# Shine went to the ER



## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

We were gone for 5 hours yesterday. Came home, went to let her out of the crate, and she could barely walk. Non weight bearing on left front leg, and only partial weight on left back leg. She was in a lot of pain, and we went straight to the ER. While xrays didn't show anything wrong with her elbow, it was the only place she showed pain during the manipulations of her joints. She was given a hydrocodone injection, and put on strict rest. But they let her come home. The meds worked till 230am. She woke us up crying, when she tried to reposition herself. I gave her, her next pain meds, and she is resting. If we don't start to see improvement, she will have futher testing done. As in a MRI, or scope her elbow. 
Right now she will not get up, or lay down without help. Will only walk slowly on three legs if forced to by vet. My husband or I just carry her. Shine is not a pitty party kind of dog, so I know she has to be in a lot of pain to act this way.
:crying


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## MaxB (Mar 11, 2019)

oh no...so sorry to hear that...wishing speedy recovery to you all. ❣


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## Kedves (Nov 18, 2019)

What a bummer news, I also wish Shine a speedy recovery.


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## InTheNet (Jun 1, 2016)

Hoping it is not anything worse than a sprain!


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

We drove her to A&M this morning. 
They are thoroughly going over her, and doing more xrays of her elbow.


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

bloody ****, all my best thoughts and hopes for a speedy result and recovery x


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## Gabica (Jan 20, 2018)

Yikes and all the ESP of the world we can send!!!!


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

She is spending the night at A&M.. Her elbow is now swollen, and she is in pain without IV pain meds. They tapped the elbow to test the fluid for infection. Fluid is not clear like it should be, but first pathology reports do not show infection. But they will be cultured. If infection showed, they would have flushed, and scoped the elbow. And still may later. They are going to test some of her other joints tonight. Depended on what they find will determine if she stays a ortho patient, or if she is changed to internal medicine.







Sure was hard to leave here.


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## tegee26 (Apr 25, 2018)

What a bummer reading through posts. Feel so bad for Shine. We went through a similar issue with joints in rear leg, but this one sounds serious. We are praying for you and your V.


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## gingerling (Jun 20, 2015)

Oh, how awful..what a terrible end to the holiday. At least she's in a good place getting good treatment, I hope you take some comfort in that, and they can fix this .


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

gingerling said:


> Oh, how awful..what a terrible end to the holiday. At least she's in a good place getting good treatment, I hope you take some comfort in that, and they can fix this .


She is at the best place, that I know to take her in Texas.
It's almost 2 hours from me, but I felt she needed the higher level of care. 
I'm waiting on a call from them, for last night's reports on her other joints. Then go from there. Either way we will go see her today.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Shine's left knee is now swollen too. They a leaning toward it being IMPA, but don't know if it's primary or secondary.
They sent off a blood panel to check for any tick borne diseases. Started her on doxy, in case it is secondary from tick borne. Cultures on fluid will not be ready until Monday, so still will not be certain until atleast then . So she will be at A&M atleast till then. Maybe longer, as her pain will be hard to control at home if it is IMPA. Atleast until the steroids kick in.😢


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## Gabica (Jan 20, 2018)

keep sending ESP. seeing any dog suffer is heartbreaking, but for me even more difficult when they are still this young.


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## gingerling (Jun 20, 2015)

Oy, arthritis...

It sounds like she's in good hands there, but if you want a second opinion, I have a superb vet who is great at diagnostics and I'm sure would be happy to consult with them and you.

I hate being powerless knowing that pain and suffering are involved, so if I can help in some small way, PM me.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Thank you.
Right now we are having to wait on the culture, before a final diagnosis.
I am sure I will eventually seek a internist that is closer to me. For now I am confident they are doing everything possible, to get her on the right track. Even using methadone to help with her pain. They have a larger array of pain medicine available than most vets. 

Tonight they mixed shredded chicken with her canned food, and hand-fed her. It's so hard being away from her, but I know it's where she needs to be.


