mysticpaw Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Hi guys Was wondering if anyone could shed some light or has had a similar experience to what we are having with our dog Ricky. Ricky is a 12 year old desexed male Siberian Husky. Recently he has shown weakness in his rear, and after a vet check we thought it maybe degenerative Myelopathy. He has been on generic fish oil tablets for a while now and we recently put him on Osteosupport tablets from our vet. This did not seem to help. Over the last few weeks when we walk him, only a short distance he staggers and last week he fell. He seemed to lose consciousness for a minute, after talking to him he came around and we haven't walked since, though he is keen to go. We took him back to the vet and he is now on anti inflammatories, for the last four days with no improvement. My concern is that it is not any of the above,and is he having a series of strokes? He will get up on the bed/couch but when he jumps down he will stagger,and on three occasions has lost control of his bladder. His appetite is not good and his behaviour is far from normal.He will go out to toilet and to have a drink but everything is an effort and he pants quite heavily sometimes even falling. He seems to have more difficulty when putting his head down to his bowl,so we raise it on a crate and this seems to help. I was wondering if anyone has had any experiences similar to Ricky's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ari.g Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Have you looked into Vitamin E deficiency and its links with Fish Oil? My link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starkehre Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Have you looked into Vitamin E deficiency and its links with Fish Oil? My link That was my first thought too. Get him off the fish oil immediately and see if there is any improvement. Certainly won't hurt to try. Symptoms sound very familiar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mysticpaw Posted October 27, 2013 Author Share Posted October 27, 2013 Thanks for the link ari.g, a very interesting read. After ringing our vet this afternoon we have admitted Ricky so he can be monitored and given medication. It is pretty well what we have been thinking over the last few days that it is neurological and not arthritis. Please keep Ricky in your thoughts as we wait and see what tomorrow brings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Thinking of you ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Anne~ Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 (edited) It may be a long shot but it sounds very similar to what happened to my cat. I understand they're different species but she was fainting, passing out and collapsing from weakness because her heart was failing. She wasn't getting enough blood flow to her brain. Her very first symptoms was her fading appetite. The first time she sort of fell and she looked dazed. Then she recovered and all was well for a few days. It continued and got worse within a very short period of time. Good luck. I hope the vet visit provides some answers. Edited October 27, 2013 by ~Anne~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ari.g Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Thinking healing thoughts for Rocky :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julesluvscavs Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 (edited) I have had similar experiences with one of our Cavs (altho fainting wasn't one of the symptoms) , Im not going say much as it may not be the same thing. Thinking of you and your Ricky. Has the vet suggested a MRI yet ? Edited October 27, 2013 by Jules❤3Cavs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kajtek Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 These are exactly the same symptoms my sister's mixed breed has. She is also 12. We've done lots of tests - bloods, heart (cardiologist), etc, etc. Nothing conclusive, all ok. She is not on fish oil or any other supplements. It seems that the warm temperature triggers her fainting spells. We keep her cool and it seems to help. Good luck. Hope you find the cause Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mysticpaw Posted October 27, 2013 Author Share Posted October 27, 2013 Hi Ricky isn't "fainting" he staggers and his eyes look fixed and glazed. There was just the once we though he may have lost consciousness for a short while. Yet to speak to our vet as they weren't open yesterday they opened up to admit him. Once we speak to someone today we will discuss MRI or any other treatment. This obviously depends on their advice and Ricky's quality of life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julesluvscavs Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Still thinking of you both x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mysticpaw Posted October 28, 2013 Author Share Posted October 28, 2013 Thanks Jules, it's been a long night/morning. The vet has rung and they are going to slowly reduce the drugs and see how he reacts. They will do blood tests this morning to see if it could be metabolic, before we go down the track of an MRI.Hopefully his seizures maybe able to be controlled with medication. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julesluvscavs Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 I hope so Mysticpaw... Its such a worrying time. I will be sending you both positive thoughts x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mysticpaw Posted October 28, 2013 Author Share Posted October 28, 2013 Ricky update: Bloods are all good, however whenever they reduce the valium the seizures return. Will try tomorrow on phenobarbital and cortisone.Will talk to the vets tomorrow once they have done a consult and see where we are at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mixeduppup Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Could it be epilepsy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julesluvscavs Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Hmmm sending good healing vibes Ricky's way x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Anne~ Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 (edited) You didn't mention seizures the first few posts. That puts a very different slant on the symptoms. I hope the vet can shed some light soon. Could it be epilepsy? It's uncommon for a dog of that age to develop epilepsy. Epilepsy is basically seizures where a cause cannot be diagnosed and the most common age for it to start if from around 18months to 4 years. Edited October 28, 2013 by ~Anne~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julesluvscavs Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Anne, Renae (Shes 11) doesn't have seizures as such but for the last year shes been having these tiny trance like fits. They only last for seconds and if i distract her shes comes out of it quickly, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Anne~ Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 (edited) Lots of geriatric animals develop seizures for all manner of reasons. Diseases of the brain, liver and kidney are the most common I believe?? You're lucky you can distract her in such a way. I once thought I distracted Monte but I tried many times after and it never worked. It must have been a fluke or just coincidence when I thought I had distracted him. This might be of help Mystic? "Episodic collapse of the geriatric dog" http://www.bearscampnewfs.com/health/Waltham%20Center/Episodic%20Collapse%20in%20the%20Geriatric%20Dog.pdf Edited October 28, 2013 by ~Anne~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mysticpaw Posted October 29, 2013 Author Share Posted October 29, 2013 Thanks for your thoughts and input everyone. Sadly Ricky passed away this morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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