[NTX78]

I am extremely sorry that you and Trooper are having to go through this.
I had an ordeal with my rott earlier this year. I sincerely hope your situation works out much better than mine did.

 

[Donna Kerr]

Appleton would have kept him longer if we would have said we couldn't handle him at home. I don't think there was anything else they could have done for him until the the tap test came back and that won't be until next week. He's more comfortable at home I think...and so am I. He isn't doing anything but laying here but at least he is home.

At first they said that pain meds would do it and he would be fine and then it just got steadier worse.

Dad is with him now in the living room and you would never guess that this was a 6 year old, high energy, full of piss and vinegar, pain in the a$$ Lab (God I miss that). He won't even raise his head....as for a second opinion, where do I go? Madison? Don't you need a referral to go there too? How do I get one? We are not even concerned about the money, we just want our Oopstar back...

Thank you all again for your good thoughts....

 

[ErinsEdge]

Blastomycosis is what also popped into my mind.

Me too along with the swollen leg.

I would give Appleton a call at least. I know the vet that was there last year Sat night is pretty good. He may need a change in antibiotics or change in Pred dosage or ? No one likes to leave them there but this sounds very serious.

 

[Rainmaker]

One of the hallmarks of tick borne, sporadic fever, plus lack of appetite, full blown joint pain to the point the dog is screaming in pain or can be intermittent lameness of different limbs. Amoxi probably won't touch it if it is tick related. Testing for tick disease can be done with an in house SNAP test read in a few minutes or full panel sent out like has been mentioned already. They wouldn't show up on his regular blood work, I don't think, at least they are separate tests around here.

Blasto also crossed my mind, especially with the eye involvement.

 

[JusticeDog]

as for a second opinion, where do I go? Madison? Don't you need a referral to go there too? ...

No... you can take him in via an emergency..... 7 days per week... 24 hours per day... bypass the whole referral thing

http://uwveterinarycare.wisc.edu/emergency/


the vet school also offers regular vet care as well, that you don't need a referral for, but that's only Monday - Friday... and then they can refer you to a specialist.

You can leave a message on Dr. Sam's and Dr. Gretchen's machine in Denmark, WI. THey check messages every day... and if it's an emergency, you won't end up waiting until office hours.... tell them about the eye thing....

But, with the way things are going for your boy... I'd be driving to Madison or back to Appleton. If it's blasto, or even a tick borne disease, with the way things are going, you need a quick diagnosis. I know you're already scared, and I don't mean to add any more to it, but....from your description, he's getting worse.... and it sounds serious.

 

[Pals]

blasto came to mind when I read this. Donna- good luck you and trooper are getting prayers right now.

 

[Donna Kerr]

Thank you all.
He won't eat (except for the little chicken we got down him earlier) but he is drinking...quite a bit. His right hind leg (looking at him from the front) is swollen, quite a bit. I don't know enough about Blasto to think that but I keep thinking it may be tick...

Big guy just tried to get up and can't...I will try to get him out but I really don't care if he pees on the carpet now...

My God this is hard...

 

[ErinsEdge]

Green Bay to Appleton can't be more than 45 min. I would not be able to watch, I would be in the car.

 

[JusticeDog]

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/214501/blastomycosis_symptoms_and_treatment.html

 

[JusticeDog]

Green Bay to Appleton can't be more than 45 min. I would not be able to watch, I would be in the car.

Me, too.... and blasto is very under-diagnosed.... if you've never seen it...

 

[Rhumbline]

Sorry to hear about your boy. Three weeks ago, one of my dogs Rebel out of the blue started running a high fever (106.4) nothing the vets did was bringing the fever down. Finally after about 30 hours the fever broke but she couldn't stand, couldn't lift her head, her breathing was labored. The vet had drawn up the euthanasia solution, but I looked in her eyes, I couldn't do it she was just over seven, so we decided to give her another day. The prayers of all of our friends and the retriever community were amazing. It turns out it was RMSF she is recovering slowly, her liver function is still bad and I think something happened with her vision, but she did a puppy double today and was so happy with herself, of course she slept for about 8 hours afterward. We are all saying prayers for you in the hopes you will get a miracle like we did. Believe in miracles, they can happen.

 

[Socks]

Good MOJO sent your way! Get a second opinion even if ya gotta get in someone's face.

 

[jeff t.]

Appleton would have kept him longer if we would have said we couldn't handle him at home. I don't think there was anything else they could have done for him until the the tap test came back and that won't be until next week..

If he was improving or stable, I would agree with you.

But if his condition has deteriorated since he was last examined, he needs to be seen again ASAP.

 

[Jerry and Freya]

If it were my dog I would put him on doxy right away for at least three weeks....
Hope all turns out o.k. and soon~~~
Freya

 

[ErinsEdge]

Appleton would have kept him longer if we would have said we couldn't handle him at home. I don't think there was anything else they could have done for him until the the tap test came back and that won't be until next week..

That's not true. When symptoms change they don't wait for cultures. They certainly must have looked for cells right there. Don't go under that assumption that nothing can be done. If it's Blasto he needs to have antibiotics changed. Don't stick your head in the sand.

 

[Wtrfwl with Ruff]

Prayers sent your way good luck and hang in there....

 

[badbullgator]

Good luck and I hope everything comes out OK

 

[GoldDog]

Prayers sent. Sounds just like a friends dog that died of tick born disease last year but lots of blasto up in your area if I recall from researching it 10 years ago when the boy in my avatar got it. We caught early so only had eye symptom. Good luck.

 

[Stephen Smith]

Hope Trooper is doing better. This could also be Ehrlichia. Most Vet never check for this. I had a dog 10 years ago have it. He went downhill over night like Trooper did. With that said, with the right Meds he was back up and around in a few days and back training in 2 weeks. Here is a link about Ehrlichia: http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_ehrlichia_infection_in_dogs.html

Stephen

 

[Rainmaker]

Ehrlichia is tick borne and would be checked in the same test as for Lyme and anaplasmosis, etc. My male had it and did a real job on his joints, permanently, despite months of treatment, it was not acute onset and didn't catch it early. He's had a soft and early retirement, to be sure, but still a joy to have around.