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## Gabica (Jan 20, 2018)

Deb, by any chance she had some vaccination recently (last 2-4 weeks) she could have reacted to? Friend of mine was suggesting to check that, she has seen this type of reaction with young vizslas before. Just an idea, and not trying to play vet here.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Gabica said:


> Deb, by any chance she had some vaccination recently (last 2-4 weeks) she could have reacted to? Friend of mine was suggesting to check that, she has seen this type of reaction with young vizslas before. Just an idea, and not trying to play vet here.


No recent vaccinations, or anything else we can think of.
Right now it looks like it may be idiopathic, but the results for the tick-borne disease will not be ready till later in the week.
But I really don't remember her ever having a tick on her.


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## Kedves (Nov 18, 2019)

You guys down In Texas have lots of tick issues? Down here I don't see many, but with the global warming and stuff, they are more visible. In 10 years I only caught 1 tick on my dog.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

We got to have a very short visit with Miss Shine.
She can only be off her IV pain meds for 15 minutes. So 3 hour round trip drive, to see her for 10 minutes. I'm not complaining, I love seeing her, and do not want her to be in pain.
With her pain meds, she is walking, talking, and doing her excited high pitched howl. It does the heart good to see her up, and moving.
The cultures from the joint tap fluids, will be ready sometime tomorrow. If it is IMPA, she will start steroid treatment immediately. Then possibly get to come home Monday night, or sometime Tuesday. It just all depends on when she can be taken off IV pain meds, and change to oral pain meds.
This is Miss Shine today. She's doing her excited howl, and keeps looking at the door. That's code for she's ready to blow this joint, and come home.


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## Kedves (Nov 18, 2019)

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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)




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## Gabica (Jan 20, 2018)

heartbreaking. and hopefully home soon. should have seen Bende`s and Miksa face, howdy we know this girly!!!

the clip plays in the US, could be some legal reason for Canada not showing properly.


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## Kedves (Nov 18, 2019)

Gabica said:


> heartbreaking. and hopefully home soon. should have seen Bende`s and Miksa face, howdy we know this girly!!!
> 
> the clip plays in the US, could be some legal reason for Canada not showing properly.



It is something else than the border issues. It still refuses to play on PC, but plays fine on cell phone. 

Funny like all them Vizslas sound like they finished the same classes in singing school. Poor little thing.


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## MaxB (Mar 11, 2019)

oh, I hope you get good news today for Shine. Sending positive thoughts.


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## gingerling (Jun 20, 2015)

Oy...


Sounds like she's speaking for both of you...I'd be a basket case by now.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

gingerling said:


> Oy...
> 
> 
> Sounds like she's speaking for both of you...I'd be a basket case by now.


She is, and we are.
We only get to visit her once a day, for about 10 minutes. From the time they unhook her IV, the 15 minute clock starts. And it has to be started back, before the 15 minutes is up.


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

Sorry to hear about your girl. Please keep us updated!


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Shine was feeling good enough to come home this evening. 
There's still a couple of tests that the results won't be in till later. But we are so happy to have her home.


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## gingerling (Jun 20, 2015)

update?


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

She's on mandatory R&R, and not to pleased about it. She still has some soreness in her knee, but her elbow is a lot better. She took her last pain med, so we will see how things are when it wears off. She's on doxy, so if it was anything tick-related that triggered the autoimmune response.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

This is her basically rolling her eyes at me, when told she can't go outside.


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## Gabica (Jan 20, 2018)

Glad that she is at home an can already roll her eyes that is always a great sign!!!

Someone told me who used to work at A&M as a vet tech that after this much IV their liver needs some tender care and a holistic vet`s help or some natural cleansers could be beneficial. I know y`all been thru a lot, but i would feel bad not sharing it, so maybe something to look into to wrap this up.

hey, welcome home pretty girl!!!


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

After her spending days on methadone, Fentanyl, and Gabapentin. I can't say it's not a bad idea.


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

Glad she's home! Sounds as if she's on the mend.
Do be careful with any holistic processes. They could be of a detriment to the Doxy she's on. Talk to the Vet.
I watched a woman break down in tears when she had to repeat three months of Chemotherapy, because she was doing holistic cleansers, at the same time as her Chemo'. Pretty much negated the effects of chemo'.
The Oncologist about lost her mind when she found out about it.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

gunnr said:


> Glad she's home! Sounds as if she's on the mend.
> Do be careful with any holistic processes. They could be of a detriment to the Doxy she's on. Talk to the Vet.
> I watched a woman break down in tears when she had to repeat three months of Chemotherapy, because she was doing holistic cleansers, at the same time as her Chemo'. Pretty much negated the effects of chemo'.
> The Oncologist about lost her mind when she found out about it.


