Scout lag

Poor Scout! I've really neglected updates about her spazzy little life this summer. And it has been rather adventure-filled! I've written about her lots on my personal blog, but I'll just jot the highlights (or low lights) here.

For starters, she relapsed right after we left for Alaska. Not two days after we'd gone, she started limping and her health deteriorated quickly. Sarah, my wonderful dog and house-sitter, called the vet as soon as she realized Scout was really sick, and Dr. Andrews had her bump Scout back up to 20 mg. of prednisone a day (she had been on 5 mg. every other day previously).

Scout snapped out of her slump quickly, but then the fireworks started. Sarah kept her on the doggie drugs we left day and night, but our neighbors are total pyromaniacs and Scout stayed in a frenzied state of frantic for days. The night of the 4th, with all firework hell breaking loose in our neighborhood, Scout was so beside herself that Sarah actually climbed in our jacuzzi tub (Scout's safe place in the master bathroom) and slept with her there! That's devotion!

By the time we returned, the fireworks were pretty much finished, Sarah had Scout down to 5 mg. of pred per day and the house and yard looked great!

After watching a few episodes of the Dog Whisperer at my aunt's house in July, I decided to tackle Scout's nuisance barking. First, I tried a citronella collar, but Scout is usually running amuck while she's barking, so the spray never actually went anywhere near her nostrils (although Greg got squirted a few times). We then tried a static collar, which shocks the dog after each bark--with increasing intensity. The manager at PetSmart assured me it was just like the static jolt you get when you walk across a rug in the dead of winter.

It's been pretty effective--as long as Scout's wearing the collar. She'll bark once, twice if she's really excited, and then usually just settled for running in circles. But she figures out real fast when the collar's not on, and barks her head off.

Oh well! She's been on lots of hikes and outings this summer--she's even jumped in the pool a few times with my son-in-law, Krispin. The only real difference I notice in Scout since she got sick is that she doesn't like other dogs very well now. I have to hold her close if we meet other dogs on the trail--she gets snarky if they get in her face. She kind of acts old and grumpy at times, even though she just turned 3 in July. I suppose her auto-immune condition takes a lot out of a body.

Summer Scout

It has been a while since an update--but Scout has been good!

I've quit trying to wean her off the low dose of pred. The vet I'm going to said Scout's condition is kind of like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis--it's life long and she'll have occasional flare-ups. Scout just seems to feel better on the constant every-other-day dose and I can't see any ill side-effects (and thank the Lord prednisone is cheap!), so we'll continue on this course of action until it stops working.

In case you missed it on my blog, Scout has been herding sheep, rounding up chickens, hiking, and generally enjoying her puppy life. Fireworks season has begun, which is the bane of her existence, but we give her drugs and she hunkers down in our big tub. We will be in Alaska for the next 3 weeks, but a wonderful young lady will be Scout sitting.

I've posted a picture of Scout and her prayer-warrior friend, Tyson. They've been on several walks together since she's recovered.

Pup on Prozac

When I took Scout to the vet last week, he observed her extreme anxiety and OCD behavior. He thought that a sedative, like xanax or prozac, might help calm her and help her avoid relapse. So we started her a few days ago, and so far she's spazzier than ever. But the vet said it takes 3 weeks for the blood levels to adjust to the drug . . .
So, my poor pup's on prozac! My prayer is that it relieves her separation anxiety and helps calm her during fireworks season. And that it doesn't douse her vibrant personality.
The picture is Scout mooching from Polly Carl on our ladies' hike to Triple Falls on Saturday.

relapse?

So, Scout was totally off prednisone for a week and was doing great. We thought her battle with polyarthritis was behind us. But then two days ago, some of the symptoms returned--she went lame in her back left leg, got really stiff and lethargic, her nose started dripping like a faucet. It was quite upsetting. So, I put her back on a very low dose of pred (2 1.2 mg.) and gave her some pain medication. She limped most of the day yesterday, but seems a little better today.

Greg and I wonder if stress didn't set the condition off again (I've read that can happen). We've had good weather--and open doors--the past few days and Scout has been driven nuts by the sounds of spring--the neighbor boy bouncing his basketball in the street, school busses and UPS trucks driving by, even occasional fireworks. Those innocent noises make Scout crazy--she paces and circles frantically for hours on end.

