Poppy's scan results and Dylan's new medication.

It's very good news. Poppy doesn't have SM cl*p She has Chiari Malformation and dilation of the ventricles. She does show some symptoms so she has been put on 50mg Zitac twice a day. Her ears are clear.

Dylan is changing over to Pregabalin which will be less of a sedative. Clare read his scan again for me and practically all his back is syrinx. The one in his neck is very wide and the second very long syrinx is narrow.

I just called the vet to see about getting his new meds and they can not find it on their list. They are ringing Stone Lion now hopefully.

Sandra stayed in the waiting room during the 90 minute consultation (Thank you Sandra:flwr and we all went for a walk on Wimbledon Common while Poppy had her scan. Sandra's Minnie is so full of beans, she's adorable.

I asked Clare about getting Dylan neutered and she said it won't help his SM and it's better he stays entire to keep his weight down. Especially considering the meds he is on can affect weight. He has actually crept up to just over 8 kilos. I have put him on a diet recently.

Poppy didn't drool all day in the car or vets.

It was great to meet Clare Rusbridge who really put me at my ease and was very kind. She made me a cup of tea as soon as I went into the consultation room as I had a headache, the journey was horrendous.

Pauline

We must have posted almost at the same time!

It was a lovely meeting you, Dylan & Poppy. :lotsaluv:

Just so pleased that it, although Poppy has CM, she doesn't have SM and hopefully the medication will help alleviate that possibility.

:xfngr: That the pregabalin helps Dylan - he is such a poppet.

Will keep in touch.

Thats's great news Pauline, you must be so relieved that she doesn't have SM. Hopefully the meds will help her now, and hopefully Dylan will show a big improvement with his new medication too.
I bet you will sleep well tonight!

Thank you I am really tired I couldn't sleep much last night.

That's great news that there are no syrinxes even though the CM/dilated ventricles are causing some similar pain -- unfortunately CM alone can cause the same kind of issues in some dogs but it is undoubtedly better for there not to be syrinxes as well (Chiari alone actually is the more common cause of pain in humans; SM is secondary). Hopefully the meds will help a lot.

Very sorry to hear of Dylan's syrinxes; poor fellow .

Pregabalin is 'Lyrica' -- unfortunately it is atrociously expensive as it is still on patent and will be for a couple of more years yet. It does seem to help some dogs much better than gabapentin alone. I will likely switch Leo over as he now scratches regularly on gabapentin.

It really is a constant juggling of meds, isn't it?

I've just moved these SM and health related threads to a more appropriate forum than the general forum -- in large part because the discussion of these topics will be most helpful to others interested in the same topics or with affected dogs and seeking information, if kept in the most appropriate section. The general news section is also huge and threads quickly disappear from view. I do try to keep health, diet, SM/MVD and training threads in the appropriate forums.

Oh Pauline thats great to hear. Ive been thinking of you all day. I know it's not the best news for Poppy but it could have been so much worse for you.
Im sorry poor Dylan has new meds but you couldnt ask for a better person than Clare to review him.

Have a relaxing evening and give a gentle cuddle to Dylan and Poppy from Leo, the girls and Me:hug:

So glad Poppy had good news, and the visit is over. Hopefully, you can relax a little. You are so lucky to be able to take Poppy and Dylan to the best possible source for answers and help. I know you probably posted previously about Poppy's symptoms, but I don't recall what you said. Can you tell me what kind of symptoms Poppy had? Thanks, and get some rest. Judy

Hi Pauline, very glad that you got better news than you expected. Hopefully your mind will ease a little knowing that you got the best medical advise possible.

Hi Pauline- (Ive sent you an email too!!! with my number)

Im really pleased for you and Poppy- she has the same results as Charlie got and has been given the same meds too!! The Zitak really helped his scratching and head rubbing!!

As for Lyrica... stay away from the vets getting it for you - they wanted £194 for a box of 84 last I checked. Get them to right the prescription and go to BOOTS the pharmacy and they do it for £153.72 for me!
Cheaper than the online drugs stores and any vet I called.
BOOTS in Lakeside Always have it in stock and they keep my prescription on file. Then when I pick it up they photocopy it for me after they have stamped it and I send the copy along with the receipt to Petplan and they have paid it every single time!

Vets will have to order it in as it isnt an animal drug and they will charge more to do so!!

Hope you dont mind my interfering- It has been an absolute wonder drug for little Ruby- she acts normal 95% of the time with no symptoms pretty much!

Good luck

If you need any help. Im not far from you at all!

