• 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.

MRI for Leo tomorrow

Hi.

I still havent heard from the vet today. They promised they would call. If I havent heard by 6pm Im calling them.
My girls are upset to come home from school and him still not be here.
Im guessing they scanned him today.
The wait is agonising. I will post as soon as I hear.

Thanks for caring

Mel:xfngr:
 
LEO UPDATE..

The vet called. They have observed Leo today and are still unsure about his symptoms. They have said they want to keep him over the weekend and may scan him saturday!
We are all in tears here as we miss him so much. The vet said he is absolutely fine. He's had 3 wallks today and spent the night with the nurses as he's on 24 hr obs.
She also said he has settled in very well and is a really "chilled little man". With a very good appetite!!!

I cant believe it; we're all miserable and in tears and he's having a grand old time!!! Typical Leo.

Mel x:bang:
 
It must be a very anxious time for you all, sounds like your little man is treating it like a holiday, it`s a bit like when the children go away when young, you worry like mad and they are having a whale of a time. Hope you don`t have to wait too long now:xfngr:
 
That must be pretty stressful Mel. Hope they do it sooner. Do you think they might not do it if they don't see him showing symptoms?
 
Oh Mel, you must really be missing him.....And he has the cheek to enjoy all the attention he's getting:), they're worse than kids! Having us worried sick missing them while they have a great time!

I hope he gets his scan and gets back to his mum soon...hope all goes well with the result.
 
Hi
Vet just called. They examined Leo today and when they pressed his mid back he yelped and also his right shoulder. Apart from that he is showing no signs. They have decided to keep him over the weekend to observe him and MRI him on Monday.

She said he's absolutely fine and happy. Enjoying the walks (getting about 4 a day!!) I hope he doesnt think thats going to continue when he gets home! LOL.

The neurologist is going to call me on Monday. I know its best he stays and they observe him but we really want him home. How can one little dog leave such a huge gap by simply not being here!!

So Monday is the big day. Think of us as I know you all will.

Love Mel:xfngr:
 
Glad he's going to have the scan Mel. I think at this stage, you need to know either way. Like we said on the phone, it horrible they are keeping him so long but at least they will not over look any possible other problem.

I didn't realise, I forgot to give Dylan his morning Gabapentin, no wonder he's been playing and barking all day, full of beans. It's a pity he needs these pills.
 
I didn't realise, I forgot to give Dylan his morning Gabapentin, no wonder he's been playing and barking all day, full of beans. It's a pity he needs these pills.

Pauline, do you find the gapapentin makes Dylan tired?
I think it might make Ilsa tired. The neurologist told me it doesn't but our pharmacist said it often does to humans.

Maybe we should start a new thread but I read that and had to ask right away

Jen and Ilsa
 
Pauline, do you find the gapapentin makes Dylan tired?
I think it might make Ilsa tired. The neurologist told me it doesn't but our pharmacist said it often does to humans.

Maybe we should start a new thread but I read that and had to ask right away

Jen and Ilsa

Definitely and Dylan's neurologist mentions it every time we up his dose. My daughter is epileptic too and many AEDs cause tiredness.
 
THANK YOU!!!!!!!! You have probably saved the last bit of my sanity!!!! Our neurologist told me it was impossible, but I've never been happy with him. I couldn't tell if she was in pain or drugged, as she doesn't show pain just won't move. I had blood work done, her heart checked and everything. Although, sometimes I skip her evening dose as a test and I don't see any great improvement in her energy or any change at all.

Tomorrow, maybe for a week ,I'll give her her morning dose late if she's not in pain and see if we have a real morning walk like we used to have. If so we have to have the surgery to at least try to get her off these things. I can't stand watching her like this and I've been wondering if she had too much or not enough medicine.


Jen
 
As far as I know, dogs after the decompression surgery are on the same drugs as before.

I must add that when my daughter decided to come off her AEDs on a trial to see if she had grown out of her epilepsy, it took three years to wean her off them, a reduction of 50mg each 3 months. A missed pill by accident is one thing, but changing or missing doses is not to taken lightly.
 
Last edited:
I know, but some dogs are able to reduce quite a bit. It is our only chance. And if not at least we hopefully won't have to increase the dose and make it even worse. You can't imagine how terrible she seems sometimes, so lethargic and withdrawn. She hasn't been herself for months and it breaks my heart.

I hope she's more active without - then I'll know she's not acting like this because she's in pain.
Jen and Ilsa
 
i hope you get a good result for Leo on monday-good luck. my ruby was at the groomers today & that was bad enough; her not being with me for 1 1/2hrs!the whole place kind of echoes without her. i hope you get him home soon..
 
You can't imagine how terrible she seems sometimes, so lethargic and withdrawn. She hasn't been herself for months and it breaks my heart.

To be honest, this doesn't sound like anything due to gabapentin. It sounds like something related to the level of pain and discomfort she is in from the SM. I might be wondering if she actually needed an *increase* in dosage from that description. Gabapentin can make dogs a bit sleepy but any human sufferer will tell you the sleepiness is preferable to the pain. Dogs with this generally get withdrawn due to pain, not due to sleepiness from drugs. While there is a chance that perhaps the gabapentin is having some affect of this sort I'd really want to have her pain level investigated and evaluated.

As Pauline says most dogs continue on gabapentin all their lives post surgery; and usually at pretty much the same dose as far as I have ever seen. There are other options besides gabapentin however.

I think given your description I'd be seriously talking to the neurologist about options. Be aware too that if you are considering surgery, postponing it tends to allow things to worsen in an irreversible way which raises the chance she will always need drugs for pain, and the longer the delay, the less successful the surgery is likely to be, according to neurologists.
 
Thanks Karlin

We saw the neurologist last week and he told me she had no more neurological damage or pain in her neck. He is an SM specialist and he told me her lethargy was not her SM or her medications. I told him we'd had her bloodwork done, an untrasound on her heart and stomach, (her usual yearly) and there was nothing else wrong with her. She doesn't appear to be in any pain or discomfort, even if I touch her neck. The lethargy came on so suddenly over a month ago - is it possible that SM can cause such rapid and odd symptoms?

I do agree with you as SM and pain is the most likely cause, but my neuro seemed so sure it put doubts in my mind. If I was sure that she was in pain severe enough to make her this tired I'd have the surgery soon.

Jen and Ilsa
 
There are other options besides gabapentin however.

I think given your description I'd be seriously talking to the neurologist about options. Be aware too that if you are considering surgery, postponing it tends to allow things to worsen in an irreversible way which raises the chance she will always need drugs for pain, and the longer the delay, the less successful the surgery is likely to be, according to neurologists.

What other options are there?

I tried discussing the surgery with him as I've already spoken to Dr Marino about it, and he strongly advised against it. I asked for another MRI and he said it was too soon. Needless to say I'm unhappy with him, but he was the only SM specialist I could find here.

Thanks again
Jen and Ilsa
 
Still no change in news with Leo. The vet called today to reasure me he's ok and say they still intend to MRI him monday.

We went to London today to see a show which helped take our minds off it but of course we came home to an empty house.

I cant believe its taken this long. I really thought we'd take him for a scan last wednesday...get the results and then treat if need be!

Mel:(
 
Nearly there Mel, not too much longer. Hope you enjoyed the show and enjoy the christening tomorrow.
 
Back
Top