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My girl is sick... again.

With those high fevers I keep going back to meningitis. Here's what's listed as symptoms of meningitis:
  • Fever
  • Muscle stiffness or spasms (especially in the neck, back, and forelegs)
  • Rigid or unsteady walking
  • Sensitivity to touch (hyperesthesia)
  • Lethargy
  • Weakness
  • Loss of appetite
  • Vomiting
  • Depression
  • Head tilting
  • Low blood pressure
I just pray that they figure this out quickly so they can treat it and she starts feeling better.
 
Didn't go back and read everything but was a urinalysis and culture done?
Ultrasound of abdominal and cardiac?
 
My2Girls said:
With those high fevers I keep going back to meningitis. Here's what's listed as symptoms of meningitis:
  • Fever
  • Muscle stiffness or spasms (especially in the neck, back, and forelegs)
  • Rigid or unsteady walking
  • Sensitivity to touch (hyperesthesia)
  • Lethargy
  • Weakness
  • Loss of appetite
  • Vomiting
  • Depression
  • Head tilting
  • Low blood pressure
I just pray that they figure this out quickly so they can treat it and she starts feeling better.
Click to expand...
I thought this too :(
 
Also by any chance was she given any sulfa drugs back before all this started?
Antibiotics of the following classes have been suspected of initiating this syndrome: sulfas, cephalosporins, lincomycin, erythromycin, and penicillins
 
Words cannot begin to express how I know you are feeling right now and how confusing this must be for Mischa. My prayers are strong and continued for you both that an answer will be revealed soon and the Dr. will be able to get Mischa beyond this. My heart goes out to both of you and I pray your back will be healed.
 
Hey all, thank you all for the thoughts and well wishes for my baby girl Miesha. It means the world to me.
To answer some questions:
U/a was done with initial blood work run on monday and sample collected via cystocentesis. Results came back showing protein and some blood.
No u/s or Rads have been done yet. The only ABs she has ever been on [besides the doxy that was started 5 days ago] was Metronidazole this past spring and in Oct - Clavamox [amoxi/clavulanic acid] which was for her first incident of fever.

This morning she couldnt move at all. Today it was her left side front shoulder/elbow and hip that were grossely swollen. Even gently shifting her towel made her scream. Holy crap i forgot what a "dog scream" sounded like. OMG. She was so insanely painful that i had to muzzle her because she reflexively bit me. I cant even.
Dropping her off was brutal.. [and so was the estimate! Has the vet field really gone up that much in 8 years?? :eek:] but luckily they finished fast and didn't end up needing to sedate. They tapped her wrist and elbow joint.. the former was clear and unremarkable but the sample from the elbow was murky, bloody, sludgy and gross. [It was clean technique, no vessels were hit]. Doc thinks it will come back autoimmune [which we should know by tomorrow] but it is also being sent out for culture & sensitivity which will take a while. I'm heading off to pick her up, Hubs had court today but is coming home on break to help me pick her up.. why is it i can flip my clinical switch with everything else in my like - including kids- and with her i am such a puddle of mush?
Hubby has also taken to calling her "a Lemon." Well she's MY LEMON, i love her, and im gonna freaking make LEMONADE!! :love:

Thank you all again for your outpouring of love and well-wishes. Xo
 
Prushanks said:
So we have ruled out Tickborne illness as a cause. Her tick serology came back negative on all counts. At this point i knew as much because she hasn't responded at all to the doxy - yesterday and today she has been back up to 105+ fever and cant walk.
She is going in tomorrow for a joint tap to determine if it is a immune mediated disease. The test will also culture the synovial fluid to see if it is perhaps a joint specific bacteria causing all the trouble.
Going theory is immune-mediated polyarthritis... but I really think that it might be systemic lupus erythematosus. We haven't done a serological test for that, but she fits many of the criteria. She is having a lot of those tremors with her fever again too. [ps- excuse me in my PJs... i've been mostly laid up with her since i pulled my back out]
I have to say, this is horrific. My heart is breaking watching her endure this.
Click to expand...
Omg
Im sitting here crying for you and your baby. How exhausted you must be on this terrible and horrifying journey. I tell you one thing, your baby is a fighter.
God Bless you and Meisha.
Praying everytime i think of her.

Elizabeth
 
Prushanks said:
So we have ruled out Tickborne illness as a cause. Her tick serology came back negative on all counts. At this point i knew as much because she hasn't responded at all to the doxy - yesterday and today she has been back up to 105+ fever and cant walk.
She is going in tomorrow for a joint tap to determine if it is a immune mediated disease. The test will also culture the synovial fluid to see if it is perhaps a joint specific bacteria causing all the trouble.
Going theory is immune-mediated polyarthritis... but I really think that it might be systemic lupus erythematosus. We haven't done a serological test for that, but she fits many of the criteria. She is having a lot of those tremors with her fever again too. [ps- excuse me in my PJs... i've been mostly laid up with her since i pulled my back out]
I have to say, this is horrific. My heart is breaking watching her endure this.
Click to expand...

