol as soon as I began to notice a regression. Of course, hindsight is always 20/20 and I can't go back now.
When I took that last obstacle course of Reo recently, I went back and watched her previous videos, and it's clear that she is not doing as well as before. It crushes my heart, because I feel as though I've let her down in some way, or failed her by not paying closer attention, or realizing what was happening as her vision was regressing. Yes, the most important thing is that she is healthy and happy - and we are blessed that she is both! But, a part of me is really sad that her vision has regressed, and I am hopeful that she will get back to "normal"for her, like she was the second half of 2011. Fingers crossed!
Monday, May 7, 2012
Vacation-refreshed!
05/07/12 - We are back and rejuvenated from our vacation to Northern California! Sean and I left for 6 days, and brought the Min Pins with us. Leigh and Reo are both from California, so we joked that they were returning to their roots.
Reo did excellently on the trip - we are lucky to have such great traveling dogs! Reo did have a little trouble in her carrier in the airport. She wanted to be held, and seemed to be a little frightened of all the noises and hubub in the airport. She was panting quite a bit in her carrier, but settled right down as soon as we got on the plane (quiet, with hum of engines put her right to sleep).
I pulsed her Medrol dose every other day, and overall she did awesome! I know she was seeing some things, as the house we stayed in had steps, and she navigated them well some days, while some days she had trouble. More proof that her vision remains transient.
Here's a picture of where we stayed, and Reo exploring:
The property was dog-friendly and had two fully-fenced acres for doggie exploring. In Leigh and Reo's cases, the tall grass was barrier enough for them, thankfully (I was worried they'd want to go in the grass and I'd never find them!). There were lots of quail running around, and that was excited for the dogs! It was truly paradise there, and we all dreamed that it was our property!
The rest of the trip was spent wine tasting and driving around all day. We brought the pups with us - sometimes they came into the wineries with us if they were dog friendly, or they stayed in the car and patiently waited for us to return (best dogs ever!!). I packed their favorite bed, so just put that on the seat, and harnessed them into the seat belt - it worked really well!
Here's a cute picture of the rehydration effort during one stop (I love the look on Leigh's face in this picture!):
And, one final picture of Reo taking a sun nap while we taste wine on a gorgeous rooftop deck. It is the life!!
Overall, we are completely thrilled with the trip, and how Reo did traveling. With the exception of a couple of issues being in her carrier, she was relaxed, and seemed quite happy (I'm sure she was feeling us extra happy and relaxed, too!).
This gives us some confidence for our next trip in July - we plan to go to Southern California for a week, so fingers crossed that everyone does just as well on this trip!
Reo did excellently on the trip - we are lucky to have such great traveling dogs! Reo did have a little trouble in her carrier in the airport. She wanted to be held, and seemed to be a little frightened of all the noises and hubub in the airport. She was panting quite a bit in her carrier, but settled right down as soon as we got on the plane (quiet, with hum of engines put her right to sleep).
I pulsed her Medrol dose every other day, and overall she did awesome! I know she was seeing some things, as the house we stayed in had steps, and she navigated them well some days, while some days she had trouble. More proof that her vision remains transient.
Here's a picture of where we stayed, and Reo exploring:
The property was dog-friendly and had two fully-fenced acres for doggie exploring. In Leigh and Reo's cases, the tall grass was barrier enough for them, thankfully (I was worried they'd want to go in the grass and I'd never find them!). There were lots of quail running around, and that was excited for the dogs! It was truly paradise there, and we all dreamed that it was our property!
The rest of the trip was spent wine tasting and driving around all day. We brought the pups with us - sometimes they came into the wineries with us if they were dog friendly, or they stayed in the car and patiently waited for us to return (best dogs ever!!). I packed their favorite bed, so just put that on the seat, and harnessed them into the seat belt - it worked really well!
Here's a cute picture of the rehydration effort during one stop (I love the look on Leigh's face in this picture!):
And, one final picture of Reo taking a sun nap while we taste wine on a gorgeous rooftop deck. It is the life!!
Overall, we are completely thrilled with the trip, and how Reo did traveling. With the exception of a couple of issues being in her carrier, she was relaxed, and seemed quite happy (I'm sure she was feeling us extra happy and relaxed, too!).
This gives us some confidence for our next trip in July - we plan to go to Southern California for a week, so fingers crossed that everyone does just as well on this trip!
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Obstacle course videos, take 3
04/29/12 - We were out in the yard planting and doing various things today, and I thought I'd take a video of Reo. It's been quite a while since I last did a video of her going through a course, and to be honest, I was not expecting her to do well, given her backslide with vision lately.
But, what do you guys think? Totally blind or something there?
