07/10/11 - We had two vision moments today when we were outside.
1) Reo was laying on the deck, and I was approaching the deck from the yard. She seemed to be holding eye contact with me, and as I got closer, she progressively looked "up" at me to maintain eye contact. When I got closer to her, she put her ears back and her tail nubbin' wagged like crazy!
2) Reo chased an adolescent Blue Jay (it wasn't an adult, and it couldn't fly as well as one, yet not a baby either) across our lawn in the back. She caught it and was prepared to kill! I shouted "leave it" at her, and picked her up. I went to tell Sean what happened, and we were wondering about whether or not a dog could catch a bird if she was completely blind. A few minutes later, I put Reo down. Well, little miss chased and caught the bird AGAIN! I almost let her have the bird this time around, but the bird's mommy was up in our tree screaming, so I decided not to. But boy, Reo was so fired up! She searched for that bird in the yard for days afterwards!
07/17/11 - Reo's mood has been so good lately! She is always out in front on our walks, and her confidence seems to be rising.
I'm continuing to watch Reo's labial infection, and have been washing it with an antiseptic skin cleanser (clorhexadine gluconate). I've noticed that if it's not cleaned every other day or so, the little pustules come back.
Reo's appetite is still good, but she will occasionally wander around the house, nose to the ground like she is sniffing for food. She is still on the Orijen kibble and Merrick Grammy's Pot Pie, with pumpkin and all her supplements. I added in some boiled chicken thigh last night in place of some of the wet food and she loved it. I may start adding in some cooking again to see if she will tolerate it.
07/19/11 - Reo threw up 3 times this evening. The first time looked like ground beef texture. The second time was more liquidy and very dark brown. The third time was mostly frothy liquid. I didn't see any grass or anything in there, so not sure what she ate that made her throw up. She ate all of her dinner and kept it down.
07/21/11 - Today, we had two separate incidents with sight!
1) Reo jumped off the couch and walked to her Kong that was sitting on the floor with absolute purpose, like she knew it was there. She sniffed it, and then walked directly to one of her stuffed toys. No sniffing around, no "looking" for it with her nose!
2) As I got into work, Reo and Leigh were in the back of the car. I turned around and lifted my hand up to pet Leigh. As I did so, Reo followed my hand! Then I moved my finger left, then right, then up, and she followed it all the way! It was crazy! I tried to fiddle with my phone to get the video camera, but by the time I figured it out, she wasn't doing this any more. Still, this gives me hope!
The whole way home from work last night, Reo was looking out the car window. She has not done this since she went blind - usually she buried her head in the car seat.
07/22/11 - Today, I got to work and took Reo and Leigh out of the car. There were some light green packing peanuts strewn around on the grass, probably got blown out of the trash. Reo immediately bee-lined over to one and sniffed it. Now, packing peanuts don't have a very strong smell, so I am SURE that she saw something in the grass - wow!!
I hope, because this incidents are happening more and more frequently, that we are seeing some improvement and it means that Reo might get some sight back!!
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
The vacation quandry; increased dosages
Sean and I decided to take a vacation, even though Reo wasn't 100%. I had to travel to Germany for work, and so we decided that Sean would come out and we'd spend a week in Hamburg, Berlin, and Prague. I was really concerned about not having Sean or me around for Reo, as it seemed that she was at a critical time in her treatment.
Fortunately, Sean's nephews were on break from school, and we flew them out from California to watch over our house, kitties, and three dogs. Sean assured me that the boys could handle Reo's incredible schedule and meal concoctions.
So...off we went. I won't lie - I was petrified, and we called every day! Fortunately, everything seemed to be going well. They did a great job watching to dogs, and everyone was okay when we got back. But...Reo gained a LOT of weight.
I'm not sure if she got into the cat food, or if she just was fed too much, but she gained about 2 pounds in a week, which is about 20% of her body weight. :( She seemed pretty uncomfortable, as her belly was very hard and swollen. Reo's stool was also quite liquid. I cut back on her food right away, and upped her walking schedule!