Keep praying and I'll keep you posted. I'm praying she'll be recovered enough to do the Extreme hike in the Gorge this weekend.

Weaned?

Well, this is the fifth day that Scout has been off prednisone! She seems to be doing pretty well, no real symptoms of relapse rearing their ugly heads. I watch her like a hawk, of course, determined not to let that terrible disease take hold of her again. I can truly say that Scout's illness was one of the more stressful events of the past decade . . .

I have a feeling that she'll always be a bit on the fragile side. She's done with vaccinations and we'll try to keep her stressors to a minimum. To me, Scout seems a lot older than her actual 2 1/2 years.

I'm a little stressed about what to do with her when we go to AK for two weeks this summer. We'll be gone over the 4th of July, which is really a bad day for Scout. We live in a neighborhood that shoots off loud and illegal fireworks for weeks before and after the holiday, terrorizing my poor dog. I'm trying to decide if I should kennel her while we are gone or get someone to housesit and stay close to her during the 4th festivities.

Any suggestions?

Mud puppy

Well, Scout participated in her first Extreme Women's event since she got sick today! Yippee skippee!
It was just me, Marissa and Scout, but we hiked to the top of Multnomah Falls in a steady drizzle. I looked like a drowned rat and Scout smelled like wet dog (go figure) by the time we got to the top of the falls. It was so awesome to have her out on the trail again. She seemed just like her spazzy old self!

She's still on prednisone, though. I'm giving her about 2 mg. every other day. It's been such a slow process, this weaning, but we are definitely making progress. Everything I've read on the Internet or heard from dog people emphasizes that fact--go slow with the weaning.

So I am.

One thing I'm a little uncertain about is what to do about her vaccinations. I've heard from several sources--including a vetrinary specialist--that Scout should not ever have another vaccinations because of her condition. But that means I can't every leave her in a kennel, probably shouldn't take her to dog parks, etc. My poor dog has become even more high maintenance than she was before she got sick! But I know we'll figure it out. But I'm already worrying about what to do with her over the 4th of July. She hates fireworks with a passion and we'll be in Alaska that entire week. If you have any suggestions, let me know.

Almost her spazzy old self!

Scout is down to .5 mg. of prednisone every other day. It took me a few tries to successfully get her to that dosage. One night (after I skipped the daily dose), she woke me up gasping for breath. I gave her a dose of prednisone and she quickly calmed down and went back to sleep. She was fine by morning.

So I let her recover for a day or two and then tried it again. She showed no distress at all this time. She continues to grow stronger each day--whirling in circles and jumping up on the bed. I took her for a 1 1/2 mile walk yesterday and she didn't limp or seem tired afterward.

I really think she is on the mend!

I've had a hard time shaking the depressing assessment given by the last vet we took Scout to. She briefly checked Scout over, glanced at her thick wad of lab reports and medical records and said, "I don't think she has polyarthritis/meningitis. I suspect lymphoma."

We rejected her suggestion to start another round of costly tests, choosing instead to keep on with our course of treatment. Everytime Scout would have a bad day, or start limping again, I would fret. Did she have cancer? I didn't think I could handle watching my dog go through that kind of suffering again.

But this week, after Scout's struggle for breath, I decided to do some research on lymphoma. Just in case. I found out that dogs left either untreated or treated just with prednisone to alleviate pain, usually survive only 8 weeks after the onset of symptoms. It has been 9 weeks since Scout got sick.

Boy, did I breathe a sigh of relief!

New friends

Scout has new friends--both at home and work!
When my daughter, Lindsay, moved back in with us last week, she brought her cat, Penelope with her. Pen is the coolest cat ever (she didn't make a peep on the long drive up from LA), but she's never seen a dog before. She and Scout are slowly getting acquainted (although in the picture, it looks like she's shooting death-rays from her yellow eyes!)
Penelope was actually sitting outside our bedroom door when I got up this morning, acting like she was waiting for Scout to come out and play. Of course, she bolted as soon as Scout came trotting up.

