Go Back   Pet forum for dogs cats and humans - Pets.ca > Discussion Groups - mainly cats and dogs > Dog health - Ask members * If your pet is vomiting-bleeding-diarrhea etc. Vet time!

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old January 1st, 2019, 01:58 PM
Dee-O-Gee's Avatar
Dee-O-Gee Dee-O-Gee is offline
You can call me DOG!
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Niagara, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 5,645
Question Immune-mediated Retinitis vs SARDS

Has any members experienced, first hand Immune-mediated Retinitis (IMR) OR Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration (SARDS) in your dogs vision?

Our Mollie was fortunate to see an Ophthalmologist recently and after having a chromatic pupil light reflex (cPLR) Test, there is a possibility that she may (and we hope) have IMR. She’s currently being treated with oral anti-inflammatory therapy and if caught early, it could correct some of her vision. The alternative is SARDS which is considered a silent syndrome where there is no treatment or cure to date.

Her symptoms started about Mid-October and the first anomaly was excessive drooling, depression and excessive urination. The excessive urination ended up in a UTI which we took her back to the Vet for antibiotics. At that time, I also requested we have a Complete Blood Count and Clinical Chemistry testing done. The results from the blood work all turned up fairly healthy results for a 9 year old dog.

By the end of November, I started noticing her bumping into things, not barking at squirrels when we walked and overall seeing difficulties. Back to the Vet we went and addressed this concern and he set up a little obstacle course in the examination room and down the hall. Needless to say, she failed the test and knocked over every obstacle. He immediately referred us to the Ophthalmologist and we are very pleased with the examination and her thoroughness. At this point, I’m just confused and worried if we would have diagnosed this impairment sooner with the medications Mollie was just prescribed that it wouldn’t have been to the extent of total blindness she is currently facing?

It seems that the number of SARDS cases have grown over the last 20 years and one has to wonder what has been (or is) causing a larger statistic of SARDS cases. So hoping this isn’t going to be Mollie’s diagnosis.
__________________
A dog wags his tail with his heart
Dogs have Masters--Cats have Staff

Rest in Peace Bailey: 12/10/95-1/9/09 (Golden Retriever)
Rest in Peace Kitty: 7/1/2000 - 10/7/2013
Rest in Peace Gryphon (sounds like Griffin): 10/15/2004 - 11/18/2017 (English Springer Spaniel)
Bella: 3/09/2005 LHD Cat adopted by/from Child
Mollie: 6/2/2009 (English Setter)
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old January 1st, 2019, 09:32 PM
hazelrunpack's Avatar
hazelrunpack hazelrunpack is offline
The Pack's Head Servant
Chopper Challenge Champion, Mini KickUps Champion, Bugz Champion, Snakeman Steve Champion, Shape Game Champion, Mumu Champion, Mouse Race Champion
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Just east of the Hazelnut Patch, Wisconsin
Posts: 53,771
Keeping Ms Mollie in our prayers!

We haven't had experience with either condition, so no advice to offer, but please don't beat yourself up about the timing. You've been doing all you could to get her diagnosed--not your fault if it's taking longer than you'd hoped, and there's no way to know if earlier intervention would have led to a different outcome, anyway.

that she gets some improvement from the meds for IMR. Hang in there!
__________________
"We are--each of us--dying; it's how we live in the meantime that makes the difference."

"It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived!"

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old January 2nd, 2019, 07:59 AM
Longblades Longblades is offline
Senior Contributor
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,528
I haven't heard of either of these but I will keep my ears open. I'm sorry it's your Mollie who has brought this to my attention. I hope it's the lessor evil for her.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old January 2nd, 2019, 09:34 PM
Dee-O-Gee's Avatar
Dee-O-Gee Dee-O-Gee is offline
You can call me DOG!
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Niagara, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 5,645
Thanks Hazel and Longblades. No changes in her behaviour today. IF it is the lesser of the two evils, the Vet said we could possibly see improvements within 5 to 7 days after the start of the medication therapy and she wants us to call her within the next 2 weeks either way.
__________________
A dog wags his tail with his heart
Dogs have Masters--Cats have Staff

Rest in Peace Bailey: 12/10/95-1/9/09 (Golden Retriever)
Rest in Peace Kitty: 7/1/2000 - 10/7/2013
Rest in Peace Gryphon (sounds like Griffin): 10/15/2004 - 11/18/2017 (English Springer Spaniel)
Bella: 3/09/2005 LHD Cat adopted by/from Child
Mollie: 6/2/2009 (English Setter)
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old January 7th, 2019, 04:52 PM
hazelrunpack's Avatar
hazelrunpack hazelrunpack is offline
The Pack's Head Servant
Chopper Challenge Champion, Mini KickUps Champion, Bugz Champion, Snakeman Steve Champion, Shape Game Champion, Mumu Champion, Mouse Race Champion
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Just east of the Hazelnut Patch, Wisconsin
Posts: 53,771
Any changes, DOG?
__________________
"We are--each of us--dying; it's how we live in the meantime that makes the difference."

"It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived!"

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old January 7th, 2019, 09:26 PM
Dee-O-Gee's Avatar
Dee-O-Gee Dee-O-Gee is offline
You can call me DOG!
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Niagara, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 5,645
Quote:
Originally Posted by hazelrunpack View Post
Any changes, DOG?
No changes in her sight yet Hazel but I'm going to remain optimistic until the Ophthalmologist says otherwise.

She overall seems to remain happy but has slowed down significantly. The other night when I let her out, she came about 10 feet away from a bunny just grazing in the grass. Bunny never moved but Mollie never spotted the bunny nor did she sense it being there either.
__________________
A dog wags his tail with his heart
Dogs have Masters--Cats have Staff

Rest in Peace Bailey: 12/10/95-1/9/09 (Golden Retriever)
Rest in Peace Kitty: 7/1/2000 - 10/7/2013
Rest in Peace Gryphon (sounds like Griffin): 10/15/2004 - 11/18/2017 (English Springer Spaniel)
Bella: 3/09/2005 LHD Cat adopted by/from Child
Mollie: 6/2/2009 (English Setter)
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Forum Terms of Use

  • All Bulletin Board Posts are for personal/non-commercial use only.
  • Self-promotion and/or promotion in general is prohibited.
  • Debate is healthy but profane and deliberately rude posts will be deleted.
  • Posters not following the rules will be banned at the Admins' discretion.
  • Read the Full Forum Rules

Forum Details

  • Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8
    Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
    vBulletin Optimisation by vB Optimise (Reduced on this page: MySQL 0%).
  • All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:45 AM.