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Looks like Lucy has SM ;(

Dublin

Well-known member
Im absolutely gutted, ive been fearing the worst for a little while now so armed with videos of Lucy we went to the vets last night.

Sadly my vet agreed with me & thinks Lucy does have SM. we have to go back next week for blood tests & then possibly an MRI.

I asked what the blood test was for & he said it probably wouldn't show anything & was to see if Lucy would be able for steroids, I asked whether it would be better for Lucy to have the MRI first as if (& only if) she dosnt have SM then she wouldn't need the steroids anyway. His answer was 'MRIs are not the be a & end all' which wasnt really the answer I was looking for to be honest.

So we're going back next week for the blood test & go from there.

The reason we have to wait a week is because Lucy was given her kennel
Cough vaccine last night.
 
Very sorry you are in this position. My little girl was just MRI'd this morning, and confirmed with SM.

I don't know if it matters, but it seems as though "probable SM" is basically a definitive yes (at least for us).

Can you try to get her on some kind of treatment regimen? Clare Rusbridge's treatment algorithm is on this site. http://www.veterinary-neurologist.co.uk/

Edit: is this a GP vet, or a specialist (neurologist or internist)? I would recommend getting a referral to a specialist if you haven't done so already.
 
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I'm so sorry to hear this. :(

It makes sense for them to check for other possible causes and do blood tests, but I'd dig heels in on steroids.

I spoke recently to a neurologist who noted that giving steroids in advance of an MRI can mask some conditions and make it more difficult to get a true MRI of the condition. And I'd emphasise to any treating vet or neurologist that Clare's algorithm suggest steroids ONLY after everything else has been tried. It is the medication with the most potential side effects.

If you go for an MRI choose UCD or the place doing them down near Cork (Sins has more info in them) -- I'd avoid the other MRI facility in Dublin.

Please stay in touch to let us know how things go.
 
So sorry to hear this news..
Definitely,don't agree to any medication until she's had the Mri scan.
I would go for UCD or Gilabbey in Cork.
The neurology dept in Gilabbey is headed by Jacques Penderis and Shane Guerin and you really couldn't be in safer hands.
The Quality of their Mris is excellent and the standard of care for the dogs is superb.The reporting is also done by a top UK radiologist so you know exactly what you're dealing with.
Sadly if you feel Lucy has a problem,an mri is pretty much the be all and end all..
If you need anything,just get in touch.
Sins
 
I think many of us have gone through a period of fearing the worse and trying to convince ourselves we are imagining things.

I will keep my fingers crossed for you and Lucy.
 
Hi Sonia,
I'm so sorry to read about Lucy. I hope you manage to get the MRI done sooner rather than later so that you can start her on the appropriate meds asap. Best of luck
 
I am sorry to read about Lucy too, but what I want you to know is that even if SM is found it really isn't a doom and gloom scenario that it once was. Many of us have SM dogs who are receiving the treatment regime that suits them and their symptoms. My 10 year old boy is acting more like 5 or 6, despite having a very large syrinx.

Of course I truly hope that SM is not the problem, but if it is I know that a suitable treatment is likely to be found.
 
Thanks guys xxxxx

Lucy is booked in for bloodwork on wednesday so will ask again to be referred for an MRI.

Even if her vet is sure she has SM I want an MRI done as I want to know the extent of her illness..... So I may have to change vets.

I wasnt happy with my vet on Monday as he tried to give her the KC vac with a needle in her neck untill I pulled her away from him & he told me Sparky is obese as I walked in the room - Sparky weighs 10.35kgs & has a very heavy/fluffy coat - after he put his hands on Sparky he did apologise & say that he's not overweight.
 
Thanks guys xxxxx

Lucy is booked in for bloodwork on wednesday so will ask again to be referred for an MRI.

Even if her vet is sure she has SM I want an MRI done as I want to know the extent of her illness..... So I may have to change vets.

I wasnt happy with my vet on Monday as he tried to give her the KC vac with a needle in her neck untill I pulled her away from him & he told me Sparky is obese as I walked in the room - Sparky weighs 10.35kgs & has a very heavy/fluffy coat - after he put his hands on Sparky he did apologise & say that he's not overweight.

Honestly, with the breed, wanting to have an MRI just to see what's there is not unreasonable. With symptoms it's basically necessary. There's really no reason why your vet should stand in the way if you want an MRI done (the only reasons not to would be your personal financial situation, or medical conditions that would make Lucy a bad candidate for anaesthesia/sedation).
 
Off to the vets (again!) for Lucy's blood test armed with lots of info! Going to ask for a UCD referral before my vet tries to give her steroids!
 
PM me if you want to talk about it later on. (y) I really liked the people I dealt with at UCD when Jaspar had his ears syringed, and a very kind vet prof there did Lucy's postmortem for Margaret's tissue project. Best of luck today. You could ask to trial some gabapentin and see if that helps.
 
I am very sorry about Lucy! I hope everything goes better for you all...By the way can i ask what UCD is?
 
True! Pat, I went to high school in Davis (my father was a Prof of Medicine at the med school) and I took some classes as well as UCD (and worked there for a bit too) -- so the UCD/UCD thing always makes family laugh. Friends in Davis love it when I tell them James Joyce attended UCD. He did! But in Dublin. :D

The vet school at Davis is one of the best in the world.
 
Sorry Karlin, I couldnt get online last night!
So.... Yesterday Lucy had bloods done & I won my battle against my vet!! I was referred to UCD & went today (giving out made the ball roll quicker!!!).
The vet I saw today agrees & is 99.9% sure Lucy does have SM 😥.
She wants to do an MRI to be 100% so approval has been sent to my insurance holders & the MRI has been booked for Feb 13th.
She also started Lucy on 100mg gabapentin x2 daily which will be reviewed when we go for the MRI.

I feel much better & much more in control now after everything, obviously Im not happy that my baby has SM but we're well on the road to helping her cope with it.

Thank you so much everyone for all your support, I hope that I can do the same if anyone needs it xxxxxxxxxxx
 
Sorry Karlin, I couldnt get online last night!
So.... Yesterday Lucy had bloods done & I won my battle against my vet!! I was referred to UCD & went today (giving out made the ball roll quicker!!!).
The vet I saw today agrees & is 99.9% sure Lucy does have SM .
She wants to do an MRI to be 100% so approval has been sent to my insurance holders & the MRI has been booked for Feb 13th.
She also started Lucy on 100mg gabapentin x2 daily which will be reviewed when we go for the MRI.

I feel much better & much more in control now after everything, obviously Im not happy that my baby has SM but we're well on the road to helping her cope with it.

Thank you so much everyone for all your support, I hope that I can do the same if anyone needs it xxxxxxxxxxx

That's great. The MRI and diagnosis do not change the dog, if Lucy has CM/SM it was already there. So even though getting a CM?SM diagnosis is bad, it's better than just letting her suffer.

Good luck, keep us updated.
 
I'm only seeing this now Sonia :( Poor Lucy -but at least you have the MRI date and the knowledge from everyone on here to help. Give her a big hug from us (and of course Rex sends Sparky a special hug :rolleyes: ) xx
 
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