Scout also has a new pal at the office--Greg's new office at Cornerstone Church, that is. Pastor Barry brings Tosty, his Cairn Terrier, with him to work everyday, so we took Scout last week so they could have a play date. Scout and Tosty sized each other up and did OK until I gave them each a dog treat. Tosty wolfed hers down and stole Scout's treat before my slow-moving pup had even taken her first bite. When Scout protested, Tosty turned wolverine and I had to pull her 5 pounds of canine fury off my dog. I'll give them treats in separate rooms next time.

I just switched Scout's prednisone dosage to 5 mg. every other day. She seems to be doing OK. She's not eating or drinking as much as before, which is good, because Scout has gained quite a bit of weight on the prednisone. In fact, Candyce--our youngest daughter who is admittedly a bit jealous of Scout--recently described her as a small yak. She's quite solid around the mid-section!

I'm hoping to be able to bring Scout to the Powell Butte hike next weekend. Pray that the weaning process continues to go smoothly . . .

Thank you, Starfleet

I have a very cool blessing to share. My friend from California, who is also a Sheltie enthusiast, knew about Scout's brush with death from reading my blog. Knowing from personal experience that vet bills can add up quickly, she directed me to the Starfleet Canine Aid Foundation. Even though Scout's case didn't really fit their criteria for aid (they usually want an an estimate--after a diagnosis has been made--of what treatment will cost), they cut us a generous check this week.

We are very grateful! And if you are a dog-lover and would like to know more about (or support) this wonderful organization, their website is: http://www.canineaid.org/

Playful

While Greg and I were away for the past week (helping our oldest daughter move up from LA), Danielle and Krispin took care of the house and of course, Scout. Danielle, who has actually lived with us for most of Scout's life, has never been a huge fan of my spazzy little dog. The fact that Scout barked at her everytime she walked through the door (Scout is kind of like the chick in 50 First Dates), didn't exactly endear her to my daughter.

Since Scout's illness, however, Danielle's sense of compassion kicked in and now she and Scout are best of friends. And after bonding for an entire week while I was gone, I'm wondering who Scout likes better now . . .

The most encouraging sign of Scout's improving health these days is her playfulness. She plays "gator dog" with Greg again and brings me her tuggy toy for a game each morning. She loves to go to the field and play "chase the ball," although she gets winded much quicker than before. She actually jumped up on our bed yesterday--she's not been able to jump since she got sick. All very encouraging signs.

I'm continuing to wean her off the prednisone slowly. When we get down to 5 mg., and she's still doing OK, we'll switch to every-other-day dosage. Scout's off her antibiotics, pain meds--she just takes prednisone along with all the supplements I'm giving her.

If she continues to improve at this rate, I'm hoping to take her on the Powell Butte hike next Saturday.

Up and Down

Yesterday was Scout's last day on doxycycline--an antibiotic she's taken for 6 weeks just in case there was an underlying bacterial infection that set off the immune-mediated reaction. So please pray that if there was a bug, it's dead and long gone!
Some days Scout really acts back to "normal" (and if you know Scout at all, you realize that means something a little different from your average dog). The day after we saw the vet who thinks Scout has lymphoma, Scout was running around like a banshee--jumping and yipping with joy when she saw me come home from work--bringing her toys over to engage in play (I haven't seen her do that since she got sick), running in circles, generally seeming fat and sassy. The only think that Scout can't do since her illness is jump up on thigs--like the couch, bed, back of the CRV. She just doesn't seem to have that kind of strength in her hind legs. But she can run like the wind when she's chasing her ball around the field!

But then there are days like yesterday--she's limping on her left back leg (where this illness seemed to originate), listless, lethargic, somewhat depressed. It was a beautiful day and I wanted to take her on a short hike, but she didn't seem up to it. It's like she takes two good steps forward, but then a big step back. This cycle has repeated itself a few times, so I'm not so worried about her "back-step" this time. We are just going to be leaving town for a week tomorrow and my prayer is that she'll be doing OK in our absence (my daughter and her husband will be Scout-sitting).
She's doing well on the new, lower dose of prednisone and when we get back from our trip the plan is to switch her to every other day on the 10 mg.
So please pray that she thrives while we are gone (helping Lindsay and her cat move up from LA). Pray that she doesn't get too sad and will continue to easily wean off the prednisone and continue to grow in health and strength.
Blessings, my friends!

