Please help, what are the vets & hospital not seeing?

[Kneesbendarmstretchrarara]

I’ve crying non-stop for 3 days, not slept, it came on literally with a click of the fingers. No unusual walks or anything else to speak of.

Gone from loving tug o’war with squeeky toys, thinking everyone that comes to the house is here for him (& making it known!) , wanting his Kong daily, jumping on the sofa to the following:

Wobbling, unsteady, every time he tries to walk no matter how little the distance, even just from one room to the next

Right foot constantly ‘going under/back on itself’ and on 1 occasion it was stretched straight off the ground and he couldn’t flex it or put it down

Both front legs crossing over each other in attempting to walk

Collapsing, his right leg can’t hold him, his left doesn’t balance him out so he falls forward onto his face/top of his head. Terrifying to see.

Can get up onto my bed to a degree with a real struggle but needs human help to get down

Unbalanced on rear legs 50% of the time

Am beyond desperate and sad. Couldn’t go to work today as he can’t be left for his own safety. 7 year old Dalmatian with no history at all.

Vets & specialist hospital are stumped, even after £7k’s worth of investigations. Only thing showing up is significant inflammation somewhere but arthritis has been ruled out.

Only (& last) option now is MRI on brain, but in the meantime I’m wondering if there’s anything they could have missed. They’ve ultrasounded all internal organs, x-rayed his legs & neck, MRI’d his spine, taken fluids from all joints. Nothing muscular and nothing neuro related apparently.

I just need some words & a handhold. My heart is collapsing with him.

This time last week was his last night I’ll have to deal with the anniversaries now.

I know. You just need to do what will get you through love.

I saw that trailer and thought of you and Alfie but honestly there are so many more failures than successes esp with such a difficult dx.

You gave him all you could and more, and he knew it.

I was with mine for those happy times in the photos and I also held them as they died. It was agony but my duty and my privilege. We then have to deal with the tsunami of trauma and loss. But they don't. Hope this makes sense.

Tsunami. That’s the word.

I lit a candle at the time of day this afternoon to the minute to remember his last breath a week ago. I put it in his favourite place in the house (my bed!) and made sure I was watching a happy pre-illness video of him.

I am hoping it’s marked the end of week 1 so to enable me to move on a bit now.

Vestibular can present without the eye flicking - or that only happens when first show symptoms. How long has it been? It does normally resolve itself, I know one dog that was in hospital for over a week and was in terrible state but he did make full recovery. If it is vestibular check for blood pressure too as can be caused by high BP but there are other causes including "we just don't know".

Hope it's something like that as v good chance of positive outcome - sometimes vets go so far down rabbit hole they can miss the simple things. But hope he's home with you soon, sounds like he has everything on his side with mum that cares so much

I know you mean well but you clearly have not rtft

@psicat Please read the full thread

Thankyou Grinchly xx

@kneesbendarmstretchrara You are doing very very well. It is so much healthier and more dignified to face the pain rather than bury it or try to drown it.

The little ceremony you describe ( if I may call it that) sounds just right- and such a good idea to start watching videos of Alfie in his glorious spotty prime.

I just wonder whether it might be a good idea to post again in dog house with a title that suits the current situation as I think most people will only stumble across it as a fairly niche medical issue. That is, if you want to increase the responses. You could always link back to this thread to explain the history.

Spotted a Dalmatian today on the way to the station, wearing a natty red coat. I wanted to say hi bit he was too busy reading his weemail at the bus stop.

Sorry posted too soon. That is an old paw print picture ( clear if enlarged). Paw prints on the heart and soul.

I will do that. It didn’t occur to me to start afresh Don’t know what to title it, will have a think.

Red is the best colour for our spotted ones. Alfie’s ‘necklace’ was exactly that

Nc fail! Tis still Knees

@kellysbellies
So easy to get things wrong in the desire to help.
Golden rule with spots on: please, for the love of doG read the fulll thread.

knees we can 'tag' each other by doing @ then the name of the poster( have learned this recently as don't do twitter) that means it will pop up in your email.

Your nickname is long and hard to get right so you won't always get notifications even if people try.

I would start a new thread in doghouse titled something like - I don't know, 'Devastated at his loss but trying to cope' .

Honestly you are doing so well. A tribute to your love for him. X

I love your humour
A smile from me!
Have set up new thread x

@Kneesbendarmstretchedrarara I'm so so sorry, I don't know how that happened but it only had 2 pages when I replied and now can see all posts. I honestly didn't notice that the dates were older or might have picked up. I swear I'm a stickler for rtft and I'm devastated for something to happen on such a thread.

I'm so sorry for your loss. He was a beautiful boy, it is so hard to lose such a special friend. We go through the same stages of grief for our animals as for people, they are still our family.

It is especially unfair when so young but you did every possible thing for him. I'm so sorry again x

@psicat

It really doesn't matter, please forget about it. I know you meant well. Don't let it keep you awake x