#1
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Wheaten is trembling, has lost weight, seems depressed...please help!?
Ginger, my nine year old soft-coated wheaten terrier, has changed drastically over the last couple months. It started with general lethargy, but soon we noticed that she trembles and shakes, mostly her limbs but it also appears to be her whole body. This goes away when she's relaxed and in a deep sleep. However, she has also lost weight, down from 38 lbs to 31 lbs, and her appetite has decreased which is highly unusual for this chow-hound. She doesn't enjoy her favorite foods anymore and when she eats, it's not with a lot of gusto like before. She still likes to go in the car and for walks, and doesn't seem to have any impairment in that way. I took her to the snow yesterday and she ran around like crazy, for awhile and then she had enough. But overall, she's not the same dog. When I do take her in the car, she just lays in the back and won’t even look up, even when we stop. Seems depressed and "spaces out," lays around all the time, doesn't rush to greet me at the door anymore, no more doggy-kisses, the tail hardly ever wags...
I have taken her for numerous tests at the vet. All the blood work looks good, I had them test for Addison's with no positive results. They did x-rays and they looked pretty normal. Checked for urinary tract infection, parasites, etc., and all negative. We tried her on Rimadyl for possible arthritis but that doesn't seem to be the problem. They have done an ultrasound of her abdomen and heart, everything looked good expect for a "not 100% looking liver," but nothing they thought could cause this illness. I am taking her to an internist this week, but right now I am very discouraged and worried. I love this dog so much and just want her to feel well and be happy. Can anyone help with a similar experience, or any recommendations? Please let me know, or pass on any questions you have for me!!! Thank you very much. |
#2
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Hi rkmerkel , the trembling is due to her not feeling good. Is she pooping / peeing ok ?
Sometimes the trembling can be cause just by an upset stomach. Have you tried things to make her eat ? Like mixing yummy stuff in her kibble ? It's hard to say for the loss weight , after all these tests |
#3
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Hi Frenchy,
Thank you for replying. Yep, the pooping and peeing seem to be pretty normal. I have been making her all sorts of special food for the past couple of weeks, just to keep the weight on her. She will not eat the kibble whatsoever anymore, or even the wet food she used to love. Seems like a mixture of ground beef and rice gets her interest a little but she only eats a bit then walks away. She will also eat a little bit of bread with peanut butter. Anyway, it's really hard to know if the trembling is because she's not feeling well, or if there is a nerve/muscle issue going on. It almost seems like the way a person's muscles shake after an extreme workout - and it intensifies when she gets excited or nervous. |
#4
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My golden used to tremble a lot when he wasn't feeling well.
You could try satin balls to make her eat. I don't know of any dogs that didn't love it , here is how I make mine (there's different recipes) 5 pounds of ground beef (lean) 5 cups of oats 3/4 cup olive oil 3/4 cup of molasses (melasse) 6 eggs 1 can of pumpkin puree (not the pie filing , the pure one) 500 mg of cottage cheese everything must be raw (eggs and beef) and for let's say , a 80 lbs dog , I would make the balls as big as a tennis ball. I made a batch and freeze them. If you do try it , you can't feed this with kibble , as they don't digest it at the same time. |
#5
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Sorry she is going through all this. One thing I didn't see in the list was her teeth? Could she have a dental issue that's causing her pain? It sounds like it could be pain triggered. Don't know just an idea.
Norm |
#6
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That certainly could be it !! Pets do get sick from something as simple as a tooth or gums infection.
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#7
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Thank you Frenchy! I will see how she likes it.
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#8
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You know, I wondered the same thing at first. They did a cursory check of her teeth at the vet and I guess didn't see anything obvious. And I thought that the Rimadyl (anti-inflammatory) would have addressed any pain associated with the teeth. I think it's worth looking into with the vet though - thank you!
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#9
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how frustrating to have done all those test and not get an answer! I hope you figure things out, definitely try Frenchy's satin ball recipe!
__________________
Owned by: Solomon - black DSH - king of kitchen raids (11) Gracie - Mutterooski X - scary smart (9) Jaida - GSD - tripod trainwreck and gentle soul (4) Heidi - mugsly Boston Terrier X - she is in BIG trouble!!! (3) Audrey - torbie - sweet as pie (11 months) Patrick - blue - a little turd (but we like him anyways) (6 months) __________ Boo, our Matriarch (August 1 1992 - March 29 2011) Riley and Molly |
#10
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Thanks bendyfoot!
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#11
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Do let us know what the internist says next week ok?
__________________
Owned by: Solomon - black DSH - king of kitchen raids (11) Gracie - Mutterooski X - scary smart (9) Jaida - GSD - tripod trainwreck and gentle soul (4) Heidi - mugsly Boston Terrier X - she is in BIG trouble!!! (3) Audrey - torbie - sweet as pie (11 months) Patrick - blue - a little turd (but we like him anyways) (6 months) __________ Boo, our Matriarch (August 1 1992 - March 29 2011) Riley and Molly |
#12
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Out of curiosity, rkmerkel, what region are you located in? Some diseases are more common in one area than another... Might be helpful, also, to know if you're in a rural or urban area?
