Tully - lots of tests and now a diagnosis

After a month of scans, tests and an endoscopy poor little Tully has a few diagnosis.

Tully has been sick for some time, basically at the same time as Deska so I've been very worried I'll lose her too. The Internist found she has moderate to severe IBD. Basically her intestines are very inflamed and scarred, which is causing allergies, sensitivities, and malabsorption. She will be on a high dose of prednisolone for a few months, then on a lower dose with another drug for a year or longer. And she's on a very strict, low fat, limited ingredient diet. I'll be putting baby locks on all the cupboards.

So Tully has what Deska had, except his progressed to cancer. We only found out about Tully because of Deska getting very sick and seeing the specialists; the same Internist is treating Tully. If only one vet, in all those years, the hundreds of consults and thousands of dollars had picked it up.

On top of that, we saw the ortho vet and she has severe arthritis in her right elbow - which is why she's having trouble walking. And her false hip is not aligned properly. Unfortunately, there's nothing she can take because of the IBD.

I am seriously reconsidering not getting another Sheltie. The ortho vet said arthritis is a big problem in Shelties and almost no breeders hip/elbow score. All the health issues are exhausting.

 

My vet does acupuncture and chiro, but I found they only get a day's relief. I will make an appointment with the physio to get some stretching/strengthening/massage advice. I used Deska's Gabapentin for Tully (on vet advice) but had trouble dividing the capsule for her little size. Although the Internist said to wait as she'll get relief from the cortisone. Will try the warmth/ice, it's free!

I think the IBD is from the 'dietary indiscretions' when Tully was younger and on steroids for her grass allergy. Tully used to get on the benchtop and get into all sorts of things - lost 4 entire roast chickens, bags of chocolate, glass of port and the list goes on, much vomiting and pancreatitis. So it's an irony she's back on steroids to manage it. Specialist thinks Deska's IBD was due to long term use of NSAIDs (8 yrs), sadly, and manageable if the vets had been onto the IBD. The first I'd heard of IBD in dogs was when Ashley talked about it on Sheltie Forums. Sheltie stomachs seem very sensitive.

Maybe I should get a cattle dog - they're sturdy and live into their 20s. Not sure Tully would forgive me though.

 

Aaargh. Tully's now at the emergency hospital overnight. First day on steroids, I left her for 25min and she managed to get my training bag off the back of the door. For a tiny Sheltie that took determination.

So they'll make her vomit and hope that's the right thing to do - as with all the investigations she's had her eosophagus probably hasn't recovered. Keep her in for obs, pump her with stomach protectorates and hope. In the meantime I may need to go to hospital myself, so it couldn't have come at a worst time.