[PyrNet-L] Scary Dog Stuff

[PyrLove214@aol.com]

  Cross-posted with permission:
 
  On 3/15/00 I asked my Vet for a Heartworm preventive for my 2 year old
  Australian Shepherd, Sage.  They recommended Revolution.  It was applied
  on 3/15/00.  On 3/20/00 Sage developed a cough, but she was otherwise
 fine. She had had a bath at the Vet on 3/15/00 also, so I decided to
  watch her for further symptoms. On 3/23/00 she was fine until late
  afternoon when she became quiet and didn't want to play. By 7pm that
  night, she had trouble opening her left eye and whimpered when she
 jumped down from the couch or bed.
 
  In the past, Sage always had a tendency to bruise easily.  She had
  sensitive skin and worry an area until it bruised.  She had no trouble
  with her blood clotting and had been previously spayed.  She now had
  bruising on her body.
 
 When I took her to the Vet, he asked if she had been in rat poison.  I
  informed him that she was an inside dog and only went out to play with
  the kids and to use the bathroom.  My neighbors have pets and do not put
  out poisons.
 
  They also asked if she had had a blow to the head because there was
  blood in the whites of her eyes that was not there yesterday.  I stated
  that she was not hit in the head.  I asked if it could be the Revolution
  and was informed that it could not be.  I told my vet that was the only
  thing that Sage had been exposed to.  He did a CBC and her platelets
  were 87 and WBC count was 27,000. her Hct was 37.  He treated her for
  infection and rat poisoning and sent us home.  Within 3 hours she was
  falling over.  I rushed her back to the Vet and he kept her until 5pm that 
afternoon.  I brought her home after they said she was doing better.   At 6pm 
she was
  again falling over and I called my Vet back and was informed to bring
  her back the next day.
 
  By 11pm, she was bleeding from her nose and had vomited with streaks of
  bright red blood.   My husband and I drove her to an ER clinic in
  Savannah, GA and was told that it was either a tick born disease or rat 
poisoning                                
  or a blow to the head.  I again asked if could be the Revolution and was
  informed no.
 
  They kept her and treated her as my vet.  When I called at 6am, I was
  informed that she was having seizures but she was otherwise stable.  I
  was worried about a subdural hematoma and talked with  my Vet.  He
  suggested I take Sage to Charleston, SC to see a Specialist.  She
  arrived there at 4:30pm.
 
  When I gave her history, I again asked if it could be the Revolution and
  was informed no. Later that night Sage continued to have seizures and
  she bled into the orbits of her eyes, but they said their was still hope.
 
 At 6:45am they called and said Sage had arrested and was on a
  ventilator. We asked that they let her go.  This has been devastating to
  my family. We loved that dog.  She was a family member.  At 10am, the
  clinic called and asked for an autopsy.  They informed me that another dog 
had died last
  month there, with symptoms the same as Sage.  The dog was an inside dog
  and the only thing different was that the owner had started Revolution.  
The dog
  died of low platelets and intracrannial hemorrhage just like Sage.  The vet 
in
  Charleston called the Revolution people and they are paying for Sages
  autopsy.
 
  They also paid for the other dogs autopsy.  That autopsy showed  low
  platelets and intracrannial hemorrhage from a toxin. (? Revolution was
  the only toxin the owners had given).  I will not know the results of
  the autopsy for  month, but I believe it was the Revolution.  If 2 dogs 
have died in                       in the Savannah-Charleston area in the 
last month, how many nation wide.
 
  Please spread the word for owners to be careful about using this drug on
  their dogs. No dog should suffer like my Sage suffered.

  Thanks for Listening,
  Terri Eddy
  Rincon, GA