Reo's labial infection was also back. It was very swollen with some pustules. I cleaned it and put more Neosporin on. I also noticed that the skin around her anus was very swollen. At the time, I was not sure what could possibly cause this. However, I learned later that high estrogen levels can cause labial/vulvar swelling in females. So...I attributed this problem to Reo's high estrogen.
07/08/11 - Today, I increased Reo's Medrol and L-thyroxine to Dr. P's recommended dosages: Medrol to 1.5 mg once per day, and L-thyroxine 0.15 mg twice per day.
Fortunately, Sean's nephews were on break from school, and we flew them out from California to watch over our house, kitties, and three dogs. Sean assured me that the boys could handle Reo's incredible schedule and meal concoctions.
So...off we went. I won't lie - I was petrified, and we called every day! Fortunately, everything seemed to be going well. They did a great job watching to dogs, and everyone was okay when we got back. But...Reo gained a LOT of weight.
I'm not sure if she got into the cat food, or if she just was fed too much, but she gained about 2 pounds in a week, which is about 20% of her body weight. :( She seemed pretty uncomfortable, as her belly was very hard and swollen. Reo's stool was also quite liquid. I cut back on her food right away, and upped her walking schedule!
Reo's labial infection was also back. It was very swollen with some pustules. I cleaned it and put more Neosporin on. I also noticed that the skin around her anus was very swollen. At the time, I was not sure what could possibly cause this. However, I learned later that high estrogen levels can cause labial/vulvar swelling in females. So...I attributed this problem to Reo's high estrogen.
07/08/11 - Today, I increased Reo's Medrol and L-thyroxine to Dr. P's recommended dosages: Medrol to 1.5 mg once per day, and L-thyroxine 0.15 mg twice per day.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Third EI-1 panel
06/22/11 - We got Reo's bloodwork back today! Results in the last column:
I am so happy with her improvement! Her total estrogen continues to come down, while her thyroid hormones are getting closer to the normal range. Her immunoglobulin levels are also rising, which is great news.
I was surprised to see the cortisol number to have dropped so severly, and now is slightly below normal. In my mind, this proves that the initial two results were showing Reo was producing an isomer of cortisol (which her body couldn't use). Now that she has been on DepoMedrol injections, and also oral Medrol, her liver has had a chance to clear out all of those isomers, and now we get a picture of Reo's true cortisol-producing capabilities: LOW.
If Reo would have been treated for Cushing's, she would have died. This is why I think it is so important to make sure to have the EI-1 panel to get an accurate picture of a dog's hormonal situation. And please remember - elevated estrogen mimics the symptoms of elevated cortisol!
I spoke with Dr. P, and he suggested that we bump up the Medrol to 1.5 mg once a day, and the L-thyroxine to 0.15 mg twice a day. After discussing with Sean, we decided not to do this until we got back from our week-long vacation, just in case there are any side effects. Sean's nephews are going to watch the house, kitties, and pups for us while we're gone!
| | Reference Range | 16-Mar-11 | 30-Apr-11 | 15-Jun-11 |
| Total Estrogen | 30 - 35 | 35.19 | 35.15 | 35.11 |
| Cortisol | 1.0 - 2.5 | 8.43 | 7.03 | 0.97 |
| T3 | 100 - 200 | 62.7 | 72.12 | 87.92 |
| T4 | 2.0 - 4.5 | 0.87 | 1.15 | 1.6 |
| IgA | 70 - 170 | 50 | 53 | 57 |
| IgG | 1,000 - 2,000 | 722 | 754 | 883 |
| IgM | 100 - 200 | 74 | 76 | 87 |
I am so happy with her improvement! Her total estrogen continues to come down, while her thyroid hormones are getting closer to the normal range. Her immunoglobulin levels are also rising, which is great news.
I was surprised to see the cortisol number to have dropped so severly, and now is slightly below normal. In my mind, this proves that the initial two results were showing Reo was producing an isomer of cortisol (which her body couldn't use). Now that she has been on DepoMedrol injections, and also oral Medrol, her liver has had a chance to clear out all of those isomers, and now we get a picture of Reo's true cortisol-producing capabilities: LOW.
