Absolutely Devastated

[EventingMum]

About three weeks ago one of our JRTs - the one in my avatar - had his annual injection. That evening he had a funny turn, one minute he was happily playing in the garden while we had a barbeque and the next he was lying on his side looking completely disorientated.

We suspected a stroke and rushed him to the vets but the vet wasn't convinced that was what was wrong. He had a metacalm injection and then two days later he had bloods taken. He seemed a little brighter but definitely not himself. The bloods showed very slightly raised liver enzymes but nothing else. He has become ravenously hungry and is drinking a lot as well as struggling on steps and stairs so the next logical step was to test for cushings. Today the results came back negative much to our surprise.

The last few days he's been bumping into things so we suspected his sight is failing however this evening the vet confirmed his pupils are completely unreactive to light so he has virtually no sight. His eyes actually look ok so the suspicion is that the optic nerve isn't working. He actually walked into a wall coming out of the vets. He is just about coping at home as he knows his way around but did walk into the ironing board earlier as he obviously didn't see it was out. He can still hear and was following our voices when we had a short walk earlier.

The vet gave him a steroid injection this evening and has also taken blood to test his thyroid function but I know in my heart a decision will have to be made soon if he doesn't adjust to losing his sight and pick up in other ways. He's only 10 and is very much my dog, following me around all the time. I can't believe this has happened so rapidly and will do the right thing for him but can't help hoping for a miracle. Any spare vibes would be appreciated.

 

[JennBags]

OMG E that's awful, you must be feeling so lost and helpless have the vets suggested it might be linked to the annual injection or is that pure coincidence do you think?

Sending as many vibes for a sudden recovery as I can xx

 

[Pinkvboots]

I am so sorry I really hope he starts to improve over the next few days will be keeping fingers crossed for you, I speak to a lady in the farm next door to me she has a totally blind dog that was not born blind he just suddenly went blind, a few months ago she had to have the blind dogs brother pts due to cancer the blind dog really struggled for a few weeks understandably but he is now coping and seems to be back to his normal self, so it may take a bit of time for your dog to adjust to loosing his sight so suddenly.

 

[_GG_]

Oh goodness. I'm so sorry to read this. I'm sure it will take a little time and I hope get a positive route forward. Xx

 

[EventingMum]

Thank you, the vets aren't sure it's linked to the injection as usually reactions are short lived. Our other two were vaccinated the same time and are fine and wee Harvey has never reacted before.

I think the future it will depend on how he adapts and also the other problems - the excessive eating and drinking particularly concern me, the looking disorientated is probably attributable to the lack of sight. There have also been a couple of "accidents" in the house that I suspect may be him but can't be certain he was with the other dogs at the time

 

[AmyMay]

Did the vet check for diabetes? Classic symptoms xx

 

[Sprout]

So sorry to hear your desperately upsetting news - I really hope things can improve. Xx

 

[Cahill]

sorry to hear this,i have 2 friends who have/had blind dogs and they both adapted well.
the owners wear a bell on their ankles and another on the other dogs.they walk in familiar places.
the one friend bought a hoop for the dog to wear,it stops the dog bumping in to things but he doesnt need it now.if you see him now you wouldnt know that he cant see has he runs around and uses his nose a lot and even puts up birds (he is a span type) for the other dogs.she is lucky in that she lives near the plain.

 

[Chiffy]

So sorry to read this, what a shock for you. A positive post from Cahill.

 

[EventingMum]

Did the vet check for diabetes? Classic symptoms xx

Yes, that was checked in the initial bloods.

 

[Tiddlypom]

How distressing and worrying for you, 10 is no age for a JRT.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

horrible shock EM, I am sorry.

Every dog is individual and some will cope very well so hopefully after an adjustment period your wee lad will improve. I know of a sharpei that had to have both eyes removed last year who now does canicross-I've seen this dog out and about and she does appear to be enjoying her work!

 

[EventingMum]

Latest blood results are back and his thyroid is normal so it looks like it is neurological. The steroid injection doesn't seem to have made a difference so we'll just have to see how things go in terms of him coping.

 

[Alec Swan]

……..

We suspected a stroke …….. but the vet wasn't convinced that was what was wrong. …….. .

My honest opinion and considering that you've raised the question, is that your fears may well be valid. By the process of elimination, what else is left?

I hope that both you and I are wrong and that he makes a full recovery leaving everyone scratching their heads.

