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 . . .