Update and a few more questions

[Bernie64]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]Well I took Ginger to LIVS for her follow-up. They checked her right ear because when they did the MRI she had Primary Secretory Otitis Media. Since her symptoms haven’t improved they put her on gabapentin. Charley goes on the 26th to discuss his options, his is far worse he has SM. Ginger has some compression and they dx with hydromyelia. [/FONT][/SIZE]
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[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Ginger has been on the medication for about 10 days and she is still scratching a lot [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] [/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]So my questions are, does that medication kick in right away? Ginger’s scratching behavior is the same, so can a dog scratch but not be in pain or do they go hand and hand.[/SIZE][/FONT]
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[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Also, are there any supplements that anyone is using that they have found helpful in helping with SM. Not sure if that’s something that can be done while on a medication but I thought I’d ask.[/SIZE][/FONT]
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[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]Sorry for all the questions but this has really thrown me for loop. [/FONT][/SIZE]

[Cathy Moon]

PSOM can cause pain on its own.

Both Geordie and India had bilateral PSOM, which caused them to scratch around their ears. India used to scratch and sometimes moan. Both of them had surgery for PSOM at Ohio State University as part of the PSOM study; it relieved the pain and they have stopped scratching around their ears.

Geordie has SM, and this causes him to scratch his neck and sometimes lick his front paws and legs. Gabapentin and Prilosec give him hours of relief, so his scratching happens when his next doses are due.

You might want to enter Ginger into the PSOM study in order to get the free surgery - all you pay for is the pre-testing to get her accepted into the study. Just FYI, they don't want to know her diagnosis before she enters the study so make sure you don't tell them the diagnosis from LIVS.

[Bernie64]

Ginger did have a procedure done to remove it, they sent her home with clavamox but her symptoms have pretty much remained the same.

[Cathy Moon]

Hi, I found an article about hydromyelia: http://www.healthmadeeasy.com/content/view/811/342/ It seem like it would be as serious as SM. What did the neurologist prescribe for Ginger? Is she getting Gabapentin and a proton pump inhibitor (like Prilosec/Omeprazole) or a diuretic (like Lasix)?

The Prilosec or Lasix would relieve the pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid. My Geordie has mild hydrocephalus and SM, and he needs both the Gabapentin and Prilosec in order to get relief. He cannot get relief with just one of the drugs.

I'm wondering if it's the same for Ginger?

[Karlin]

Some neurologists do not consider there to be much difference between SM and hydromyelia -- would consider hydromyelia just as early stage of a syrinx. Some do not make a separate classification of hydromyelia at all.

Compression on its own can cause symptoms. Some find one of the proton pump inhibitors like Prilosec or something like furosemide or cimetidine works better alone or in conjunction with gabapentin.

it may also be that the gabapentin dose is too low to relieve the discomfort.

Also PSOm often recurs several times and may require several flushings (the surgery for it).

So could be any number of things to try next.

[Bernie64]

Hello and thank you for the article.

Currently Ginger is on gabapentin only, 75 mg/ every 8 hours. Since she's started the medication I see no difference. She is still scratching, do you think that is a low dosage?

As far as those inhibitors that you both mentioned she did not get those. I will inquire about them when we go back on the 26th.

I just want to make sure that she isn't in pain. She scratches even while on the gabapentin and I wasn't sure if there was a correlation with scratching and pain. I thought once she started it the scratching would stop.

[*Pauline*]

Some neurologists do not consider there to be much difference between SM and hydromyelia -- would consider hydromyelia just as early stage of a syrinx. Some do not make a separate classification of hydromyelia at all.

I don't know if this is of any use to you but Dylan's diagnosis was Syringohydromyelia. Alison Leighfield asked me if Dylan had hydrocephalus as she had a SM pup with this. So I asked our neuro what the "hydro" part meant and did he also have hydrocephalus. I was told he didn't have hydrocephalus and Syringohydromyelia it's just another alternative name for Syringomyelia. Margaret wondered if she'd worked with Geoff Skerritt as he used this name.

[chloe92us]

Cathy- is the PSOM study still going?

[Cathy Moon]

Cathy- is the PSOM study still going?

Yes it is:
http://www.vet.ohio-state.edu/876.htm