Help for swollen joints and high fever

[bell lover]

I have a chocolate lab mix and two weeks ago she had swollen joints in her legs. Took her to the vet where we dicovered she had a fever of 104F which is a concern in dogs. He put her on doxycycline and metacam. But she couldn't keep the the doxy down. So we switched to Baytril but her fever was climbing. We took a blood test for Lyme, E canis, and heartworm. The next day the fever was higher at 105.4F and the results from the test were negative. My vet referred her to the University of MN because he was out of ideas of what was wrong. When we got there Thursday they put her in ICU and did more blood work and tests for Lyme, E. canis and heartworm. The tests came back negative for all and low platelets in the blood. We picked her up on Saturday morning with four meds to give her. Prednisone ( a steroid), a GI tract smoothing pill, a non vomiting pill and Pepcid AC for acid reducer. Did those for a week. Her tempeture came down and the swollen but she wont eat for nothing. It's been a week since we brought her home from the Univer. and we can tell she has lost more weight. Has anyone heard of such symptoms? She has everyone stumped. Now today we added an antibiotic to her pills for a week to see what that will do.
If anyone has any idea or has had a dog with these conditions, please share. Thank you.

[Lehi]

I have a chocolate lab mix and two weeks ago she had swollen joints in her legs. Took her to the vet where we dicovered she had a fever of 104F which is a concern in dogs. He put her on doxycycline and metacam. But she couldn't keep the the doxy down. So we switched to Baytril but her fever was climbing. We took a blood test for Lyme, E canis, and heartworm. The next day the fever was higher at 105.4F and the results from the test were negative. My vet referred her to the University of MN because he was out of ideas of what was wrong. When we got there Thursday they put her in ICU and did more blood work and tests for Lyme, E. canis and heartworm. The tests came back negative for all and low platelets in the blood. We picked her up on Saturday morning with four meds to give her. Prednisone ( a steroid), a GI tract smoothing pill, a non vomiting pill and Pepcid AC for acid reducer. Did those for a week. Her tempeture came down and the swollen but she wont eat for nothing. It's been a week since we brought her home from the Univer. and we can tell she has lost more weight. Has anyone heard of such symptoms? She has everyone stumped. Now today we added an antibiotic to her pills for a week to see what that will do.
If anyone has any idea or has had a dog with these conditions, please share. Thank you.

It sure sounds like Lyme Disease but you've had her tested twice and it shows negative. I don't know what to tell you except that I sure hope she gets well. :(

[PatchO'Pits]

I wish I had an answer for you. Hang in there.

Hugs and prayers

[mynameislola]

Have you tried giving her VitaCal, or some other paste food? Years ago I has a dog with tonsillitis and it was the only thing she would eat till after the surgery. She got a little bit put on the roof of her mouth every few hours.

Good luck with her. :)

[NewfieGrl]

I'm so sorry to hear about your dog. I'm just curious, how old is she? With an aging dog I would think something like arthritis, but not sure where the fever is coming in. Here is a link you can take a look at. You may want to also do a little more searching online and see if you can come up with anything that resembles her symptoms. And make sure to keep on your vet, or question other vets, as to what it could be.
http://home.ivillage.com/pets/symsolve/0,,mfrk,00.html
I really hope you find an answer. It's so hard when our pets are suffering and even the experts can't figure it out.
Best of luck to you and please keep us updated.
Michele
owned by 2 Newfies, a cocker spaniel and 3 cats.

[phillydogs]

It can take a while for lyme antibodies to show up in the blood, so she might test negative for now if its a recent infection. Make sure to have her retested in a few weeks.

The prednisone can be making her lose her appetite, and so can the antibiotics. I would try to feed her anything she'll eat, try some browned ground beef and brown rice, anything to just get something in her.

BTW- where do you live? Is Rocky Mountain Spotted fever or Valley fever (Az) a possibility?

[bell lover]

Wow thanks for all the replies. The U and our vet gaves us paste food with no luck of her eating it. I have made hamburgers, chicken with broth and of course pork roast which she ate. But not very much of. Isabell will be 4 in December. The U was saying she is too young to have or begin having arthritis. They even did an ultrasound on her for cancer. Her liver had a spot or two, which they said could of came from the doxycycline. I guess it's a pretty tough medicine to take. We live in south central Minnesota and the last test done at the Univerisity they checked for Rocky Mtn Spotted Fever with negative results, too.
We even thought it was our water because we just put in city water. I had a well before but the county wants everyone to discontinue with septic tanks. But the water is fine. We have discussed putting her down but the question remains, for her benefit or for our own?
We're going to see how these anitbiotics do. Thanks for the prayers!

