Reo's SARDS diagnosis

03/05/11 - We went and saw Dr. N for Reo's sudden loss of vision.  Her exam revealed glaucoma negative (good), cataract negative (good), retina intact/healthy (good), and blood pressure normal (good).  They took some of Reo's blood for a CBC (Complete Blood Count) and diabetes test.  We had to wait over the weekend for the results!
03/07/11 - We got Reo's bloodwork back - most things were normal, except for a slightly elevated liver enzyme (GGT), and slightly elevated triglycerides.  Because there wasn't anything obvious going on to explain Reo's vision loss, we were referred to an ophthalmologist.
03/11/11 - By the time Reo's appointment rolled around, we think she had absolutely no vision.  Dr. C agreed that Reo's retinas looked intact/healthy, but she had no menace response, no dazzle reflex, and she would not follow a cotton ball dropped to the floor.  When placed in the middle of the floor, Reo would not take a step, seemingly fearful of unfamiliar surroundings.

We decided to get an electroretinogram (ERG) taken.  If we saw electrical activity, we might suspect something different going on, like a tumor, so we wanted to rule that out.  Reo's ERG was flatline.  Dr. C diagnosed SARDS, and told us Reo would never regain her vision.  He briefly mentioned some revolutionary work at Iowa State by Dr. Grozdanic, using IVIg treatment, but that Reo wasn't a good candidate for this.  Dr. C also gave us the name of Caroline Levin's book, "Living With Blind Dogs" to use as a resource, and mentioned that some SARDS dogs develop Cushing's disease, so we'd have to watch out for that.  But, for the most part, Reo should live a happy, healthy life once adjusted to her blindness.

We were completely devastated!  I couldn't stop thinking about all of the things Reo loved doing that now seemed impossible.  Knowing absolutely nothing about SARDS, and having far too many questions, I spent the entire weekend researching this disease, reading everything I could online, and slowly putting puzzle pieces together.  I felt at a slight advantage, having a scientific background, as it helped me understand a lot of the endocrinology I was reading.  I know that most dog owners are not so lucky.  Fortunately, many resources are written in plain English, to help anyone understand.  My next post will share the resources which I found most helpful.

In hindsight - SARDs stressors

Thinking back over the months leading up to Reo's SARDS diagnosis, there were may signs that gave us clues about what was going on in Reo's body.  Unfortunately, we didn't pick up on those clues until later when we could piece them all together.


early 12/10:  I was gone on a trip for 10 days (me gone = doggie stress, even though Sean is home)
12/10:  Reo's annual wellness exam with Dr. N.  She got her leptospirosis vaccine, and was diagnosed with an ear infection.  Culture revealed it was bacterial - Baytril was prescribed.
12/17/10:  We added a new dog, Tula the Doberman, to our household (new dog = STRESS!)


late 12/10:  Noticed some behavior we attributed to Reo "acting out" - inappropriate urination in the house, general disobedience, lethargy, reluctance to go on walks/dog park (this we attributed to Reo's hatred of cold weather).


01/25/11 - Ear recheck showed the bacteria was gone, but it was now a fungal infection (treated with oral Ketaconazole - I learned later that this medication can suppress hormone production!)
02/03/11 - Ear recheck showed the fungus was gone, now back to bacterial.  Dr. N was a little puzzled at the ferocity of this ear infection
02/14/11 - Reo got her bordatella vaccination
late 02/11 - Reo fell out of bed twice (this has never happened previously!)
late 02/11 - noticed Reo was very restless at night; panting every night, wanted to get up for water (I attributed this to the fact that I'm a hot sleeper)
late 02/11 - Reo began getting into the cat food (naughty!), and seemed to bloat up with weight.  She lost her waist. 


early 03/11 - I was out of town, and Sean reported that Reo was bumping into things (very strange).  I came home March 4th, and noticed this myself.  Reo was indeed bumping into things, and was reluctant to climb stairs, etc.  I made a vet appointment with Dr. N right away for the next day - we were very worried at this point!