If Reo would have been treated for Cushing's, she would have died. This is why I think it is so important to make sure to have the EI-1 panel to get an accurate picture of a dog's hormonal situation. And please remember - elevated estrogen mimics the symptoms of elevated cortisol!
I spoke with Dr. P, and he suggested that we bump up the Medrol to 1.5 mg once a day, and the L-thyroxine to 0.15 mg twice a day. After discussing with Sean, we decided not to do this until we got back from our week-long vacation, just in case there are any side effects. Sean's nephews are going to watch the house, kitties, and pups for us while we're gone!
Another symptom
06/15/11 - I'm not sure if the Pepcid AC is having an effect on Reo, but she has been in a great little mood lately, and her tummy is definitely cooler.
She has a strange vulvar infection in the fold of skin between her leg and vulva. I noticed she was licking a lot, and so I investigated. I trimmed away some fur, and washed and put Neosporin on.
Today, we got some blood drawn for another EI-1 panel. I am looking forward to seeing her results!
Dr. O said that her vulvar infection seemed pretty minor, so just to keep washing it and putting on a light layer of Neosporin. Not sure the cause of this.
06/18/11 - Some folks on the SARDSdogs Yahoo group shared some information that Ivermectin in high doses can cause blindness. This makes me wonder if it was another piece in Reo's SARDS puzzle? I called Dr. N and got some Interceptor right away to take her off Heartguard Plus. Just don't want to take any chances.
We've noticed Reo is more social lately. She definitely didn't like spending time with us or Leigh after she lost her sight, but lately, she comes and jumps up on the couch to sleep with Leigh. She hasn't done that in quite some time, so we were encouraged to see this!
Reo's stool has been very loose at the end of her movement lately. Her stool starts out semi-firm, but the end is mostly liquid and smells awful! I'm going to keep her on the Pepcid AC each morning and see how she does.
She has a strange vulvar infection in the fold of skin between her leg and vulva. I noticed she was licking a lot, and so I investigated. I trimmed away some fur, and washed and put Neosporin on.
Today, we got some blood drawn for another EI-1 panel. I am looking forward to seeing her results!
Dr. O said that her vulvar infection seemed pretty minor, so just to keep washing it and putting on a light layer of Neosporin. Not sure the cause of this.
06/18/11 - Some folks on the SARDSdogs Yahoo group shared some information that Ivermectin in high doses can cause blindness. This makes me wonder if it was another piece in Reo's SARDS puzzle? I called Dr. N and got some Interceptor right away to take her off Heartguard Plus. Just don't want to take any chances.
We've noticed Reo is more social lately. She definitely didn't like spending time with us or Leigh after she lost her sight, but lately, she comes and jumps up on the couch to sleep with Leigh. She hasn't done that in quite some time, so we were encouraged to see this!
Reo's stool has been very loose at the end of her movement lately. Her stool starts out semi-firm, but the end is mostly liquid and smells awful! I'm going to keep her on the Pepcid AC each morning and see how she does.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
VISION? The first inklings...
06/14/11 - The past few days have been weird. We have noticed a few instances of Reo acting like she can see:
1) We had a power outage recently. I was holding Reo in one arm. In the pitch blackness, I woke my phone from "sleep" mode (phone is always on silent, so it didn't make a noise). When the screen lit up, Reo looked over at it.
2) On our back deck (which Reo can navigate well now, including stairs), I washed the dog water bowl and placed it in a different location. Reo came up the steps from the yard and was walking directly toward it at a fast pace (as if she would crash into it), and then she simply walked around it. Sean and I were quite surprised. I wondered if she could smell it, but I thought if she smelled it and were interested, she'd stop to take a sniff?
3) At my desk, I took a break to stretch and had my hands up in the air, and she looked directly at my hands.
