Anxiety and fear keeps me from sleeping

[[ma...]]

Well I am almost 10 mos off and have not slept the last 3 nites. I am thinking it is because I have been so worried about my dog. Last nite I took 1/2 a unisom and it did nothing. Then took the other half and still wide awake. The nite before 25mg benadryl and barely slept. This is just crazy. I have been doing so well. It is amazing how quickly sleep is affected by stress. My dog was diagnosed with a auto immune blood disorder where the blood doesn't clot. He is only 5.5 lbs. I was really worried. Then one of the meds gave him terrible colitis with bloody diarrhea. He was getting us up every hour or so and barely going. He was in so much discomfort and I could not relax enuf to go to sleep, even with the otc meds. Luckily I can stop one of the meds and got something to soothe his stomach. He seems better today. I hope that means I can sleep. I don't want to get hooked on the otc meds...they don't seem to work when stressed.

[[Be...]]

I'm so sorry to hear about your dog, maltesemom.  My dog got the exact same thing this year and the vet said he could have hemorraged (sp?) internally and died before I could get him in for treatment. His platelet count was down to 4000 (vs 200,000+ normal). It was a scary couple of months but gradually he got better on the medication and was eventually able to discontinue it.  This is all to say that I know you are bound to have some difficulty sleeping due to the worry but hopefully the treatment will be successful and you can all get a good night's sleep again.  

[Guest [Si...]]

I hear you.

 

I have to wait until I am exhausted to sleep.

 

It's not so much anxiety and fear, but at this time- just restlessness.

 

Hopefully this goes.

 

Billy.

[[ma...]]

Beeper. I can't believe your dog has this too. How amazing because my vet said it is pretty uncommon. He has been in practice for 30 yrs and said he only sees about 2 cases a year. How old is your dog? Mine is 6 and they say on the internet 6 is the average, but it is more commonly females and mine is male.

Do you have any idea what caused this? My vet doesn't. I read that stress can cause it. It can also come back. What meds did you use and for how long? Bailey's numbers went up very quickly. He was at 32,000 the first day, then down to 17,000. On the meds he went up to 120,000 the first day then 350,000 the second. I was supposed to do blood tests every day but because his score went up so fast I don't have to go back for 3 weeks. He was on prednisone twice a day and Imuran. The Imuran is what made him sick with colitis really bad. He was bleeding from it...and he has a bleeding disorder.

Did they tell you this could come back. Very scary isn't it. What kind of dog do you have? Looks like Maltese in the pics.

Kathi

[[Be...]]

My vet said she had only seen 4 cases EVER so I know it's quite rare. (Lucky us.  ).  Neither she nor the vet hosptial clinicians had any ideas for what caused it so I guess it could come back.  I hadn't thought of that.    I don't remember the medication; must have blocked it out.  I do know he started on a high dose daily and worked down to one tablet a week and then nothing.  He did have to have blood tests every week or two for a while; it was quite expensive for the first few months and initially his numbers went down.  I really thought I was going to lose him but he must be a survivor.  BTW, MoeJoe is a 20 lb Lhasa Apso and since I got him from a shelter, I really don't know anything about his background, including his age.  He seems about 5 yo to me for some reason but I've heard estimates from vets of 3-9.   

 

That Imuran sounds like nasty stuff.  Is Bailey off it now? 

[[ma...]]

Hi Beeper. Yes, as of Tuesday's dose he is off and we cut the prednisone dose in half...that is for another 3 weeks. then blood test and cut in half again. He is taking a liquid and should finish in Feb.

HOw strange we would both experience this when it is so rare. I'm glad your baby is ok now. Just know that this can come back and if it does only 50% survive. It is much harder to treat if it comes back. ...I was also told by someone that their bichon's came back and they treated it with melatonin and he was ok. My vet read up on the melatonin treatment and said it might be worth trying if it came back.....But for us, it is not coming back, right?

Did your dog get an upset tummy from the steroids? We are using pepsid and carafate for his tummy.

[[Be...]]

That's interesting about melatonin.  That never would have occured to me.  I gave MoeJoe Pepcid with his meds and he tolerated them well.  He generally can - and does - eat anything and not have a problem so that probably helped a lot.  And you are right: our pups are NOT getting that again! 

[[ma...]]

Beeper, is that MoeJoe in the picture? He sure looks like he is part Maltese, just bigger. Do you think stress could have been the cause of this disease? I read that it can. Bailey had been to the vet and was really scared. Then I got mad at him and put him in the bathroom for incessant barking and not coming when called. I was pretty mad at him. I read where traveling could cause this. But also where it could be some chemical or toxin, maybe on the grass or even food. Makes you scared to think you might cause it again...not knowing what it is that makes it happen. My little guy is 5.5 lbs and pretty sensitive. Always has had reflux and a sensitive tummy. Very sensitive to noise. I hate not knowing the cause of this cuz I sure don't want it to happen again.

He has only been on meds since Sun. We go back for bloodwork on Dec 1. Hope that is soon enuf. He did respond very quickly to the meds.

He is my baby and goes everywhere with us...has separation anxiety so I take him everywhere in his bag. No one knows I have a dog with me. He goes to restaurants, timeshares, hotels. Luckily he is very good and quiet. He just barks like a maniac at other dogs. Guess that is little dog syndrome.

How long ago did MoeJoe get this?

[[ji...]]

Hi Kathi,

 

I'm sorry your puppy is sick. I know how you feel. My baby was sick with a virus and ran a very high fever this week. Neither of us slept well to say the least.

 

Unfortunately, these dogs are so over-bread that they are starting to have problems. Even the best blood lines are showing up with problems. My mom had a golden that was from an excellent bloodline and she ended up getting lymphoma at just a year old and passed away. My dog has a low white count everytime I take her to the vet but they can never find the cause and she never acts sick....her mom and dad were show dogs from good bloodlines.

 

hope you get some sleep soon~

 

Jittery

[[ma...]]

Hi Jittery. This has really been a scary week. Poor Bailey got sick from the strong meds and got horrible colitis. It just breaks my heart so see him so miserable...but he is doing better now and doesn't have another blood test till Dec 1 thank goodness. He gets so scared at the vet and now I'm sure it will be worse after all this.

My breeder has had dogs at Westminster and Bailey grandfather was the #1 Maltese in 2000 I think. But many Maltese have liver issues and Bailey has had reflux forever. He takes a homepathic blend from a DR. in Vermont which has really helped. I also use rescue remedy at the vet and groomer. Doesn't work that well tho.

I don't know what is going on with my sleep, or should I say lack of? I used melatonin last nite and woke at 4:30, same for the nite before only I used unisom. Maybe its the worry over Bailey. I am starting to get frustrated again because the melatonin gives me a headache and I can't take unisom every nite and I'm really tired again.

I hope someday I can sleep. I'm really sick of this.

Sounds like you have found at least a temporary solution for sleep. I'm glad. You can only take this sleep deprivation for so long. I know how much my sleep was affected when Bailey was so sick so I'm sure you have the same thing with your baby. It is just one more challenge on top of the taper mess.

Not sure what I will do. Each nite is a new challenge. I do think the zzz glasses help, do you? Not necessarily enuf to put me to sleep, but helpful.