Wobblers question

[beth100706]

Sorry I haven't been active in the group in a long time. I haven't been on cafemom in months.

I hope you ladies will forgive me because I need some help.

We are having some health problems with our 4 1/2 year old  female dobe Commander. At this point the vet is thinking she probably  has Wobblers.

Last week Commander was totally fine. We left to go out of town last Weds night. We had our usual pet sitter come and stay in the house (he is very trustworthy and loves are dogs). We returned home this past monday night. The pet sitter said the dogs had been keeping him up at night but i wasn't concerend becasue our male can be obnixious when he isn't allowed in the bed so i figured that was the problem.

We didnt' notice anything unusual with Commander at that point. We went to bed and she was very restless. Pacing and just wouldn't lay down. She was up and making some kind of noise between a bark and a whine that I had never heard.  Dh said she was probably just made that we were out of town for so long.

Tuesday morning she seemed ok for the most part. Maybe a  little moppy so Dh took her to petco to get a treat. When he brought her home I noticed her stumble a couple of times and sway to the side. DH blamed it on Baby toys on the floor tripping her but she is the most graceful dog in the world so i doubt it. By Tuesday night she was acting very clumbsy and just not herself. When she started to sway I paniced and Dh rushed her to the E.R. vet where she spent the night. They did blood work and ruled out poisons and infection. $800 later we transported her to our vet wednesday morning.

Our vet really feels like it is Wobblers. She said the only way to be %100 sure is to take her to Madison (over an hour away) for a test that would cost $3000.  If this was a cure we would be on our way but we can't afford $3000 just for a test.  Our vet took an xray and said there was a "very suttle compression of the vertibrate"  They kept her overnight on IV fluids and started steroids. We picked her up this morning.

She just doesn't seem like herself at all. We aren't noticing her Wobbling very much. Just walking with her head down. She is moving very slowly and seems like she is even drinking in slow motion. 

  While we recognize some of the symptoms in her there are many that she doesn't have so aren't totally convinced thats it. We were hoping to talk to someone who has been through the progression of Wobblers with there dog to give us some insight. Have anyone had to deal with this.

Please forgive any spelling or grammer errors I have had very little sleep in the last few days.

 

Thanks for your response.

[Blueliner]

I don't know that much about wobblers but I found this online:

Wobblers Disease and the Doberman Pinscher

Wobblers Disease is a widespread neurological condition found in big and oversize dog breeds. This disease also has two other names cervical spondylomyelopathy and Wobblers syndrome.

This disease might possibly include a malformation of the vertebrae, intervertebral disc protrusion, as well as injury to the spinal ligaments. The vertebrae in the neck will become unstable and cause compression on the spinal cord.

Of all the Wobblers disease cases reported, eighty percent of them are either Doberman Pinschers or Great Danes. Other dog breeds that may be affected include Saint Bernards, Weimaraners, German Shepherds, Boxers, Basset Hounds, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Dalmatians, Samoyeds, Old English Sheepdogs, and Bullmastiffs.

This disease does not typically show up in Dobermans until the age of four or five years. The symptoms will typically emerge in the hind legs as a slight problem with coordination in gait and could become worse and afflict the front legs too.

A dog that is majorly afflicted will develop a drunken-like way of walking. This symptom is usually slow to develop and will develop slowly over time. The partial inability to move and lack of coordination is caused by the pressure on the spinal cord as it goes through the neck’s vertebrae, the last three vertebrae are the main well known locations. The Doberman rear end will appear to be wobbling or swaying. Some other things to watch for are as follows:

 

It may become very hard for the dog to walk on slippery surfaces.

When turning the dog falls for no apparent reason.

The dog may have a wide legged stance to maintain better balance.

 

The front limbs are not usually afflicted in the beginning. However, as Wobblers disease gets worse, the front limbs will seem to become stiffer making the Doberman’s gait appear irregular. Little by little the front legs can develop the same wobbling or swaying that the rear legs have. While there is no evidence of what causes Wobblers, there is suspicion that growing too fast, due to overeating and a poor nutritional diet, and genetics are behind this disease. To diagnose a Doberman Pinscher a veterinarian will perform a neurological exam. The exam will usually include x-rays of the cervical spine as well as a mylogram x-ray. An owner may want to be fully informed about the necessity of this test because the cost is very pricey.

The treatment plan for a Doberman with Wobblers could include corticosteroids, neck brace, and possible surgery. In the case of surgery, the two afflicted vertebrae are fused together to minimize the pressure on the spinal cord, however this can place further strain on adjacent vertebrae causing them to become unstable as well. Some Dobermans can live a long life with virtually no pain and little if any treatment. Unfortunately for other Dobermans, the progression of Wobblers disease is too rapid and the kindest option to free them from their pain is to put them to sleep.

[beth100706]

Thank you. We have been doing a lot of research and a lot of symptoms don't seem like Wobblers. I think it seems more like a brain issue such as a stroke, tumor, or vestabular disease. I am going to talk to a vet again today.
Thanks again

[Blueliner]

Well I hope you figure it out and can fix it! Without costing some ridiculous amount! Good luck!

Quoting beth100706:

Thank you. We have been doing a lot of research and a lot of symptoms don't seem like Wobblers. I think it seems more like a brain issue such as a stroke, tumor, or vestabular disease. I am going to talk to a vet again today.
Thanks again

[beth100706]

Well the vet agrees that it is not wobblers. They are thinking it probably was a stroke. The good news is she slowing improving Hopefully this will continue.
Thanks again