Toby just tested positive for Ehrlichia and I will pick up his antibiotics today.
A little background: Toby is 9 years old, he had a TPLO on his right knee October last year and a FHO on his left hip December last year. He recovered nicely without complications and was really doing well.
In July, Toby started limping on and off on his front legs, especially the right front leg. He was put on Rimadyl twice a day, did not make a difference, he limped less but kept stumbling. He stumbled really hard one time in August and was limping really badly. Rimadyl again, countless x-rays of that leg, nothing to be found. So, we were treating it as a bad sprain. No improvement was seen with Rimadyl and the vet noticed that Toby's hind legs should signs of muscle atrophy. I told the vet, that Toby is getting more wobbly in the hind end. More x-rays and starting on Adequan injections. Nothing found, limping continues.
Then, a new member was posting about their dog having tested positive for lymes disease and she was describing unexplained limping in the front legs. This hit me like a ton of bricks and made me wonder if Toby had a tick borne disease. He had a geriatric profile done in June, including a heartworm test and tick panel with the in-house snap test. All came back negative. But, hey it was an idea.
I called my vet and asked him if Toby could have a tick borne disease. The vet said, it is always a possibility and I brought Toby in for bloodwork. He had a CBC done, which was normal, did not show the decrease in platelets that is often seen in tick borne diseases but we sent out a new more extensive tick panel to the lab.
Yesterday, the vet called and said that Toby tested positive for Ehrlichia. He also found it strange that the in-house test was negative. Anyway, Toby will be put on Doxycycline and we should know in a few days, if he starts improving. If he does, we know that Ehrlichia is the culprit. If he does not improve, back to the drawing board.
Either way of course, the Ehrlichia will be continued to be treated with the antibiotics.

Toby has gone through so much in this past year, I would love for him to finally be able to run and play without discomfort. I can tell he is getting frustrated.

Please, may I ask you to keep your fingers crossed that Toby's problem is a simple as Ehrlichia?

Thank you! And I will keep updating.

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My boys from left to right:
Thunder Dachsi Toby




http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/...is-issues.html

My Toby, my heart dog 3/12/2003 - 3/30/2013, I miss you Toby!


Christa

Thoughts and prayers being sent your way that the doxy makes him feel like his old self again. It is so hard when they start to show their age!

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A Golden at the end of the day, makes the stress go away!

THank you for sharing your story, it is good information to have. I hope that you have found the problem and it will respond to treatment. Please keep us posted, this must be so frustrating for you to watch him struggle...

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Ellie and Mack

Sending good toughts for a quick and complete recovery for Toby!

I always run the more comprehensive tests; the SNAP 4Dx just does not seem to be reliable enough for me living in TBD central

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Golden moments shared with
Casey, Faelan, Towhee & Brady too !

and forever in my heart, my golden Bridge boys
Rowdy & King

Poor Toby. Prayers flying his way that he feels better quickly and that this takes care of the issue. Huge kudos for you in being so vigilant and persistant in looking for the cause of his problems. A good lesson for all of us. Please keep us posted.

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Betty and the Dallas crew


“Until one has loved an animal a part of one's soul remains unawakened.” A. France

I'm praying for Toby. Thanks for telling us about this.

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[IMG]http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii215

Tonka & Tucker

SNOBEAR at the Bridge
Dec. 23, 1999-March 27, 2010


SMOOCH at the Bridge.
Feb. 14, 1999-Dec. 7, 2010

Aww, poor Toby. I hope he gets better soon!

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"In life, the best walks are always too brief."


Gallagher(went to the Rainbow Bridge 08/02/02), and Fozzie's Mom forever!(Fozzie went to the Rainbow Bridge 07/14/12)

I hope it's "just" Ehrlichia. My understanding is that it responds very, very well to doxycycline.

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I'm sorry to hear Toby is positive for ehrlichia, and I hope the Doxy does the trick for him. Are you in a high tick area? We aren't here (yet), but one of my dogs tested positive for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever several years ago before we started using Frontline Plus. It's always a good idea to get the TBD panel run for unexplained limping. Keep us posted!

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Meet Yogi! http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/...tion-yogi.html

Thanks everybody!
Thanks Anne, yes we are in a high tick area and all boys are always getting Frontline Plus applied. The boys are also vaccinated against Lyme disease. I guess we can never really protect them from everything, no matter what we do.
Toby got his first dose of Doxy, now it's wait and see.

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My boys from left to right:
Thunder Dachsi Toby




http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/...is-issues.html

My Toby, my heart dog 3/12/2003 - 3/30/2013, I miss you Toby!


Christa