Note that she bumps the orange bucket with her body and the last black bucket with her face. I was not surprised by the latter, as I have thought for a while that she has no vision in her right eye. Overall, I was pretty pleased with how she did, though clearly she did not do as well as she has in the past.
She did these courses so quickly/well in the past (8 months ago and 6 months ago):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cookypuss1/6062205311/in/set-72157594384341971/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cookypuss1/6223332331/in/set-72157594384341971/
But, this gives me hope that she still has something and her vision is not totally gone...we'll see!
Looking at the video again, I realize I didn't lay out the buckets perfectly to be an extremely effective obstacle course, but because it was warm out (you can hear her panting!), she wasn't very interested in doing it again when I re-arranged - she went and lay in the shade! Will probably practice this exercise again in the not-so distant future, hopefully with better materials that are closer to what I had last year. :)
Friday, April 27, 2012
The importance of new places
04/27/12 - I haven't been updating as much, because I've been busy! That, and Reo is quite stable these days; nothing too much to report. She is still "mostly" blind, but she has been surprising me lately, which makes me think I need to set up an obstacle course to see how she does.
Example: we went over to a friend's house last week, and brought all of our dogs. None of us had ever been to this house before, and I carried Reo inside, and then outside to the yard, so she could sniff and pee with all of the other dogs (there were four other dogs there). She obliged, roaming around, sniffing, etc. Then, out of nowhere, she hopped up the two stairs that lead to the deck, without bumping or anything. Sean and I were shocked!
I say that exposing Reo to new places is important, because she gets along so well in our house/yard, maybe I don't get a full sense for her vision. She does well on walks, too, but maybe I'm taking that for granted.
A true test will be next week! Sean and I are taking a trip to California, and will be bringing Leigh and Reo with us. Our Min Pins have traveled extensively with us - they've been to 22 states, which I'm sure is more than the average American human! They travel super well on the plane, but we haven't brought them anywhere by plane since before Reo's SARDS diagnosis. So, it will be interesting to see how she does, not only with the trip, but out and about in CA as well!
Stay tuned...
Example: we went over to a friend's house last week, and brought all of our dogs. None of us had ever been to this house before, and I carried Reo inside, and then outside to the yard, so she could sniff and pee with all of the other dogs (there were four other dogs there). She obliged, roaming around, sniffing, etc. Then, out of nowhere, she hopped up the two stairs that lead to the deck, without bumping or anything. Sean and I were shocked!
I say that exposing Reo to new places is important, because she gets along so well in our house/yard, maybe I don't get a full sense for her vision. She does well on walks, too, but maybe I'm taking that for granted.
A true test will be next week! Sean and I are taking a trip to California, and will be bringing Leigh and Reo with us. Our Min Pins have traveled extensively with us - they've been to 22 states, which I'm sure is more than the average American human! They travel super well on the plane, but we haven't brought them anywhere by plane since before Reo's SARDS diagnosis. So, it will be interesting to see how she does, not only with the trip, but out and about in CA as well!
Stay tuned...
Monday, April 9, 2012
More DepoMedrol
04/09/12 - Hope everyone had a nice weekend!
Reo is doing well lately! She had a DepoMedrol injection on March 24, and did not display any PD/PU/PP (increased thirst/urination/hunger) afterwards. This caused me, along with my vet, to conclude that Reo "needed" the injection, and did not have an excess of cortisol (which would cause those symptoms). This proved to us that as a result of all of the stress (emotional and environmental) over the past couple of months, Reo's estrogen had likely spiked.
Therefore, we agreed to give Reo another injection at the same dosage, which she had on Thursday the 5th. It's been 4 days, and no symptoms, which has surprised me a little bit - I was expecting to see them with this injection. Even though there have been no excess cortisol symptoms, I'm not sure if we will have an additional injection after this one, but I need to speak with Dr. Plechner and see what he would suggest in this case.
Otherwise, no changes, really. Her mood is fantastic, she looks wonderful, and still some light/dark perception. There have been a few moments where I was sure she was sighted again, only to have her bump something shortly thereafter. I have to remind myself that this was how it started last year - little glimpses here and there of vision returning. I remain optimistic. :)
**Edit** spoke to Dr. Plechner and he suggested that we go back to oral Medrol and not do another injection, so this is what we'll plan on!
Reo is doing well lately! She had a DepoMedrol injection on March 24, and did not display any PD/PU/PP (increased thirst/urination/hunger) afterwards. This caused me, along with my vet, to conclude that Reo "needed" the injection, and did not have an excess of cortisol (which would cause those symptoms). This proved to us that as a result of all of the stress (emotional and environmental) over the past couple of months, Reo's estrogen had likely spiked.
Therefore, we agreed to give Reo another injection at the same dosage, which she had on Thursday the 5th. It's been 4 days, and no symptoms, which has surprised me a little bit - I was expecting to see them with this injection. Even though there have been no excess cortisol symptoms, I'm not sure if we will have an additional injection after this one, but I need to speak with Dr. Plechner and see what he would suggest in this case.
