• If you're a past member of the board, but can't recall your password any more, you don't need to set up a new account (unless you wish to). As long as you recall your old login name, you can log in with that user name then select 'forgot password' and the board will email you at your registration email, to let you reset your password.

TedBear - MRI

I just received an e-mail from Nikki's husband it does not look good. :( :( :( :( :( :( :(

Nicki called to say that the Vet seems fairly certain that Teddy has got Syringo. :(
They will scan tomorrow, to confirm, so we'll keep you posted.

I feel so bad for Nikki, I can only hope the Vet is wrong.
 
Thanks for keeping us posted Linda. I'm sorry to hear this. Keeping TedBear and family in our thoughts.
 
It is with much much sadness I post this post for Nikki, I am breaking my heart for her and Tedbear. It has been confirmed that yet another
gorgeous and beautiful Cavalier has SM

Here is the email from Trevor.

Hi Linda,
Nicki has just phoned and its confirmed. He has got syringo. He's come round from the op but is still a bit dopey. They will travel home today as Nicki doesn't want to stay another night.
They want to try medication before we consider surgery, which Nicki feels is best anyway.

I'm so sorry that the news isn't any better, but Nicki will write to you with more details, probably tomorrow.

Best wishes

Trevor

Please, Please post your wishes for Nikki and Tedbear.
I am sure she will appreciate all our love and care like Trevor said
they will start the medication before considering Surgery.

:( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :(
 
I'm really sorry to hear this. I hope he can be managed on medication alone; Nicki I know you have experience of this and know the different directions you might take. As he is a bit older and the sympotms don't seem too serious at this time it sounds like this is a very likely and workable option for you?

We are all thinking of you. :hug: This is a diagnosis no one wants to hear.
 
Oh, Nicki, I am so very sorry to hear about your sweet TedBear. I know your heart must be breaking. :( He is so fortunate though to be in the best of hands with a loving, well informed Mama. Our thoughts are with you and Teddy.

JaneB
 
I'm so sorry to hear this, Nikki. I hope he does well on meds; I know you'll keep us posted. He's in the right hands, he's very lucky to have you and your experience. I'm sure you're both just happy to be home after everything :hug:
 
Nikki =
I am so sorry to hear the news... :( You tried so hard to avoid going through this another time!! It's just not fair.... :(

I hope the meds work and keep him comfortable for a long long time. ;)
 
Nicki and Trevor, life is so bloody unfair, all our household are wishing you and TedBear all the very best of luck and that there is no pain for him at all - I hope that the medicine works.... :xfngr:
 
I'm really sorry to hear this Nicki. My heart is breaking for Tedbear and for you and your family. I hope the meds work. Best of luck. :cry*ing:
 
I am so sorry to ear of your news Nicki. Your poor little TedBear. Hugs and kisses from
Julie and the girls :flwr: :lotsaluv:
 
:hug:I have heard from Nikki, and just wanted to let you all know that
she is pretty emotional right now.
The news is not good at all, she told me she will try to post tommorow.

It is her place to inform you, I am so upset and hurt for her.
Just thought I should let you know that she is back home.


Nikki I am so so sorry.
Just know that I love you, Trevor, Rupert & My Tedbear.
 
Thanks so much everyone, your support and love mean so much.

I know that really it's only confirmed what we suspected, but have just taken it pretty badly...after losing my darling Princess Peaches in January, and so much else going wrong, this just hurts too much. :(

I'm trying to look at it from TedBear's poiint of view...at least we knew what to look for, and pushed to get him treated, and we will do everything possible for him to keep him comfortable and happy. Mybe in another home they would have thought he'd just slowed down as he was no longer a puppy, and was just an itchy dog, and being naughty about grooming...

Just wish I had all the answers and knew exactly WHAT is the best for him...


Well the technical stuff is:

Teddy has some hydrocephalus, the malformation, herniation, dilation all the way down the spinal cord with two largish syrinxes and some very small ones. The large ones around his neck and lower spine, which makes sense with regard to the grooming problems I'm having with him, also his change in gait - he had the most beautiful movement, but it's more of a bunny hop when he's running now.

He has some obvious neck discomfort - he was rather sore and quiet after the examination on Monday, as they had to pull him around a bit to examine him. His only reaction at the time though was to lower his ears, he didn't cry at all, he's such a brave boy. He's never ever cried, not like my precious Rupert who has the dreadful screaming episodes, but fortunately not very often.

One of the most difficult things to understand is that the degree of severity appearing on MRI does not seem to correlate with the symptoms the dogs are showing. Glasgow have MRI'd dogs with a syrinx all the way down the cord who can run and jump and play, but just scratch a lot. Other dogs appear very mildly affected on MRI but can hardly move their heads at all with the pain.

