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Spangle is not doing well.

Spangly

Well-known member
Spangle has had her medication increased to 100mg Gabapentin 4 x a day, 30mg of Codeine 4 x a day and one 5mg prednislone every other day.
She had been gradually getting worse over a number of weeks so she started her new regime 2 weeks ago.
Then a few days later, I took her to her groomers and had all her lovely coat cut very short as she seemed to be in some discomfort when being bathed and brushed so often after her walks.
She behaved like a puppy (she is only 23 months old!), playing non stop, jumping around, just so happy!!! This lasted about 8 days but gradually over the last few days she has become "scared of her shadow". It`s hard to describe but everything scares her. It`s like she is imagining she can see things which are not there. She suddenly jumps and runs away whilst in the middle of eating her meal or when circling in the garden just before she defecates. She is nervous of going into the kitchen and isn`t happy going into her bed in my bedroom or the one in the kitchen. She woke up at 0400 this morning and ran across the bedroom and looked scared. She has been out for 2 x 20 mins walks today but she walked behind me most of the time, not really enjoying herself.
She has refused to play at all today. I am so worried about her. She just looks unhappy and scared.
I am sorry to write so much but I just wondered if anyone had any advice? I was going to wait 24 hours and see whether things improve then maybe return to my vet.
Christine
 
I am sorry you and Spangle are going through this. Spangle really does sound like she is reacting to pain. Sometimes this can startle them as they have no idea what hurt them. I would try to go to the vet tonight. :hug:
 
So sorry to hear this. I'd talk to your vet but would think you really need to go back to your diagnosing neurologist. It may be the point at which you consider whether surgery is an option, or try upping her gabapentin dose etc which needs to be done with a neurologist's guidance. It sounds like she is experiencing sudden pain and discomfort that surprises her. Pain is common on defecation -- anything that causes straining, according to human sufferers from CM/SM.
 
Poor Spangles. I would def go see your neuro---she could be in pain, but the new meds may be creating new side effects as well. Good luck.
 
Hello Christine,

I am so sorry to read this.

I do wonder if she is associating sudden sharp pain with the location in which it occurs.

Monty was like that when he had the bouts that caused him to scream and writhe with neuropathic pain.

He retreated from each room until he was in our bathroom, and had nowhere else to go. He would not come out and had to be carried to the garden ( where he had experienced an attack )

I'm sorry to say this but I do think you need to go back and get her pain medication increased.

I really feel for what you are going through, I have tears in my eyes remembering how it was with Monty.

My very best wishes,
 
Thank you for your help and advice Pauline, Karlin, Trisha and Margaret.
I took Spangle to my vet this morning who did various blood tests, and an ultrasound of her bladder. She has a raised temperature, and a high white blood cell count. He has given me oral antibiotics and oral painkillers (she is refusing all food and all tablets) and a liquid rehydration. I have to take her back on Fri. He says she has an infection somewhere and will do more tests on the bloods he took this afternoon. He does not think it is the SM causing her pain. Lets hope he is right. Poor girl looks so sad.:( I`ll be sitting with her for the rest of today because when I leave her she just sits and stares into the distance, but if I`m with her she will fall asleep.
Christine
 
So sorry to hear Spangle is not feeling well. Poor baby :(

Fingers crossed she will start to improve now the vet has given her some medicine and hopefully he can get to the bottom of what is making her feel so poorly. :hug:
 
Aww bless her, poor thing. It's so horrible when they can't tell you how they feel. I wasn't expecting that result at the vets so I'm glad they didn't just assume it was the SM. I hope she is feeling better soon and you can relax a bit now knowing at least this will pass.
 
Aw bless her little heart. How hard it must be to watch your sweetie go through this.

What about the medication? Could it be that it is clouding her mind? I know it's necessary, but maybe a time of adjustment is needed for her system to get used to the narcotics. ?? I'm just thinking that for us, when we're on narcotics, our minds get cloudy. Maybe it's that, maybe time will help her adjust to it too.

I'm so sorry, I do hope this morning finds her feeling better.

~Dawn
 
My heart goes out to you and Spangles. Just hope the vet is right and it isn’t the SM.
Sending lots of :hug::hug:
 
Poor Spangle, hope she will be feeling better soon.
I think when our dogs have SM, we are inclined to blame every ailment on SM and sometimes thats not the case at all as you have found out. If only our dogs could talk it would make ours and theirs so much easier :rolleyes:
 
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Thank you everyone for your kindness.
Spangle has just slept most of the day, I took her for a short 5 minute walk to see if that would give her something different to think about but she wouldn`t walk far and wouldn`t go to the toilet. Mind you she has so little inside her now. No food since Tuesday morning. She continues to refuse both food and more worryingly water. I have had her licking the chicken liver flavoured rehydration fluid off my finger but she won`t drink it from a bowl. I`m waiting for my husband to get home and then I`ll have to syringe some into her. I`m dreading it! I haven`t done it before. She hasn`t had her medication since last night either but the vet said not to worry too much!!!!!! I feel sick with worry because she looks so poorly and she is food mad usually. I`m going to phone the vet tomorrow if she is no different in the morning. I`m so sorry to go on again. Christine
 
No need to apologize Christine, we are all here for you. I can appreciate how worried you are, I hope she gets better by the morning. Just let her sleep an forgets walks for now, she needs her energy to get better. :hug:
 
Thanks Pauline, I will go back to her now and give her another cuddle (she`s on the sofa) and keep my fingers crossed. Christine
 
Christine,
It is important not to let her dehydrate - that will make her feel worse - use a syringe, and, even if you only get 1ml into her, say, every 10 mins, that is a start.
1ml is a very small amount so won't make her retch or choke.
It is quite important and she will feel the better for it.
Elspeth
 
I hope Spangle is feeling a little better today.

Poor baby, it's so hard to watch our sweeties go through a tough time.

~Dawn
 
Using a small sponge/flannel cotton wool and just squeeze gently some fluid around and in the mouth might be a more gentle option and help to freshen the mouth. Sometimes the smell of cooking fish like haddock can stimulate the appetite too. Poor little Spangle I am so sorry.
 
Last night we managed to get Spangle to take the rehydration drink with a syringe, in fact she seemed to quite like it. Then at 10.30 pm she took a gabapentin capsule wrapped in ham! After quite a good night she had some more fluid about another 20 ml and then even took the syringe of antibiotic fairly well. I was so pleased with her! Then she had both a gabapentin and her 2 codeine tabs as normal.
She hasn`t wanted anything else until we had a visitor (my sister, who she loves!!), when we had a coffee Spangle wanted a biscuit!:D
Mind you she won`t have anything else. So she has had a lot more sleep and I`m now slowly cooking some chicken in the oven, for her to try later. So, I`m just going slowly with her, letting her take any of her sm meds whenever she will but not pushing her.
Thank you again to everyone who has offered me advice and thoughts. You all really do help!:thnx:
Christine
 
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