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Harleys visit to Clare Rusbridge yesterday

Sabby

Well-known member
Where do I start? What a day.

Appointment was at 10 o clock and we were 10 minutes late even though we left at 7 o’clock. Thank god Tania was already there.
To my disappointment not all the images were on the disc my vet gave me, but from what Clare could read from the report and the images she could see she does not think Harley has got severe SM more like a Pre syrinx. She did talk to my vet and he is emailing her the remaining images so she can get a clearer picture. But I am hopeful that Harley only has a Pre Syrinx. She also looked at Ebony and she also has got a Pre Syrinx. So both of them are on Zitac.

I must say a BIG thank you to Tania as she came in with me to see Clare while my husband waited with Rosie & Ebony outside. It really helps to have someone with you especially as I expected a bad outcome. Clare is absolutely wonderful and she explains everything.

We finally finished at 1 o’clock and we were still talking outside with Tania when we saw the dreaded Traffic Warden. Tania had to rush off and I think she got a ticket.
:mad:
 
Wow, sounds like a big day. That is so wonderful you had Tania with you, that helps a lot, and I am please to hear that you really liked Clare too. You are in such good hands.
Annoying about all the images not being there! But it sounds like better news than expected about the syrinx? Forgive me, but I am not really sure the difference between a "pre-syrix" and a "syrinx"? Does a pre-syrinx have the same pain/symptoms as with a syrinx?

I am glad that you are starting on a path to treat little Harley...hopfully things only improve from here as far as symptoms go.

Thank you for the update...I have been waiting for it :)
 
Sabby, so pleased to hear that it went better than what you expected. You now have Harley and Ebony's care under one of the best.:)
 
Wow, sounds like a big day. That is so wonderful you had Tania with you, that helps a lot, and I am please to hear that you really liked Clare too. You are in such good hands.
Annoying about all the images not being there! But it sounds like better news than expected about the syrinx? Forgive me, but I am not really sure the difference between a "pre-syrix" and a "syrinx"? Does a pre-syrinx have the same pain/symptoms as with a syrinx?

I am glad that you are starting on a path to treat little Harley...hopfully things only improve from here as far as symptoms go.

Thank you for the update...I have been waiting for it :)


As I understand it, a Pre Syrinx is before it forms into a proper syrinx. That’s why they are on Zitac. Zitac is for hopefully slowing down the progression of SM. No studies have been done to prove Zitac helps the progression but a lot of dogs when being rescanned even after 2 years had no progression of the syrinx. I don’t know if a Pre Syrinx is as painful as a Syrinx.

I hope I explained it right if not someone please correct me.

At the moment Harley is not on any pain medication as he has stopped limping and is his usual happy self. Clare will know more when she looks at the images she needs.
 
I'm so pleased that it was better news than you expected :) Sad that they both have presyrinxes, but this is better than what you were originally told. What a nuisance that the CD did not include all the relevant images :(

Hopefully once you get a report back from Clare that will clarify things even more - and I strongly suggest that you take that to show your vet and complain about the extreme stress that they have put you through.


It's wonderful that Tania was able to go with you - hope you didn't get a parking ticket Tania!
 
Sabby wrote: I don’t know if a Pre Syrinx is as painful as a Syrinx.

Even a syrinx is not necessarily painful - it depends where it is and, especially, how wide it is. A short, narrow syrinx like Oliver's seems to cause him no problems or pain at all (his problems come from his dilated ventricles); it's when the syrinx becomes wide enough to hit the nerves carried in the wall of the spinal cord that the pain can get really bad. So hopefully a presyrinx will not be doing any damage, and if the Zitac (which Clare now uses instead of frusemide) reduces the level of cerebro-spinal fluid in the brain, it may be kept small enough to remain harmless.

Glad the news was better than you had feared.

Kate, Oliver and Aled
 
Oh what a day! At least the news wasn't as bad as you had feared. I'm really glad that no pain meds are needed, and hopefully you will see the hoped for results from the Zitac :)
 
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