Marlin saw the vet today. :( More info p3 #37
I put the visit off, as I couldn't find any solutions offered on line, and been through this once before with a family dog, nothing was available then either.
Marlin spins. He turns to the left, over and over and over, non stop. This morning, he'd been going almost 3 hours by the time our appointment came up (made that yesterday).
Vet said she's seen this before, mostly w/ small dogs, mostly w/ poodles. In 17 years, she never saw anyone so dedicated to his spinning as Marlin is. (He went non stop for half an hour in the exam room while we talked, after she examined him)
It is either a symptom of the dementia, or it is a brain tumor. No treatment for either, unfortunately, so she did not recommend spending the money for an MRI to see if it is a tumor. She could suggest some dementia meds she used in UK, not approved here but I could get them online via a Canadian pharmacy. Also she is going to look in to an OCD med. He is COMPELLED to spin, he will be lying down and give a little cry and hop up to spin: "I can't just lie here, I have to SPIN!" So I'd asked about an OCD med. She is going to research that. Either way it will be experimental, not an obvious fix.
She noted he does keep track of where I am as he spins - she had me move around the room to 3 different spots and stop. She said he is in no pain and really not aware of what he is doing. When he searches me out, you can see his eyes focus (I'd noticed this in the back yard, already).
This came on gradually over 5 weeks, first he'd spin a bit then be alright for several hours. Now, he either eats, sleeps or spins. He sometimes gets up in the night to spin. Exhausting to watch him!
He is unsteady on his feet and may get himself dizzy; after a time, he will tip and his rear end goes down. This only keeps him for seconds and he struggles to get up and resumes his spinning. The other problem we have is, in him getting up, he waves his legs about a bit. That sets Willy off, he rushes in for the kill - a bite to the neck. This started with Willy last summer, so I've been on watch for it. Willy has not actually bitten Marlin since last August. I have to keep a water bottle handy. And to help Marlin up, or hold him and cuddle him, I have to either put Willy outdoors, or one of them in the bedroom with the door closed. I discussed this with the vet as well. She has seen Willy go for Marlin, last year at one vet visit when I lifted Marlin off the exam table to put him on the floor. Marlin has never been one to stretch his legs down to meet the floor, no, instead he always has waved them around. I knew it would happen, and had the vet tech holding Willy's leash. It is a primal instinct, to put a pack member out if having a seizure, or if seriously injured, and so on.
Anyway, so she suggested I not leave the 2 of them with access to one another anymore when I have to go out. I need to start separating them before I leave the house. As there is no telling what Marlin will do, when, no clear prognosis as to what comes next in this decline.
Dad is not able to manage any of the dogs any longer, so it doesn't matter if I leave and he is home, that is the same as me not being here.
Marlin could stay this way for some months, or could get worse at any time. He eats fine, he is still Starvin' Marlin.
Oh, and I've been walking Marlin a few times a week. Slow to start, and slow moving but he is steady. She suggested I stop walking him; neighbors have commented to me that the dog does not want to walk. Unfortunately, she said someone could call Animal Control, and I'd have another big mess to cope with. I will perhaps take him up to the farm a few times, as he loves to potter about at the entrance where all the dogs leave their p-mail. In a way I'm glad about this, it was hard to poke along and go 1/4 mile in 45 minutes. On the other hand, I enjoyed seeing him find a smell and sniff, sniff, sniff! I do understand exactly what she is saying.
So, that is the update for Marlin. Sad, to watch him age like this.
