Monty and GME – The Story So Far

7/7/12:
We had good friends over with Monty’s friend Gunner. For a dog that does not become friends with just any other dog easily, Monty and Gunner have been fast friends since being introduced. Several hours of fun ensued for both human and canine, and there were no behavioral or physical abnormalities observed.

7/12/12:
Time for the monthly Frontline application for both Monty & Bailey – this was the second of three doses in the package I had purchased for summer. Applied around lunch time, and my daily 4pm walk with Monty would be the first clue that something is wrong. We took a much different route around downtown than normal, and Monty had some real difficulty in spacial awareness bumping into several parking meters only feet apart, trees in the sidewalk median, and trouble figuring out the right way to enter doors. Back in the apartment he started bumping into objects in the apartment that had been there for some time, so something was up. I called to schedule an appointment with our Vet Dr Naugler for the following day. After reading some internet posts I gave Monty a light test for pupil dilation which revealed one eye completely non-responsive. I called the vet back to move the appointment up to noon the following day.

7/13/12:
What I first thought was disorientation and/or panic with loss of vision has developed into difficulty turning left during the morning walk and the hours to the noon vet appointment drag on to no end. Dr Naugler confirms blindness in one eye and recommends opthamologist for emergency appointment at 2pm. Opthamologist Dr Beaumont sees Monty and immediately suspects neurological condition, most likely due to a brain tumor. She recommends we have an MRI and a spinal tap done to assist diagnosis, but because the prescription (steroids) she recommends would cause complications if this is a bacterial infection and false results for a spinal tap, we opt to monitor for 24hrs. Schedule an emergency appointment with the neurologist for Monday morning the 16th with instructions to call if conditions worsen.

7/14/12:
Walks have deteriorated to meandering circles in the park. Monty seems completely unable to turn left.

7/15/12:
We have spent the entire weekend with Monty and are now very concerned, he has become very lethargic and developing difficulty drinking water. We call Dr Beaumont back and get the prescription for prednisone (steroids) to begin treating the symptoms regardless due to the acute onset. 20mg dose at 7:30pm and within a few hours of being administered he seems to have perked up, but the other symptoms remain.

7/16/12:
Side effects of the steroids are immediate, he has peed on the floor 3 times already overnight. Our morning walk goes fairly well as long as we only make right turns, but out in the open area of the park we only end up wandering in circles. We head up to Carrollton and drop him off with the neurologist Dr Wolfe for the MRI and spinal tap. These procedures require full sedation however so he has to stay overnight for observation.