My little guy has slowed down a lot over the past six months or so

[QuickSilver]

Hi, everyone! I don't know if anyone remembers me. It's been a really long time since I posted here, so long, I don't really know where to start in terms of saying hello to people.

So I guess I will just get to it. My yorkie, Thor, just turned 8. He's always been very healthy, slender, and energetic. He does have LP in both knees, and has for a while.

Over the past few months, I've noticed quite a drop in his energy level. He used to be impossible to tire out. Even after twelve-mile hikes, he would still want to play fetch. Now he's okay with thirty-sixty minute walk every other day. If I try to take him more than that, he leans against the leash until we go back inside.

He seems fine otherwise. No changes in his eating, pooping or peeing habits. He's been to the vet twice in the past month for check up and follow up. His lymph nodes are fine. he actually gained a bit of weight on the second visit. His belly is normal. He doesn't show any pain if you touch any part of his body.

We tried an anti-inflammatory daily pill for about a month, but I didn't see a change. Granted, it was raining constantly during that month, and he hates going out in the rain... but I don't think I saw anything.

The one thing that has been definitely going on is that San Francisco had a monster flea season, and Thor had fleas probably for a few months. I had him on Frontline, but the vet told me that it wasn't strong enough for this season. I just started giving him Comfortis. He was scratching non-stop for several weeks, and he now has a bacterial skin infection, which I am treating with a medicated shampoo. So I suppose another possibility is that he still isn't feeling up to snuff.

I know this is super-long, but has anyone else seen a marked slowdown that occurred over ~six months that wasn't caused by a health problem? The vet said that nothing appears to be wrong, but the next step would be an ultrasound to check the liver and I guess also for severe arthritis.

I didn't think 8 was that old for a yorkie, so it is worrying me to see this change.

Thank you so much for reading.

[107barney]

I didn't notice mine slowing down at 8 and they haven't at 14. So I think further workup may be needed. I would probably just get another opinion and go from there. I don't like what I've heard of comfortis so I would use sentinel. I don't like the idea of treating a skin bacterial infection only with a shampoo and have found oral antibiotics to be much more effective (i.e. simplecef for 4 weeks). Why an ultrasound of the liver? Are his liver enzymes elevated? if he has no GI symptoms then why do it unless labs are off. Do you have the labs? Maybe run a free T4 and check thyroid.

[Doodlebug]

Hi, I remember you! Welcome back! My Daisy is 11 and she has arthritis but I don't really know if you would call it severe. It has just started to bother her. She still wants to go on walks and is enthusiastic about them but I can see that she tires out or maybe gets sore quicker than before so she gets to ride the rest of the way in the stroller. Daisy is a little overweight so I know that doesn't help. I would wonder if it was the flea/skin problems that made him slow down. I hope you get some answers and it's nothing serious.

[Maximo]

Hi Quicksilver! Great to see you back here, but sorry to hear you are concerned about Thor. Does his slowdown coincide with the use of Comfortis? That would be my first suspicion too.

I also agree with Cathy about treating the skin infection with an antibiotic rather than just a shampoo.

Rotten fleas. I had never seen one in the first 40 years of my life, but Teddy picked up a couple at the park each of the last 3 years. He is highly allergic. We have a spray from the vet that I have used on bites that prevented skin infection.

Best wishes for Thor.

[lisaly]

It's wonderful to see you back. I'm so sorry to hear that Thir has slowed down. That's early for a Yorkie. I also suspect it can be related to the Comfortis and the bacterial infections. We always treated secondary bacterial infections with antibiotics.

I hope your traveling was wonderful and that you found a wonderful job. I miss your quick wit and kind heart. I hope Thor gets better and that you visit YT more.

[Wylie's Mom]

OMG, I can't believe you are actually HERE! Ya know how much I have missed you!!???? Well, MUCH. I so miss your wit, humor, one-liners, and your intelligence. I would just love to see you here more. Like, a LOT more...hint hint.

As for Thor...yeah, that is really young to see any kind of age-related slow down so I do think something seems to be bothering him. If he does indeed have pyoderma (staph intermedius) on his skin, that's usually treated w/ Simplicef x 30 days. Shampoos don't really get rid of pyoderma, so maybe that's why he's feeling yucky? Can you see the pyoderma all over, or is it just local? Lastly, Cushings does cause a "slow down"/lethargy...but it honestly doesn't sound like he has any other single symptom (well, skin infection is one though)...so I think it'd be highly unlikely. But just to be safe, read through this and make sure it doesn't sound like him: Cushing’s Disease Summary

So...we need an update! Are you still in San Fran? Same job? Still traveling a bit w/ Thor? Please share *all* personal and private information please !

[gemy]

Welcome back Quick Silver! I hope that life is treating you well. I do so hope that Thor is going to turn the corner with his health. Sometimes symptoms come on so gradually that it is hard to remember which symptom started first.


