Rebanne Posted April 9, 2019 Share Posted April 9, 2019 (edited) Has any one had a dog with acute polyradiculoneuritis APR ? If so how was it diagnosed or did you just stop feeding raw chicken? Any information gratefully received APR is now at the bottom of the list of possible problems Edited April 18, 2019 by Rebanne update info 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRG Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 I. Had a bitch with this back in 2002. At that time it was virtually unknown and was never diagnosed. She was para.ysed for the rest of her life, and she lived to a good age and whelped 3 heathy litters. As far as I recall she never ate chicken in her life! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted April 10, 2019 Author Share Posted April 10, 2019 @JRG, how so paralysed? My dog is not there at this stage, just very wobbly on her feet. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 Interesting - this is the dog equivalent to Guillean-Barre in Humans . Mum had it very badly . Hope your Dog is not badly affected, Rebanne . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted April 10, 2019 Author Share Posted April 10, 2019 I've nursed patients with Guillean-Barre and they have all come good, as in they were able to walk out of hospital not in a wheelchair. So I am trying to stay positive. Other options are disk problems but the vet is not confident about that. Just a waiting game at this stage and I don't play that game well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 35 minutes ago, Rebanne said: Just a waiting game at this stage and I don't play that game well. no, it's no fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRG Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 6 hours ago, Rebanne said: @JRG, how so paralysed? My dog is not there at this stage, just very wobbly on her feet. Hi Rebanne - it was a long difficult journey. If you pm me, I will send you my ph number and I can fill you in on my experience with Petals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tully Posted April 17, 2019 Share Posted April 17, 2019 My dog was diagnosed with this a week ago. It was just bad luck as both my dogs are fed the same and I was unaware raw chicken necks and raw chicken can carry a risky bacteria. It is extremely distressing to see your dog walking one day then paralysed the next. My Dog’s front legs were paralysed within 2 days. I’ve had a lot of stress worrying it would paralyse his lung muscle but after 8 days we are through the bad period. He is still paralysed but I am confident with some dedicated physio from me I can get my boy back on his feet. It’s important to get your dog up and about as much as you can for his physical and mental wellbeing. I’m buying a second hand layback pram so he can walk with his brother as he gets distressed being left behind. Another tip, with the cooler months coming up, leave a cover on part of your grass so there’s a dry area for him to lay to do his business. He’s not moving much so watch the food intake and give him enough water to help shift his poo. He’ll get bogged up from lack of exercise. There’s a small percentage that die from this but you have to put the effort in to save his quality of life. I set my alarm at 3 hourly intervals so I remember to turn him over or change his position, it’s like having a newborn again. Ask others to help with the physio and read up all you can. Melbourne Uni U-Vet did research on this and the info is valuable, google it. All the best. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted April 18, 2019 Author Share Posted April 18, 2019 so sorry Tully you are having to go through this. It is now unlikely my girl has this. I still have no definite answers. Opal had a spinal tap last week and while initial testing pointed to several different things I am hoping further testing will pinpoint things down. As things stand she is still on her feet but very unstable. Appetite has never ceased. About to finish a course of the most expensive antibiotics ever! and has just started on massive dosages of pred. with Omeprazole to help prevent any ulcers forming in her gut. I have decided feeding raw chicken is not worth it so am now cooking it. I have one dog who won't eat red meat so cooked chook it is! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRG Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 Hi Tully If you want to read my first hand experience of dealing with this, I wrote about it for the Spaniel Journal and it should still be available in their archives section <www.spanieljournal.com> (the magazine is no longer published) (title "Thank God for Butterflies"). It was a tough road but we proved it could be done! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRG Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 Rebanne - I am keeping positive thoughts coming your way - hope your girl is still hanging in and gaining strength. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted April 19, 2019 Author Share Posted April 19, 2019 2 hours ago, JRG said: Rebanne - I am keeping positive thoughts coming your way - hope your girl is still hanging in and gaining strength. Thanks JRG. Opal is doing so much better on the pred. Still walking like a drunken sailor but the frantic pacing etc has stopped. I feel like I have Opal back. The mental side of her. The physical is still lagging but she is back to jumping on my bed now What Opal may have is Steroid Responsive Meningitis Arteritis SRMA, which as the name says is very responsive to steroids. I am really hoping the further tests do give a definite diagnosis. The few people I have been able to chat with about SRMA have said their dog made a complete recovery. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted April 19, 2019 Share Posted April 19, 2019 That's a positive update, Rebanne ..I am so glad Opal's responding, and is mentally 'back' 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted May 6, 2019 Author Share Posted May 6, 2019 Update on Opal, she was really sick last weekend and I thought this was it but an injection from the vet and within 12 hours she was much improved. She had lost 4.5 kilo's in weight and I'm happy to say she has put on 1.5 kilos in the last week. The steroid dose has been halved to 30 mg daily without any regression. The omeprazole has been ceased. All tests on her spinal fluid have come back negative so it's being treated as the steroid responsive meningitis. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted July 4, 2019 Author Share Posted July 4, 2019 Little update on Opal. All cortisone has been ceased from 10 days ago, she is back to her normal weight and is totally enjoying her runs at the local slipping track. I am cautiously optimistic that Opal is fully recovered. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tassie Posted July 4, 2019 Share Posted July 4, 2019 Oh what a good update @Rebanne. Fingers and paws crossed she's all good from now on. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddybeans Posted July 4, 2019 Share Posted July 4, 2019 good that she is back! Did you find out what it was? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted July 4, 2019 Author Share Posted July 4, 2019 45 minutes ago, teddybeans said: Did you find out what it was? No, we never got a definite diagnoses. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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