Wobbly lab.

Dr. Marie replied:

Oh, poor Koda. He looks like such a happy boy, but he's definitely having a hard time.

What I can see from the video, there are definitely some neurological things going on. I can see some ataxia in his back legs (which is wobbliness, or walking like he is drunk) and a definite issue with his right front leg/neck.

It sounds to me like your vet is doing exactly all of the same things I would do.

If I saw a dog doing this, the first thing I would think of is a problem with a disc in his neck. The problem could be that part of the disc is herniated or it could be that there is inflammation around the disc. Then, the herniation or the inflammation pushes up on the spinal cord and causes some problems with how nerve impulses are spread from that point on down his spine.

So, it makes sense that he was put on Rimadyl. Rimadyl is a good anti-inflammatory drug that would likely have worked well if this was just inflammation around his disc. The side effect that you mentioned with wobbliness in Rimadyl is not something that I have heard of before. It must be extremely rare. I am 99.9% sure that Koda's wobbliness is not because of the Rimadyl.

Now, if the problem did not resolve after a few days of Rimadyl then this means that there is something more going on than just inflammation. The next possibility is that there is some disc bulging into the intervertebral space. This is much more serious. Unfortunately this can be extremely difficult to diagnose with plain xrays. The only way to get a diagnosis here would be to do a myelogram or an MRI. And yes, these tests are quite expensive. And then, if there is some disc material in the intervertebral space then surgery is needed to remove it. This surgery needs to be done by a specialist and is fairly pricey. However, the success rate is generally good and Koda could have many good years of life left.

There are some other possibilities that are less likely, but still a possibility. It's possible that there is a parasite affecting the spinal cord such as toxoplasmosis or neospora. You can ask your vet if these conditions are seen in your area. If so, it may be worthwhile to try a course or an antibiotic called clindamycin which can sometimes work for these parasites.

Another possibility is a condition called fibrocartilaginous embolism (FCE). This happens if a piece of cartilage lodges in the blood vessels in the spinal cord. However, this condition doesn't usually get worse.

It's never a bad idea to do blood tests although I would be surprised if anything came up on the tests. But, if there was evidence of infection this could support the parasite idea.

This is probably not related to the intranasal kennel cough at all.

It's hard to say what would happen if nothing was done. If this continues to get worse then he will eventually lose his ability to walk. I know he's not showing you obvious discomfort, but the dog that I see in the video is uncomfortable. If he is limping then there is likely a degree of pain. Dogs, especially labs, are very good at not letting us know they are in pain.

I would definitely recommend seeing the specialist. I hope he is ok!

Dr. Marie.


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Dr. Marie replied:

You're very welcome.

That's interesting that Koda improved after the antibiotic? Which one was it? If it was Doxycycline, clindamycin (or possibly Baytril) it may be that Koda actually does have one of the rare parasites that I mentioned.

A steroid shot is not a good idea here. These shots are not usually any better than oral steroids. Plus, they deliver a large dose of steroid and once we have given the injection then the steroids last in the system for up to 6 weeks. So, if there were any side effects from the drug there is nothing we can do to change the dosage that Koda is getting.

The lumps are tough to comment on online, but it's very unlikely that they are related to his current condition.

Glad to hear that he is improving! I hope things continue to get better!

Dr. Marie replied:

I have many animals that I send to see a chiropractor. I think most of them are great! My only caution is to make sure that the chiropractor is actually trained in VETERINARY chiropractic medicine and not simply a human chiropractor who works on animals as there is a large difference.

I checked out the site that you gave me and it does indeed look like a veterinary practice. I think it's definitely worth a try.

With that being said, you should get your vet's permission first.

Dr. Marie replied:

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that Koda is getting worse. I am really concerned for him.

It's tough for me to advise you here. From what you've described it sounds more and more like there is a serious problem in his neck - likely a disc problem. While this could potentially be fixed, it's likely going to need surgery and this, as you know, is really expensive. Plus, there is no guarantee that he will do well after the surgery.

I understand your vet's desire for him to see the specialist first. It would be a shame to put him down if there was something that could be done. However, if you look at things logically, I can't see a happy outcome to Koda's situation without spending a lot of money.

The specialist likely won't be able to give you a diagnosis without doing either an MRI or a CAT Scan or possibly a myelogram. Any of these tests are really expensive. Then, if we do get a diagnosis he is likely going to need surgery.

I think at this point, with the degree of pain that Koda is in, a chiropractor may not be safe. It's not likely to have a dramatic effect when the pain is this bad.

So, if Koda were my patient I would be giving you the following options:

• Keep him on the Tramadol until his appointment with the specialist. If the specialist feels that they can't help without the expensive tests and surgeries then go ahead with euthanasia.


• You didn't mention what antibiotic he was on before. If he hasn't been on a course of clindamycin (Antirobe) then I would likely try some. This is on the off chance that this is neospora or toxoplasmosis in the spinal cord. (But this is quite unlikely).


• I don't think it's an option to keep going like this on medication. So, if he was really uncomfortable, I would go ahead with your wishes for euthanasia.

When is your appointment with the specialist? If it is within the next week then I would likely persist with the medication and have him seen. If it is several weeks for now then I don't think it is fair to have him in pain for any longer.

Dr. Marie replied:

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that Koda was put to sleep. It does sound like you did absolutely everything you could for him though.

I know he will be greatly missed.