Buzz Briefing

I just spoke with our new and wonderful Vet.  Here is the Buzz Briefing.

As you may remember we were ruling out the following list of possibilities after his FOUR collapses on our hike on Sunday.  (Yes, I’m still devastated from it!)

After physically examining him, these were her initial thoughts explaining the (4!) collapses:

1. Pain from musculoskeletal issue – not likely related to a musculoskeletal problem because the x-ray is clear.  The radiologist will “officially” read the x-rays on Thursday, but the Vet thinks that the x-ray looked good. Silver Lining!
2. Neuromuscular problem – TBD based on blood tests which will come back next week.
3. Brain Related Neuromuscular Disorder – TBD based on blood tests which will come back next week.
4. Myopathy TBD based on blood tests which will come back next week.
5. Respiratory (i.e., Lungs) She also doesn’t think that his lungs are a problem because he shows no signs or symptoms of spontaneously collapsing at home (e.g., panting and coughing at rest). SL!
6. Cardiac (i.e., Heart) No murmur or arrhythmia was heard on auscultation (i.e., listening to internal organs with a stethescope). SL!
7. Fungal (Histoplasmosis) because he came form Detroit, a hotbed for histoplasmosis.

SL news (in addition to above):

1. His blood test was great.
2. His bones look “perfect”.

Next Plan:

1. A DNA blood test will determine if there is a neurological disorder.  This test takes about a week.
2. I need to get a urine sample for them to test (that’ll be fun!)
3. Consideration of EIC.  Our Vet is thinking that he might have a rare (because we ARE the family of RARE reactions these days) disorder found in labs called: Exercise Induced Collapse (EIC). EIC can only be diagnosed after all neuromuscular or neurological disorders are ruled out (which we are doing). Here is a little information from JustLabradors.com to describe EIC:

• Affected dogs exhibiting symptoms of collapse are usually described as being extremely fit, muscular, prime athletic specimens of their breed with an excitable temperament and lots of drive.  Buzz is all of these.
• Affected dogs can tolerate mild to moderate exercise, but 5 to 20 minutes of strenuous exercise with excitement induces weakness and then collapse.  We definitely had a period of strenuous exercise on the “collapse hike”.  His previous hikes (on which he did great) were about 40 minutes each with slow, steady climbs.
• JustLabradors.com says that the best treatment in most dogs consists of avoiding intensive exercise in conjunction with extreme excitement and ending exercise at the first sign of weakness/wobbliness. It seems that if affected dogs are removed from training and not exercised excessively the condition will not progress and they will be fine as pets. SL!

Here are two additional Silver Linings from this experience:

1. We now have a wonderful new Vet, who is kind, calm and patient.  She is open to ideas and is eager to figure everything out.
2. Buzz is glued to my side.  Doing fine today (except for two accidents in the house, which, according to our Vet is very normal after sedation).
3. We may not  know what specifically is going on yet, but we are on the road to figuring it out.

To wish to be well is part of becoming well.

– Seneca (Roman philosopher, mid-1st century AD)