I can email A&M to see if anything conflicts, before I do it.
I looked up a couple of cleansers, but did not like some of the ingredients. If it lists garlic, or onion for a dog, I'm out. 

I know with one of the prescriptions I take, I can't drink grapefruit juice.

She already has fresh cooked salmon twice a week. Fish oil on the other days. I will likely be adding blue berries, and spinach to her diet. Its more of a anti inflammatory diet.
Who knows if it will help in the long run, but atleast I feel like I'm doing something.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

:sad the tick borne results are still not in yet, and it maybe next week.
Until they are in, Shine will be on R&R.


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## gingerling (Jun 20, 2015)

I see the lip curl there as well, you know you're in deep when they do that...

I don't know about giving her any of those "natural" additives and such to help her along, I'm a fairly trad guy myself...but I hear things like single malt 12 year old scotch or CBD oil..maybe even the stuff it comes from..might be in order for the humans who have endured this ordeal...although I suspect her being well enough to curl that lip and be in the comforts of home might be enough.


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## fosterlisa (Jun 30, 2016)

So sorry, wonder what she did? Keep us updated.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

@gingerling 
I am definitely in deep.
She wants to play with her buddies, and is not shy about letting me know. There are also squirrels that need chasing. Then a pesky fly got in the house, that immediately needed dispatch by her.
And why is getting on the kitchen table off limits? When clearly everyone can see there is a baseball cap on it, that has no chew marks on the bill.

A few more days of her lip curl, sighing, and rooing at me, when she doesn't get her way. Will be worth it, to get her healthy again.


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## MaxB (Mar 11, 2019)

Great to hear that she is home and hopefully on the mend, and you get to the bottom of it all. 

The sighing! I didn't realise it was a breed trait....hubby tells me that when I'm away, or not home from work at a reasonable hour that Margaret spends a lot of time sighing.....

Speedy recovery and positive results from the tests are wished for.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

MaxB said:


> Speedy recovery and positive results from the tests are wished for.


Right now, I'm not sure which would be better. Seeing a positive, or negative result on the last test still pending.
But I'm guessing tick-borne disease triggered response, is better than idiopathic IMPA. Idiopathic is just a big word for unknown origin. It's hard to avoid a unknown trigger.


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## gingerling (Jun 20, 2015)

If she's up to her typical naughtiness then she must feel better, so that's a good sign. I had Lyme a while ago...I was surprised and maybe lulled into a false sense of security given all the time we spend in the woods that I never got it..but let me tell you, I have never been as sick nor felt as bad as I did when I had it, I really thought I was going to die it was that bad. If I could curl my lip and sigh and moan and complain and gotten more attention than I already was I would have. 

Although positive results are often terrifying in and of themselves, I personally like to know what's causing the issue, at least the part about not knowing is gone, and there are usually treatment protocols available based on accurate and positive diagnoses. In any event, she seems to be in the best hands and she must know that.


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## MaxB (Mar 11, 2019)

so when I say positive results, I mean that I hope whatever news you get is positive, and therefore nothing too serious to worry about. please keep us updated as to how Shine, and you, are doing.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Still waiting on the last tick-borne disease panel.
Her diagnosis may change after we get it. And if it's negative, they may want to do more testing.

Her unofficial Veterinary diagnosis at the moment, is Non degenerative idiopathic immune-mediated polyarthritis.
All of that only means we have no idea what trigger her immune system, to think her joints are foreign.

With as well as she is responding to the doxy, it would not surprise me if tests show it is tick borne.


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## MaxB (Mar 11, 2019)

You know last year, exactly this time my husband was hospitalized for 6 weeks, with sepsis, following a gall bladder removal, a suspected perforated bowel, (2nd time), and subcutaneous emphysema. 
Throughout the surgical and medical team kept referring to a ‘collection’. Liters of foul smelling’ stuff’ kept draining for weeks. No one knew what it was, or where it came from, or what started it. Agonizing pain, fed through his heart fir over a month, and being told to put our affairs in order. 

