Among the behavioral changes we’ve seen since Lilly developed meningoencephalomyelitis / meningoencephalitis (inflammation of the brain and lining of the brain and spinal cord) is a resurgence of attention-seeking behaviors. It makes getting any work done pretty hard, and it makes taking a walk on our road interesting.
Next up in our gallery of changes since Lilly developed meningoencephalomyelitis / meningoencephalitis (inflammation of the brain and lining of the brain and spinal cord) after an adverse vaccine reaction to a rabies vaccine is this video showing how much trouble Lilly has holding a simple sit. Sometimes, her front feet slide out. Sometimes, we joke that she must have “butter on her butt.”
Last week, after a long walk and a dip in our pond, I took a picture of a happy Lilly. It’s a nice picture, except all I can see are the changes in Lilly’s face from her ongoing neurological deficits. For comparison … first a few pictures of Lilly BEFORE she got so sick following her rabies vaccination in January 2012.
In March 2012, I had the chance to attend (on a press pass) two days of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) annual conference. It happened to be in Denver this year. My number one destination was a session called “Video Tour of the Neurologic Exam” by Dr. Simon Platt, who works / teaches at the University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
Tom practically had to sit on me over the weekend to keep me from running Lilly down to the nearest veterinary emergency room. Starting last Wednesday, April 4, 2012, Lilly began acting VERY sick again. She only got worse over the weekend — a holiday (for many), of course!
Indeed, Lilly is recovering nicely some 2 months since her adverse rabies vaccine reaction. She is nowhere near normal, but she is coping the best she can. As are we to the “new” puppy girl resulting from the veterinary emergency with her brain / nervous system. Things don’t always go well …
Monday, we showed you some agility highlights as Lilly recovers from her neurological troubles. Today, we prove that it isn’t always pretty.
At our last veterinary neurology appointment, Lilly got the OK to do agility and other more strenuous tasks so that her brain can start figuring out how to rewire certain movements. I convinced myself that Lilly jumped differently and weaved weirdly, but after looking at old agility videos, it seems more like Lilly exaggerates her movements following her “brain injury.” Videos, ahoy!
Blame it on the steroids and other medications required to treat Lilly’s eningoencephalomyelitis / meningoencephalitis (inflammation of the brain and lining of the brain and spinal cord). Two weeks ago today, Lilly ate 1/2 of a canvass totebag while I was away at a work meeting.
I know I’ve been griping a lot about the struggles of dealing with Lilly’s recovery, but I have one odd-but-good behavioral change we’ve seen.
