I've noticed the past few weeks Zoey seems to be 'favoring' her Right rear leg and also is taking her time when she sits, like she is positioning her leg just right so it doesn't hurt her. Yesterday was the worst I've seen of her doing that. She has also been really standoffish with the other dogs the past few days, she basically sits in a corner of the exercise pen and doesn't really do much, she gets little spurts of energy where she'll play with Sebastian, but not long. My dad did a physical exam on her, and besides getting diagnosed with Endocrine Alopecia (yes on top of her Color Dilution Alopecia), she's COMPLETELY bald on her underbelly, starting from her mid neck all the way to the inside of her back legs and it's getting worse. He said she does have the Pattern Baldness, but thinks her's is a bit hormonal as well. She's got something going on with her Right hip joint, she is losing muscle around it and is chewing on the hair around it. He would have taken x-rays today but our developer solution is low and we won't get any more till Wednesday, so Friday when I come back to work she will have x-rays taken. She bit both me and my dad today when she was being examined, which is NOT like my little girl, so I know it's bothering her quite badly. Since she's already on prednisone, she will be getting some Buprenex (Butorphonol) for pain 2-3 times daily until we can determine the exact cause of her discomfort.
These are the most likely posibilities he is pretty sure she's got some sort of major destruction of the hip joint with the way she was reacting to him palpating and rotating the leg. She will more than likely need a FHO (Femoral Head & Neck Osteotomy) which is a MAJOR orthopedic surgery, to correct the problem (he is 80% sure of this). So he told me we'd probably schedule her for either Friday (right now he's got 6 other surgeries so if he has time) or next Monday for a FHO.
1- Legge Calve Perthes Disease
http://www.vetsurge rycentral. com/legg_ calve.htm2- Arthritis/Hip Dysplasia we know she has arthritis in her knees/patellas and her tail bone.
(THANK GOODNESS my dad is willing to let me put this on account....we have to come up with first months rent and a deposit....we're moving by August 23rd....I'll get a nice discount from him but will still owe some, but we'll get it taken care of after the move probably.)
As for the endocrine alopecia, it is normally treated with Prednisone, so no additional meds for the time being. May be increasing her Benadryl to 3xday though as she is super itchy with it. I'm seriously going to be besides myself for her surgery. She's only been put under anesthesia 1x since she was diagnosed with Hydrocephalus and that was for a quick Dental....this surgery will most likely take at least 45 minutes..... .Don't get me wrong, I have full confidence in my dad aka Veterinarian, but it is worrisome as she is a high risk anesthesia candidate.
I will update y'all on Friday of the situation and exactly what's going on with her. Please keep her in your thoughts/prayers/ vibes for good outcome of whatever it is that happens. My dad's comment was "Her breeder must have looked at the book and said, let's breed for that problem, this problem, that one...and let's throw in that one for good measure....and got Zoey. He said in all his years of practice he's never seen anything like it, he has had some dogs who have a few conditions, but Zoey has just about EVERYTHING. I told him I felt like a hypochondriac and that I was 'making' her have issues....he said no you aren't you are just attentive, he said he wished half our clients would be so attentive, we'd have healthier pets, and dogs/cats who don't have to wait until it's too late for treatment for their problems. He also said that he is 100% positive that Zoey was my 'fate or destiny' and that if someone else owned her, she wouldn't be near as 'healthy (well as she can be) nor as well taken care of with all of her issues, he said a lot would have put her to sleep long ago. So I guess that makes me feel good. At least she is getting a chance at a happy life. I just wish she was healthier. Although I do thing the supplement from Wellness that I got that's an immune booster is helping, she hasn't had her 'regular' respiratory infection for a while...knocking on wood.
DeeJay in her new 'hideaway' spot, in the office between Rob & I's desk!
The collection begins....
Styrafoam
A few pieces of styrafoam strategically placed
Upstairs in the hall
Apparantly she thought froggy needed a snack...YES that is a piece of cat food next to his head!
And last but not least....Odie!