Pilgrim

I have a confession to make. Pilgrim no longer lives with us.
I took her back to the Cat Adoption place last week. I cried a good part of the way (actually, my friend Bonnie had to drive because I was too upset). But it seemed the only reasonable thing to do.
Let me explain . . .
When we adopted Pilgrim from the Cat Adoption Team right before Thanksgiving, we thought we were investing in a healthy animal. Little did we know that Pilgrim was riddles with parasites, fleas and suffered from terrible digestive problems. She had the sweetest personality of any kitty I think I've ever had--but her diarrhea got so out-of-control that several times in the past few months (between the wedding and Scout's near-death experience), I drove her back to Sherwood (a 40 minute commute) to be examined. Each time, after her poop samples came back "normal," I was informed that she just had food allergies. The vet urged me to try and figure out what Pilgrim could successfully digest.
We tried a wide range of spendy, allergy-friendly foods, but nothing really helped. Duck seemed less troubling to her tummy than other foods, but then she'd get into Scout's food and make herself really sick again.
And then she started peeing on the beds . . . every one in the house!
So one day, after a stressful morning with Scout and a particularly bad bout of the runs with Pilgrim, I made a difficult decision. One of the special needs animals had to go--and it wasn't going to be Scout! My anxiety levels were at an all time high and I knew I had to simplify my life--or have a nervous breakdown.
Poor Greg--I called him three times that morning, agonizing over the decision. But I knew in my heart it was best--for all of us. CAT happily takes their kitties back and I knew they'd do whatever they could to get Pilgrim healthy and then find her a new home (I actually wrote a note on Pilgrim's release form, saying I wanted her back if her health issues cleared up. But they probably think we're unfit cat owners now).
I don't have to worry about Scout catching something from Pilgrim (there was always a question about Scout's initial illness resulting from a cat scratch or bite). And I didn't have to scoop yucky poop 10 times a day--or be constantly washing bedding. As soon as I dropped Pilgrim off at the shelter and kissed her little chapped nose goodbye, I felt incredible relief.
I do miss her sweet little personality, and I think Scout does too. But my daughter Lindsay moves in with us in two weeks--with her cat Penelope!
And I'm trying not to stress about it . . .

Scout gets her very own blog

So people looking for Extreme Women events won't always be so confused. So if you are keeping Scout in your prayers, check here often for updates.

Scout Update for 2/18/08

We just returned from the most depressing visit to the vet yet.

This vet was recommended highly by a friend of mine (who's a vet herself). I made the appt. last week and was excited to get to work with someone who knew about immune-mediated illness. The excitement was short-lived.

First of all, even though I'd faxed Scout's records to her office and given the receptionist contact info for her places of prior treatment, the vet didn't have Scout's labwork when she came in for the exam. So, once again, I gave a verbal account of Scout's medical history, with what info I could remember about her lab work. Basically, everything came back normal except for a high blood cell count.

The vet basically said she didn't agree with the diagnosis of immune-mediated polyarthritis/meningitis (which two prior vets agreed on). She didn't feel that enough tests had been run to come to that conclusion. Then, she started talking about lymphoma and recommended we start all over with a complete blood panel, x-rays and an ultrasound!
The look of shock on my face must have been evident, because she decided to toss out some options:
1) stick with her and test Scout for lymphoma
2)go see a specialist, who would start all over with lab work, x-rays, joint taps, etc.
3)keep doing what I'm doing and slowly wean Scout off the prednisone and hope for the best . . .

I paid $45 for that consult, scooped up my dog and left feeling very discouraged. Greg and I talked on the drive home and agreed that #3 was our only option. The diagnosis still makes sense to us and we are in no position financially to start all over with expensive lab tests.

So, please don't stop praying for Scout--or for wisdom for us. Some days Scout doesn't seem to be progressing as quick as I'd like (and I can't seem to find anyone to tell me what exactly that progress should look like), but we took her on a short walk today and she seemed almost back to normal. She's down to 10 mg. of prednisone now. The vet told me to give her a few more days on that dose and then switch her to every other day. Please pray that Scout can handle that.

The vet predicted that if Scout does have cancer--or something beside the immune-mediated illness--the effects of the prednisone will eventually wear off and the real condition will surface. That's what upset me the most--the thought that Scout's suffering might not be over.

Thanks for your continued prayers . . .