We've started TedBear on Prednisolone 2mg 2 x daily then reducing after two weeks hopefully and Gabapentin, 100mg 2 x daily, but I'm also going to obtain homoeopathic remedies from these medicines to give with them, to reduce the side effects and also hopefully reduce the dosage.

Glasgow are not keen on surgery - both the neurologist I saw and Mr Jacques Penderis came up from the Animal Health Trust in Newmarket {for those not in the UK, it's very famous, it's where they treat the racehorses}, and they are not even doing it there. Glasgow are seeing quite a few Cavaliers for MRI and diagnosing Caudal Occipital Malformation Syndrome (COMS) {they say this is the better name for it}. They are treating them medically. One was a 6 month old puppy who was quite bad, but is doing well on medication.

We are going to run with the medication and see how it goes.

I understand that Dr Dewey will be presenting his results this summer in ACVIM (big American conference), with regard to the new surgical procedure he has been using over the last few months, which seems to be better.

I guess that we are all learning all the time.


As you may know, we tried really hard to avoid having another affected dog, but it's happened again.

We all need to know what to look for and be prepared to educate our vets, and to push for treatment as it's very easy for some of these symptoms to be dismissed as a "dog thing". Please have a look here

http://sm.cavaliertalk.com/

and here

http://www.cavaliertalk.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=32&sid=fbe5297bd4cd66e8f977662e92bc9f11

I don't want to frighten anyone, just to make sure you're aware.



The good news is that TedBear has started on his medication and I'm seeing a big improvement in him already - he was doing circuits in the garden this morning :yikes :D Also he got some of his toys out of the basket, something he hadn't been doing.

When the condition has been progressing slowly, it's hard to see the changes sometimes, I'm beginning to realise that he can't have been feeling that great for a while.


He sends you all a kissy and thanks you for thinking of us and a special one for Lulu, thanks for updating everyone and keeping in touch, you're a star :flwr:
 
Thanks for that detailed update and heartfelt advice, Nicki. This is indeed heartbreaking and such a cruel discovery for you. Even if you knew he was likely to have some level of affectedness, no one wants such a complex diagnosis. I think the good news is that he seems to be of those who can manage fairly well over time even with his various afflictions. It sounds like he is responding right away to a medical programme that we will all hope will keep him happy and comfortable through his life. There is nothing quite like the sinking feeling one has when a neurologist confirms the elements of COMS/SM in a dog we love dearly.

Do you mind if I ask what were you prescribed for medical treatment? I am considering moving Leo on to Neurontin for his scratching at this point and would be interested in knowing what TedBear is responding to.

You are so right on your gentle advice that all cavalier owners need to be very aware. I think they also need to realise this seeems to be very widespread in the breed, to such an extent that we are probably ALL in possession of a cavalier affected to some degree, if not with syrinxes then the malformation. I echo Nicki in saying that I don't say this to scare people, but to get people to realise this problem is not someone else's, or other people's dogs, but on all evidence so far extends very deep into the breed, in probably all lines, all colours certainly, and is an international problem, with affected cavaliers in North America, Europe, Africa, Australia and elsewhere. As Nicki notes lack of symptoms or very mild symptoms is no indication of whether a dog has SM and whether it might be very severe. There are oddly many cases of severely-affected dogs having few to no symptoms. But we can surmise that such dogs, if allowed to breed, may produce pups that get both the severe level of affectedness and the severe level of symptoms.

We truly have a role in helping minimise if not solve this problem by taking the steps we have done as responsible owners and buyers regarding other health issues -- ask all breeders about this problem if you are seeking a puppy; expect them to know about and openly discuss this issue; be concerned if they try to underplay it or insist they have totally clear lines (unless they have MRI'd ALL their dogs and progeny, they cannot posssibly know this and it is extremely unlikely, given that many breeders who have MRId multiple dogs have found about 50% affected, on average, with syrinxes and a higher level with at minimum, the malformation).

Consider whether you prefer to support breeders who are actively MRIing their breeding stock or alternatively, expecting the sires of their litters to have been MRId (sires impact the breed most widely as a bitch will only have one to three litters, maybe 15 puppies with her DNA, but a prominent sire fathers thousands of puppies. This is considered to be a potential major factor in the spread of more severe forms of SM). If the breeder does not MRI, talk to them about their breeding philosophy and see whether that suits you. Other positive factors may very well outweigh whether a breeder MRIs at this time, and only a puppy buyer doing their research thoroughly can decide if this is the case.