For the exercise do you recall if his reluctance / energy decrease started before his flea problem.?


For his LP have you noticed any changes in his movement patterns? Such as difficulty or reluctance to go up or down the stairs? Is there any palpable swelling at his joints?


I too would advise a second opinion and probably go to an internal medicine specialist - you might be able to find one in San Fran that specializes in geriatric medicine.


If an extended thyroid panel has not been done I would do one. But it is certainly tempting to look at the pyroderma as a root cause. Maybe once this clears up he will start to act more like his old self? And certainly consider using a more aggressive approach in clearing up his skin infection.

[Lovetodream88]

I would have the thyroid checked.

[QuickSilver]

GRAH! I just had my reply eaten. Okay, what was I saying?

First, thank you for the warm welcome back, and I remember all you guys! Lovetodream88, gemy, Wylie's Mom, lisaly, Maximo, Doodlebug, and 107barney, it's great to see you guys still tearing it up at YT. How's the board been?

Thor just started taking Comfortis, so it does not coincide with his slowdown, though it's concerning to see so many people say they don't like that drug.

Thor's slowdown could have coincided with the start of his infestation. We were having a ton of mosquitos at the time, and I thought he got bitten. The fleas really threw me for a loop. I was 100% positive he did NOT have fleas, and then someone took a flea off him. And then that happened again at the vet a month later. So now I think maybe he had fleas all along. I remember when he started scratching, because that was a distinct change in behavior, while his lower energy was not as dramatic. He hasn't been scratching for a few weeks, but his energy still seems low.

Someone else suggested Lyme disease, which isn't common in my immediate area, but it's always possible.

It sounds like this energy change is not typical, so I should try taking him to another vet and keep looking for answers. I will keep you posted.

______

Oh, I forgot to add, just gave him his second medicine bath. It's a yeast infection. I think it might be the same thing that causes "Frito Feet", except this was "Frito Everything." It seems to have cleared up everywhere except one armpit. People here seem to think topical treatment is not enough?

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by QuickSilver

GRAH! I just had my reply eaten. Okay, what was I saying?

First, thank you for the warm welcome back, and I remember all you guys! Lovetodream88, gemy, Wylie's Mom, lisaly, Maximo, Doodlebug, and 107barney, it's great to see you guys still tearing it up at YT. How's the board been?

Thor just started taking Comfortis, so it does not coincide with his slowdown, though it's concerning to see so many people say they don't like that drug.

Thor's slowdown could have coincided with the start of his infestation. We were having a ton of mosquitos at the time, and I thought he got bitten. The fleas really threw me for a loop. I was 100% positive he did NOT have fleas, and then someone took a flea off him. And then that happened again at the vet a month later. So now I think maybe he had fleas all along. I remember when he started scratching, because that was a distinct change in behavior, while his lower energy was not as dramatic. He hasn't been scratching for a few weeks, but his energy still seems low.

Someone else suggested Lyme disease, which isn't common in my immediate area, but it's always possible.

It sounds like this energy change is not typical, so I should try taking him to another vet and keep looking for answers. I will keep you posted.

______

Oh, I forgot to add, just gave him his second medicine bath. It's a yeast infection. I think it might be the same thing that causes "Frito Feet", except this was "Frito Everything." It seems to have cleared up everywhere except one armpit. People here seem to think topical treatment is not enough?

When Callie was diagnosed with hypothyroidism one of the biggest things were not a lot of energy, overweight a bit, and some other things. They drew her blood did a test on her thyroid and the numbers were off so they did another test on it. After even just a couple of days on the medicine I started to see a difference. She was 6 when she was diagnosed. It's apparently more common then I thought.

[capt_noonie]

Hey glad to see you on! But sorry to hear about Thor. I also was a little surprised at how many do not like Comfortis. I gave it to Uni for quite a while. I would give only half a pill to each dog and both Uni and Toto did not seem to have any change to their behavior.

I would def try to get more testing done. That noticeable of a change in 6 months is concerning. 8 is really not that old. I hope you find out what's wrong with him.

[Maximo]

Ann and Cathy know much more about skin issues than I do, but I think yeast would be completely different than pyoderma, and might be a clue to what is slowing down Thor.

For thyroid, I would be inclined to do a full panel. In humans, thyroid problems are often missed without the full panel of T3, T4, TSH and something else I think.

[Ellie May]

Of course we remember you!

Was a T4 included in the blood?
What were his ALT, ALKP, AST, CK, BUN, creatnine, and CBC results? Electrolytes? EKG normal? Heartworm negative?

[chestermama]

flea busters is the only way to go for fleas, you treat the house, and opaws advanced mobility is great stuff for the joints good luck

[jacquelinebabco]

Welcome stranger it has been a long time, too long. I have missed your wit and humor. Sorry Thor is having difficulty with his health. Hopefully you will find the cure quickly and he can get back to his old self. Please visit more often and keep us posted on your little love bug Thor.