Otherwise, no changes, really. Her mood is fantastic, she looks wonderful, and still some light/dark perception. There have been a few moments where I was sure she was sighted again, only to have her bump something shortly thereafter. I have to remind myself that this was how it started last year - little glimpses here and there of vision returning. I remain optimistic. :)
**Edit** spoke to Dr. Plechner and he suggested that we go back to oral Medrol and not do another injection, so this is what we'll plan on!
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Home Sweet Home
03/06/12 - We arrived back home in Denver on Saturday! All three dogs, and two cats did great on the drive, despite driving through the storm in southern IL and IN that would turn into all of the tornadoes in IN and KY. Scary!
Anyway, Reo is doing okay. Vision still very transient, but am hoping that once we all settle down and are less stressed, she will go back to being more stable. She has done a great job navigating around - sometimes seeing, sometimes not. To say that the past month or so has been stressful would be an understatement - for both humans and animals! Because Reo's adrenal glands can't properly respond to stress by making cortisol to soother her system, it is more difficult for her to manage. I'm glad we gave her the booster shot of DepoMedrol to help her get through this transition.
The past several days have been amazing weather-wise! Tons of sun, which makes all of the Pins very, very happy. Reo has been scavenging in the yard and has found some dehydrated, shriveled apples from our neighbors' tree, along with other various things that she should NOT be eating (I think old veggies from our tenants' garden last season). Unfortunately, I can't watch her every second, and she's eaten some things I know she should not have (including some of Tula's food she threw up in the yard the other day - GROSS!).
The bottom line is that she is still a dog, at the end of the day, so I'm trying not to stress too much about what she may have eaten and if it will cause her any discomfort (but I will give her a little extra ProZyme in her dinner tonight!). This kind of "dog" behavior makes her happy, and she's been in a great mood lately, being outside with her pack. Once we settle into our routine, I'm sure she will be just fine.
I am already a little nervous about finding a new vet here - it will be an extensive interview process!
Anyway, Reo is doing okay. Vision still very transient, but am hoping that once we all settle down and are less stressed, she will go back to being more stable. She has done a great job navigating around - sometimes seeing, sometimes not. To say that the past month or so has been stressful would be an understatement - for both humans and animals! Because Reo's adrenal glands can't properly respond to stress by making cortisol to soother her system, it is more difficult for her to manage. I'm glad we gave her the booster shot of DepoMedrol to help her get through this transition.
The past several days have been amazing weather-wise! Tons of sun, which makes all of the Pins very, very happy. Reo has been scavenging in the yard and has found some dehydrated, shriveled apples from our neighbors' tree, along with other various things that she should NOT be eating (I think old veggies from our tenants' garden last season). Unfortunately, I can't watch her every second, and she's eaten some things I know she should not have (including some of Tula's food she threw up in the yard the other day - GROSS!).
The bottom line is that she is still a dog, at the end of the day, so I'm trying not to stress too much about what she may have eaten and if it will cause her any discomfort (but I will give her a little extra ProZyme in her dinner tonight!). This kind of "dog" behavior makes her happy, and she's been in a great mood lately, being outside with her pack. Once we settle into our routine, I'm sure she will be just fine.
I am already a little nervous about finding a new vet here - it will be an extensive interview process!
Friday, February 24, 2012
Steady on
02/24/12 - It's been one week since Reo's DepoMedrol injection, and we have noticed no increased symptoms as we experienced last spring when she got her injection series. Granted, we used a lower dosage, but I was expecting some increased thirst (at least). Maybe some restlessness, increased hunger, etc. But so far, she's doing great, despite the massive amount of packing and changes going on in the house (removed furniture, new boxes everywhere, etc.).
No major changes on the vision side, either. It's transient - sometimes she does great and walks around new things no problem, can follow a cotton ball from more than 12 inches away, etc. And other times, she can't find her way back up the steps from the yard. Sean and I sort of feel that for Reo, she needs to willingly "engage" her vision sense. Like, if she's focused and paying attention, she can see and navigate well. If she's distracted and smelling something, or if she is napping/dozing and opens her eyes, she doesn't have much vision. Sometimes we can snap her out of it and get her to engage by talking to her. I find this interesting, and I wish I knew more about what could be going on in her eyeballs!
I think that Reo has lost a little bit of weight - she's looking more ribby lately. It's a fine line to balance diet and exercise in a small dog. I'm constantly giving a little more or a little less food, depending on how much exercise we've gotten.
