Facial muscle loss

Hi All

I sorta lost this site and have been pretty busy with all 3 of my dogs :-(

Shep has an ear infection (that he gets yearly)

Kipper liver infection. Is what they think (waiting on tests) possible cushions?

Fantasia is really in for a rough ride. I couldn't sleep so decided to find this site again..A month ago we took tasia to the vet for an eye infection. They gave her med's sent us home. Over a couple weeks we noticed her face wasn't looking right and she was slightly whinning. Took her to the vet today.
I'm still kind of confused on what is going on,they are running tests. She has lost all her muscle on right side of her face. You can feel her bones. Something to do with Immune system and thyroid..She may loose all face muscles, won't be able to eat etc..I'm so sad and angry. Shes a great healthy dog. Anyone with similar experience who would like to share?

There's a disease that I cannot for the life of me think of the name right now that presents like you are describing. If it's caught early enough, the dog can make it through. I'll try to find the information on it. A breeder I know had a pup turn up with it at about 9 months of age. Wishing good thoughts for yours. :fingerscr

Found what I was looking for:

http://www.upei.ca/~cidd/Diseases/nervous%20system%20disorders/myasthenia%20gravis.htm

Have they checked her ears, there is a nerve that runs under the ear canal if the innner ear become infected inflamed can press on the nerve and can lead to a condition like bell's palsy in humans. In some cases treating the ear the nerve will recover, I had adopted a dog with, who in his previous home was very neglected and health problems were left untreated, his was bilateral affect both sides of the face, which did not recover , eating and drinking was very sloppy since he could not feel the food and water in his mouth, I has to wash his face after eating , he drooled alot since in voluntary swallowing of saliva was not occuring and he required eye ointments to be applied a few times a day he lived another 3 1/2 years passed away to other causes. If an ear problem and caught early a steroidal ear drop like Panalog should be able to reduce the inflammation and unpinch the nerve so it functions again and hopefully a 100% recovery. THis is the most common cause for facial palsy in dogs, being she was whining, it would indicate possible pain, inner ears infections are painful so makes this the more likely cause

Stage two lyme disease(caused by ticks) causes neurological abnormalities in most dogs you would see lameness, but possibly it can can cause Bell's Palsy like it does in humans, a bloodtest checking for lyme can confirm and it is treated with a high dose oof antibiotics like tetracycline with usually 100% recovery.

If thyroid related a blood test would confirm (has she had a history of skin ear problem, weight gain, become lethargic and change in personality such as become depressed etc?) usually would see other symptoms before neuro problems would show up, but treatment is with thyroid meds unless the glands are diseased, some neuro problems may resolve themselves but at worst treatment would stop the progression


I found an online article on facial paralysis in dogs and it seems to cover all my original thoughts of what could be happening including the lyme disease which I was not sure if it cause facial paralysis in dog, according to this article it can

http://www.provet.co.uk/health/diseases/facialparalysis.htm

Also can be caused by other diseases.

There is no treatment for the facial paralysis itself, your vet has to find the underlying cause and treat that instead and more often that not, 100% or near recovery can be obtained, even if there is less than 100% recovery a dog can still have a good quality life with a little extra care

Ontario and BMD Thank you for sharing the links. I found the vet invoice that I crumbled up and threw away..Of course it was wet and faded.
I can see Immune Antibody Deficiency that I scribbled on the back.
(Which searching on web it could be a lot of things)

The only other problem she has ever had was a female parts infection.

I really feel this all started with the eye infection, which I honestly think she did it when rubbing her face on the carpet because she probably felt something happening. I feel bad for not asking them to do blood work then.

They did check her ears which they said said looks great-I'll ask them to dig deeper when we go back.

Actauly I'm going to print all this out and hand it to the vet.. Thank You

Will post an update when I get more information