__________________
"We are--each of us--dying; it's how we live in the meantime that makes the difference." "It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived!" "Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle." |
#13
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Thanks so much for the concern everyone. I will definitely post what the internist reports. I am located in Seattle.
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#14
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We have a dog currently being treated for leptospirosis--luckily, a mild case--where the only symptoms were lethargy, trembling, and cold-intolerance. She never got to the point where she wasn't eating, but we caught it early. Have they run a lepto titer on your dog, yet?
We also have seen similar symptoms from some of the tick-borne diseases, but I'm not sure how common those might be in your area (we're in Tick Central, USA, so we deal with them a lot). I hope the internist can help you pin down a cause!
__________________
"We are--each of us--dying; it's how we live in the meantime that makes the difference." "It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived!" "Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle." |
#15
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To my knowledge, they haven't run a specific lepto test on her. I guess they don't feel like her symptoms completely point to that. I will mention it to the internist though, along with the tick-borne diseases. Thanks!
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#16
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Quote:
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#17
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Yep, it's all raw, no cooking. Just dump in a bowl, mix with your hands, mmmm mmmm good!
__________________
Owned by: Solomon - black DSH - king of kitchen raids (11) Gracie - Mutterooski X - scary smart (9) Jaida - GSD - tripod trainwreck and gentle soul (4) Heidi - mugsly Boston Terrier X - she is in BIG trouble!!! (3) Audrey - torbie - sweet as pie (11 months) Patrick - blue - a little turd (but we like him anyways) (6 months) __________ Boo, our Matriarch (August 1 1992 - March 29 2011) Riley and Molly |
#18
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mmm mmm good is not what comes into my mind when I put my hands in the mix
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#19
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Oh, right. I meant: OMNOMNOMNOMNOM!!!!!!!
__________________
Owned by: Solomon - black DSH - king of kitchen raids (11) Gracie - Mutterooski X - scary smart (9) Jaida - GSD - tripod trainwreck and gentle soul (4) Heidi - mugsly Boston Terrier X - she is in BIG trouble!!! (3) Audrey - torbie - sweet as pie (11 months) Patrick - blue - a little turd (but we like him anyways) (6 months) __________ Boo, our Matriarch (August 1 1992 - March 29 2011) Riley and Molly |
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#21
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Hi everyone,
Well, apparently I have the one strange dog out there that did not like the satin balls! I'm sure it's due to her illness, normally she would have wolfed them down, I'm sure. Thanks for the suggestion though. One thing I wanted to add about Ginger is that she has had two episodes of pericardial effusion in the past year. We first experienced it in March and then in October. Her heart sack filled with fluid and it had to be drained out, and after the draining she always seem to feel much better. When the doctors performed an ultrasound on her abdomen a couple weeks ago, they also looked at her heart to see that it hadn't filled with fluid again. Everything looked fine. But I can't help but wonder if her current illness isn't somehow related to this history. For the record, the doctors were never able to find a reason for the pericardial effusion, as we had an ultrasound of her heart done at that time and an EKG, and everything appeared normal. Ginger is just considered to be one of these dogs that can get this occasionally, and for no apparent reason. |
#22
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no way ! that's too bad but don't give up , maybe tomorrow she'll like them ? if she's not use to raw meat , it could take a while.
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#23
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Hi everyone,
Just want to give an update on what the specialist suspects is going on with Ginger. She tested positive for Cushing's, but doesn't have all the classic symptoms. Because her signs are neurological too (the trembling and spacy-ness), the doctors think that this could be mass in her brain that is somehow also affecting the pituitary gland to cause some Cushing's-like symptoms. Obviously, I am beside my self with worry, but trying to keep it in perspective until we have the brain scan tomorrow, to find out for sure what's going on. Please keep Ginger (and me) in your thoughts and prayers - thank you!!!! Becca |
#24
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I'm so sorry Becca but yes , let's wait for the results and hope for the best !!
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#25
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Very definitely, you're both in my thoughts and prayers, Becca!
__________________
"We are--each of us--dying; it's how we live in the meantime that makes the difference." "It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived!" "Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle." |
#26
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Becca, sending lots of for Ginger.
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#27
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Thank you all so much, it really means a lot. She is in the process of having her MRI right now, so I will know more this evening.
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#28
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I wonder if the vet has checked Ginger out for a protein-losing condition. This can happen in Wheatens. They produce a variety of symptoms, but weight-loss and lack of appetite are common symptoms (of course these symptoms are pretty generic, so it could be many things), but I think this is something that you may want to ask them about. I had heard about this because a friend's Wheaten was diagnosed with protein-losing enteropathy, and I had done some research at that time.
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#29
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rkmerkel, how is Ginger?
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#30
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Any news, Becca?
__________________
"We are--each of us--dying; it's how we live in the meantime that makes the difference." "It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived!" "Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle." |
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