I emphasise that I know breeders are in a difficult position facing a problem that is costly to identify and many are not persuaded that following the recommended breeding protocol from Dr Rusbridge -- which requires MRIing -- is the right way to go at this time. That is a personal choice but the breeder should be willing to discuss why they feel this way and feel comfortable in talking about their philosophy. However I also feel breeders who MRI and defray that cost across litters will find puppy buyers willing to pay for puppies from such litters. I am already getting regular enquiries through the SM Infosite (www.sm.cavaliertalk.com) asking for recommendations of breeders who MRI. For that reason I am hoping to start including a list of breeders who would like to be identified as doing so, on the SM website.

Shortly (in early June/late May), we will have the public presentation of the results from some of the US studies as well as a new paper from Dr Rusbridge, as well as a presentation from Dr Dewey on surgically treating this condition. The information we have on this condition is expanding, and the genome scan is now well underway. As results start to come back this will allow breeders to make more informed decisions, and help all of us to make decisions about choosing puppies -- sadly, perhaps even on whether we will in future choose this breed -- and the very hard decisions on how to treat our affected dogs.

Overall I am finding it very sobering that I now know of several people in several places who have had two or more cavaliers, from totally unrelated breeders and litters, develop SM. This is moving well beyond the realm of coincidence. That's why I for one feel so strongly that we must make sure this issue comes out into the open, that all pet buyers are fully aware os SM and its risks just as they are with MVD, and that we do all we can as buyers and lovers of this breed to ensure it has as healthy a future as possible. I couldn't stand to think of a world without these wonderful, charming dogs.

Hugs, Nicki; I know how much you too love the breed and each of your lovely dogs and it is very, very hard when this affliction strikes home in this way.
 
Glad you could post Nicki,

Keep a happy heart - I am sure TedBear feels much better with the medicine, we have paws and fingers crossed that he gets so much better... plus lots of licks and kisses for my lot......

I think you know that everyone is thinking and prayig for you. :hug:
 
Thank you for posting Nicki, I've been thinking of you. You're helping TedBear and your posts are helping others as well. I know I identified and took comfort in our similar situations. Abbey's interest in play, toys, etc. declined as well, and she improved greatly with Furosemide, so I hope that offers you some encouragement. It sounds like you're already seeing good signs, so that's great. You have to feel good that you are doing all you can, because like you mentioned, others may think of it as just a scratchy, tired, etc. dog, but you knew better and were on top of it. He's in good hands because of your experience with Peaches--she's helping you now. ;)

:hug:
 
Nicki, I am so sorry to hear this, hope the drugs help and you see an even bigger improvement soon

Life can be so cruel.....
 
Thank you so much, it really helps to know that you are thinking of us. :flwr:

TedBear is doing ok, some days are better than others. He still enjoys his walks and has a run either on the beach or on the heath most days, with frequent stops for scratchies :(

He's now down to 2mg of Prednisolone per day, and I've obtained homoepathic remedies made from this, the Neurontin {he's also taking 100mg of the conventional drug twice daily} and also Frusemide {he only has the remedy for this, not the conventional drug}.

He still scratches, but not as much, and he doesn't seem to have those episodes at night, before it was usually 2 -3 times a night.

Karlin {sorry I missed your post earlier}, it's hard to know what to suggest, I'd always thought the Neurontin was more for the pain and steroids for the scratching, and had thought that this combination would stop it altogether. I'm kind of reluctant to stop either drug, to see which is working but I guess this is the only way to tell. I can only say maybe try the Neurontin and see if you notice an improvement - TedBear was very quiet and obviously not feeling too great on the drugs until I introduced the remedies...so maybe something to think about. It was hard as he doesn't cry at all, so being quiet is also an indication of pain with him - I was very relieved when he started to feel better.


TedBear had developed rather an appetite from the steroids, but that has gone now so I know the remedies are counteracting the side effects. I'm actually giving him a dose of the remedies mid afternoon, as I find this helps him.


Rach, it's lovely to see you on here...just had a quick look at your website, it's super. Taffy has grown into the most handsome lad - makes me broody for a B&T!!! - well done on your results wiith him too. As you can see elsewhere, we have a new addition, an MRI scanned clear Blenheim, Jack - he's 4 1/2 and a real sweetie.
 
Nicki, yes I have just been reading about your new addition :D It must be such a relief to know he is SM clear thats brilliant.
We are planning on having Taffy scanned later this year, the South and West Wales Club are doing a scheme where they help with the cost so we will hopefully be taking up this very kind offer !
 
Nicki,

I am so sorry to read your news. I have had a lot of computer problems so am way behind on this forum. I cant believe how much bad luck you have had.

On a brighter note I am pleased to read about Jacks MRI results.
I know what a worry it is not knowing and waiting for the MRI.
 
Back
Top