At this time next week, we'll be somewhere in Kansas, en route home to Colorado. We are really excited, and I hope that Reo is not too stressed out. Anything could happen in a car with 2 people, 3 dogs, and 2 cats. Fun times, yes? :)
No major changes on the vision side, either. It's transient - sometimes she does great and walks around new things no problem, can follow a cotton ball from more than 12 inches away, etc. And other times, she can't find her way back up the steps from the yard. Sean and I sort of feel that for Reo, she needs to willingly "engage" her vision sense. Like, if she's focused and paying attention, she can see and navigate well. If she's distracted and smelling something, or if she is napping/dozing and opens her eyes, she doesn't have much vision. Sometimes we can snap her out of it and get her to engage by talking to her. I find this interesting, and I wish I knew more about what could be going on in her eyeballs!
I think that Reo has lost a little bit of weight - she's looking more ribby lately. It's a fine line to balance diet and exercise in a small dog. I'm constantly giving a little more or a little less food, depending on how much exercise we've gotten.
At this time next week, we'll be somewhere in Kansas, en route home to Colorado. We are really excited, and I hope that Reo is not too stressed out. Anything could happen in a car with 2 people, 3 dogs, and 2 cats. Fun times, yes? :)
Sunday, February 12, 2012
NOT phasing out PS
02/12/12 - As I mentioned in my previous post, I dropped Reo's dosage from 100 mg/day to 50 mg/day last week. That same day, even before her first PS dose
in her breakfast, we noticed some decline in her vision - thinking there was no
possible way it could have been from the reduced dosage (since she got 50 mg that
morning as she always does, just not the other 50 in her evening meal). We also noticed some watery discharge from
Reo's eyes, which is new.
We went the whole week with Reo at 50 mg/day of PS, and
didn't notice any chance in disposition, clarity/confusion, etc., but her
vision seems to be poor lately. I truly
don't know if it's a result of PS (since the onset of declining vision seemed
to overlap with the drop in dosage, and it seems unlikely to me that PS would
have such a direct effect on vision?), but I bumped her back up to 100 mg/day
on Saturday (so there was 5 days of a decreased dosage), just in case.
Her watery eyes continue, as well as greatly decreased
vision lately, unresponsive PLRs to normal light (flashlight), but do respond
in sunlight. I'm not sure if she has
allergies, or really what is going on at the moment, but this seems to be a
long period (for Reo) of struggling with sight.
Otherwise, she's doing great in terms of disposition, etc.
Hopefully it's just another "blip"
like we've encountered before, but gets better soon. This seems to be the longest period of time
she's gone with diminished vision, so I'm a little concerned. We're also in the midst of packing up our
house for a cross-country move - I'm sure this could be a stressful situation
for her, too, even though she is navigating the house just fine and not bumping
into things/getting lost (which makes me wonder if her vision is really
diminished or if she's faking!!).
We had an hour-long walk today, and she did really great,
but it was the first time in over a week that the dogs got a walk because it's
been pretty cold!
Anyway, I won't be tinkering around with the supplement
dosages any time for the foreseeable. We're in unchartered territory, but we need to stick to what we know has worked for Reo! Additionally, after speaking with Caroline Levin, I am considering pulsing her Medrol dosage, to help her get through this time of stress for the move.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Weekend in Chicago
01/16/12 - We had a great family weekend in Chicago this weekend! We drove up on Friday and back on Sunday. Though it was really cold, we enjoyed the time away.
Here's a picture of Leigh and Reo in their harnesses and car seat on the drive:
As you can see, Reo really makes herself comfy on long drives. :)
Instead of a hotel, we found a doggie-friendly condo in the Wicker Park neighborhood (which was just two blocks from our friend's place!), so it was perfect. Reo did so well - she navigated the brand new surroundings like a champ (further solidifying in my mind that her vision is quite good, as there was no way she could have gone around furniture, table legs, kitchen island, etc. if she was blind!).
Reo refused her breakfast Sunday morning, which was quite a surprise. I ended up forcing down her Medrol and L-thyroxine, which she didn't mind too terribly much. Typically she refuses to eat when she has stomach aliens (as I like to call them), but she had no strange belly sounds yesterday. This made me realize that she hasn't had any stomach aliens in quite a long time (a least a couple of months?), which was a revelation. I wonder if stomach aliens are somehow related to low IgA number - poorer digestion and water absorption? Interesting.
All of the dogs were happy to be home last night to familiar sounds and smells and their beds.
Keeping my fingers crossed that I get Reo's EI-1 panel results back tomorrow!
Here's a picture of Leigh and Reo in their harnesses and car seat on the drive:
As you can see, Reo really makes herself comfy on long drives. :)
Instead of a hotel, we found a doggie-friendly condo in the Wicker Park neighborhood (which was just two blocks from our friend's place!), so it was perfect. Reo did so well - she navigated the brand new surroundings like a champ (further solidifying in my mind that her vision is quite good, as there was no way she could have gone around furniture, table legs, kitchen island, etc. if she was blind!).
