What we're battling... (tashakota)

tashakota

So we're going to go to Purdue I guess.  Or at least try to. I'm not sure if they can get me in before I move.

Darned good vet school -- where are you moving to? (sorry, am out of the loop this week).

 I'll be honest I really have NO idea/suggestions but when I first saw the video I immediately thought it was a neurological issue. I couldn't watch the whole thing I feel so bad, I can only imagine how hard it is to watch your baby boy going through that. :-/ Sending good vibes to you and Kota, hope you can figure out what it is exactly.

 They can not get me in at Purdue till the 10th of January, and I plan to be in Oregon by then. I'm trying to get a hold of OSU (Oregon State Univ) in Corvalis, OR about if they accept out of state referrals. I don't want to have to go to a local vet just to have them do the same tests, find nothing conclusively wrong and send me on again. 

It was awful for me to have to make him walk. He is such a good boy and I had to get him off the couch because he wouldn't come to me.  :(  But I needed that to show the vet and she was thankful to have it as well.

Oh Leslie.  My heart was breaking for you & Kota as I watched the video.  I have no idea what it could be but please know that you have all the good vibes I can send to you & the little guy.  Give him some rubbies on his magnicifent ears from me.  ((Leslie))  Wish I could do more than just send good vibes.

tashakota

 They can not get me in at Purdue till the 10th of January, and I plan to be in Oregon by then. I'm trying to get a hold of OSU (Oregon State Univ) in Corvalis, OR about if they accept out of state referrals. I don't want to have to go to a local vet just to have them do the same tests, find nothing conclusively wrong and send me on again. 

Leslie *most* vet schools will take self-referrals.  Call their small animal hospital and ask what to do.  Tell them your situation and they will likely either ask for something from your vet to come along OR they'll just let you self-refer.  But this way you can find out what address/fax, etc. to have your vet send all Kota's records TO up there so nothing has to be re-done.

Typically vet schools are really easy to deal with.  You'll have a "student" when you first walk in who will do some intake and an intial exam (cos they gotta learn how to DO this).  Then the "vet" will come in and examine again (usually with the student present, but that all depends).  They are not gonna want to 're-do' anything if it's been done adequately before.  They WILL want that video, trust me. 

I'm VERY surprised that Purdue was that hard to 'get in'.  To ME this is pretty much emergency stuff cos he's in pain.  I've never been pushed back like that here (but then I tend to be 'take the bull by the horns' -- gee, whiz, if you can imagine that?? *sigh*)

Who called Purdue -- you or your vet?  Did you ask them if YOU could self-refer and get in earlier?? (I'm not being nasty here -- but sometimes vet's staff aren't helpful)

 He's not an emergency because his pain is manageable. It's not life-threatening.  I expected it actually, which is why I went ahead and called OSU. I talked with them and they do not have a neuro on staff, so I've left a message with my vet to call me tomorrow to see what she thought about seeing an ortho first, then if need be, go to a neuro. OSU doesn't have a neuro but there is a place in Portland that has both a neuro and an ortho. So I thought I would ask my vet again if she thought a neuro should be consulted because Purdue has both, which is why I thought she was sending me. But that was Tues at 8pm. lol.. ages ago. ;)  So she will call me tomorrow and I will ask again and then either contact OSU back or call the Portland place.

Callie, he is in pain, but he's not as bad as the video, All The Time. Only after any kind of exercise. So we haven't done anything other than off-leash in the house and potty pen.  He does a little bit of running out there but not a lot. Even after walks he would limp worse, so no exercise until we get in somewhere.    So we're doing lots of cuddle time and some tricks but I have to be careful to not do anything to put extra weight on that knee yet.

Am gonna send you my phone email and call me if you want.  While you're biding time, you could give him some White Flower or Woodlock oil and get some of the inflammation down and make it easier for him. 

If you've never had to deal with joint problems or arthritis on your own it can be helpful to know how the inflammation occurs and worsens. 

The other thing to consider strongly (especially since this isn't easy) is acupuncture.  It all depends on WHAT is wrong -- whether it is healable or will require surgery.  But acupuncture is incredible for pain and it helps *heal* an injury better than anything else. 

Again -- I can help you find someone up near where you'll be -- acupuncture is used A LOT in rural areas, believe it or not, simply because it is SO valueable with large animals and the veterinary world has learned that.  This isn't weirdo stuff -- it works and can often save surgery or lessen it a great deal.

calliecritturs

Again -- I can help you find someone up near where you'll be -- acupuncture is used A LOT in rural areas, believe it or not, simply because it is SO valueable with large animals and the veterinary world has learned that.  This isn't weirdo stuff -- it works and can often save surgery or lessen it a great deal.

 Leslie, I don't know where in Indiana you live, but there is a vet in Battle Ground that does acupuncture;

Battle Ground Veterinary Clinic, P.C.  

  It's a little sneaky, but I wonder if you could take him to Purdue as an emergency during their off hours? They are an emergency clinic for the vets in our area, from  6P.M. to  8A.M. daily. You go in the doors to the entryway and there's a phone to use to let them know you're there with an emergency. They come and unlock the inner doors to let you in. May be a way to see the neurologist. Sending healing vibes for the little guy and (((hugs))) for you.

 Thank you Callie and Jessies_mom. I have made an apointment with a neurologist in Oregon that we will see on the 11th.  I talked with my vet again and she feels it might be a degeneration of the myelopathy so she felt a neurologist would be the person to see.  I live in Bloomington, IN so Lafayette is a two hour drive or so.

I put him on Metacam, a pain med, for his pain last Wednesday and it made me realize how much pain he's been in recently. He's back to being a bratty little mutt again. :)  He would still get moments of brattiness, but not like he used to. I just didn't realize it because it disappears so gradually. It made me sad to realize how much pain he must have been in lately and that I hadn't noticed. Chocked it up to getting old, etc.

I took them out to play in the snow a bit on Sunday again and then after getting back in, iced his knee for a while.  I'm glad to say that later that evening he was not nearly as bad as he had been when I shot that video.

Callie, I appreciate your offers of help.  Right now I'm trying to get through the next 3 weeks of my life and Kota must take a second seat since it's not an emergency. I care very much about the little guy but I have to deal with those things I have to deal with first.  I think it would be better to wait and start with a fresh look in Oregon as well. That way any therapies, surgeries, etc will be with the same folks going forward instead of changing in the middle.(This week is finishing packing my house to load into a trailer this weekend, then next week living with my sister for a week, then hitting the road to drive to Oregon on the 26th! There's a lot going on right now, not excuses, but I have his pain managed right now and he's doing much better, not a cure, but a bandaid for a couple weeks)

I know that Metacam is an NSAID, at least I know it's an anti-inflammatory. Callie would you suggest milk thistle? And where do I get something like that?