Help Rosie: Lyme Disease/Nephritis
Donation protected
This is Rosabelle (aka Rose and Rosie) our 2 and 1/2 year old Chocolate Labrador Retriever. Rose is a great dog and loves her family (and we love her very much). She loves to go to the beach and swim.
Unfortunately Rose has contracted Lyme Disease and apparently a condition known as Lyme Nephritis. This is a very serious condition and Rose needs help.
Recently we had noticed that Rose had a slight decrease in her appetite, which of course is somewhat unusual for a Lab. We tempted her with extra yummy foods and she would eat but not with her usual vigor. She seemed to lose a little weight but otherwise was acting normal for the most part, perhaps a little less active. In fact I was beginning to think that she had the winter blues as she seemed mildly depressed.
On the day prior to Christmas Eve my wife noticed Rose sitting by the door with her inner eyelids up and that she seemed to be in pain. The next morning, Christmas Eve, my wife made an appointment for Rose with an area animal hospital. We thought perhaps Rose had injured her eye, which is why her inner eyelids were out. The doctor examined her and said she had a mild abrasion on her right eye and sent us home with eye drops.
My wife and I wondered if the eyelid was in fact a sign of something else, she really seemed uncomfortable. We monitored Rose's activity, food, urine and stool. We worried that perhaps she had eaten something she shouldn't have - as labs will do occasionally.
The evening of Christmas Eve Rose began vomiting. We wonder if it could be related to her medicine she started earlier in the day for her eye. We decided it would be best to skip dinner and keep a close eye on her.
Christmas morning came and Rose had not vomited again but was very lethargic. We made the decision that she needed to be seen as soon as possible and called the local emergency clinic. My wife ran Rose up to the clinic while I stayed home with the kids trying to stay positive and help the kids enjoy Christmas.
At the emergency clinic test were run and she was started on fluids. Rose was suffering from dehydration and her kidney levels were off.
This morning (12/26) we were told that it appears that Rose is suffering from Lyme Nephritis.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36yIMorIE1g
More on Lyme Nephritis: "Dogs with Lyme Nephropathy show signs of anorexia, lethargy, fever and some will even vomit. Kidney levels are often elevated, or elevate later in the course of the disease. The classic hallmark sign of this disease is loss of blood proteins in the urine- called proteinuria. Many will lose enough proteins that their blood work will show low albumin (the major blood protein), leading to leakage of blood fluids from the vessels into the tissues- causing the patient to develop swellings of the tissues called edema.
Most dogs with Lyme Nephropathy have a very poor prognosis, with most succumbing to the disease rather quickly after clinical signs develop despite therapy." (source: http://lapoflove.blogspot.com/2012/10/lyme-nephropathy-in-dogs.html)
Between our visit to the animal hospital on Christmas Eve and the first day at the emergency clinic we have already run up $1829 in bills. The recommendation is that we have a biopsy of the kidney to determine the damage and cause, this procedure would be in the ballpark of $2000. This is only diagnostic we would still need to treat, which would likely involve immunosuppressive medications.
Rose is such a young dog if she has a chance we want to help her. She is a huge part of our family and we want to do what we can but need help.
It does look like if the issue is immune related there is some hope, see this article from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine:
http://www.vet.cornell.edu/hospital/beat/cowboy.cfm
Here are some photos of Rose.
As a puppy...
Loves the water...
Loves her kids...
And the beach...
Helps make things better...
And her mommy...
Days by the river...
Her first Christmas...
This Christmas at the emergency clinic...
I hate to ask for help, but we really need it if Rose is going to have a chance. Whether a dollar or more any little bit helps. Please share with family or friends that might be willing to help.
Thanks!
Unfortunately Rose has contracted Lyme Disease and apparently a condition known as Lyme Nephritis. This is a very serious condition and Rose needs help.
Recently we had noticed that Rose had a slight decrease in her appetite, which of course is somewhat unusual for a Lab. We tempted her with extra yummy foods and she would eat but not with her usual vigor. She seemed to lose a little weight but otherwise was acting normal for the most part, perhaps a little less active. In fact I was beginning to think that she had the winter blues as she seemed mildly depressed.
On the day prior to Christmas Eve my wife noticed Rose sitting by the door with her inner eyelids up and that she seemed to be in pain. The next morning, Christmas Eve, my wife made an appointment for Rose with an area animal hospital. We thought perhaps Rose had injured her eye, which is why her inner eyelids were out. The doctor examined her and said she had a mild abrasion on her right eye and sent us home with eye drops.
My wife and I wondered if the eyelid was in fact a sign of something else, she really seemed uncomfortable. We monitored Rose's activity, food, urine and stool. We worried that perhaps she had eaten something she shouldn't have - as labs will do occasionally.
The evening of Christmas Eve Rose began vomiting. We wonder if it could be related to her medicine she started earlier in the day for her eye. We decided it would be best to skip dinner and keep a close eye on her.
Christmas morning came and Rose had not vomited again but was very lethargic. We made the decision that she needed to be seen as soon as possible and called the local emergency clinic. My wife ran Rose up to the clinic while I stayed home with the kids trying to stay positive and help the kids enjoy Christmas.
At the emergency clinic test were run and she was started on fluids. Rose was suffering from dehydration and her kidney levels were off.
This morning (12/26) we were told that it appears that Rose is suffering from Lyme Nephritis.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36yIMorIE1g
More on Lyme Nephritis: "Dogs with Lyme Nephropathy show signs of anorexia, lethargy, fever and some will even vomit. Kidney levels are often elevated, or elevate later in the course of the disease. The classic hallmark sign of this disease is loss of blood proteins in the urine- called proteinuria. Many will lose enough proteins that their blood work will show low albumin (the major blood protein), leading to leakage of blood fluids from the vessels into the tissues- causing the patient to develop swellings of the tissues called edema.
Most dogs with Lyme Nephropathy have a very poor prognosis, with most succumbing to the disease rather quickly after clinical signs develop despite therapy." (source: http://lapoflove.blogspot.com/2012/10/lyme-nephropathy-in-dogs.html)
Between our visit to the animal hospital on Christmas Eve and the first day at the emergency clinic we have already run up $1829 in bills. The recommendation is that we have a biopsy of the kidney to determine the damage and cause, this procedure would be in the ballpark of $2000. This is only diagnostic we would still need to treat, which would likely involve immunosuppressive medications.
Rose is such a young dog if she has a chance we want to help her. She is a huge part of our family and we want to do what we can but need help.
It does look like if the issue is immune related there is some hope, see this article from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine:
http://www.vet.cornell.edu/hospital/beat/cowboy.cfm
Here are some photos of Rose.
As a puppy...
Loves the water...
Loves her kids...
And the beach...
Helps make things better...
And her mommy...
Days by the river...
Her first Christmas...
This Christmas at the emergency clinic...
I hate to ask for help, but we really need it if Rose is going to have a chance. Whether a dollar or more any little bit helps. Please share with family or friends that might be willing to help.
Thanks!
Organiser
Guy Stephens
Organiser
Lusby, MD