Reo refused her breakfast Sunday morning, which was quite a surprise. I ended up forcing down her Medrol and L-thyroxine, which she didn't mind too terribly much. Typically she refuses to eat when she has stomach aliens (as I like to call them), but she had no strange belly sounds yesterday. This made me realize that she hasn't had any stomach aliens in quite a long time (a least a couple of months?), which was a revelation. I wonder if stomach aliens are somehow related to low IgA number - poorer digestion and water absorption? Interesting.
All of the dogs were happy to be home last night to familiar sounds and smells and their beds.
Keeping my fingers crossed that I get Reo's EI-1 panel results back tomorrow!
Friday, November 11, 2011
Mom's home!
11/11/11 - I'm home from a tour of 10 states in 5 days. Exhausted, and thinking I won't schedule any trips like THAT again any time soon!
Reo did pretty well while I was gone. Sean reported increased thirst (PD) and urination (PU). It's clear that this happens when we pulse the Medrol. I think next time I'm away, we'll give her the added Medrol every third day instead of every other day to see how she does.
When I got home yesterday, she was really bloated and kind of gassy. Her belly was very turgid, and she seemed uncomfortable. Usually her stool is loose when she displays these symptoms, but her stool has been quite normal. So, I'm not sure what happened with that. She seems back to normal this morning, with a soft belly. Maybe she ate something outside that didn't agree with her!
Her vision seems to be pretty good at the moment, which makes me both happy and relieved. As much as I say that Reo's health is the #1 priority (and it is), I'm still very happy that she has had some vision return and stay!
It's chilly today, but should be warming up enough to put a fleece on the dogs and get them out for a walk. After taking literally 10 flights this week, I know I need a walk to loosen up!
Reo did pretty well while I was gone. Sean reported increased thirst (PD) and urination (PU). It's clear that this happens when we pulse the Medrol. I think next time I'm away, we'll give her the added Medrol every third day instead of every other day to see how she does.
When I got home yesterday, she was really bloated and kind of gassy. Her belly was very turgid, and she seemed uncomfortable. Usually her stool is loose when she displays these symptoms, but her stool has been quite normal. So, I'm not sure what happened with that. She seems back to normal this morning, with a soft belly. Maybe she ate something outside that didn't agree with her!
Her vision seems to be pretty good at the moment, which makes me both happy and relieved. As much as I say that Reo's health is the #1 priority (and it is), I'm still very happy that she has had some vision return and stay!
It's chilly today, but should be warming up enough to put a fleece on the dogs and get them out for a walk. After taking literally 10 flights this week, I know I need a walk to loosen up!
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Pulsing Medrol
11/06/11 - Today I left for a week- trip for work. Based on Reo's slight regression the last time I was gone for a week, I consulted with Caroline Levin and decided to pulse Reo's daily Medrol dose. Every other day, she'll get 1.5 mg. It will be interesting to see if this preemptively helps stave off any stress/estrogen spike.
She has been really good and stable lately, so we will see how she does this week! We will only do this for the days that I'm gone, unless any symptoms give us an indication we should do it for longer.
I still think that my being gone for a week is more stressful on me than it is on Reo! ;)
She has been really good and stable lately, so we will see how she does this week! We will only do this for the days that I'm gone, unless any symptoms give us an indication we should do it for longer.
I still think that my being gone for a week is more stressful on me than it is on Reo! ;)
Friday, October 28, 2011
Back and Forth...
10/28/11 - Happy Friday! I am looking forward to the weekend. Fall has definitely fallen, and there are a lot of leaves to be raked! I hope that it's sunny this weekend, so we can all be outside while we pick up nature's lovely, colorful mess.
Reo has been doing okay this week. Her vision is definitely variable, which frustrates me. Sometimes it's like she can't see anything at all, and other times, she seems to be at ~80% or so. It's strange to me how it can change in a matter of minutes - makes me wonder what the heck is going on in that retina! I usually know when she's not seeing because she will use her nose more to sniff around to help find her way. Her vision remains quite good outside or in bright lighting.
Mood-wise, she is fantastic. I know I've said this before, but she hasn't acted this spritely in a couple of years, so to see her so playful and happy is truly amazing. Sean always says that this is the most important part (and I do agree...I just want some of her vision to stay, too!). We most certainly have our dog back, in terms of her personality!
