griff Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 for the past probably around 3 months my lad has had trouble with his front leg, first of all it began as an intemitent limp, he had rest and metacam and when it didn't go away we went straight to the vet who had him in immediately for xrays, all of those were clear except for a slight bit of wear which i was told to expect because of the type of dog he is (extremely well muscled) we went away and he was put on a course of metacam and supplements, when this didn't improve him we went for a course of cartrophen, after the first injection i saw a large swelling over his elbow so as my vet wasn't there we saw another one who told me to call and speak to my own vet the next day, i did this and it was arranged he would go and have the fluid drained and sent for analysis, basically the results came back clear but the swelling persisted and the fluid was again drained and sent for analysis (he has had antibiotics too) he started a course of steroids and was on 3 a day for 5 days, the swelling went but that was because he was laid on the sofa feeling bad and not wanting to move, he was dropped onto 2 tablets every other day and was o.k but as the side effects of the steroids went away he became more active and the swelling has returned, my vet reffered him for an arthroscopy which he had last friday and again he has been on steroids and antibiotics and this new vet called me tonight with the blood results he had been waiting for, when we saw him friday he told me he suspected laney had rheumatoid arthritis all the symptoms fit especially when he mentioned his heart as we had a scare last year, his results show no rheumatoid arthritis and no clotting disorder (when they put the arthroscopy thing in they found several blood clots and free moving blood in his joint) i have now been told that apparently he must have an auto immune problem as the cells in his joint lining are attacking his own body, i am very concerned too at the fact my own vet stated strict rest (so much so that i haven't left the dog alone for at least 6-8 weeks) yet i have just been informed i should now take him not only for a walk but to let him run free! this dog has had no exercise for probably 3 months not even onlead, i tried to catch my own vet but i missed him and one of the others at the practice reckons i should go along with the new vet, i refuse point blank as i know he will end up straight back in the vets (i can see him limp if he runs down the garden path) basically i am just being told to leave him on the steroids (which don't work anyway as soon as he goes onto a low dose the swelling flairs up) for another 2 weeks and go back to see this new vet and then he will remain on steroids for months, i have spent £2000 on tests and treatment and i don't know whats up with my dog and now i am being told to aggrivate his problem??? does anyone have any idea what the heck is wrong with him and have they experienced anything similar with their dog?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owl Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 I hope you find the solution. I wish I could help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendbert Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 All sounds very confusing Could you ask to be referred to a specialist? Or is there another vet you could see for a second opinion? It really does sound like you're being run round in circles Hope you can get some answers soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griff Posted May 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 thanks both, wendbert, this was a referal, i can't get to the usual place they refer to so my vet (who i do trust) sent me at my request to this new fella. basically he has just told me what my own vet already told me and charged £1000 for it, my vet did say though that he would've expected the swelling to have gone down and stayed down by now and if the steroids were going to have worked they would've done by now so leaving him on steroids for 3 months (not my own vets) at the new vets request seems a bit daft to me and alarm bells rang when he told me to let him go for a run Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gundogsgalore Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 It sounds like Immune Mediated Polyarthritis (IMPA). I run an online support group for owners of dogs with auto immune diseases, it's a Yahoo group, called CIMDA support. If you'd like to join, pm me or email me on [email protected] Treatment for IMPA is steroids (prednisolone) and sometimes also another immune suppressant called Azathioprine (or Imuran). IMPA usually affects multiple joints, they can become hot swollen, sometimes the dog has a temperature too. The fact that your dog is what we call steroid responsive, would point to the diagnosis of IMPA. Tbh I'm surprised your vet is having problems diagnosing this but obviously I'm not a vet, I haven't seen your dog or the test results - I'm just working on what you've written above. Let me know if you need help. Penel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacobean Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 I've no experience of this I'm sorry but just wanted to send you a Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranirottie Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 no advice but for you both and I hope that you can get