SM / PSOM French Bulldog Update

It's been a minute since I've posted an update on Mooby. After our first go at the myringotomy failed (Mooby's ear canals were too stenotic to get to the eardrum) the doctor put Mooby back on Prednisone (5mg daily) and a steroid ear drop (synotic) to try and get the canals to open enough to perform the myringotomy. Well, Mooby was on the steroid regime for 5 weeks -- in that time she had tons of stuff coming out of her left ear. At one point what looked like pieces of beef jerky (sorry for the gross visual) and other times blood (yes, bleeding from inside her ear somewhere). Of course I took her to the vet every time and they just had no idea. Anyway, we went back to retry the myringotomy yesterday and even though they thought they could do it this time, they didn't... AGAIN. They said her ears are still too stenotic, perhaps that's just how she is made, with very narrow ear canals. The doctor did take pictures in the ear, and in the left she noticed some tissue flapping around -- she wasn't sure what it was. After the procedure she said she suspect Mooby does not have a left eardrum. Weird, but I guess that happens?

This morning I noticed Mooby is bleeding from somewhere inside the ear, again. It's not gushing by any means but looked like it was a steady drip at night. I really am at a loss for what to do now.

Mooby also seems to be scratching a lot more -- even though she's on the gabapentin and prednisone. In fact she's creating a bald spot on the left side. I really don't know if the scratching is from the SM or whatever's going on in the ears... Maybe the ear stuff is caused by her Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia... maybe not? I just don't know.

All I know is I need help. Is there a doctor out there I should call? What can I do?

Poor Mooby .. I have no idea. Are you seeing a Neurologist? Or a general vet? If you are not already seeing a specialist I would make that my next step..

Maybe some other board members can be more help....:hug:

Reptigirl said:

Poor Mooby .. I have no idea. Are you seeing a Neurologist? Or a general vet? If you are not already seeing a specialist I would make that my next step..

Maybe some other board members can be more help....:hug:

Click to expand...

Yeah, we have seen a neurologist which is who diagnosed the SM through an MRI. From there we were passed off to a board certified animal dermatologist, who was mentored by Dr. Cole, to treat her suspected PSOM.

moobywan said:

It's been a minute since I've posted an update on Mooby. After our first go at the myringotomy failed (Mooby's ear canals were too stenotic to get to the eardrum) the doctor put Mooby back on Prednisone (5mg daily) and a steroid ear drop (synotic) to try and get the canals to open enough to perform the myringotomy. Well, Mooby was on the steroid regime for 5 weeks -- in that time she had tons of stuff coming out of her left ear. At one point what looked like pieces of beef jerky (sorry for the gross visual) and other times blood (yes, bleeding from inside her ear somewhere). Of course I took her to the vet every time and they just had no idea. Anyway, we went back to retry the myringotomy yesterday and even though they thought they could do it this time, they didn't... AGAIN. They said her ears are still too stenotic, perhaps that's just how she is made, with very narrow ear canals. The doctor did take pictures in the ear, and in the left she noticed some tissue flapping around -- she wasn't sure what it was. After the procedure she said she suspect Mooby does not have a left eardrum. Weird, but I guess that happens?

This morning I noticed Mooby is bleeding from somewhere inside the ear, again. It's not gushing by any means but looked like it was a steady drip at night. I really am at a loss for what to do now.

Mooby also seems to be scratching a lot more -- even though she's on the gabapentin and prednisone. In fact she's creating a bald spot on the left side. I really don't know if the scratching is from the SM or whatever's going on in the ears... Maybe the ear stuff is caused by her Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia... maybe not? I just don't know.

All I know is I need help. Is there a doctor out there I should call? What can I do?

Click to expand...

Luka was just diagnosed with SM and before he was, he scratched his left side so bad that there was a bloody bald spot. They put him on Prednisone and Simplicef at that time.

Out of curiosity have they put Mooby on antibiotics because and I am not a vet, from a symptom point of view there could also be a bacterial infection...just a thought.

I'm sorry your loved one is going through this, you're doing all you can.

I have no experience, but just wanted you to know you are both in my thoughts and prayers. What a wonderful caregiver you are to Mooby.

goda said:

Luka was just diagnosed with SM and before he was, he scratched his left side so bad that there was a bloody bald spot. They put him on Prednisone and Simplicef at that time.

Out of curiosity have they put Mooby on antibiotics because and I am not a vet, from a symptom point of view there could also be a bacterial infection...just a thought.

I'm sorry your loved one is going through this, you're doing all you can.

