After being back on her previous dosage of 1-1/2 tablets of 20 mg. prednisone twice a day, Sailor has improved, and is at least as good as she was before the reduced dosage. I had called the vet after the weekend passed to notify him of her relapse and to tell him we would like to see the vet neurologist in a nearby town. He was completely onboard with this, as the neurologist did his graduate study on SRMA and has probably seen hundreds of cases, whereas our vet has only experienced Sailor's case. He called the neurologist and now we have an appointment next week. We just would like some answers about her prognosis - and we'd like to get her weaned off the steroids. We want to know if she'll be like this in the future or if she is likely to relapse again.
Sailor went to the groomer today, and she is completely exhausted tonight. It is absolutely amazing how everyone who is in contact with Sailor instantly loves her, as she is such a loving sweetheart. She looks so nice and matt free tonight, but the groomer commented on her excess fat and lack of muscle tone. Last vet visit she was up to 51 lbs. though she gets only 2-1/2 to 3 cups of puppy chow a day (plus treats and a husband who feeds her from the table). We are just taking it day by day and happy for any success, such as Sailor playing with several of her stuffed squeaky toys this morning.
I did purchase pet insurance for Sailor last week. I know that this won't cover any costs from her SRMA (pre-existing conditions), but it seems like every week there is something new. Financially, this has been quite excessive, though we don't begrudge a single penny. My suggestion to anyone with a new puppy is to get the insurance right away. It is relatively inexpensive when the dog is young, and you never know what can happen. Obama Care may have done away with pre-existing conditions, but that doesn't apply to dogs (or cats). I will update this blog after our visit with the neurologist.