All of her "functions" have been normal, too, which is good. I have noticed the past two mornings, she's gotten up earlier than normal, and has panted a few times under the covers in bed. This usually makes me question her estrogen levels, as this was a primary symptom in January/February this year (she couldn't tolerate sleeping under the covers without panting, whereas pre-hormonal imbalance she'd just be a little briquet under the covers till morning). So, panting makes me think of the heat intolerance that comes with high estrogen levels. On the other hand, I'm a really hot sleeper - in the winter, I like the temperature to be around 58 in the house (for sleeping, not during the day!) and all warm and snuggly under the covers. So lately, I've been warm since the house is in the 60s, which is hopefully why Reo has been panting on occasion (which is ameliorated by my bringing her up on top of the covers).
Reo seems to tolerate the lutein supplement quite well. I haven't noticed any changes, either good or bad. I think I'll just keep her on the every other day dose for the time being. She has plenty of antioxidants from the Cell Advance - the lutein is just an added one to hopefully help protect those valuable retinal cells.
However, I decided to take her off the Vetri-DMG liquid in the next week or so, as Reo's last CBC revealed that her liver enzymes were in good shape (and as her hormone levels become more balanced, this will make her liver happier as well). The Vetri-DMG also stimulates the immune system, and I don't want *too* many immune system stimulants going on. I'd like to cut down supplements where I can, as I don't want her to be a science experiment forever! Dr. Lanz uses the Vetri-DMG for liver and immune support, but Reo is doing well in both of those areas at the moment, so it's safe to stop.
Reo has been doing okay this week. Her vision is definitely variable, which frustrates me. Sometimes it's like she can't see anything at all, and other times, she seems to be at ~80% or so. It's strange to me how it can change in a matter of minutes - makes me wonder what the heck is going on in that retina! I usually know when she's not seeing because she will use her nose more to sniff around to help find her way. Her vision remains quite good outside or in bright lighting.
Mood-wise, she is fantastic. I know I've said this before, but she hasn't acted this spritely in a couple of years, so to see her so playful and happy is truly amazing. Sean always says that this is the most important part (and I do agree...I just want some of her vision to stay, too!). We most certainly have our dog back, in terms of her personality!
All of her "functions" have been normal, too, which is good. I have noticed the past two mornings, she's gotten up earlier than normal, and has panted a few times under the covers in bed. This usually makes me question her estrogen levels, as this was a primary symptom in January/February this year (she couldn't tolerate sleeping under the covers without panting, whereas pre-hormonal imbalance she'd just be a little briquet under the covers till morning). So, panting makes me think of the heat intolerance that comes with high estrogen levels. On the other hand, I'm a really hot sleeper - in the winter, I like the temperature to be around 58 in the house (for sleeping, not during the day!) and all warm and snuggly under the covers. So lately, I've been warm since the house is in the 60s, which is hopefully why Reo has been panting on occasion (which is ameliorated by my bringing her up on top of the covers).
Reo seems to tolerate the lutein supplement quite well. I haven't noticed any changes, either good or bad. I think I'll just keep her on the every other day dose for the time being. She has plenty of antioxidants from the Cell Advance - the lutein is just an added one to hopefully help protect those valuable retinal cells.
However, I decided to take her off the Vetri-DMG liquid in the next week or so, as Reo's last CBC revealed that her liver enzymes were in good shape (and as her hormone levels become more balanced, this will make her liver happier as well). The Vetri-DMG also stimulates the immune system, and I don't want *too* many immune system stimulants going on. I'd like to cut down supplements where I can, as I don't want her to be a science experiment forever! Dr. Lanz uses the Vetri-DMG for liver and immune support, but Reo is doing well in both of those areas at the moment, so it's safe to stop.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
When mom's away...
10/12/11 - I just returned from a trip to Houston for work. Though Sean sticks to Reo's routine to the letter, and we are currently pulsing her Medrol, it appears that my absence still has an effect on her. (Sean isn't too happy about this, by the way, because he feels as though he's doing a poor job of caring for her, which of course isn't the case!).
The theory is that perhaps my not being around causes a certain amount of stress, which may cause a temporary spike in estrogen and subsequent retinal seizure. The good news is that she seems to recover rather quickly, but it's an interesting phenomenon that we've noticed with my last two trips.
10/13/11 - Reo's stool was quite loose today. First time it's been loose since I stopped giving her the pumpkin, so I'll keep an eye on it. I think it was because I gave her a new treat last night - a little piece of dehydrated lamb lung. Probably a little rich for her system - we'll see.
The theory is that perhaps my not being around causes a certain amount of stress, which may cause a temporary spike in estrogen and subsequent retinal seizure. The good news is that she seems to recover rather quickly, but it's an interesting phenomenon that we've noticed with my last two trips.
10/13/11 - Reo's stool was quite loose today. First time it's been loose since I stopped giving her the pumpkin, so I'll keep an eye on it. I think it was because I gave her a new treat last night - a little piece of dehydrated lamb lung. Probably a little rich for her system - we'll see.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Obstacle course videos, take 2
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
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
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Ophthalmologist appointment, take 2!
