[ThreeDogs]

Last week I had post that Cyrus had some discomfort in his mouth, I had attributed it to a broken canine tooth. After a visit to the vet, she concluded it was his jaw that was the problem and he probably pulled a muscle,we scheduled a x-ray for a few days later in case the pain did not go away. I went home and on the vet advice gave him a dose of Metacam.
Later that day I noticed his eyes rolling around in his head a bit and he had trouble focusing. I thought it was the metacam. When he continued this Monday morning we went back to the vet.

She feels it is the nerves in his head, it has caused the muscles in his head to constrict so he is always frowning. His vision is off, his pupils are not dilating properly. But his jaw seems to be working okay.
He is also having difficulty swallowing. He is on a course of steroids and we go back on Saturday, she is also consulting with a neurologist.

She says this happens. Has this happened to anyone here? or has anyone heard anything similar?

 

[eberesche]

Re: Nerological poblem?

That's odd. Let us know what the vet says and the xrays show. I'm going to throw a few things out off the top of my head. Sounds like encephalitis of some kind maybe?
I've seen severe inner ear infections or foxtails imbedded really deep in the ear do similar things but pretty hard to miss the rotten ear so that's very doubtful.
A friend's Doberman shows some of the same symptoms occassionally. That dog has a disc problem in his neck and it flares up, usually because the dog did a faceplant on the wood floor. Rest and anti inflammatories and pain meds for a few days and the dog's back to right as rain though.
Question-is there any possibility Cyrus could have been punctured by something in or around his mouth that hasn't been spotted? Possibly tetanus or a deep abcess?

 

[ThreeDogs]

Re: Nerological poblem?

it's effecting his eye sight which has me very scared.

 

[ThreeDogs]

Re: Nerological poblem?

I don't think it could be a puncture, he has no wounds. I can find no info on the net either.

 

[eberesche]

Re: Nerological poblem?

OK, How'd he break the tooth? Is this an old or a new as in pretty recent thing?

Btw, an abcessing puncture you likely wouldn't find. At least not until it bursts. But it is painful. A splinter or something that's worked in deep you wouldn't notice at all until then. If a cat clawed him, even that could do it.

Several days of jaw discomfort, now eyes rolling, vision off, not dilating properly, difficulty swallowing but jaw seems to be working OK.

Noticed symptoms worse on Monday after Metacam. Now on steroids.

Call the vet back in the morning. Find out what the neurologist said. If the xrays haven't been done yet, get them done. Get blood work done. Go to another vet if you have to. He's got something going on and it needs to be found. It could be seizures, it could be some type of poison, could be many things. Whatever it is, it's gotten worse. Hopefully the steroids will help today and you'll see an improvement tomorrow.

Not trying to scare you more here, but this isn't going to be diagnosed over the internet.
If he gets worse than what he is, don't wait around, go to the emergency vet. The neuro signs and the difficulty swallowing ARE cause for alarm.

Please let us know how he does and what they find. Keeping my fingers crossed for y'all.

 

[arycrest]

Re: Nerological poblem?

This is a question - is there something, a virus or something like that, that is similar to shingles (Herpes Zoster) in dogs? The symptoms sound like shingles but I can't find anything that relates to shingles and dogs (chickenpox).


Someone has already mentioned this about disc problems in the neck and head/jaw pain. But Ringer was having a lot of problems with pain in his head/jaw area that was helped after he was diagnosed with the bad discs in his neck. BUT no, it didn't affect his eyes.

 

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

Re: Nerological poblem?

Oh my gosh. I hope he's okay. I agree to push, push, push with the vetting on this.

Please let us know.

 

[ThreeDogs]

Re: Nerological poblem?

You are not scaring me anymore then I already am. I have been crying for days.

We did do blood, just waiting for it to come back.

My vets seem to be taking this very seriously as they have never seen "in person" this type of thing. He is not getting any worse, but he is not better either, although his jaw seems to be working better.

His balance is fine, he chasing a ball although he is having some trouble seeing it. He does not seem to be in any pain at all, and the eyesight is bothering me more than it is him.

There is no behavior change at all with him, which is why she does not at this point think it could be seizers or a brain tumor.

His eyes, I cannot tell you how freaky they are, I get a lump in my throat every time I see his eyes cross, roll back or when I see that he has to shake his head for them to go back into place.

Thank you for your responses this is just devastating to me.

 

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

Re: Nerological poblem?

Could it be that vestibular thing-in a dog that young?
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_vestibular_disease.html

Wow. Are you near Guelph? Cornell may not even be that far from you, really-or Michigan. Just thinking ahead. I think these guys are expensive, but less than Canadian vets-at least it was that way for the IMOM dog: http://www.opvmc.com/ find a neurologist site: http://www.acvim.org/

I'm sorry that this is happening.