4) Leigh was stretching on our deck and right in Reo's path as she was walking up the stairs. Reo jumped over her without skipping a step!
In general, Reo is very confident on walks - she is fine to be out in front of me on the leash, which is a major change for her (after she lost her sight, she walked behind or very close to us). She also has tried to go up our inside staircase herself (which is also new to her since she lost her sight - she never tried because they are quite tall). She occasionally reacts to squirrels, but I truly can't tell if she can smell/hear them, or if she sees them or flashes of light/shadow when they dart across. Because I'm more unsure about these, I'm sticking to the above 4 examples of potentially transient vision. :)
Even so, I'm still extremely cautious, as it seems like this would just be too good to be true!
Struggles with food
Reo is completely over eating rice (white or brown), and she seems to have lost a little weight.
I'm considering putting her back on Orijen kibble (1/3) and wet food (2/3).
Orijen is super high-quality when you look at the ingredients from a phytoestrogen perspective. And, although it is a commercial pet food, I do feel good about the ingredients, and Reo loves it. I also picked up some Merrick canned food that is low in phytoestrogen-containing ingredients. Reo really loves the Grammy's Pot Pie, and the Venison Holiday Stew. I still don't feel good about feeding Reo this diet, but will proceed until I can find something better. Leigh and Tula are on The Honest Kitchen raw dehydrated, but all of their formulas have foods high in phytoestrogens in the top 5 ingredients. I feel conflicted. :(
06/05/11 - Reo is currently on 1/8 cup Orijen kibble plus ~1/4 cup of wet food (Natural Balance Potato and Duck or Merrick Grammy’s Pot Pie), twice per day. She seems to really enjoy having the kibble back in her diet. I am putting ½ capsule of Magnesium, Phosphatidyl Serine, and Cell Advance in with each meal. She sometimes doesn’t like the Cell Advance and leaves behind some small bits of food, but for the most part, she is eating very well.
Reo is sleeping through the night just fine, but seems to wake up very early (like 5 am). I take her outside to potty, and then she demands breakfast. I try to make her wait until 6 or 6:30!
06/09/11 - Reo's mood has been great lately! We just passed the 11 week mark for the treatment protocols. Caroline and I agreed that we'd keep Reo on the supplements for 36 weeks, and if no difference was visible, we would discontinue.
06/11/11 - I learned from another SARDS dog owner that Medrol increases the production of stomach acid. He's been giving his dog some Pepcid AC and said it greatly helped with "warm belly". Warm belly is exactly as described, and Reo has had it for months! I attributed it to high estrogen levels, but I'm willing to give some Pepcid AC a try and see how it works out. I started her on 2.5 mg once per day before breakfast and Medrol dosage.
Third round of treatment and beyond
05/21/11 - Reo had her third injection of 25 mg DepoMedrol today! Hopefully this is the last one required.
05/22/11 - Definitely noticed PD, PU after the injection. She was up several times during the night/morning.
05/26/11 - Reo is still eating 3 meals/day. Still on the rice and Wellness canned food. I think she's getting tired of the rice, as she leaves a lot of it behind. Her mood is greatly improved lately, but she still has insomnia sometimes. I attribute it to the fact that her hormone levels are fluctuating and trying to be in balance.
06/01/11 - Today marks 10 weeks since beginning the Levin/Plechner protocols! Today is also 10 days after Reo's last DepoMedrol injection, so I started her on 1.0 mg of oral Medrol this morning.
05/22/11 - Definitely noticed PD, PU after the injection. She was up several times during the night/morning.
05/26/11 - Reo is still eating 3 meals/day. Still on the rice and Wellness canned food. I think she's getting tired of the rice, as she leaves a lot of it behind. Her mood is greatly improved lately, but she still has insomnia sometimes. I attribute it to the fact that her hormone levels are fluctuating and trying to be in balance.
06/01/11 - Today marks 10 weeks since beginning the Levin/Plechner protocols! Today is also 10 days after Reo's last DepoMedrol injection, so I started her on 1.0 mg of oral Medrol this morning.
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