My Poor Dog: Tick Borne disease plus so many other issues

[BrLane]

Took Oliver in this AM for his latest PCV test. Down a bit again to 24. Vet pretty disappointed. I understand there is always a small percentage error rate in these tests so to me it seems he's just staying fairly steady for the most part. Since we have started, 4 weeks ago with the PCV tests (normal range 37-55):

8/27 (27)
9/4 (25)
9/12 (24)
9/20 (27)
9/26 (24)

This was after one week on a lowered dose of Prednisone (from 12.5mg 2x per day to 10mg 2x per day), and Immuran down to every other day dose, and the other immunosuppressant, Atopica (which was added on 9/12), reduced to 1x per day. Doxy at 130mg 2x per day (in addition to the other 2 antibiotics, meds for his kidneys and liver).

His temp was normal but since last Friday he has been still suffering from the stuffy nose. After putting him back on the Carafate his post nasal drip has been a bit better, but still miserable with the nose...waking up at night every couple hours sorting and sniffling for about 30 minutes before he can settle down again. I seems to me it could be acid reflux (after all we are shooting that Doxy down his throat 2x per day). Yesterday I started giving him some liquefied coconut oil before the Doxy in order to coat his throat, hoping that would help. Fluid looked clear to me but vet today said it looked slightly greenish. She said he could have caught a bug--after all he is coming to the vet's office weekly, or it could be tumor--although he has not had any more bleeding and that would require scoping his nose to find out. She recommended I try "little noses", a nasal spray for babies...I need to find it somewhere. It's yet one more drug but I'd like to see if it makes him more comfortable (and I can only use it for 3 days).

So our vet was sort of at a loss. I think she is more used to the Ehrlichia cases that clear up quickly, not the possibly chronic ones. She said it could still be cancer, and they could do a bone marrow test to check. She also said she could recommend an internal medicine specialist but that they would want to do a bone marrow test as well. I'd rather not put Oliver through that right now. After all, if it is cancer, what could we do at this point? and she said lots of times you cannot tell anything from the tests anyway.

I asked about trying getting him off the immunosuppressants and steroids and keeping him on the Doxy (what worked for Timber) and she said we could give it a try. I'm going to reduce his Prednisone down another 25% today, we are done with the Imuran and she wanted to keep him on the Atopica for now, and I am going to bring him back in next Tuesday for another PCV test just to make sure he's not getting worse. I opted to wait on the full panel of blood tests for now (to check his liver etc.), but may do that when I visit next week.

[SuperWanda]

Good that your vet agrees to cut out the other meds.

Do you give the doxy with food? With Timber, I did give with a full meal because it can cause tummy upset and not with calcium which you probably already know as calcium can bind to the doxy and make it less effective.

I hope nasal cancer is not the case. Is the vet not thinking the stuffy nose goes with the tick disease?

[BrLane]

Yes I always give the Doxy with food. Calcium isn't a problem as I can't get him to eat anything dairy really...actually he's not wanting to eat much at all right now...seems to be like an every other day cycle with the eating.

Because he's been on the Doxy for 4 weeks it doesn't seem like the runny nose is from the tick disease but could be the case. Either that or he's caught a virus since he probably has virtually no immune system. It hasn't gotten better nor worse in a week

Went to 6 places this evening and couldn't find the Little Remedies/Noses decongestant. All they have is the saline. Gave up and bought that. Hopefully it will help a bit. He wasn't too happy about me putting it up his nose.

[BrLane]

So now this morning I think Oliver is starting to have problems with his eyesight. He always has had depth perception issues with one eye, but now I think he's loosing it in both...doesn't seem to be able to see his food well when he drops it on the floor, needed guidance walking in the door this AM..was afraid to cross the threshold

So I know this, as well as the runny/stuffy nose are symptoms of Ehrlichosis, but being he's been on Doxy for 4 weeks it is frustrating that symptoms keep appearing.

I wonder if reducing the Prednisone by another 25% on Friday is causing swelling with his eyes and reducing his vision?

I'm at such a loss...it seems instead of improving more symptoms keep popping up to make him even more miserable.

Eating remained an issue all day yesterday. This morning he did eat better but still only wants lunch meat or chicken. I offered him so many different things yesterday that he turned up his nose to I'm starting to get frustrated.

Update: yes he's pretty much blind. Breaks my heart to see this happening to him. I'm going to bring his Prednisone up to the dose he's been on the past week tonight and will give the vet a call in the AM.

[MaxaLisa]

Originally Posted by BrLane

.....

So I know this, as well as the runny/stuffy nose are symptoms of Ehrlichosis, but being he's been on Doxy for 4 weeks it is frustrating that symptoms keep appearing.

With all the immune suppressants, I wouldn't count on the doxy do much of anything, except hopefully keeping it from getting worse.

Originally Posted by BrLane

I wonder if reducing the Prednisone by another 25% on Friday is causing swelling with his eyes and reducing his vision?

I'm at such a loss...it seems instead of improving more symptoms keep popping up to make him even more miserable.

Eating remained an issue all day yesterday. This morning he did eat better but still only wants lunch meat or chicken. I offered him so many different things yesterday that he turned up his nose to I'm starting to get frustrated.

