Keeper update

[Keeper]

Happy days my dear Keeper is now in remission and dropping his steroids 5 mg per day for 6 weeks then back to Andersonmoore for another check up.

His diagnoses is probably Focial GME, he's almost back to his old self being a cocker spaniel his nose is near fully back in action tonight we went squirrel hunting lol

[Jo CIMDA]

This is wonderful news. Keeper is back - poor old squirrels.

Thank you so much for the update.  If you ever get time can you jot down  Keeper's GME history and the treatment process for us?  It can be so difficult to treat and it would be beneficial to others to know the about a successful case of GME.

Well done Anderson Moores.  It has a very good reputation.

Brilliant news!!!!

Jo

[Keeper]

Here goes,

24 Feb a totally normal dog and had just started agility 

26 February woke up not responding to voice or touching, eyes wide open no response straight to the vets, bloods taken only thing they found was a very high fat in the blood he started to look a bit normal and sent home no injection just advices to put him on a low fat diet and treatment him like a normal dog, a bit odd but it was the advice

28 February another episode this time he woke up looking out off it and wobbled down the stairs and stopped in the kitchen non responsive staring at nothing and not hearing me or even being touched luckily I took a video of this as how could I explain it to the vets as he was also when I got him to move he was walking into things door frame kitchen bin... off to the vets

On examination he was walking in circles, bumping into things and a head tilt, more bloods again nothing abnormal Just high fat.  The vet scratched his head went off and called the vet who we saw days before.

A referral to Andersonmoore for the next day as they thought it wasn't an emergency.

Arrived at Andersonmoore and met the vet from Internal Medicine show the videos and history given, they then mentioned his blindness in his left eye news to me.. now feeling worried after more tests they suspect Liver Shunt!

He gets admitted for more bloods etc etc

Next day get a call it's not Liver Shunt and hes transferred to Neurology for MRI and CSF.. now feeling very sick myself.


Next day the MRI scan comes back abnormal changes and CSF sent away results came back 6 days later.

He was started on antibiotics and prednicare 30 mg per day as a starter till the CSF results arrive. Go and collect him 2 days later and he's ok just very sleepy. Results back they mentioned Atopica for life or a course of chemotherapy 4 in total, which meant a 2 night stay and every 4 weeks and 4 injections.

I opted for tablets thinking easy option, 75 mg twice a day, this medication was very regimented around an empty stomach and given 12 hrs apart long with 30 mg steroids. But we just got on with it. He to be honest didn't do much just sleep and being made to being walked.

Next chapter

23 March, back the vets as he's now being sick and had diarrhoea more antibiotics and sent home

5 April, back to the vets not drinking sent home with a vit b injection and don't worry he's just hot but what about the blood in his urine as I thankfully got a sample from him, other advice if hes not better by Monday call Andersonmoore

6 April not drinking or eating called Andersonmoore spoke to his specialist and was advised to rush him back to the vets.... It's nothing to do with his MUO

Arrive with only what I can describe as a very ill dog showing signs of jaundice admitted and put on a drip and a referral back to Andersonmoore luckily they are only 45 mins away and off we go back this time with Pancreatitis and a 6 night stay and they found a grade 2 heart murmur after his heart scan just to be on the safe side before starting chemotherapy

Everyone put there thinking chaps on stratched there heads and argue over reduce his Atopica start chemotherapy ,

10 April his 1st chemo

12 April came home and drop down to 75 mg Atopica per day

15 April steroids drop to 15mg per day

1 May 2nd chemo and drop down to 10 mg steroids per day

16 May Atopica stopped thank god

29 May last chemotherapy

So far the vet bill is £6500 for the MUO and have £1000 left till next Jan and the chemotherapy on average is £550 per go hence only having 3

His pancreatitis bill was £3750


Happy days 27 June back to Andersonmoore they are over the moon with him and in remission and another drop 5 mg steroids per day

Back on the 9th August and fingers crossed another steroids drop.

They have said because the pancreatitis got involved the treatment plan is "bespoke" and as he is young poor boy is only 20 months and fit in his body they thought it was worth trying.

They have given us the provisionsal diagnoses of Focial GME (as they can never be for sure unless a brain biopsy is done which can't be) as he hasn't had another episode in for months and they say it's the best of the worst condition

I'm happy with that and thank god he's insured I thought £7500 was a lot of money and have only £1000 left but with fingers crossed we won't need it.

Laters,

Keeper the crazy cocker spaniel X

[Jo CIMDA]

Thank you so much for writing this account of Keepers horrible illness.  It must have been very stressful for you to look back and relive this episode in your lives. 

Anderson Moores have done brilliantly, and so have you, but it may never have worked so well if Keeper hadn't been a young and fit dog.

It is great to have a success story like this.

All the best.

Jo

[Keeper]

Thank you Jo,

Yes it's been a nightmare not helped by the fact I lost my beloved lab 3 months early to bone cancer it was a short illness and he was 10 and had a fun life, so to have this when I researched the breed and found Keeper we were off again only to be delt this hand of cards!

Ha ho, every phone called from Andersonmoore was ok but there was always a big BUT at the end of the conversation re his condition and treatment.... we laugh now, he's a fighter and young and fit even though walking him when he was not feeling like it we carried on as he needed to stay fit.


I couldn't have done this without the support of friends and work colleagues stepping in to cover me, he's got quite a fan club at work lol

I'm fully aware GME is not curable and I'm just happy that we have got this far and Andersonmoore have been brilliant.

As I write this Keeper is rolling on the sofa barking told you he was a crazy cocker

Louise X

[Keeper]

Im have trouble in uploading a phone as I've only got an IPad I'd love to share a photo of Keeper may I leave my email address so perhaps you could upload his photo.

[Jo CIMDA]

I am not great at computers but if you send it to my email address I may be able to do something:  cimda@aslog.co.uk