Don't you just hate it, when.......

[gunnergundog]

.....the vet examining your dog (or horse/cat/whatever) goes: 'Oooooo..............now this is REALLY interesting'. Alarm bells and pound signs flash immediately in front of my eyes. Masticatory muscle myositis (MMM) anyone?

 

[Stiff Knees]

l beg your pardon? Intrigued now...🐾

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

My old vet was a real darling, but he'd frighten the life out of you by actually doing nothing - he'd just stand back and look at the horse for about ten mins in total silence, weighing it all up, and there you were fretting silently, worried sick about what he might be about to say!

And you had to just let him too; I remember getting panicky once and babbling some inane comment, and he just gave me "the look" and I knew I had to shut-up and wait for the diagnosis.

Bless him, I know for sure that other clients knew that he did this as well!

 

[MurphysMinder]

A friends GsD had MMM . She was quite poorly but did recover .

 

[CorvusCorax]

Two very experienced vets have said 'I've never come across that before!'

 

[twiggy2]

I once had the vet say 'i don't want to worry you but it looks suspiciously like grass sickness but I am not convinced' it wasn't it was heart failure and the end of the horse anyway.

 

[Aru]

Interesting is never a good thing when it comes to medicine!
"May you live interesting times" is a chinese curse for a reason.

I get a similar reaction of... oh shit when the specialist hospital vets ring directly to chat about and thank me for sending on such an interesting case... the oh this not good and is going to be a challenge to manage reaction...

MMM is tricky. The earlier its confirmed and treated aggressively the better the longterm prognosis. Your initial reaction was correct for this one if it gets confirmed as mmm. These can be a challenge and its a long slough but they are treatable!

Theres an excellent article on vet partner on the condition and its differentials-link

https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&catId=102899&id=4952111

 

[gunnergundog]

Have learnt something new! Thank you. 寧為太平犬，莫做亂離人

Thanks also for the link...looks to be a good repository of information.

 

[ladyt25]

Hi, my dog seems to be suffering symptoms this evening which look to tie in with this condition and I am rather worried. She was diagnosed with immune-mediated polyarthritis a few years ago so, became of this it makes me concerned she's got another immune issue.

Did your dog get treated and how are they doing?

 

[gunnergundog]

I would get your dog to the vet today. If they agree with your suspicion, get the dog tested and IMMEDIATELY start treating whilst waiting for test results - these can take 10 -14 days. You don't want to wait.

My dog initially responded well to the high dose steroids; ultimately, however, I made the PTS decision as due to the steroids she had to come off her medication for another long term issue and we were unable to wean her off the steroids and maintain a quality of life. She was fourteen years old.

Best of luck.

 

[skinnydipper]

So sorry for your loss, GGD. You will have many happy memories of your time together.

 

[ladyt25]

Aww, really sorry to hear about your dog
My parents took her to the vet today as last night she couldn't even eat her dental chew (she loves them!).
Her appetite is fine though just opening her mouth was an issue.

The vet's checked her all over and can't see she is in pain or anything so thinks possibly a form of laryngitis. She has done metacam to see if this helps.

Hopefully it's just a virus she's had or something as she had a weird itchy skin condition which we went to the vets for about 2 weeks ago and I'm just wondering if all connected.

Hoping she is ok and a bit of pain relief helps

 

[Tiddlypom]

Gunnergundog, I’m so sorry that you lost your girl.

ladyt25, I’ve just posted a thread about my elderly JRT who couldn’t/wouldn’t eat a pigs ear, whereas normally he’d demolish it. He was struggling to yawn and eat. The cause was found to be shards of rabbit bone lodged in his teeth which had ulcerated his tongue.

https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/threads/sleeping-it-off.781710/

I hope that your dog is soon comfortable again.

 

[ladyt25]

Hi, thanks. I don't think she's eaten anything but she loves her sticks so I was concerned a splinter was lodged but vet found nothing.

She's brighter tonight and managed her dental chew if a bit steadier than normal!

She's had some weird itching issue and I do wonder of it's all connected and she's had a virus. As much as we all think she's too talkative sometimes I would like her to get her full voice back!!

 

[gunnergundog]

Did your vet x-ray? If this continues, please push for this in order to eliminate the possible cause being foreign bodies, TMJ or dental issues. Hope the improvement continues but please stay alert, especially if you think her eyes appear to start bulging.

 

[ladyt25]

I wasn't there as was at work so my parents took her. She hates the vets but he fully opened her mouth (she wimpered when I did it!), she did not react. He took her temperature, checked all other vitals and no indication of anything.

Suggested possibly laryngitis so giving her metacam and seeing how she does. If any flare up/no improvement then will take her back. She seems better tonight though but, she's usually very vocal so her not being able to make her usual noise is concerning and she tries but it clearly is uncomfortable ☹️

 

[ladyt25]

It is just too bizarre. Tried to push for a blood test when my parent's took her last week but the vet said it cost quite a bit so wanted us to continue with the metacam.

That's now finished but she still cannot open her jaw properly and struggles picking up her toys.
She will eat so no issues swallowing or breathing but she is eating slower as can't open her mouth wide.

She also can't yawn and, if she does go to she will tilt her head downwards and not fully open her mouth.

Think she will have to go back. She also started chewing at the base of her tail and I found it was all scabby. Have had to clip the area to see what's going on.

It's all very strange as in general she's fine, just not her usual noisy self because she can't open her mouth to bark properly a d tonight seems a bit more tired