In some ways our appointment yesterday was pretty disappointing from my point of view, at least at first. We were a little early, so we enjoyed the nice weather outside and walked all around the building. Reo was hopping up and down from the curb, going around trees and bushes, and marking where all the other dogs before her had done their business before her!
When it was finally time for our appointment, and we went into the exam room, Reo was really distracted and wanted to sniff everything - she seemed fairly excited (I'm sure she was picking up some on my excitement, too). Dr. C came in and tried to get her to come to him - again, she was really distracted with all
of the smells and couldn't have cared less about Dr. C or his assistant! She gave them both courtesy nubbin' wags, but that was about it!
I gave him a quick update on all of the things that we had done with Reo post SARDS diagnosis (trying to fit 7 months in 5 minutes isn't so easy!). Dr. C was throwing some cotton around, but again, Reo was not focused in the least, and had her nose to the ground most of the time. I tried to get her to sit and focus, and I would do the cotton test, but wasn't having much success, either. I kind of wished we could have talked for a few minutes and let Reo get all the sniffs out before proceeding with the testing. :-/
I asked if we could do some functional testing. Dr. C said that they had an obstacle course for large dogs, but that it wasn't appropriate for small dogs (whatever that means!). So, we set one up in the exam room with a chair, the doctor stool, trash can, and my purse. She went through it just fine, and didn't bump one thing!
Then he turned the light off and did her eye examination, while I blabbed on about the treatment we pursued, and the "evidence" we had for her regaining some sight. His examination showed a "blind" dog - Reo had no menace reflex, and no dazzle reflex. Her PLRs were sluggish, and slightly incomplete. None of this was a
surprise to me - I already knew all of that.
He said that her retinas were "thin", but did not seem detached/very reflective based on the exam. I asked him whether or not he would expect a SARDS dog to have detached/degraded retinas after 7 months of being blind. I wanted to uncover whether Reo's retinas still being intact was an indication that she still had some retinal activity. Unfortunately, it seems that this answer isn't so straightforward - another case of "every dog is different". He told me the story of a patient who went blind due to something other than SARDS, and this dog's retinas are normal over a year after blindness. So, maybe not all dogs' retinas go through the apoptosis to destroy them? This was surprising/confusing to me - I thought if the retina is not used by the body, the body destroys it. Will have to look into this a little more...
We talked a lot about adrenal exhaustion vs. IMR and IVIg. He is really familiar with Dr. Grozdanic's work. His impression is that Dr. G is taking a lot of flack from the vet community because there are so many different variables with his protocol, and not enough control groups to be a "real" study or show "real" results. This was surprising to me, and disappointing also, as my impression of Dr. G's work was that it was considered a breakthrough in the vet community. Just goes to show that if a theory is outside the traditional lines of thinking, it can/will be met with resistance from at least some.
I gave him some of Caroline's research papers to review or have on file, including some of restored vision, and also a dog that got IVIg treatment but still developed adrenal exhaustion. We agreed it was really unfortunate that her papers are "dismissed" by the vet community because they are not peer-reviewed (and because Caroline doesn't have DVM after her name), as if it discredits a particular study of a dog.
We reviewed Reo's bloodwork - there was no denying that she has made progress! Dr. C was interested in this, but it was "outside" his area of specialty, so didn't make too many comments.
Ultimately, Dr. C said that all that mattered was that we thought that Reo had made improvement, and if we think that she can see based on her "real life" tests, than that was a great thing. His examination revealed that if Reo was not blind, her vision would be very, very limited.
At first I thought he was being dismissive and flip, and it sort of offended me!! I wanted to do more functional tests, obstacle courses, take her outside and show him how good she does on her own. I wanted to turn him into a believer, if you will, and prove to him that she has some functional vision!
After some discussion, I decided not to repeat the ERG, or get an ultrasound. I didn't want to put Reo through the stress of both tests, and I didn't want to pay several hundred dollars for Dr. C to tell me she's "still" blind. :-/
I feel like he just wasn't interested enough in the curiosity of Reo's case to really put forth an effort into pursuing a lot of functional testing. Though unfortunate, and upsetting to me at first, I accept it. I had a good cry after leaving the office - mostly my own frustration - and felt better afterwards. I think I was frustrated from my own high expectations, and those expectations not being met. I also feel frustrated that research from Dr. Grozdanic, Caroline Levin, and Dr. Plechner are being dismissed, when it is so clear to me (and others whose dogs have undergone treatment) that progress can be made!!
It's true that we know Reo better than anyone, and we know that she has some functional vision left. She went hiking in the woods and did fantastically, for crying out loud!! In the end, that is enough for me. We will continue to share our story and blog, and do what we can to raise awareness for SARDS, and
the success with the treatment we pursued. Ultimately, I'm happy that she is on her way back to health - regardless of how much she can see, or for how long her vision returns.
