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Old June 8th, 2004, 11:30 AM
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petdr petdr is offline
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Two main causes for this presentation: physical or mental. I would first start with a blood profile to assess kidney, liver, cardiac, thyroid status. The blood count will also note any infectious, anemia, and potentionally any cancerous process that may be contributing to this profile.

It is also important to address any painful process that may be present. If we can completely exclude any physical cause for the symptoms, then it is possibly a mental problem: senility, depression from the social isolation and fear brought on by blindness and deafness, possibly a brain tumor whether malignant or benign (and only MRI or CT scan can find these very well antemortem), etc.

Remember that canines are very social animals and do not tolerate isolation very well. For these depression cases I will use Prozac or Paxel, sometimes Valium. Speak to your veterinarian for further information.

Dr. Van Lienden

Dr. Raymond Van Lienden DVM
The Animal Clinic of Clifton
12702 Chapel Road, Clifton
Virginia, U.S.A. 20124
703-802-0490
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