Alec.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Did he have the lepto vaccine?

 

[EventingMum]

Did he have the lepto vaccine?

Yes.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

I read something on here a while ago about the new lepto vacc, someone defending it, some saying it was a problem. Hopefully someone knowledgeable will come along soon to remind me.

It's odd, someone on the sprinter group on Facebook said her dog became very lame after a vaccination, she's debating a neurological condition. I wonder if titre testing is going to become more common.

 

[EventingMum]

Interesting, thank you CT. The other two dogs vaccinated the same day day are fine and Harvey has been vaccinated since a puppy but I am wondering if something was slightly amiss and the vaccination on top just tipped the balance.

This evening he has seemed reasonably happy but can't even see a ball directly in front of him. When we play with a ball the dogs usually work as a team - we throw it, Hector catches/retrieves it and then gives it to Harvey who brings it back to the thrower. Tonight Hector would drop it as normal but Harvey struggled to find it feeling around and sniffing for it. Only a couple of weeks ago he was catching a ball without any problem. We are having to remember to talk to him more so he knows where we are and not to leave anything out of place that he could bump into it. Going anywhere unfamiliar is definitely out of the question.

 

[Clodagh]

Tawny had her lepto last Friday and was very off colour for a few days. I am not going to vaccinate her any more, she is 3 now. Not that that helps you, EM, but just saying my experience.
I had a kelpie who went blind and once her sight had gone altogether she did struggle, but she was a very nervy dog anyway. Most dogs with loss of sight seem to adjust well.

 

[rara007]

I assume referral for MRI isn't an option?

 

[TheOldTrout]

How is he today?

 

[Beausmate]

My GSD x suffered a probable stroke last year. He became ataxic and eventually collapsed, I didn't think he would be coming back from the vet's that day.

His vision was affected - he spent a lot of time leaning against walls as he walked around too. It is hard to describe, but it was almost as if he lost half of his vision. He would eat all of his food from one half of the bowl, leaving the other half like he didn't realise it was there and if you were to throw something at him, he would try to catch it off to the side of wherever it actually was. He is very nervous dog, and I think it worried him for a while.

He has since recovered, it took a couple of months for him to came back to how he was, but I think he may have had another minor stroke at some point, as his back end became a bit weak for a while.

I hope your wee dog improves soon.

 

[EventingMum]

How is he today?

Just the same, bumping into some things but not everything as he does know his way around. He often stumbles on a bottom step as if he doesn't know it's the last one. He happily held a ball but when he dropped it struggled to find it as it had rolled away a little. As long as we talk to him when we move around he is ok and was happy lying in a patch of sun this morning. We are away now until Monday but he is at home with my son and so I think it will be good to see what difference I see when I get home. Sometimes you don't notice changes when you are there constantly. I obviously wouldn't have left him if my son wasn't going to be with him constantly and if I felt he was looking worse. I can be home in under two hours so will rush back if needed.

I assume referral for MRI isn't an option?

I think that would be very stressful for him, he hates travelling and it would mean travelling for nearly an hour. He doesn't like vets very much either, like most dogs, so I feel it wouldn't be in his best interests at his age and tbh would worry the stress could outweigh any benefits.

 

[EventingMum]

Just an update on this post. This morning the vet came and Harvey was pts. I know in my heart it was the right thing but as most of you know it's so hard. He had gone completely blind and recently seemed to have difficulty detecting which direction our voices were coming from so talking to him to help guide him wasn't working like it had initially, often he would just sit and cry. Fortunately we have my son's dog for the next few days so our other dog will have constant company which will be a help. RIP wee man x

 

[Chiffy]

So sorry EM, gone too soon, but he is at peace now and eventually you will remember the happy times xx

 

[JennBags]

RIP Harvey, you had such a lovely face. I'm shedding a tear for you EM, you did the right thing but it's so hard. Lots of love xxxx

 

[MotherOfChickens]

sorry EM x

 

[AmyMay]

I'm so sorry xxx

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I'm so sorry, it's horrible watching them deteriorate.

 

[Antw23uk]

You poor things this is awful and I'm so sorry to hear he has passed. Your vet will not tell you about the dangers of routine vaccination and how deadly the yearly boosters can be but there is information out there for you and it makes for positive but scary reading!
I would think very carefully about vaccinating any animal of mine now and I certainly wont do yearly boosters after the initial vaccination.