I have a 9-1/2 yr old male Golden Retriever. All of a sudden he started acting sluggish and a few days later his nails bleed all over the garage. It looked as thought he was dragging his front paws and shaved down his nails til they bled. His one eye was droopy. I took him to the vet and they said he had idiopathic horners syndrome that was causing his eye problems. He sometimes runs into things. He has been tested for lyme, liver issues, kidney issues, thyroid issues, xrays, ultrasounds on his bladder, and a urine test and all is normal. She feels all his problems are neurological. I've started him on acupuncture. Hoping this helps. Not many vets do it. Does anyone know anything about this? Are there any suggestions for me to try to help him? It is like the life was all of a sudden sucked out of him. Playing and running one day and looking like 100 years old the next. Other suggestions have been to give him a tablespoon of raw honey every day. Coillidal silver in his eye and a teaspoon in his food a day. 1/2 teas of golden tumeric paste 3x a day. (tumeric, water, cold pressed coconut oil and fresh ground pepper). Any thoughts on any of this or anything else?
I'm sorry to hear about the problems your boy is having. Are you close to a Vet School?
If you are, you may want to take him there or try to get a referral for a specialty clinic.
I am not close to a vet school. Also looking for help on something to put on his feet so he won't wear down his nails. I tried the boots from the pet store but they are too bulky for summer. He will wear socks but i don't want to put rubber bands around them to hold them up as it might be too tight for his legs.
So sorry to read about the problems your boy is having.
Where are you located? I would suggest consulting with a holistic or homeopathic veterinarian in your area. Perhaps someone in your area on the forum can suggest a holistic or homeopathic vet for you.
I too would seek a neurological exam. If you don't have a vet school nearby, look for a specialty clinic that has a neurologist- I'm guessing an MRI/ct would be in order.... have your $$ in hand.... dragging the feet to the point of nail bleeds is a classic sign of a neurological issue- hope for you and him that it is easily resolved. I'm sorry.
FWIW I use a veterinary acupuncturist, she is fabulous for aches and pains, but when my dog last summer started having symptoms of a neurological issue in a matter of a minute- literally- I saw it happen - she came over and said 'off to UF you go'.... after the bloodwork that's pretty much routine, an MRI was next then a US. He had a papilloma on his brain stem, in that minute I mentioned above, he jumped in the pool fine and another dog took his bumper, turning his neck suddenly- that was the minute nothing was right after.
I also know a dog - not mine- who had nail bleeds from foot dragging, she too was sent for an MRI- they found a tumor on her spine and she had a successful surgery but the UT-K vet school docs said had they not gotten her in that week she might not have made it. Neurological stuff is so time sensitive.
I'm crossing my fingers for him and you.
I live in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He seems to be doing a little better with the acupuncture and was hopeful it would work. I will have to look into the MRI and see what they say.
I'm so sorry that you and your boy are facing these challenges.
A veterinary neurologist typically does a thorough physical exam that involves putting a dog through a variety of exercises that help determine where the problem is. Based on our own experience, I suspect that you won't need the MRI to get a pretty good idea of what is wrong. It could be anything from bone impinging on nerves (Joker had this problem, which we treated with anti-inflammatory meds) to a stroke or other lesions. The sooner you know what you're dealing with, the better the prognosis.
Good luck and please keep us posted.
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