[cnhegadus]

Hello, I am writing to ask for help, my 8 month old rat terrier is haveing some crazy problems. It all started when he was 3months going on 4 months old he began to walk funny, real wobbly favoring one leg one day or so and other ones other days. Then in a couple days he was yelping everytime he walked, tried to get up or even move. My husband and I took him to the vet they did xrays of hips, legs and back with nothing wrong. The vet said that they are growing pains... put him on rymidil and vitamens. It seems to come and go. Some times he walks good other days he can't even get up. We have had three vet opinions and all have said growing pains but I don't know i am so sad for him he just wants to play with my other dog and run but he can't. I am desperate to help him feel better. Please help!!!

[CorkyMax]

Originally Posted by cnhegadus

Hello, I am writing to ask for help, my 8 month old rat terrier is haveing some crazy problems. It all started when he was 3months going on 4 months old he began to walk funny, real wobbly favoring one leg one day or so and other ones other days. Then in a couple days he was yelping everytime he walked, tried to get up or even move. My husband and I took him to the vet they did xrays of hips, legs and back with nothing wrong. The vet said that they are growing pains... put him on rymidil and vitamens. It seems to come and go. Some times he walks good other days he can't even get up. We have had three vet opinions and all have said growing pains but I don't know i am so sad for him he just wants to play with my other dog and run but he can't. I am desperate to help him feel better. Please help!!!

Will be back with another post but want to get this to you quick before you leave the forum!!! Please get it off the Rimadyl--Can kill your dog--liver killer!! Put rimadyl in the search field at top of page--blue strip across Click on posts or try threads if no results with the posts!!

[CorkyMax]

I am 'pasting' a reply I did to a couple of other members very recently---One had this come back as a diagnosis. I am no expert but I read a lot and have been getting 'experience' just from what problems arise on this forum! Here is the copy--See if it could apply. Sounds like you need a dif. vet!!! I don't think there is such a thing as growing pains!!?? And if there is--I sure wouldn't think it would be that painful!! May have more to reply at another time here--I feel rushed to get info to you now!

Here is the 'copy'--
HEPATIC ENCEPHALOPATHY is a type of brain inflammation caused by high levels of ammonia and other toxins in the blood. Ammonia is a by~product of protein metabolism, and is normally removed from the bloodstream by a healthy liver. When the liver is sick, ammonia accumulates to toxic levels and exerts a poisonous effect on the brain.
----Dogs with hepatic encephalopathy develop incoordination, sporadic weakness, disorientation, head~pressing, behavioral changes, drooling, stupor and mental dullness. Symptoms tend to wax and wane. They become more severe after a high~protein meal. Seizures and coma occur when hepatic encephalopathy is advanced.

LIVER SHUNTS, also called PORTOSYSTEMIC SHUNTS, are abnormal veins that allow blood from the intestine to bypass the liver. Ammonia and other toxins are not metabolized or removed from the circulation, resulting in signs of hepatic encephalopathy (see above).
----The majority of these shunts are congenital. Multiple shunts outside the liver may be congenital but are more often caused by cirrhosis.
----Most dogs with congenital liver shunts develop symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy by 6 months of age, although some dogs may not develop symptoms until middle age or older. The diagnosis is confirmed by X~ray studies where contrast dyes are injected into the liver circulation, and by bile acid assays. These studies are available at referral centers.

This is what the member posted--(symptoms) who just had her dog diagnosed with liver shunts: Originally Posted by tpenning
I have a little chihuahua, Oliver, that is 14 weeks old and he has started displaying symptoms that something major may be wrong with him. He has started crying out in pain and holding his head backwards (almost touching his spine) as well as body twitching on two different occasions, so far. He will lay still for a while and then cry out in pain. During the entire episode he holds his head backwards. Sometimes his eyes are open and sometimes they are closed. During each time, the episodes have lasted about 5 - 8 hours. The first episode was Wednesday night, the 19th of August and the second episode was this morning, 23 August 2009. He seems to be really tired after each episode, but he is alert and will eat and drink. Not sure what is going on with him....need as much info as possible.

Please help!

[Lunareclipse]

For giant breed dogs, there is a such thing as growing pains. The bones grow so fast that they ache. Buster has them sometimes. But he can still get up and walk. They will go away when he gets full grown. But your dog sounds like he has more of a problem than growing pains. I would take him to a specialist.

[cnhegadus]

I recently posted on my puppy being sick and vets didn't know what was wrong and blamed it on growing pains, well we took him to a neuro vet and they think he has menigitis. He said that 75% of cases are fine with treatment if it was caught early enough. I was wondering if anybody knows how early is early enough? Also if any of you heve delt with this problem

[CorkyMax]

Originally Posted by cnhegadus

I recently posted on my puppy being sick and vets didn't know what was wrong and blamed it on growing pains, well we took him to a neuro vet and they think he has menigitis. He said that 75% of cases are fine with treatment if it was caught early enough. I was wondering if anybody knows how early is early enough? Also if any of you heve delt with this problem

I don't (as yet, anyway)know how early is early enough> It prob. has to do with how good your puppy's immune system is as to how far it has progressed and of course how long it has had it too. I just checked on the net about meningitis in dogs--There is a lot there. I put meningitis/dogs in my browser--suggest you do this and you may find out a lot of things--maybe even the answer to your question! I am pasting here the 1st site shown there because it will tell you a lot. I haven't checked out the other sites mentioned yet--Am hoping it mentions about other possibilities/problems to do with brain diseases that can be similar in symptoms (esp. since the neuro vet THINKS It MAY BE MENINGITIS! ) Maybe he says this because of all the similarities of these other diseases! I have a home vet book I just looked in about this and there are about 4 different things it might be. I can't print it all but will give you the different diseases to ask your vet about--Ask whether he has ruled them out because of tests he has done, etc. The main heading is Brain Disease--under that heading is:
Encephalitis (Brain Infection)--and under this are the 4 'types'-----1. Bacterial Encephalitis --- 2. Post-Vaccination Encephalitis -- 3. Lead Encephalitis -- 4.
Meningitis. Am quoting a couple sentences from this vet book: The diagnosis of encephalitis and meningitis is based on analysis of cerebrospinal fluid obtained by spinal tap. Serologic tests may identify the cause of the inflammation. (Did your vet do this?)
--TREATMENT: Corticosteroids are used to reduce inflammation and swelling of the brain. Seizures are controlled with anticonvulsants. Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections. Rickettsia are extremely sensitive to tetracycline. Dogs that recover from encephalitis may develop seizure disorders and other neurologic symptoms. There is also another brain disease mentioned that is not under the heading of the other 4 mentioned here. It is called GRANULOMATOUS MENINGOENCEPHALITIS that can have the same symptoms as the others! Might ask vet about it too.

Here is the address I mentioned above: Meningitis in Dogs

Hope you also put meningitis/dogs in your browser too! You may also try the 5 named diseases above along with the word/dog (1 at a time of course)

Hope your dog will be okay!! Keep us posted!