Rough Year for Grim. Sigh

[jocoyn]

Well It has really been a rough year - smooth sailing up until last Jan when things just started going wrong-over the past year:

• Knocks out front teeth on tree
• Trip to ER vet for unusual mailaise leads to diagnosis of
  • enlarged spleen
  • enlarged prostate
  • spondylosis
  • "negative" for tick titers
• Subsequently he is neutered and ultrasound of spleen is normal as is VDI screening test
• He breaks toe
• He cuts foot which gets infected badly enough to be on antibiotics and require daily soaks and bandaging.

Through all this we still manage to take and pass our NAPWDA cadaver recert but right now I have pulled him from work:

• We are finally over all these and I am watching him move and he has a wobbliness in his hocks and stiffness (walking with rear legs in a wide stance as opposed to center tracking) which was not there before. He is powerful running but turning, even in the house, quite unstable. He is even having trouble jumping on the sofa. This from a dog who could fly into the back of a pick up truck not that long ago.

Back to the vet next week. I fear DM, but wonder of the other options or if it could be the spondylosis. The instability seems to be most around the hock. I am still going to ask her about putting him on high dose doxy for awhile because I know tick diseases can do much of the above. I just feel sick.

Oh, Grim you are not EVEN 9 yet

[Avorow]

I am so sorry for your poor Grim, here is hoping the ABX set him right!

[shepherdmom]

Originally Posted by jocoyn

Back to the vet next week. I fear DM, but wonder of the other options or if it could be the spondylosis. The instability seems to be most around the hock. I am still going to ask her about putting him on high dose doxy for awhile because I know tick diseases can do much of the above. I just feel sick.

Oh, Grim you are not EVEN 9 yet

We just lost one of our 9 year olds to DM. Thinking back the first sign was a lot of licking on the inside of his rear leg then dragging the rear toe. Then not seeming to know where his feet were placed. It progressed far to rapidly. My heart is still broken. Sending my best wishes your way. I hope it is not DM!

[jocoyn]

It is a horrible disease - right now I am trying not to get ahead of myself -the vet tested him for knuckling as part of routine exam a few months ago and he was good. I tried and he tried to sit down on me but was confused with what I was doing. I am going to ask about the genetic test because it is a lot less expensive than the MRI...but it could be so many things. Clearly x-rays will be in order.

Grim is THAT dog. The one who has been in my heart more than any other dog. He feels fine. He is very good at telling me when he does not feel good -- probably the one dog who I think I will clearly know when the time will come either sooner or (hopefully) later.

[Daisy&Lucky's Mom]

I'm sorry that Grim is having such a rough year.Hopes and prayers for him to be ok and stay healthy.

[Angelina03]

I'm sorry you're suffering with Grim. I hope he will be okay.

[DunRingill]

How old is Grim?

Poor boy....poor YOU! I hope everything is OK. And yes, I think spondylosis can cause some of those problems.

[Emoore]

There's a quick-and-dirty test my vet showed me to give you an idea about DM. While he's standing, take one of his back feet and turn it under so that the tops of the toes are on the ground and the bottom of the foot is facing up. If he leaves it like that it could be DM. If he quickly sets it back down the right way again, it's most likely not. Of course it's not a 100% positive test but my vet says it's one of the first thing he does when deciding whether to do further testing.

[shepherdmom]

Originally Posted by jocoyn

It is a horrible disease - right now I am trying not to get ahead of myself -the vet tested him for knuckling as part of routine exam a few months ago and he was good. I tried and he tried to sit down on me but was confused with what I was doing. I am going to ask about the genetic test because it is a lot less expensive than the MRI...but it could be so many things. Clearly x-rays will be in order.

Grim is THAT dog. The one who has been in my heart more than any other dog. He feels fine. He is very good at telling me when he does not feel good -- probably the one dog who I think I will clearly know when the time will come either sooner or (hopefully) later.

Shadow was that dog for me. He was my Shadow from the day we brought him home. Always by my side. Always with his tail wagging. The day he couldn't lift his tail to wag it anymore was the day I knew..He was tired of struggling but was doing it for me. We spent the day doing all his favorite things (at least the ones he could still do) I totally spoiled him rotton that day. Then my husband and I drove him to the vet that evening and we both stayed with him until the last. He loved the vet, and I like to think he was not afraid. He had been my loyal sweatheart for so long it was the least I could to to let him die with dignity, while was still able to walk into the vet. I'm still so lost. Buddy, his brother is laying with his head on my lap right now as the tears roll down my face. I have lost dogs before and it is always hard but this time, I can't even describe how big a part of me is missing. It won't be easy but you will know when it is time. I hope your Grim has a long time left!!!

[Wolfiesmom]

Poor Grim. I hope he feels better soon.