What I believe to be the key stressors for Reo:  change in schedule/routine, environmental stressors (new dog,  maybe cold weather), two vaccinations close together.


Again in hindsight, Caroline Levin thinks that Reo's ear infection was her expression of the hormonal imbalances.  Some dogs will have allergies, rashes, skin infections, etc.  For Reo, it was a nasty ear infection.


Key symptoms:  inappropriate urination, lethargy, panting/heat intolerance, excessive thirst (polydypsia - PD), excessive hunger (polyphagia - PP), restlessness

Cast of characters

It makes sense to introduce the names critical to our story, so without further adieu...


Lynn - that's me!  Biochemist/geneticist by training, now in sales and marketing.  Doggie mama and nurturer extraordinaire
Sean - my partner of nearly 8 years, doggie papa, business owner, and pillar of strength and support
Reo - the star of the show!
Leigh - best supporting actress
Tula - the new dog on the block, our 7 year old Doberman Pinscher
Dr. C - our veterinary ophthalmologist 
Caroline Levin, RN - author of "Living With Blind Dogs" and "Dogs, Diet, and Disease"; expert on SARDS and adrenal exhaustion, research authority for dogs with SARDS; consultant and pillar of support and encouragement.  Learn more here:
http://www.petcarebooks.com/research.htm
Dr. Alfred Plechner, DVM (aka Dr. P) - a veterinarian for 50 years; discoverer of 'Plechner Syndrome', and an expert on adrenal exhaustion treatment in humans and animals (over 150,000 and counting!).  Consultant and panic-reducer.  Learn more here:
http://drplechner.com/home.php
Dr. N - our general practice veterinarian
Dr. O - our Reo-specific veterinarian we visit for Reo's treatment
Dr. Karen Lanz, DVM - our veterinary acupuncturist, owner of Healing Hands Pet Acupuncture.  Third set of "vet" eyes, and perpetual sounding board for my ideas/theories
http://www.healinghandspet.com/
National Veterinary Diagnostic Services - the laboratory to which we send Reo's blood samples to be evaluated for endocrinology and immunology (EI-1 panel).  Learn more here:
http://national-vet.com/

But first...Reo!

Reo is our second Miniature Pincher.  She is a sassy little red thing, and also a champion show dog, obtained from the same breeder as our first Min Pin, Leigh (the black and rust in our profile pic!).  Reo and Leigh are only 3 weeks apart in age, and have raised their puppies together.  Needless to say, they are best friends.  We added Reo to our household in 2006, about 1 year after adopting Leigh.  In both adoptions, we sort of gave these ladies a retirement, post-show career and/or post-breeding.


Reo and Leigh are so different.  Leigh is gentle, soft, sensitive, relaxed, and highly attuned to her people.  Reo is sassy, petulant, independent, petite, and sweet.  These two dogs are the perfect juxtaposition in our household, complementing each other perfectly.  Through being together, Leigh has become more outgoing, and Reo more affectionate.  


These dogs are our life, Sean and I having no kids of our own (nor plans for the future).  We take them everywhere - they've been to about 20 states, which is more than the average American, I'm sure!  They are excellent ambassadors, not only for small dogs, but also for Min Pins, who can get a pretty bad rap.  I can't tell you how many times we have been complimented on our well-behaved dogs - from the dog-averse, to dog-enthusiast, to dog trainer, everyone is impressed with our Min Pins (yes, I am exceedingly proud!).


I began keeping a journal (just in Word format) shortly after Reo's diagnosis of SARDS.  And now, I begin the chore of retyping it all, and making it more narrative (instead of a list of bullet points).  I will present this blog in chronological order, so you can follow our story from start to finish.


Please feel free to contact me with any questions about our experiences - I believe strongly in this treatment protocol, and am quite happy to do whatever I can to help other dog owners get their dogs healthy!


Check out some pictures of Reo here!
(And, here are some pictures of Leigh, too...)

Thank you for your interest in SARDs, Reo, and our story...