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Good & not so good news about Star

sugarkane74

Well-known member
Star had her appt at Dovecotes with the neurologist there and we decided to scan her due to her having had a couple of pain episodes.

My little girl got all upset when the vet took her away and we had to leave her. :(

Anyway, the results were good sm/cm wise. Since she had her last MRI almost 3 years ago turns out it has not got any worse.. if anything he says it looks like it has improved slightly :confused:!! Then he went on to tell me that the pain episodes Star has been having, the sudden yelping, is due to her having a slipped disc!! He showed me where it was on the scan and said it doesn't require surgery yet. She has to have absolute rest though, no jumping up onto sofas, beds etc, no walking only on the lead in the garden to go toilet so she is in her crate at the moment. Feel so sorry for her as she is used to being with us on the sofa etc but can't risk her making it worse. He said it may hopefully get better of it's own accord if she does rest it totally but if she experiences any more pain in the next 4 weeks to phone him. She also has glue ear (can't remember the proper term he used)

So I'm overjoyed that the sm hasn't got any worse since she was first diagnosed but breaks my heart that she is suffering with a slipped disc. No idea how she got it.
 
It's really hard when they're in pain..:(.
Still,you did what had to be done.Now that the clinic have found the cause of it,you can deal with it and hopefully look forward to Star making a speedy recovery.
The slipped disc sounds unpleasant,but at least you know that with time and rest it can resolve itself.
Let us know how she does.
Sins
 
Thanks Sins..

I've ler her out a couple of times to go toilet in the garden but she's only done 1 wee today.. dunno if it's coz she's upset she can't go out properly. Just have to keep an eye on it. Have let her out to sit on the carpet with her to have a bit of a fuss too. Poor little thing probs wonders why she has to be cooped up.
 
I am glad that her SM has not got worse. That is such a big thing. But I am so sorry you are dealing with the disk problem now. I had the same with Ebony this year, as soon as she recovered from her Luxating patellar operation she was diagnosed with 3 degenerated disks and of course CM/SM as well. After VERY strict rest for about a month and anti-inflammatory tablets she is doing ok. I was told that she is never to be allowed to jump up or go up the stairs again. Ebony loves to sit on the Sofa with us so we have got a little routine going and I must say she is really good. She has learned that she has to wait to be lifted on and of the sofa.
 
he neurologist at Dovecotes sounds absolutely spot on to me, both on doing the scan before making a diagnosis and the treatment recommended for the disc problem. Star will soon get used to the rest and tlc regime and there is a good chance that she may get better without further treatment.

I expect it was explained during the consultation that Primary Secretory Otitis Media (PSOM), also known as glue ear, consists of a highly viscous mucus plug which fills the dog's middle ear and may cause the tympanic membrane to bulge. PSOM has been reported almost exclusively in Cavaliers, and it may affect up to 40% of them. Because the pain and other sensations in the head and neck areas, resulting from PSOM, are similar to some symptoms caused by syringomyelia (SM), some examining veterinarians have mis-diagnosed SM in Cavaliers which actually have PSOM and not SM.[SUP]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavalier_King_Charles_Spaniel#cite_note-47[/SUP]
 
... I expect it was explained during the consultation that Primary Secretory Otitis Media (PSOM), also known as glue ear, consists of a highly viscous mucus plug which fills the dog's middle ear and may cause the tympanic membrane to bulge. PSOM has been reported almost exclusively in Cavaliers, and it may affect up to 40% of them. Because the pain and other sensations in the head and neck areas, resulting from PSOM, are similar to some symptoms caused by syringomyelia (SM), some examining veterinarians have mis-diagnosed SM in Cavaliers which actually have PSOM and not SM.

Flo, I think you gave the wrong hyperlink for Primary Secretory Otitis Media. The one you gave is not for PSOM in cavaliers, or even in dogs. In fact, it is not even for PSOM in humans. Try http://cavalierhealth.org/psom.htm
 
The info posted is correct but is not from the link which goes to the Wikipedia entry for otitis media, middle ear infections in humans. (y)

Disk disease is unfortunately, another health problem that is fairly common in cavaliers. :( Two of mine have had episodes but often rest and anti-inflammatories settle it with no recurrence.
 
Thanks guys

Star is doing well. I have let her out obviously to to outside in the garden for toilets but on letting her out just to fuss her she immediately starts jumping onto the sofa and running around so she's obviously not feeling the pain at the mo but soon as she does this I have to put her straight back in the crate. Any ideas how I can get her not to do this as I don't want her to do any further damage but dont want the poor little thing to feel totally isolated from us?

Sabby, how are all your babies doing now??

As for the PSOM, he did explain it but to be honest I was pretty overwhelmed by everything else he was telling me I didn't take it all in. I can't remember if he said it would def need surgery or may need surgery. I think though he wanted to make sure Star gets over the disc first. I'm going to ask my vet for a copy of his report. I've got the disc with the images on it so need to make a copy before I give that to my vets.
 
Fingers crossed Harley & Ebony are doing well at the moment. My orthopaedic surgeon said that Ebony might need surgery in the future, but prevention is better than cure so NO jumping what so ever. Occasionally she sneaks in a jump onto the sofa but normally she knows the routine and looks at me to be lifted up. When Clare Rusbridge looked at her scan she was of the opinion that if she would be in pain it rather be from her CM/SM then the disc problem. Just taking every day as it comes. I’m hoping that Star will be ok with plenty of rest.
 
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