The consultant, after I kept pushing for an answer, made a name up, and told me he was doing it to make me feel better, more empowered, and to stay off google. 

We never found out what the collection was, every single test was negative. Every single one. It did not exist. 

But ultimately, he recovered, we will never know what it was. But a year later?, doesn’t matter, he recovered, it hasn’t recurred. We spent weeks trying to figure it out with the team. I hope for shine, and you, that they give it a moniker, that she recovers, there is no recurrence, and you can all move on. 

Sometimes there just isn’t an answer as to what or why, despite all our tech and learnings. We think we’re so clever. Mother Nature is more clever. 
I truly hope you get answers, and I suspect your instincts are right, but I also hope Shine just gets better, stays that way, and this soon becomes a memory. ❤


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## Erniesmom (Oct 11, 2017)

Hi TR. I haven’t been around for a couple weeks and am just reading all that you and shine have been through. It’s heart wrenching to leave a dog at the ER even when you know it’s what is best for them. I’ve been there with the 10 minute visit while th IV iis unhooked and Ernie looking at the door and crying.
Along the lines of what Gabica suggested, but certainly only after the vets approval...my understanding is that milk thistle is a good way for humans and dogs to detox their livers after rounds of medications. A vet would have to tell you if it is appropriate and the proper dosing. We’ll keep you all in our prayers for healthier days ahead and plenty of squirrel chasing.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Well we have a answer... Bartonella . 
Six weeks of Doxy, and Baytril. Strange that I have never found a flea or tick on her. And she has always been on a flea prevention. Still going to have to have her joints tapped again, to rule out or in the IMPA.


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## MaxB (Mar 11, 2019)

Great that you have got a diagnosis....with a diagnosis you can at least treat it. Hope you are all back to full health very soon.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

YAY...Vet said Shine could go back to normal exercise. Not sure if he knows, what normal exercise is for Shine. 🤣
But she is hunting those pesky squirrels in the backyard right now.


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

So glad to hear it, TR!


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

They are rechecking the fluid in Shine's joints tomorrow. Fingers crossed, we get good news.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Shine waiting on the vets to take her back for tests.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Blood work shows shines platelet count is now back to normal. Elbow tap looks good and shows no inflammation. While it's improved a lot, knee tap shows slight inflammation.
Next, and hopefully last recheck will be in 4 weeks.


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## MaxB (Mar 11, 2019)

So glad to hear Shine continues to improve.


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## PhilipL (Sep 28, 2018)

texasred said:


> View attachment 100326
> 
> 
> Shine waiting on the vets to take her back for tests.


She is an absolute beauty, pleased to see she is getting better


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Yesterday Shine had her recheck. We have to wait on pathology from her joint taps, and test sent out to recheck Bartonella. But fingers crossed this is her last visit. She has been feeling like her old bouncy self, and finished her six weeks course of antibiotics.

















Pics of her at A&M


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## Gabica (Jan 20, 2018)

she looks great, it has to be all good news.


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## tegee26 (Apr 25, 2018)

Fingers crossed and that's great news that you have such wonderful care at A & M. :angel


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

I like A&M, and having their level of care in the state. The vets go out of their way, to answer any concerns you have. They sit down and have a conversation with you. Every single person that interacted with Shine, acted like they loved their job, and the animals they treat.
Plus having all the bells, and whistles at their disposal. Just wish they were closer, but it has been well worth the drive.
Not cheap, but still not as expensive as a lot of the specialty vets. The cost of treatment to date, is a little over $4000. I'm so glad I have insurance on Shine.


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## Gabica (Jan 20, 2018)

i only visited them once and had the same experience. did they release her and back to healthy officially?


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Gabica said:


> i only visited them once and had the same experience. did they release her and back to healthy officially?


Not until we get the official results back from the Bartonella test.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Great day....
Shines Bartonella PRC was negative.


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## MaxB (Mar 11, 2019)

👍🏽 Great news.


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