I am keeping the faith! :)
When it was finally time for our appointment, and we went into the exam room, Reo was really distracted and wanted to sniff everything - she seemed fairly excited (I'm sure she was picking up some on my excitement, too). Dr. C came in and tried to get her to come to him - again, she was really distracted with all
of the smells and couldn't have cared less about Dr. C or his assistant! She gave them both courtesy nubbin' wags, but that was about it!
I gave him a quick update on all of the things that we had done with Reo post SARDS diagnosis (trying to fit 7 months in 5 minutes isn't so easy!). Dr. C was throwing some cotton around, but again, Reo was not focused in the least, and had her nose to the ground most of the time. I tried to get her to sit and focus, and I would do the cotton test, but wasn't having much success, either. I kind of wished we could have talked for a few minutes and let Reo get all the sniffs out before proceeding with the testing. :-/
I asked if we could do some functional testing. Dr. C said that they had an obstacle course for large dogs, but that it wasn't appropriate for small dogs (whatever that means!). So, we set one up in the exam room with a chair, the doctor stool, trash can, and my purse. She went through it just fine, and didn't bump one thing!
Then he turned the light off and did her eye examination, while I blabbed on about the treatment we pursued, and the "evidence" we had for her regaining some sight. His examination showed a "blind" dog - Reo had no menace reflex, and no dazzle reflex. Her PLRs were sluggish, and slightly incomplete. None of this was a
surprise to me - I already knew all of that.
He said that her retinas were "thin", but did not seem detached/very reflective based on the exam. I asked him whether or not he would expect a SARDS dog to have detached/degraded retinas after 7 months of being blind. I wanted to uncover whether Reo's retinas still being intact was an indication that she still had some retinal activity. Unfortunately, it seems that this answer isn't so straightforward - another case of "every dog is different". He told me the story of a patient who went blind due to something other than SARDS, and this dog's retinas are normal over a year after blindness. So, maybe not all dogs' retinas go through the apoptosis to destroy them? This was surprising/confusing to me - I thought if the retina is not used by the body, the body destroys it. Will have to look into this a little more...
We talked a lot about adrenal exhaustion vs. IMR and IVIg. He is really familiar with Dr. Grozdanic's work. His impression is that Dr. G is taking a lot of flack from the vet community because there are so many different variables with his protocol, and not enough control groups to be a "real" study or show "real" results. This was surprising to me, and disappointing also, as my impression of Dr. G's work was that it was considered a breakthrough in the vet community. Just goes to show that if a theory is outside the traditional lines of thinking, it can/will be met with resistance from at least some.
I gave him some of Caroline's research papers to review or have on file, including some of restored vision, and also a dog that got IVIg treatment but still developed adrenal exhaustion. We agreed it was really unfortunate that her papers are "dismissed" by the vet community because they are not peer-reviewed (and because Caroline doesn't have DVM after her name), as if it discredits a particular study of a dog.
We reviewed Reo's bloodwork - there was no denying that she has made progress! Dr. C was interested in this, but it was "outside" his area of specialty, so didn't make too many comments.
Ultimately, Dr. C said that all that mattered was that we thought that Reo had made improvement, and if we think that she can see based on her "real life" tests, than that was a great thing. His examination revealed that if Reo was not blind, her vision would be very, very limited.
At first I thought he was being dismissive and flip, and it sort of offended me!! I wanted to do more functional tests, obstacle courses, take her outside and show him how good she does on her own. I wanted to turn him into a believer, if you will, and prove to him that she has some functional vision!
After some discussion, I decided not to repeat the ERG, or get an ultrasound. I didn't want to put Reo through the stress of both tests, and I didn't want to pay several hundred dollars for Dr. C to tell me she's "still" blind. :-/
I feel like he just wasn't interested enough in the curiosity of Reo's case to really put forth an effort into pursuing a lot of functional testing. Though unfortunate, and upsetting to me at first, I accept it. I had a good cry after leaving the office - mostly my own frustration - and felt better afterwards. I think I was frustrated from my own high expectations, and those expectations not being met. I also feel frustrated that research from Dr. Grozdanic, Caroline Levin, and Dr. Plechner are being dismissed, when it is so clear to me (and others whose dogs have undergone treatment) that progress can be made!!
It's true that we know Reo better than anyone, and we know that she has some functional vision left. She went hiking in the woods and did fantastically, for crying out loud!! In the end, that is enough for me. We will continue to share our story and blog, and do what we can to raise awareness for SARDS, and
the success with the treatment we pursued. Ultimately, I'm happy that she is on her way back to health - regardless of how much she can see, or for how long her vision returns.
I am keeping the faith! :)
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