Update: yes he's pretty much blind. Breaks my heart to see this happening to him. I'm going to bring his Prednisone up to the dose he's been on the past week tonight and will give the vet a call in the AM.

I'm so very sorry about this, it's very scary. I don't know how recoverable that is. I have seen it get better in Lyme. My dog would be afraid of the dark because of her vision when she wasn't being treated, though we never had a diagnosis for her.

Dogs generally seem to show a serious loss of condition when the disease reaches the chronic stage. I've seen dogs that died of it described as 'emaciated'. A dog may cough or have trouble breathing. Sooner or later, the dog may go blind. He may develop an excessive thirst and urinate more than he normally would, signaling kidney involvement. He may develop a disorder of the eye, brain or spinal cord. Nothing seems to be beyond this disease.
https://sites.google.com/site/tickbo...s/ehrlichiosis

I just looked up on the tick list and found a dog with ehrlichia that went blind, the retinas detached. Treated with pred and doxy, and they ultimately reattached. Later the dog relapsed, but the retinas stayed attached. Uevitis is a known symptom of ehrlichia.

Pred can also cause blindness, or contribute to it. The quick google I found implicated causing glaucoma. With my mom, it contributed to her macular degneration.

This is heartbreaking, and the bath is not completely clear, I'm so sorry

[BrLane]

Thanks MaxLisa for all your advice - I really appreciate it and I've learned so much about this horrible disease.

Oliver isn't doing well at all. I am afraid he may be to far gone for use to save him. As of yesterday afternoon he has gotten very weak -- hard to stand on slippery floors and it looks like possibly his liver is now enlarged. He's skin and bones and of course very confused by the blindness. Breaks my heart watching him try to even drink water...he can not even tell how far to reach for it. The color in his tongue/gums has not gotten any worse from what I can tell, but he's fairly listless. The sinus meds the vet recommended helps slightly but he's still very congested. I have taken the day off to work from home so I can help him and waiting for one of the vets to call me back. Mine is out this week. At this point my husband and I have decided that we don't want to try any new treatments or tests...we just want to make him comfortable. Tests have already shown renal failure and a mass in his spleen, on top of the hepatitis. I think it's all just too much. It breaks my heart to watch him like this and I'm struggling to tell if he's ready to go or not. I can't even look into his eyes now to see how he may be feeling...they are like blue reflecting pools

[MaxaLisa]

My heart is breaking for you, I am so sorry that he I so severly ill. I wouldn't do anymore testing at this point either. I had forgotten about the mass on the spleen too, that could be different things

I so wanted things to turn around. I would keep at it until he can't anymore. It's a crapshoot which ones will turn around, but it's not looking good, I agree. ((Hug))

[SuperWanda]

I'm so sorry BrLane. It's terrible to read this. You have obviously done so much to try and help him. I'm so sorry you are not seeing improvement. It is so difficult when they are illl and you are trying everything to make them feel better. Sending you and Oliver

[MaxaLisa]

Thinking of you guys.....

[hazelrunpack]

That's heartbreaking to here, BrLane. Keeping you all in my thoughts and prayers.

[BrLane]

We helped Oliver over the Rainbow Bridge yesterday. He declined very rapidly starting on Monday. By the time he went he had a raging fever on top of everything else. Watching his decline was truly heart breaking. Although we were only 5 minutes from the vet we opted to have a local hospice "Paws Into Grace" come to our home to help send him on his way in his favorite bed (I don't think I will every use a vet for this process again...this was so much more comforting). Then we drove to my mother's home (where I grew up) out in the country and buried him under a beautiful pistachio tree...he loved it out there.

Thank you everyone for your support and advice. All I know is that I learned a lot about a horrible illness that I never even knew existed. In his honor I'm going to do everything possible to make sure every dog owner I know is aware of what to look for in this Ehrlichosis -- I don't want anyone else to have to go through what our poor Oliver had to endure. If only we'd have caught it when it was in the initial acute stages this would not have happened.

Worried about our other dog Lady. At first she was sort of indifferent to his illness, but during that last 2 days when it was pretty clear he wasn't going to make it, she started showing her concern. She's a bit depressed right now. We are going to give her lots of love and extra attention. Hopefully she'll be OK.

[SuperWanda]

I'm so sorry. That is a terrible thing to go through. We don't have ehrilchiosis here but I know it can be difficult to treat and you tried everything you could to help him. Oliver was very lucky to have you.

My thoughts are with you and Lady during this difficult time.

[hazelrunpack]

So sorry for your loss of Oliver, BrLane. He was obviously very well-loved. Give Lady a hug from me, pls.

Oliver

[Barkingdog]

Oliver I am sorry for your lost. http://www.peteducation.com/article....2+2102&aid=430 tis web site said ehrilchiosis can be found world wide.

[MaxaLisa]

Ehrlichia is particularly deadly, and there are many forms, and some local strains (not sure if that's the right word), they don't even have tests for. It is a nasty, terrible disease, that has killed many dogs. There is a version of ehrlichia, now labeled Neorickettsia risticii. This isn't on the standard screening tests, and a longterm member of the tick list knows of only two dogs that have survived this TBD.

But none of that helps right now, because I know you have this big hole in your heart. And losing a dog to TBD is traumatic, and leaves a special type of pain.

I am so very very sorry ((hug)) Oliver

[BrLane]

Thanks everyone.