Click to expand...

Yes, Mooby is actually on antibiotics now. She seems to be one them a lot. First with the chronic pneumonia from the PCD and now with the ear stuff. She's been on the antibiotics all through the steroid course. Is the simplicef similar to gabapentin?

Also, spoke with the doctor today and she said she spoke with the surgeon... They are recommending a total ear canal ablation and bulla osteotomy for her left ear. Aside from the fact the surgery is $2500 that i don't have I am worried about doing it. The doctor made it sound like this was a last resort thing that they do when they dont know what else to do. Doesn't exactly give me a warm fuzzy feeling.

Anyone had this surgery done on their dog? Is there something i can do besides this surgery?

Wow. I hope karlin has some advice.. Im clueless but i would get as mych info as i possibly could if i were you. Like chances that the surgery will successful, complications etc.. If this is moobys shot at a comfortable life than id do the surgery... Maybe U can raise funds somehow.. Some help of friends etc... Im terribly sorry u are going through this. I know how complicated double diagnoses is with a dog with psom and sm myself.

I am so sorry you are having such terrible health problems with poor Mooby -- it must be nightmarish for you, much less for Mooby.

To be honest, and this is said with full understanding of how hard it is to think about these issues: if I were in your position I would be wondering about future quality of life and weighing up what is best for Mooby and try to separate out what Mooby needs as separate from my personal attachment and love and deisre to have everything be OK -- when this may be impossible. Sometimes we really want and need our much loved dog to be with us and hang on to that hope that they will improve that we find it hard to see when they are having a deep toll taken by both illnesses and often the treatments for them.

It is hard to think about, but I would try very hard to consider, would Mooby want to keep going through all these procedures and how much time and quality of life will they bring and for how long? How tiring might they be on a small dog's body? How long is each recovery? What level of pain does Mooby live with on a day to day basis? Would a major surgery and recovery place further burdens? I also would seriously question raising so much money I didn't have to do a procedure that is just guesswork.

If you are dealing with seriously symptomatic SM and/or a poor MRI, you probably are also dealing with the heartbreak of a limited timeline, separate to other complications from all the other health issues and conditions.

Sometimes the greatest love we can show is to recognise when it is time to give our dogs rest -- which involves letting them go -- finding the balance between when they still have a daily quality of life that brings the dog pleasure, and life is still happy and reasonably comfortable, but before they are so debilitated that their life is a heavy burden. Consecutive surgeries and procedures may be just too much. At such a point I would opt for palliative care -- keeping my dog as comfortable as possible but watching, with love, for that point when I think -- they are beginning to suffer too much, and I don't want to give them their final rest only when they are only a shell of what they were. Finding this point is difficult because none of us wants to let go too soon. But I think many of us who have had many dogs over the years, including dogs with chronic illness, would say it is kinder to let them go before the struggle becomes too hard.

I am fortunate in having some good vets that I trust to advise me on whether they feel there's honestly any kindness left in trying to address difficult health problems. Twice they have given me good advice -- "you could treat this and your pet will perhaps recover for a short time, but the procedures are uncertain and this will recur and will likely cause greater distress the next time around". I chose to let them go rather than just cling on for an eventual more serious crash in which the pain and difficulty was likely to be greater.

It takes courage to give them their rest.

It is very hard to advise anyone when there are so many issues and we do not know precisely what the doctors are saying or how Mooby is or whether any of these procedures might honestly improve her life or for how long. If they were sure of many years ahead, and a very good chance of a happy life and a resolution to her health issues, I would consider them; if already her life is being considered in months, then I would not. (SM though complicates this, as it may, depending on severity right now, already mean the timeline is short as it sometimes is with this condition). Cost always has to be an issue, too; and worries on that score should never make one feel guilty about taking decisions that include cost, especially at the level you are talking about. If a procedure at that cost has no real promise and might buy only months or even a year -- for a dog that is dealing with SM and other conditions -- personally I wouldn't even consider it. Additional procedures can exacerbate the SM pain.

I have pinned in the In Memoriam section, some pet counselling helplines that might be worth talking through these issues with, as they are so, so difficult Perhaps an outside, third party with some medical background would help. I would also be asking my vet(s) for their honest opinion.

My heart and thoughts go out to you; you and Mooby are dealing with so much. :flwr:

If the vets think they have a viable treatment solution and the expense of it is the problem, there are a few organizations which provide financial support on a case-by-case basis. One of them is the AAHA Helping Pets Fund -- http://www.aahahelpingpets.org/