Not getting any nutrients from food + chronic ear infections

Tufts tends to be expensive --- Cornell is a top notch school *and* it tends to be extremely reasonable.  It''s worth the distance -- it can more than compensate for taking a day or two off work (call Tufts and ask -- but I'm betting it's thousands more)

 Thank you so much for that advice. I will be adding the calcium and vitamin b for sure. She's heading in for a CT scan tomorrow to see what's happening in those ears!

 My brain is fried.....I forgot to mention that THANKFULLY Kismet's liver is fine. They did an ultrasound and a bile acids test yesterday and all is good. PHEW!!!!! Apparently all her organs look pretty darn good for her age so Phew! one more time. Finally cleared for this CT scan......she's in so much pain, doesn't want to drink, can barely eat....the Vet still look perplexed over the jolts of pain she gets so I actually caught it on video HA! My specialist right now is actually a Cornell grad...I was going over her diplomas with a fine toothed comb before she came into her office ;-) I'm very impressed with this new place, actually I can't believe how much like a human hospital it really is, it's incredible. That being said, still don't know what they charge for the ear ablation surgery yet, and if they still can't figure out what's wrong we are road tripping to Ithaca.

Sounds like you have a good plan--sending lots of prayers for a diagnosis and some real pain relief for Kizmit. Your new vet can consult with the vet school staff, too--and, it shouldn't cost too much (might even be free since she's an alumna :-)  It might be good to have them double check to make sure Kiz isn't getting dehydrated from not wanting to drink. You may need to try to get liquid into her other ways, too. Callie can probably provide some good ideas about how to get her to drink.Good job thinking to video the pain jolts--yeah!

 Sending healing vibes for Kizmit. I really, really hope they find out what's wrong; {{{{{hugs}}}}}

Even just a baby medicne syringe -- you can put it behind her canine tooth and just dribble water in her mouth -- it probably hurts to bend her head to drink and it MAY hurt her to swallow.

Do you know how to tell if she's dehydrated??  Pinch some skin between thumb and first finger and just gently lift it up and let go -- it if stays 'tented' she's dehydrated.  It's important to KEEP her hydrated -- they can give her fluids at the vet (you can do sub-Q at home but not when she's going in tomorrow). 

You may get her to lick some frozen pedialyte (you can get the frozen popsicles and even mush them up and give her just a bit in her mouth so it goes down slowly. 

 Many thanks for the well wishes everyone. They are greatly appreciated.

I won't have the full results until tomorrow but the CT scan did not show anything going on in her ears. The Dr. said there were definite changes in the middle ear from the chronic infections but other than that...nothing. What they did see was, and I quote, "some hydrocephalus", I believe the Dr. was having whoever the Gods of CT scans are there focus in on that being the possible problem. She feels it's neurological. I kinda almost agree with her now. I'd so rather this be the ears if it has to be something at all. I am SO  glad I caught the "jolt" on video, they actually watched it before they did the scan.

I'm still stuck with a pooch in peril here. Callie, they did give her fluids the other day but for some reason left me to my own devices now. I have given her water with the syringe before, looks like I'm going to have to do that now. I'm definitely going to try the pedialyte too. I don't suppose you can reply to this and say they are wrong it's her ears? Fingers crossed that Dr. Callie is also knowledgeable in canine neurological disorders...

I WILL find out what's wrong with this poor baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From here I can't tell -- however -- it all depends on the state of the inner ears -- and if they think they can salvage the ears RAH!!!!! 

The ears are so closely allied with all the nerves that go to the face and brain -- that inflammation can spread.  and remember -- it's going to upset balance and everything else.  Pure stress can cause seizure activity -- and this qualifies. 

Don't let them just plop her on something like phenobarb -- seriously, TCVM is SO good for that.  But you'll have to get rid of the infection in order to do ANYTHING I would think.

 I'm at a complete loss now. The final report from the Dr. was that the fluid they saw was normal for a peke and that although there are changes in the structure to the ear canal with her left ear being the worse, that it was their feeling that the ears are not the cause. They are sticking with neurological and say the MRI is the only other next step. My problem with that is that the CT scan which was recommended by the Dr. was $1300+ and now she tells me the MRI which they do not do there would be around $1600....why on earth would I have not spent $300 more for an MRI!!!! Angry, very angry. I'm scared I'm going spend all my money on finding what's wrong and not have enough left to fix it.

What's worse is that I still have a miserable dog here. I can't get her to drink from a bowl inside but when I take her to the fresh water stream in the back of my house she gulps down the water there. This dog has an appetite too. She eagerly takes food until the jolt happens. I've noticed her ears are moving around a lot. She's pretty much deaf with exception to certain pitches and really loud noises. Can't tell if she's trying to hear something or her ears are bugging her. I haven't given her the Zymox since last Friday. She does want me to rub her left ear when I touch it. I don't smell anything funky coming out.

I'm stumped. Do I maybe take this CT scan to another specialist?  This current Dr. is still the Gastro specialist, ears aren't her specialty.

Was this at Cornell or was this a specialist?

From here I'd go to the TCVM vet.  I've got a couple more ideas but I can't do more here at work.  The TCVM vet is going to know how to address ANYTHING neuro.

 This was the specialist. There is a TCVM vet near me. I'm checking on that right now. She does act "out there" at times but I don't know if that's from pain or neurological.

 Looks like the vets close to me listed on TCVM site are no longer around. Seeing some in NYC but that's such a hassle, hour train ride...going back and forth would not be easy, or cheap. Of course I'll do it if that's my only alternative. I'm glad we are having a beautiful spring day here because Kismet has refused to come inside today. I might have to pitch the tent up in the backyard. She's calmest when outside. Nothing has changed inside, no new smells, no new cleaning stuff. This is all just kooky.

Amanda, Can you get in touch with the folks at Cornell? Perhaps your doctors can send all the info up there? I'm not sure how much it would cost (and it sounds like the tests so far have been very expensive).

Frisby drinks outside now, too--pretty much exclusively (started when she got sick last year). We just say it tastes better--I think the water is probably cooler.

Sending continued prayers and lots of positive energy for a diagnosis so you can help Kiz feel better!

 Well the prayers and positive energy seem to be working. Kismet's been acting really good this weekend. Last night she even woke me up to get on the bed where she normally sleeps. This morning she just walked right up to the water bowl and drank. No matter what this turns out to be I'm just thankful she seems to be happy and peaceful right now. Lot's of calls to make on Monday. Callie I wrote to TCVM just waiting on an answer. I did find a really good place about an hour away but got a little scared when I saw the head Doc has been on Oprah AND it's where Martha Stewart takes her puppies. It seems fabulous but I need to call and find out prices. I don't know if Kiz and I are that high society! I'm gonna call Cornell and see what they have to say.

Thank you everyone! Hope all of you and your pups are enjoying the beautiful weather!!

Amanda&Kiz

. Callie I wrote to TCVM just waiting on an answer. I did find a really good place about an hour away but got a little scared when I saw the head Doc has been on Oprah AND it's where Martha Stewart takes her puppies. It seems fabulous but I need to call and find out prices. I don't know if Kiz and I are that high society!

Now *that* likely wouldn't be my thing ... I'd rather have a practice where I get personal attention from the vet and not an upity highly publicized one.  Last I knew Oprah was using Arboretum in Chicago... and yep, they have one of those "acpunctyre vets on staff for those who want it" but it's NOT someone who does TCVM as a PREFERENCE.  The thing about TCVM that is SO valuable is that exam -- and that takes time and requires someone who really uses TCVM as their whole practice focus.

Cornell is a super good place -- it would have been my first choice for a regular vet for you.