 

[ThreeDogs]

Re: Nerological poblem?

Thank you Jean it means alot.

His balance and hearing are perfect, which is why this is so hard to diagnose.

We have discussed Guelph, and I told her that I will take him anywhere to make sure that he will be okay. He is worth a few thousand if that is what it takes. I can't bear the thought of losing him.

She is doing all the prelim stuff here and is in contact with the neurologist. I will be going for a follow up Saturday morning, she wants to see how the steroids work. I am 10 minutes from the emerg ER if needed. I am also leaving work a few times a day to check on him.

I just can't find info that could give a hint as to what is causing this.

 

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

Re: Nerological poblem?

Tetanus????

http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/tetanus.html Also, just google tetatnus dog: http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=t&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4TSHB_en___US211&q=tetanus+dog

I also hope some of the "Tickettes" see this-LisaT, debbieb, Jakoda...maybe it's something like that? http://www.mirage-samoyeds.com/tick.htm

 

[ThreeDogs]

Re: Nerological poblem?

I will be calling my vet first thing in the morning. It sounds similar.

Thank you!!!

 

[Lynnemd]

Re: Nerological poblem?

I am so sorry for what you are going through. I just wanted to wish you and Cyrus the best. I hope the vet gets this diagnosed and fast. I would not hesitate to get to a specialist.

 

[Cassidy's Mom]

Re: Nerological poblem?

Originally Posted By: JeanKBBMMMAANCould it be that vestibular thing-in a dog that young?
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_vestibular_disease.html

That's what I was thinking from the eye thing, but I've never heard of it in a young dog. Sneaker got it at almost 14 years old.

So sorry to hear about this ThreeDog, sounds like you've got some good vets working on it.

 

[debbiebrown]

Re: Nerological poblem?

masticatory myositis?????? i recently knew someone thats shepherd had this, the symptoms were similar to yours.

debbie

 

[ThreeDogs]

Re: Nerological poblem?

Originally Posted By: debbiebmasticatory myositis?????? i recently knew someone thats shepherd had this, the symptoms were similar to yours.

Sound similar, but his jaw works well.

I seem to be able to pick out symptoms that he has from certain diseases but he is able to eat and his energy level has not changed at all. This is what is making this so strange. The treatment for is masticatory myositis is prednisone which is currently on.

At this point Tetanus seem to have more similarities.

 

[LisaT]

Re: Nerological poblem?

MM is a good call.

Any recent vaccinations within the last three months?

Any chance of a tick disease?

Does the face look a bit sunk-in, particularly around the temples, like there might be loss of muscle mass?

 

[debbiebrown]

Re: Nerological poblem?

the gsd that i recently saw with masticatory myositis the head was sunk in at the temples. i believe preds, cause this too.

lisa, what were you thinking it could be asking about the temples?

anyway, MM is treated with preds, but its very likely it could come back and be a cronic thing once preds are stopped. all dogs are different and may not have all classic symptoms. any of these diseases are worth looking into for sure.

debbie

 

[ThreeDogs]

Re: Nerological poblem?

No vaccinations in the last year.

No indication of a tick either, I don't really have wooded areas and I do groom once a week and I am careful to look for anything out of the ordinary.

His eyes ARE sunken in and when excited or stressed they roll around in his head and his third eyelid keeps coming out.

His ears are VERY erect. If you put your hand on his head his ears will not flatten, the base of them are very stiff. And are now standing very close together.

It's not loss of muscle mass, but a stiffing of his facial muscles and ears. Does that make sense? He has no apparent area's of swelling.

The Neurologists agrees with the course of action the vet is currently taking. I have an appointment for first thing Saturday morning. They believe that it is a nerve in his head that has constricted?

I have told her that if there is no change buy Saturday that I want him tested for everything.

 

[agilegsds]

Re: Nerological poblem?

Many years ago our Gordon Setter had tetanus and the symptoms were very similar to what you've described. We went to several vets before a specialist who had treated dogs with the disease recognized it. Since it is not very common in dogs, many vets are unable to diagnose it. By that time, he had only a 50/50 chance but the vet was able to locate the antitoxin and it did work, although he was touch and go for a few weeks.

I also know of a GSD in IL that contracted it recently, most likely from the farm she lived and worked on. She also pulled through but it was a long road, also had the antitoxin.

In my case, our Gordon had a cracked toenail that had become infected and we didn't realize it and then he contracted it through the nail from the dirt in our yard. Tetanus lives in dirt. We lived in the Chicago suburbs at the time. One of the vets who saw him didn't even make the connection because she sent him home with the toe bandaged and antibiotics.

Time is of the essence in treating tetanus and caution must be taken to not expose the dog to bright lights or loud noises, since it can send them into systolic shock.