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...
In March 2011, our Miniature Pinscher, Reo, suddenly went blind and was diagnosed with SARDS (Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration Syndrome). We were given no hope for vision recovery, but through research, perseverance, love, tears, and a lot of luck, we brought our dog back from a serious illness, and restored some functional vision in about 5 months! This is our story, our journey...and we hope that by sharing our story, we can help other dogs diagnosed with SARDS!
BLOG DISCLAIMER
**DISCLAIMER** Please note: I am not a veterinarian, and the purpose of this blog is solely to educate, provide resources, and share Reo's story. In this blog, I will present research and information on the theories of SARDS to which I subscribe, along with my own narrative. If you think your dog may have SARDS, or adrenal exhaustion/Plechner Syndrome, please seek veterinary care right away!
If you are just beginning your SARDS education, I suggest you start with the blog post from August 22, 2011 entitled "SARDS Resources". If you'd like to know our trials, tribulations, and joys from the beginning, start with "But first...Reo!" and click chronologically on from there.
If you would like to read my suggestions as to how I would approach treatment for a newly-diagnosed dog, check the November 16, 2011 post "If I had another SARDS dog" (and then read my blog more fully for appropriate context).
Though we have decided to suspend Reo's retinal protection supplements in September 2012 (see September 16, 2012 post "Decision for Reo") due to the fact that she had very little remaining vision, I am still strongly supportive of our treatment approach, and know that it changed Reo's health and longevity in a positive way. Feel free to comment and ask me any questions - I am happy to help if I can!
Update: Reo became an angel on October 21, 2014. She had a profound kidney infection, causing acute kidney failure, and she was unable to recover. The contributing factors to her decline are covered in my February 16, 2015 blog post "Farewell to Reo".
Though I do not regularly update this blog any longer, much of the information is still relevant (though some of the links may be out of date). Feel free to join the conversation at "SARDS Dogs United" on Facebook.
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