[Lehi]

Wow thanks for all the replies. The U and our vet gaves us paste food with no luck of her eating it. I have made hamburgers, chicken with broth and of course pork roast which she ate. But not very much of. Isabell will be 4 in December. The U was saying she is too young to have or begin having arthritis. They even did an ultrasound on her for cancer. Her liver had a spot or two, which they said could of came from the doxycycline. I guess it's a pretty tough medicine to take. We live in south central Minnesota and the last test done at the Univerisity they checked for Rocky Mtn Spotted Fever with negative results, too.
We even thought it was our water because we just put in city water. I had a well before but the county wants everyone to discontinue with septic tanks. But the water is fine. We have discussed putting her down but the question remains, for her benefit or for our own?
We're going to see how these anitbiotics do. Thanks for the prayers!

So how is she doing today? Is she still running that high fever? Have you noticed any improvement at all? BTW, in case you didn't see it, I sent you a private message.

[bell lover]

Well Isabell went for a little ride today. She sat up and looked around for awhile but now she's resting. I making a chicken in the oven and we brought her in thinking if she smells it cooking it will get her hunger pains going.
Her temp. has been pretty much normal around 102 since we started the steroid. But she is just so lifeless. And a friend seen her when we were in town and noticed she lost alot of weight.
I take her tomorrow for a xray of her chest as a following up procedure for the univerisity. I hope they see something if it's there so we can treat her properly and gets this BS on it's way out the door.
Please keep us in your prayers.

[Evey]

In the cat forum there is a link to a website that is hosted by a vet. He usually gives an answer within 24 hours, and often includes suggestions for treatment that you can share with your vet.

[lovecoton's]

:) Hi Dana,
I sent another private message for you to see. Tks for responding. Take care PEggy;)

[Lehi]

Any updates?

[PatchO'Pits]

Honestly if neither vet is helping I would seek out another opinion.

Also very young dogs can have arthritis and joint issues .... so I don't like that you were told that a young dog can't have that... now I know that wouldn't cause the fever , but it makes me question the vet's experience

All cancers do not shpw up in all tests especially if they are looking in the wrong place. If she continues to have issues I'd consult an oncologist for direction to rule it out if you can

Hopefully it is just some freak virus

In the meantime try giving her some dogSure it is liquid diet for older dogs or ask about rebound and vitamin b12 shots at the vet if she still isn'teating

[bell lover]

Well not much to update about. The blood work from Monday came up negative but I haven't seen it yet to know what they were testing for. I'll see it tomorrow. I talked to the vet at the university today and asked if I could bring Isabell up for him to look at and he said sure. So we're taking a trip tomorrow to see him. She has lost alot of muscle mass because the steroid has that affect. He's going to lower that tomorrow after he looks at her. I hold a towel around her belly as she walks so when her legs give out which is about every four steps I can hold her up so she doesn't crash on me. We have three steps out either door for her to go down to get to the grass so we built a ramp for her. Jay can lift her up and put her outside but I'm 5 1/2 months pregnant so I'm limited on lifting.
I just hope the lesser steroid will help bring back some muscle. She was such a powerhouse when we were out hunting.
Again thanks for the replies and advice. I have taken and written them all down. Thank you.
Dana

[bell lover]

We took Isabell to see the vet and he admitted her again. The ICU doctor took an oxygen test and she wasn't getting the oxygen she should be. They put her in an oxygen chamber and at 10:30pm she was not responding to it. The doctor also gave her a blood transfusion because she had very low red blood cells. When we got back to the hospital she had a heart rate of 140 or greater. We also learned she was breathing with her diaphram and not her lungs. So she really wasn't getting or processing oxygen to her organs. We know her diaphram is a muscle and would eventually fatigue. So we said our goodbyes and brought her home to rest next to Henry our cat.
Thank you all for all the suggestions, thoughts and prayers. It is healing time now for us.
Thanks again
Dana and Jason

[Lehi]

I'm so very sorry that you weren't able to save her. :( My heart goes out to you.

[rstowe]

I'm sorry for your loss. Always remember, you did everything you could to save her. Unfortunately, sometimes it just isn't enough. She will be waiting for you at the Rainbow Bridge.

Here is a poem which helped my wife and I deal with the loss of our Rottie. Hope it can provide some comfort to you as well:

Weep not for me though I am gone
Into that gentle night.

Grieve if you will, but not for long
Upon my soul's sweet flight.

I am at peace, my soul's at rest,
There is no need for tears.

For with your love I was so blessed
For all those many years.

There is no pain, I suffer not,
The fear now all is gone.

Put now these things out of your thoughts,
In your memory I live on.

Remember not my fight for breath,
Remember not the strife.

Please do not dwell upon my death,
But celebrate my life.

[PatchO'Pits]

I'm so very sorry. What did they say was the cause of this happening?

Hold the memories of her close in your heart and she is there.