Geyser Update

[Christie M]

@Christie,
I find it interesting that there seem to be a fair number of DS with this sort of condition. I've heard from another forum member who thinks their DS may be exercise intolerant, too. Considering how few of them are in this country, it seems like a high percentage, yet you don't hear anything about this when you're researching the breed, especially those of us switching to DS for primarily health reasons .

Yeah, I don't know. I have had literally hundreds of DS through my house via my own, puppies and rescues and I have only seen this in 2 particular dogs from the same litter. So I don't think of it as something that plagues the breed. And with my two, they would exercise until they dropped dead.....absolutely. It was an overheating condition.

As the breed grows, we are going to see more and more of various health issues. There was a litter in MI that had many develop a Muscular Dystrophy situation. One from up East had some auto-immune problems resulting in Masticatory Muscle Myositis. But they are all isolated cases that no one has seen occur in the breed before - or if they had developed, it probably happened in a different country where culling is more acceptable.

So still, with thousands of DSs in this country, and only a handful of cases, I don't think its common in the slightest.

[alspyce]

@Christie,
I find it interesting that there seem to be a fair number of DS with this sort of condition. I've heard from another forum member who thinks their DS may be exercise intolerant, too. Considering how few of them are in this country, it seems like a high percentage, yet you don't hear anything about this when you're researching the breed, especially those of us switching to DS for primarily health reasons .

That would be my Lyric.
I first thought it was because I have not been able to exercise her regularly, (due to my surgery), and that she was out of condition from the winters weight increase. After talking to Leih, and reading Christie's posts, I don't think that is the case. She only tolerates about 10/15 minutes of exertion before becoming tired and ready to stop. Still watching for other symptoms that have been discussed.

[alspyce]

Somehow, we dodged this bullet.

Had Geyser in for her recheck this week, and her lymph node is nearly gone. I had hoped so much that we wouldn't have to go thru a biopsy, and was so relieved that she was doing so well. Now we take an additional course of antibiotics, and recheck in another two weeks.

Leih---somehow I missed this when you posted it, this is wonderful news!!! I hope things continue to be good.

[leih merigian]

Thanks, Chris! We go back next Tuesday for our next check-up...

[Dutchringgirl]

Yeah!!!!!!

[Marjolein]

sounds good!!

[leih merigian]

Final recheck on the lymph node thing, and we're good to go! Yay.

Since she had the horrible GI tract think not so long ago, then this lymph node infection, I'm thinking, this girl needs some immune support. Vet agreed, and we're stared a supplement for that. Also, B vitamins for her stress levels, and I'm gonna start her on digestive enzymes, too (she tends towards an acid stomach, I think). Hopefully, these additions to her diet will help her to avoid these kinds of infection things.

I also am going to work on the cooling foods, but alas, just placed my three month order and so it'll have to wait for the next order cycle. We;ve been talking about this for quite a while now, my vet and me, since she runs so hot with her breathing/exercise issues.

Anyway, for now, we're doing well again . Everybody cross your freaking fingers for me, eh?

[Dutchringgirl]

yeah!!!!!

[bannerd]

Glad everything is on the right track, something so small can get serious that is for sure.

[alspyce]

Great news!! Have you looked into colostrum for immune support?

[felixone123]

great news Leih!! I'm pro vitamins and glad to hear Miss G will take some B's!!

[vneerland]

It took me this long to find this topic again, but thanks, Christie, for the detailed response.
Reading this, and Leih's remark that there may be several DS's with this condition (in our small genepool) it leads me to the stupid question if we would all, without a doubt, recognize the symptoms? How dramatic is this? Extremely noticeable?
@ Leih. Glad that things are going well for a change and I agree, we are no doubt all looking forward to your reports of how well G is doing, physically and otherwise.

[Marjolein]

crossing the fingers for you guys!

I would also like to knoow the excact symtoms, I have never heard of it. I have seen a Rottweielr at our Schh club collaps several times, we thought he had something like that. He was (much) later diagnosed with a form of epilepsy. So it must look different, does it start like when a dog is really really hot, and cannot cool itself down?

[Schlussdibusti]

good news!

Coming from the holistic department.... just want to throw in 'detoxing'. I use Flor-Essence, the dry herbal mixture not the ready mix with alcohol. I brew one package of the herbal mixture (there a three in box) and feed two table spoons AM and PM either alone or with food until it's used up. We do that twice a year.
http://www.florahealth.com/product_az_u ... rod_id=335

[leih merigian]

it leads me to the stupid question if we would all, without a doubt, recognize the symptoms? How dramatic is this? Extremely noticeable?

Well, I sure didn't recognize what I was seeing when she was a little puppy, and it took a long time for the penny to drop for me. At first, I wondered if it was just a breed difference kind of thing, but after months, that idea was clearly wrong.

I know there are many, many causes of exercise intolerance, and that's probably one of the problems. I'd guess that it exists on a continuum too, so that some dogs may just colapse with any exercise at all, and others, like Geyser, can exercise some, but then become winded and hot and have to rest before colapsing.

It's such a PITA, tho, to ensure she has enough exercise, both for her physical well-being and also her mental well-being. Lots and lots of rests...

Then again, I am grateful we have worked out our little system and she either knows when to stop herself, or I stop her myself and enforce the breaks.

[Christie M]

I know there are many, many causes of exercise intolerance, and that's probably one of the problems. I'd guess that it exists on a continuum too, so that some dogs may just colapse with any exercise at all, and others, like Geyser, can exercise some, but then become winded and hot and have to rest before colapsing.

Has she ever gone into a collapse episode? If so, what was her body position like? Meaning, was she limp - or stiff?

[leih merigian]

Has she ever gone into a collapse episode? If so, what was her body position like? Meaning, was she limp - or stiff?

No, I've never pushed it that far. When she was a baby, she'd just stop and lie down for a while, then get up and resume activity. Now, she stops herself and rests, or I stop her if I can tell she needs to stop and rest.

[johninny]

Christie, why did you ask that? is there something to learn?
also, i see that flax seed is a 'cool' food. i have for a decade used a daily nutritional supplement that uses a flax base - platinum performance CJ - to assure broad nutritional support regardless of the day-to-day diet. good in any case, but especially useful to supplement home-prepared meals. www.platinumperformance.com