tocarol
New member
Hello everyone. I have had Cavaliers since the mid 1980's - the last few I've had were either retired breeding bitches and rehomed with me or rescues. I relocated a couple of years ago from the New York/Ct. area to Omaha, NE.
Last year I was asked to rescue a male Blenheim estimated to be about 4 or 5 months old wandering around in a bad part of town. The Humane Society was alerted, picked him up and neutered him after no one showed up. They noticed that he was microchipped but it wasn't registered and so the speculation was that he had been at a puppy mill. He demonstrated many of the symptoms of SM, but due to cost and travel constraints, I was unable to travel to get an MRI. Whatever was going on, clearly he was having what seemed to be neurological symptoms.
In the meantime, I began to notice a head tilt and chewing on one side of his mouth and researched PSOM. Long story short; after contacting Dr. Lynette Cole at Ohio State Vet School who has been doing a clinical trial on PSOM; I convinced my vet to confer with her. He then was able to find the bulging typmpanic membrane and she told him how to perform the surgery to remove what turned out to be a very large mucous plug. This surgery was 2 weeks ago.
I noticed an immediate difference, no more head tilting or anything that appeared to be neurological until yesterday when I took him him for his checkup. Suddenly at the vet's office he began to do the repeated head tilting/swallowing that he used to do. Today I'm noticing that he is again periodically repeating the head tilting and what looks to be difficulty swallowing! Is it possible the plug could have returned in such a short period of time? We knew it might have to be repeated, but in less than 2 weeks?
I cannot find any information on the site for others who have dealt with PSOM and would appreciate advice and direction. Thanks! So glad to be here!
Last year I was asked to rescue a male Blenheim estimated to be about 4 or 5 months old wandering around in a bad part of town. The Humane Society was alerted, picked him up and neutered him after no one showed up. They noticed that he was microchipped but it wasn't registered and so the speculation was that he had been at a puppy mill. He demonstrated many of the symptoms of SM, but due to cost and travel constraints, I was unable to travel to get an MRI. Whatever was going on, clearly he was having what seemed to be neurological symptoms.
In the meantime, I began to notice a head tilt and chewing on one side of his mouth and researched PSOM. Long story short; after contacting Dr. Lynette Cole at Ohio State Vet School who has been doing a clinical trial on PSOM; I convinced my vet to confer with her. He then was able to find the bulging typmpanic membrane and she told him how to perform the surgery to remove what turned out to be a very large mucous plug. This surgery was 2 weeks ago.
I noticed an immediate difference, no more head tilting or anything that appeared to be neurological until yesterday when I took him him for his checkup. Suddenly at the vet's office he began to do the repeated head tilting/swallowing that he used to do. Today I'm noticing that he is again periodically repeating the head tilting and what looks to be difficulty swallowing! Is it possible the plug could have returned in such a short period of time? We knew it might have to be repeated, but in less than 2 weeks?
I cannot find any information on the site for others who have dealt with PSOM and would appreciate advice and direction. Thanks! So glad to be here!
