Immune symptoms in my 11 month whippet Sparky

Started by Sparkysmum, August 17, 2020, 08:54:09 AM

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Sparkysmum

Hi, Sparky took unwell a week ago on Sunday 9th August. He was sick after his tea, next day he was off his food and started squealing in pain. His temperature was 39. Vet queried pancreatitis and he was started on antibiotics, paracetamol and antisickness meds. Temp kept spiking and the pain was coming from his neck. Bloods showed some protein which was meant to be 10% was reading 69%? They are not sure yet what they are treating. Sparky was unwell during the week but is now totally back to normal. Chasing his tail and doing all the normal naughty puppy things. Would this happen without steroid treatment?

Jo CIMDA

Hi and welcome

Great news that Sparky is back to normal and having fun.  Would this happen without steroid treatment? Well it depends.  Some inflammatory autoimmune disease are progressive and symptoms can wax and wane for a few months before it reaches a point where the inflammation is at a high point and clinical signs do not go away with run of the mill speculative treatment.    Having said that Sparky may have had something to upset his tummy, and/or strained his neck, and he is now over the crisis.

All you can do is to wait, and monitor his clinical signs, and if he gets another episode like this then further investigations will have to be done. 

The most common AI disease that affects the neck - and these dogs are in acute pain and don't want to move a muscle, is steroid responsive meningitis arteritis (SRMA).  So that maybe that is one that you could familiarise yourself with.  Another one that may cause the dog to cry out is masticatory myositis and possibly early immune mediated polyarthritis if the dog knocks himself or accidentally twists a leg.   

Lets hope that this is a one off and it will never happen again.

Jo


Sparkysmum

I do hope so. I have been trying to read up as much as possible. Vets this afternoon for a check up. They are in contact with the Dick Vet centre in Edinburgh. We were told he may need to go for further tests. Will post any results later. Thank you for your help

Sparkysmum

Our vet wants us to keep on Paracetamol twice daily for a week. Seen again in two weeks. Just a thought, Sparky does drink from streams when out walking. Could it be a water based infection showing similar symptoms to immune disease? We did tell the vet that he drinks from streams but they were not concerned. If this has been the case, there would be much less chance of a recurrence?
  Helene

Jo CIMDA

Hi Helene

If Sparky is still doing well then it is very likely that the episode that he had was not an AI disease.

High temperatures seen in inflammatory AI disease, often go well above 40 degrees.  They are unusually high, far more than a temperature caused by an infection.

If it is Scottish running water then it will probably be fine, but you can never tell if anything has been emptied into still water so I suppose it is best to distract him from having a drink.

I hope this is a one off for Sparky.  Fingers crossed.

Jo