Great News for Poppy

Pauline,

God is good, so happy for you, however my Isabelle does have SM, but my doctor Wayne L Berry who came highly praised, said she is 6 years old and is showing only a very moderate case, and feels that the small dose of medication she is taking 50mg twice a day is working great for her. He does want to follow up with some possible steroid shots once in awhile for the inflammation in the bottom part. When he physically examined her and her eyes, she showed no signs but when he did the MRI he saw it. Dr Wayne Berry also did a spinal tap on her, wont know the results for another couple of days. But although it was not the answer I wanted to hear, I am still grateful to God, that it is very mild and that he does not see the need for surgery. My prayer is that she can live a good life without it getting worse overtime. Again I rejoice with you for the good news!

Blessings,
Pamela:lotsaluv:

Thank you all so much for your messages. I am quite exhausted as are Poppy and Dylan and I've had a headache all day so I hope you'll forgive me for not replying to individual posts until tomorrow. :flwr:

I've got a girl without SM!!!!! :grin:

I'm so pleased for you sleep well xx

Isabelle and I thank you

Karlin,

Thank you for letting others know about Isabelle's MRI I wrote on the site about her results and on my blog. Thanks again for the support and love.



Blessings,
Pamela/Isabelle

Good morning all. The vets practice manager still hasn't called me back about the new meds. I reminded them this morning. I phoned the insurance company who told me each claim I make must be accompanied by a full medical history. So if I went to Boots Chemist, I would have to get the history from the vet each time and post it. As AXA said I can get my drugs from anywhere I like, I am going to try to get them through my vet or Stone Lion as they will send the claim form/history. The switch over onto Pregabalin takes three days and I just want to get started.

I forgot to say, Dylan also has scoliosis. He is in a much worse way than I thought and I'm feeling quite sad today.

Little Poppy had a scratch in bed last night and came and put her head on my shoulder :lotsaluv:

The boys came back from Sweden late last night so I didn't see them. I got up very early to see them off to work. I might just go back to bed with the phone and wait for the phone to ring. I've not had much sleep these past two nights.

Clare was interested to see these pics of Dylan and how he likes to sleep.



Here they are this morning after breakfast.
Dylan all dirty and smelly from his day of marking and walking on the common. He didn't mark the walls of Clare's room like he did at the RVC. icon_blshing


Here's Poppy on Ash's jumper, she's glad he's home. For anyone having an MRI at Stone Lion, Poppy came out at 1pm full of beans, not drowsy looking, though she slept all the way home.


AXA are behind with their claims since they changed over administration and they owe me over £100 as it is, I have to put in for the last lot of Rimidyl and then all of yesterdays bills plus the Pregabalin. I'll be glad when we have less complicated drug regime. I am looking forward to Dylan and Poppy only being on meds twice a day.

Hello Pauline

So pleased and happy its all behind you and that your news was a lot better than expected .Did you see my little post about annual boosters being a condition of AXA insurance.

Ps One of the ladies in our office " Joy " commented on the beautiful little Cavalier in the calendar and wondered where he was off to on the train .

Sorry that beautiful Dylan is not doing so well. Thank goodness the news for Poppy was good.

Interesting the pictures of Dylan asleep. My SM dogs have also tucked their heads into a space that offers protection when sleeping on the floor.

Although my little Riley is doing remarkably well 2+ years after her SM diagnosis, I hate this disease. Hearing all of the heartache it causes everyone is just so sad. I hope Poppy's meds help her and Dylan's change in meds help him. Once that happens, then maybe you will be able to relax. They need that from you as much as you need it for yourself! Hoping you are able to get some sleep soon.

Thanks Brian, Margaret and Bev. Poppy seems to be bad today, scratching and face rubbing.

Margaret, I thought he was stretching his neck for comfort even though you'd think the first pic looks very uncomfortable.

I had a very frustrating time trying to get my vets practice manager to phone me. I called Stone Lion who rang the vets for me. My vet wouldn't take the prescription without Clare's report. I was told to go to the vets with the prescription. By the time I got there, I couldn't help it, I was in tears. They had been working behind the scenes since yesterday when I first phoned them but they made it sound like nothing was being done. Their suppliers do not stock it/haven't heard of it. I just wish they'd kept me informed when I called them 3 times and the manager was always in a meeting. They were very helpful when I went down in person.

I went to Lloyds who quoted £113 and then Boots who quoted £102. Boots knew more about the insurance procedure so they did the same for me as Karen said. (Thanks Karen for your advice) I have to take everything back to the vet who will send off the insurance claim.

Its a full time job trying to keep on top of things. You poor thing. Hopefully that's the end of the stresses for now Pauline and that the dogs start to feel better. :hug:

Thank you. Poppy seems to be face rubbing more than usual but it's early days and she has only had two doses. Dylan starts the Pregabalin tonight, the gradual switch from Gabapentin takes 3 days.