I took her to the vet this afternoon and saw a different doctor. (Why are vets all now younger than my kids?)
Fresh eyes did have a new idea, she suggested trying a different antibiotic. She has an elderly Yorkie with similar IBS issues and it works for him. I was happy to be talking to a vet who understands this frustration: her dog’s issues don’t have a clear diagnosis either. She totally got it when I said I’d spent thousands on diagnostic testing and just couldn’t drop another couple grand only to be told Sophie has “colitis.” Trust me, I KNOW THAT. It’s extremely frustrating that a diagnosis is so hard, and even with more expensive testing, we still might not get an answer, or a treatment that works. So, we will tinker around with meds, and try to wean her off the high dose of steroids.
We also did a B-12 shot and subcutaneous fluids, which the tech reported were sucked right in, which means she IS dehydrated after days of basically pooping her brains out. She goes back in two weeks. I may have to start a Go Fund Me for her, because exam, relatively inexpensive meds, fluids and B-12 injection came out to around $260. That’s not counting the prescription foods, giant potty pads, etc. it takes to manage living with her. So let’s hope this new med works.
She’s still a sweet, good girl, and she’s adjusting to being blind, or at least getting used to walking into things outdoors. I watched her on the leash this morning and it came to me: Sophie is now a Roomba! She walks in a direction, bounces off something, pauses to evaluate, changes direction. I have to be alert to keep her from walking face first into a downed tree branch or stumbling over a storm drain, but otherwise, she just bops around at the end of her leash like a Roomba, and when she’s feeling good, she doesn’t mind. She’ll adjust to being blind if her guts aren’t giving her misery. The combination is just utterly miserable. Fingers crossed for the new med.