Question was she on Doxy for at least 3 weeks?
So sorry for all the twenty questions. But putting stuff out there just in case the Vet might miss something.
Our prayers continue for your baby.
 
My heart is so heavy over this. Are you able to get her comfortable at all right now and snuggle her (I know you said she doesn't really want to be touched, but God I would want to snuggle her, and I know you do.) Very glad your husband was able to go help you get her home, and I'm glad she's home earlier than we thought. So...(remember I'm an idiot)...it's good that she didn't need to be sedated, right? (I mean aside from the cost.)
Oh, I want answers NOW!!...Yes, I know you want them far more...I just wish there was something I could do for that baby (and you)!
Mom (the non-animal lover) asks about her about every hour to see if I've heard anything! She feels like Miesha is her long-distance grand-daughter in law...I suppose because she and Jax have grown up (are growing up) together.
Please DO NOT hesitate to ask us (forum) if there is anything you need. And...of course...call me at any hour (as I have done you many times in the past)!
I love you, and I love "my" baby Miesha. Just hate feeling so helpless and so far away.
 
Sorry im late to the discussion. There's a lot of reading to be done with two kids running around... but the video you posted and mention of history of foreign bodies brings a striking resemblance to Jäger's blockage. My wife works at a vet... the X-ray observed by a 3rd party tech showed nothing. The ultrasound confirmed a blockage and required surgery. He would spend his time either laying down motionless... or standing up with his back arched as the photo shows. I am obviously not a medical professional and realize that there are a number of conditions that may cause this....

For what it is worth.. The foreign body Jäger had could be definitively pinpointed to him ingesting something 3 months earlier. It had sat in his stomach and finally decided to move down the digestive track. The time from early onset symptoms (Vomitting, refusal to eat, and finally the arching of the back) took place over the course of about 5 days. We're pulling for you to find an answer and speedy recovery. If there is anything I can do let me know.
 
@Prushanks How scary! Late to the game and haven't read the whole thread, but my first thought is Autoimmune and especially Lupus. As a Lupus sufferer myself I have the same symptoms. Joint pain, fatigue, Idiopathic fevers, weight loss, red/white cell fluxuation, GI issues and mentation changes. They need to run an IGe panel. If positive, then they can differentially diagnose her as autoimmune and then run specific panels to pinpoint type. Typically treated with Prednisone and certain Chemo drugs.

Praying for you and sweet Miesha and hoping for answers soon. We are here for you both! You are a goid Dobermom and doing all you can for her.

Have they done an abdominal sonogram? They should repeat Xrays and sono to rule out anything abdominally. Could be a blockage. Have they palpated her neck and back and taken spinal films? Could be disc disease (breed prone to Wobblers).

Have they checked Cortisol levels. Could also be Adrenal.

If she were mine I'd be taking her to a Veterinary Internist. Do you have a Specialty Clinic in your area?

Sorry this is happening. Hugs from me and the Dobes. Keep us posted
 
Hey all-

Sooo sorry i didn't get on until now to update on Miesha. I heard back from the Doc yesterday right at school bus pick up and it was a cluster*$& from that point on. OK, so cytology from her joint tap came back as Immune-Mediated Nonerrosive Polyarthritis, likely Idiopathic but something in my gut says that it was reactive/triggered by her constant gastrointestinal crap. Ultimately though, don't think we'll ever know.

Started her on high dose prednisone last night. I gave her first dose around 6pm [i had plans that evening and didn't get back til late]... when i got home i saw almost a completely different dog- at least in mentation. She was excited to see us [and go outside to peeeeeeeee], was wagging her nub, licking our faces, still barely able to walk but it did seem slightly better? Just made me cry. This whole time she seems like she is/has been afraid of me [probably because i have to constantly pick her up].. i'm the bad guy.

This morning, 70% of the joint effusion was gone, but she was pretty much the same as she was before the steroid... A few times here and there she would perk up, usually when i brought her outside but when i bring her in she just paces... er, well.. super slow shuffles. She cant lay down or sit on her own so she just keeps shuffling around until i put her on the couch and move her legs into a down position... which hurts her too. And her body condition is just horrible. Her muscles have all wasted away, she is just bones and skin... she looks hollowed out, gaunt like a 16 year old mummified dog corpse. I don't really know how long it takes for the steroids to kick in and make a difference.. i know i just need to be patient but it's hard to see her like this... i just have a really bad feeling overall.

Anyway, i will update if things change. Thanks again for everyone's support. :love::ty:
 
Bless her heart. This breed are true fighters and I hope soon she will make that turn around moment and begin to recover, regain appetite and start building back some muscle mass to help with her stability and gain a few pounds over time without her GI issues acting up!
My prayers will continue everyday for her!!
Bogie, Bacall, Maddie and our entire family send healing massages and love to help her improve daily. You all are in our prayers!!
 
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