it sorted x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griff Posted May 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 ooooo thankyou i will join your group if i may, my vet gave laney the steroids to begin with at quite a high dose but i think what concerned him was the fact the swelling went then returned on activity, so he sent me for the arthroscopy, (probably because i pushed for it as i wanted to be sure he hadn't torn anything) this new fella said to go back in 2 weeks but i would rather deal with my local vet and someone who laney knows. he has been on 2 tablets of prednisolone 2 every other day since before and now after his arthroscopy but the swelling hasn't gone down at all (i think he needs the higher dose steroids again), the swelling is at this moment in time affecting just his front leg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gundogsgalore Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 I've replied to your pm, but am posting here too in case anyone else needs this info. IF it is IMPA the initial treatment is 2 - 4 mg per kg prednisolone over 24 hours, split into two doses, given with a gastroprotectant. It's not a disease you can treat lightly, its a difficult disease to treat and it often recurs. It also causes shifting lameness - from one joint to another. The dog can limp on one leg in the morning, and another leg in the afternoon - it changes that quickly. Reduction of the drugs is a careful and not always easy regime. It's quite possible your dog wasn't on the correct dose, and /or the drugs have been reduced too fast, or too drastically. If the disease has returned, it probably was not got under control in the first place. the swelling went but that was because he was laid on the sofa feeling bad and not wanting to move, the reason the swelling went down is because the steroids did their job(and suppressed the immune system), not because your dog was not moving around. The reason it came back was because the drugs were reduced too soon and probably weren't high enough in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griff Posted June 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2009 just thought i would update you all, well laney is on a higher dose of steroids and so far so good, we had only one episode of swelling and that was due to a slight increase in exercise, only problem with the higher dose twice daily is he is weeing a lot (as he is drinking more i was warned about this by the vet) he has managed to wake me up really early every day for a wee for the past 2 weeks but i am not in great shape and the lack of sleep caught up with me, he couldn't wake me and wee'd the bed i felt sorry for him as he was quite obviously mortified, personally i couldn't care less about him having an accident but the poor devil was so upset. i rang the vet and had a chat with him and he wasn't happy to lower his dose of steroids as laney had a swelling episode but as he understands my health issue he agreed i could drop one tablet from the evening dose, we started that yesterday and i am just hoping the swelling doesn't come back. he has been very down over the past few weeks but today i saw a spark of my old dog there i hope the swelling stays down and he can gradually come off the steroids but we have another 2 weeks at least on this higher dose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyMalc Posted June 16, 2009 Report Share Posted June 16, 2009 Sorry to hear about your health, griff and continued bestest wishes for Laney I was just thinking, does Laney sleep on vetbed? That lets any fluids through and keeps the top dry Maybe vetbed with a towel underneath, for easy cleaning? Just thought it might help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houndzrus Posted June 16, 2009 Report Share Posted June 16, 2009 :GroupHug: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddyboy Posted June 17, 2009 Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 Sorry to hear about your health, griff and continued bestest wishes for Laney I was just thinking, does Laney sleep on vetbed? That lets any fluids through and keeps the top dry Maybe vetbed with a towel underneath, for easy cleaning? Just thought it might help Not sure how big Laney is but if this is possibly a long term problem you could take that a step further and put a slightly raised platform with drainage holes with his bed on top and a tray of cat litter underneath to absorb any fluids. Mind you it sounds as if really that was just you being shattered and him unable to wake you so hopefully things are sorting themselves out and you are catching up with your beauty sleep now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griff Posted June 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 (edited) thanks it was a one off accident and he made it through the night wth no accidents and although he woke me early this morning he didn't need a wee and let me drift off back to sleep and allowed me to stay in bed until 11 am :ohmy: i really needed the sleep. i really do think his accident was just a combinaton of the high dose steroids and my sleep deprivation kicking in. well so far no swelling has appeared so i have got everything crossed it will stay away, at least when he has reoccurences i will know what to expect Edited June 17, 2009 by griff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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